| White House tells ‘Obamacare victims’ that ‘help is on the way’ amid Senate push Posted: 26 Jun 2017 03:43 PM PDT  On Monday, Vice President Mike Pence held a "listening session" in his office with people who said they had negative experiences with Obamacare.
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| Kushner Hires Lawyer With Scandal Experience Posted: 26 Jun 2017 11:00 AM PDT  Rachel Maddow reports that Donald Trump son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner has hired a famed defense lawyer Abbe Lowell, who has represented a litany of clients through high profile political scandals and prosecutions.
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| Al Franken: Democrats ‘gotta stop riding in limousines’ Posted: 26 Jun 2017 09:45 AM PDT  The Minnesota senator admits his party has a public perception problem — but not as big as the GOP's when it comes to health care.
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| Chinese passenger chucks coins into plane's engine for luck Posted: 27 Jun 2017 06:05 AM PDT  A superstitious passenger delayed a flight from Shanghai for several hours Tuesday after throwing coins at the plane's engine for good luck, Chinese officials said. The elderly woman was detained by police at Shanghai Pudong International Airport following the bizarre incident, forcing nearly 150 passengers to be evacuated from the plane bound for Guangzhou in southern China. The 80-year-old threw nine coins at an engine of China Southern Airlines flight CZ380 as she was boarding on the tarmac.
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| Katherine The Great White Shark Has Been Spotted Again Posted: 26 Jun 2017 03:58 PM PDT  Scientists saw the great white shark making its way off the coast of Virginia. The species isn't out to attack humans on purpose — but may take a bite just to see how they rate as food.
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| Pro-Isis hackers break into US government websites leaving chilling messages for Donald Trump Posted: 26 Jun 2017 01:41 AM PDT  Isis supporting hackers broke into US government websites and issued chilling warnings to Donald Trump. It is just the latest pro-Isis attack to be launched on government pages by a group that apparently seek to disrupt organisations and deface their websites. "You will be held accountable Trump, you and all your people for every drop of blood flowing in Muslim countries," read one message, posted on Ohio governor and unsuccessful presidential candidate John Kasich's website.
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| Two U.S. studies differ over effects of marijuana on drivers Posted: 27 Jun 2017 10:01 AM PDT ![Two U.S. studies differ over effects of marijuana on drivers]( "Two U.S. studies differ over effects of marijuana on drivers") (This June 22 story has been refiled to correct study author's name to "Aydelotte" instead of "Adedoyte" in third paragraph.) By Taylor Harris (Reuters) - Two U.S. studies on the effects of marijuana on drivers in states where it is allowed for recreational use came to different conclusions about whether it increases risks behind the wheel. A study by the American Journal of Public Health published on Thursday looked at motor vehicle fatalities and found no significant increase in Colorado and Washington State, where recreational marijuana use is legal, compared with eight states where it is not legal that have similar populations, vehicle ownership, and traffic laws. "Our study focused on deaths and actually found what we expected going into this," Jason Aydelotte, lead author of the study said in a telephone interview.
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| Man Held Teen Girl Captive For More Than a Year: Cops Posted: 27 Jun 2017 06:07 AM PDT  Michael Wysolovski, 31, was arrested and charged with holding Hailey Burns captive after her parents received a tip from a woman in Romania.
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| China hits back at US on human trafficking downgrade Posted: 27 Jun 2017 05:23 AM PDT  BEIJING (AP) — China has pre-emptively hit back at the United States for speaking "irresponsibly" ahead of an expected Trump administration move to name China among the world's worst human trafficking offenders.
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| Rare spate of bear attacks leaves two dead in Alaska Posted: 27 Jun 2017 10:50 AM PDT  A warning sign in Anchorage, Alaska, after a 16-year-old runner was recently killed by a black bear. There have only been six fatal bear attacks in the state in 130 years. Alaska is experiencing a spate of bear attacks, with four people attacked in less than a week, resulting in two fatalities.
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| Dreaded WWII Zero fighter takes to the skies over Japan Posted: 27 Jun 2017 02:41 AM PDT  Salvaged from the Papua New Guinean jungle, a restored World War II Japanese Zero fighter has taken to the skies over the land that gave birth to the once-feared warplane. The aircraft -- emblazoned with tell-tale rising sun symbols -- is one of just a few airworthy Zero fighters left in the world, nearly eight decades after they struck fear into the hearts of Allied pilots. The plane flew near Tokyo this month, watched by businessman and aviation buff Masahide Ishizuka who bought the plane for 350 million yen ($3.1 million) in 2008.
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| White House warns Syria may be readying chemical attack Posted: 26 Jun 2017 07:16 PM PDT  The White House warned strongman Bashar Assad that his regime would pay heavily for the slaughter of civilians.
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| U.S.-backed fighters advance in Raqqa, Syria Posted: 26 Jun 2017 05:00 AM PDT ![U.S.-backed fighters advance in Raqqa, Syria]( "U.S.-backed fighters advance in Raqqa, Syria") Islamic State group jihadists wage fierce battles in their Syrian stronghold Raqqa in a bid to repel US-backed fighters advancing towards the walls of the Old City.
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| North Carolina man gets life in prison for plotting Islamic State attack Posted: 27 Jun 2017 01:09 PM PDT  Justin Sullivan, 21, of Morganton, was sentenced in federal court in Asheville on one count of attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries, the Justice Department said in a statement. Sullivan had pleaded guilty in November 2016, and the agreement with prosecutors called for the life sentence. Prosecutors said Sullivan conspired with Junaid Hussain, a British hacker who was an online recruiter of people to carry out attacks on behalf of the militant group Islamic State.
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| China's verdant 'forest city' will fight pollution with a million plants Posted: 27 Jun 2017 01:17 PM PDT  If tree-covered skyscrapers act like enormous air filters, this cluster of buildings will be a clean air oasis. China has broken ground on a "forest city" in the southern city of Liuzhou. The development, which will span two-thirds of a mile along the Liujiang River, involves blanketing offices, apartments, hotels, and schools with more than a million plants and about 40,000 trees. SEE ALSO: How drones are helping to plant trees The verdant towers will help soak up urban air pollution, produce clean oxygen, and boost local biodiversity. The greenery also provides shade on sunny days and acts as an insulating blanket during winter, allowing tenants to use less heating and electricity. Liuzhou Forest City will span 175 hectares, or 0.67 miles, along the Liujiang River.Image: stefano boeri architettiIf the concept sounds familiar, that's because these buildings are the work of Stefano Boeri Architetti, the same architecture firm behind the two "vertical forest" buildings planned for Nanjing in eastern China. Liuzhou city officials commissioned the Italian company to build the development, which will host about 30,000 people and be connected to the main Liuzhou city — population 3.8 million — via a fast-rail line used by electric cars. The forest city, now under construction, is expected to be completed by 2020, the Milan-based architects confirmed by email. 'Vertical forest' buildings in the Liuzhou development.Image: stefano boeri architettiThe development is a flashy but tiny effort to combat the dangerous smog and toxic air pollution that's choking China's industrialized cities. It comes as China is building more wind and solar power than any country in the world to slash emissions from coal plants, factories, and vehicles, and to combat climate change. Stefano Boeri's firm, which recently completed two verdant towers in Milan, is planning to expand into other smoggy cities, including China's Shijiazhuang, Guizhou, Shanghai, and Chongqing. In the Liuzhou Forest City, buildings, parks, and gardens will absorb almost 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide and 57 tons of fine dust pollutants per year, while producing about 900 tons of oxygen, the architects said in a press release. By comparison, the two green towers in Nanjing will absorb 25 tons of carbon dioxide and produce 0.06 tons of oxygen. An electric railway will link the 'forest city' to the main Liuzhou city.Image: stefano boeri architettiBeyond sucking up toxic air, the urban greenery is also expected to stifle noise pollution and support biodiversity by providing a habitat for the local birds, insects, and small animals that inhabit Liuzhou. The project will include residential areas, commercial and recreational spaces, plus two schools and a hospital. Along with plants, the buildings will also feature rooftop solar panels to produce clean electricity and use geothermal energy systems for interior air-conditioning. Stefano Boeri Architetti said the Liuzhou Forest City represents its broader effort to design a "new generation" of architecture and urban environments to address climate change. WATCH: China's big, beautiful, green 'vertical forests' will suck up toxic smog
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| Police: Girl's actions caused her to fall from NY park ride Posted: 26 Jun 2017 02:08 PM PDT  QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (AP) — A teenage girl's actions, not mechanical malfunctions, caused her to slip under a restraining bar on an amusement park gondola ride before falling into the arms of bystanders below, police said Monday.
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| The U.S. Air Force Just Had an Awful Week Posted: 27 Jun 2017 10:57 AM PDT  Crashes, ground accidents, and tornadoes, and crippled aircraft were all on the menu last week.
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| Emmett Till Mississippi civil rights memorial vandalised for second time in two months Posted: 27 Jun 2017 10:47 AM PDT  An sign marking the site where black teenager was accused of whistling at a white woman - something that would subsequently result in him being lynched - has been vandalised for the second time in two months. The marker on the Mississippi Freedom Trail was damaged last month when someone scratched on it. Allan Hammons, whose company manages the Mississippi Freedom Trail, more than a dozen signs established in 2011 to mark seminal moments and locations in the civil rights movements, said the incident was deeply disturbing.
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| Donald Trump Does Away With White House Iftar Tradition Posted: 26 Jun 2017 01:14 AM PDT  The president could have used the annual dinner tradition to bridge the distrust between his administration and the Muslim community, a Muslim cleric told Newsweek.
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| Philippines VP visits refugees fleeing fighting, Duterte unseen in days Posted: 26 Jun 2017 12:58 AM PDT  By Kanupriya Kapoor and Manuel Mogato BALO-I, Philippines (Reuters) - The vice president of the Philippines expressed hope on Monday for a swift end to an urban siege by Islamist rebels, and offered support to displaced civilians during a visit normally conducted by a president not seen in public for six days. The trip by Leni Robredo to an evacuation center in Balo-i for residents who escaped a month-long conflict in nearby Marawi City adds to speculation about the health of 72-year-old President Rodrigo Duterte, whose absence this month from the public eye is the longest since he took office a year ago. Known for a packed public schedule and marathon speeches several times a day, Duterte's disappearances during what has been the biggest crisis of his presidency will add to frequent rumors he is in poor health, which his office denies.
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| 4 Dead, Liverless Sharks Wash Ashore in Weird Whodunit Posted: 27 Jun 2017 06:15 AM PDT  Orca whales have claimed the life of another great white shark by eating its liver and leaving it for dead, making it the fourth such gristly death in less than two months. During a four-day period in early May, researchers reported finding the bodies of three great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) that had washed ashore along South Africa's Western Cape province. Now, a fourth dead, liverless shark has washed ashore, according to a post today (June 26) on the Marine Dynamics blog, a site hosted by a shark cage diving company.
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| Mystery of missing Chinese scholar shakes up Illinois school Posted: 26 Jun 2017 02:08 PM PDT  CHICAGO (AP) — Yingying Zhang, the daughter of a working-class factory driver from China, took the same career path as many other young Chinese academics before her: She travelled to a university in the U.S. with dreams of one day landing a professorship and being able to help her parents financially.
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| Republican senator to block arms sales over Qatar crisis Posted: 26 Jun 2017 01:39 PM PDT  By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Monday he would block arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council pending progress in resolving a simmering dispute with Qatar. "All countries in the region need to do more to combat terrorism, but recent disputes among the GCC countries only serve to hurt efforts to fight ISIS and counter Iran," Republican Senator Bob Corker wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
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| Trump Meeting Indian PM Narendra Modi On Monday Posted: 26 Jun 2017 05:16 AM PDT  As relations have cooled between the two countries somewhat, the two leaders could discuss issues like terrorism, the India-Pakistan relationship, and defense deals.
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| 2 corrections officers among 4 arrested at Kansas City jail Posted: 26 Jun 2017 04:17 PM PDT  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two corrections officers were among four people arrested in a contraband smuggling operation at the county jail in Kansas City, Missouri, after roughly 200 law enforcers searched the facility early Monday.
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| The Ritz-Carlton just debuted a luxury cruise line for the '1% of global travellers' and it looks insane Posted: 26 Jun 2017 08:25 AM PDT ![The Ritz-Carlton just debuted a luxury cruise line for the '1% of global travellers' and it looks insane]( "The Ritz-Carlton just debuted a luxury cruise line for the '1% of global travellers' and it looks insane") The new The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has been designed in an attempt to defy all cruise ship stereotypes.
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| Netanyahu under fire after reneging on Western Wall deal Posted: 26 Jun 2017 08:22 AM PDT  Israel's shelving of a deal to allow men and women to pray together at the Western Wall echoed far beyond religion Monday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused of abandoning reform efforts for political gain. Netanyahu's cabinet voted Sunday to back out of the hard-won deal, provoking a flood of criticism and warnings it could damage Israel's relationship with the United States' influential Jewish community. Such parties have often played a kingmaker role in Israeli politics and have opposed years of efforts by more liberal Jews to win equal rights for women at the Western Wall, one of the holiest sites in Judaism.
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| 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat gets Demon’s wide-body look Posted: 27 Jun 2017 09:00 AM PDT  With only 3,300 destined to be built, the chances of you getting your hands on a 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon are slim, even if you can afford the car's $86,090 price tag. The good news is that you'll be able to get the Demon's sexy wide-body look on a new Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody, which doesn't suffer from limited production. Dodge on Tuesday announced that the 2018 Challenger SRT Hellcat will be available with a wide-body design.
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| 'Secure' Windows 10 S Hacked Wide Open in 3 Hours Posted: 26 Jun 2017 06:45 AM PDT  Windows 10 S is locked down to the point where you can't use any apps outside of the Windows Store. Because macros aren't run by default on documents downloaded from the web, he used a source Windows 10 S trusts: the local network. At that point, he was able to run a program to gain system-level privileges (the highest level of access) and also run processes from the system level.
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| Reports of side effects with cosmetics increasing Posted: 26 Jun 2017 05:02 PM PDT ![Reports of side effects with cosmetics increasing]( "Reports of side effects with cosmetics increasing") By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Reports of adverse events associated with cosmetics and personal care products sold in the U.S. more than doubled last year, due in large part to complaints about WEN by Chaz Dean Cleansing Conditioners, a new study suggests. Researchers examined data on side effects reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 2004 to 2016 for products like makeup, sunscreen, tattoos, hair color, perfume, shaving creams and baby care items. Overall, there were a total of 5,144 adverse events, with an average of 396 a year, researchers report in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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| The Queen is getting a massive pay rise and Twitter isn't impressed Posted: 27 Jun 2017 02:39 AM PDT  At 91, the Queen might be well beyond her pension age, but that hasn't stopped her from getting a massive pay rise. SEE ALSO: Baby survives Grenfell, or not: Facebook's fake news problem continues apace A record-breaking performance by the Crown Estate, which owns residential properties, commercial offices, businesses, and land across Britain, means the Queen will get an 8% increase in income from public funds. The Sovereign Grant, which funds the monarch's household, official travel, and upkeep of palaces, will increase from £76 million ($97 million) in 2017-18 to £82.2 million ($104.9 million) next April. Not bad, huh? It's a £6 million pay rise. Now, before the French revolutionary in you starts ranting about royal privilege and taxpayers' money, it has to be reiterated that the Queen's funding is based on the profits of the Crown Estate, whose profits rose by £24 million to reach a new high of £328.8 million. Sir Alan Reid, whose title is "Keeper of the Privy Purse," defended the Queen, claiming she represents "excellent value for money." "When you look at these accounts, the bottom line is the Sovereign Grant last year equated to 65p per person, per annum, in the United Kingdom. That's the price of a first class stamp," he said. Also, Queen's pay rise will take place as refurbishment is taking place at Buckingham Palace, costing £369 million. However, people on Twitter weren't happy, to say the least, about the new funding, linking it to the Grenfell Tower fire: Glad we can find more taxpayer money to fix up Buckingham Palace while hundreds of tower blocks are dangerous. Priorities, hey? — Mic Wright (@brokenbottleboy) June 27, 2017 It would appear Austerity is only for poor peopleQueen to receive £6m pay increase from public funds - https://t.co/IY8ZGRlTxt — codfather (@codfather) June 27, 2017 The Queen is getting a £6m pay rise LOL beginning to see a theme here with the Conservatives' spending priorities #MagicMoneyTree — Political Hipster (@escofree) June 27, 2017 So the Queen is getting a payrise to £82mil per tax year - to help pay for refurbishments to Buckingham Palace..... pic.twitter.com/Uvs6IJqa78 — Barcho (@LouisMarch) June 27, 2017 Queen gets £82m pay rise to pay for Buckingham Palace works but we need to cut benefits for the poor to save money 樂https://t.co/gsLXFzSuUV — Parveen Agnihotri (@Parveen_Comms) June 27, 2017 If the government wants to save money on the Buckingham Palace refurb, there are some very good deals to be had these days on cladding — Aunt Olive (@HelpfulOlive) June 27, 2017 WATCH: How 'The Walking Dead' show left the original comic behind
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| Iraqi forces seize more ground in Mosul from Islamic State, PM sees victory soon Posted: 27 Jun 2017 09:32 AM PDT  By Stephen Kalin MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces on Tuesday pushed towards the river side of Mosul's Old City, their key target in the eight-month campaign to capture Islamic State's de-facto capital, and Iraq's prime minister predicted victory very soon. Iraqi forces, battling up to 350 militants dug in among civilians in the Old City, said federal police had dislodged IS insurgents from the Ziwani mosque and were only a few days away from ousting militants completely from the Old City.
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| Trump eager for big meeting with Putin; some advisers wary Posted: 26 Jun 2017 01:26 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is eager to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin with full diplomatic bells and whistles when the two are in Germany for a multinational summit next month. But the idea is exposing deep divisions within the administration on the best way to approach Moscow in the midst of an ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the U.S. elections.
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| Woman Stabbed to Death While Walking Home Through Park Behind School: 'No One Deserves That' Posted: 27 Jun 2017 02:51 PM PDT  Debra Gulliver, 33, was stabbed at least 12 times.
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| Hacking Group 'Anonymous' Claims NASA Will Announce Alien Life Soon Posted: 26 Jun 2017 01:32 PM PDT  "According to experts, it is no longer a question of if there is life on other planets, but when we will find it."
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| Gay marriage around the world Posted: 27 Jun 2017 04:20 AM PDT  Paris (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has softened her opposition to gay marriage, which is legal in about 20 countries around the world, 13 of which are in Europe.
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