| Dem donor Tom Steyer announces $30M plan to take back Congress Posted: 08 Jan 2018 09:34 AM PST  Democratic donor Tom Steyer -- the billionaire behind a high-profile Trump impeachment campaign -- announced a plan on Monday to take back Congress from the current Republican majority.
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| Here's How Frozen Alligators Survived Last Week's Winter Blast Posted: 09 Jan 2018 12:01 PM PST  A viral video of alligators frozen in an icy pond at North Carolina's Shallotte River Swamp Park has been the talk of social media, with many people wondering whether coldblooded crocodilians can survive in brutally cold temperatures.
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| New body camera video shows fatal Colorado sheriff’s deputy shooting Posted: 08 Jan 2018 07:55 AM PST  Police have just released body camera footage from the New Year's Eve shooting in Colorado that left one officer dead and four others wounded.
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| Record rain and mudslides hit California Posted: 09 Jan 2018 08:01 AM PST ![Record rain and mudslides hit California]( "Record rain and mudslides hit California") Several homes have swept from their foundations and residents are unaccounted for as mud flows into Southern California neighborhoods below hillsides scarred by recent wildfires.
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| Donald Trump Renominates Court Picks Rated 'Not Qualified' To Serve Posted: 08 Jan 2018 03:19 PM PST  WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump on Monday resubmitted 21 judicial nominees to the Senate whose nominations expired in 2017 ― including two rated "not qualified" to be federal judges by the American Bar Association.
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| Oil tanker burning off China's coast at risk of exploding Posted: 08 Jan 2018 05:01 AM PST  BEIJING (AP) — An oil tanker that caught fire after colliding with a freighter off China's east coast is at risk of exploding and sinking, Chinese state media reported Monday, as authorities from three countries struggled to find its 32 missing crew members and contain oil spewing from the blazing wreck.
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| Adam Rippon Will Be First Openly Gay U.S. Man To Compete In The Winter Olympics Posted: 08 Jan 2018 02:18 PM PST  Figure skater Adam Rippon made history Sunday as the first openly gay U.S. man to qualify for the Winter Olympics.
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| Royal Navy intercepts Russian naval ships in English Channel Posted: 08 Jan 2018 03:18 AM PST  A Royal Navy frigate is escorting four Russian naval ships through the English Channel. HMS Westminster is accompanying two Russian frigates and two support ships as they head north returning from the Mediterranean. Naval sources said the contact was routine, but it comes amid an estimated 10-fold increase of Russian naval activity in waters around Britain and in the North Atlantic this decade. Commander Simon Kelly, the Commanding Officer of HMS Westminster, said: "HMS Westminster's role as the Royal Navy's Fleet Ready Escort is to be at very high readiness to respond to anything the British government requires. "While today most people are returning to work for the first time in the New Year, HMS Westminster's ship's company has been at sea and at readiness as part of the Royal Navy's commitment to keep Britain safe at all times. "The English Channel is an absolute lifeline for the UK, and it is very important HMS Westminster and the Royal Navy maintains a watchful eye on this key strategic link." HMS Westminster escorted five Russian ships through the English Channel Credit: Louise George Activity has risen in recent years with warships passing Britain on their way to join Russia's military campaign to prop up Bashar al-Assad in Syria. On Christmas Day, the frigate HMS St Albans was dispatched to track the Russian vessel Admiral Gorshkov as it made its way through the North Sea close to Britain. And on Christmas Eve, HMS Tyne was dispatched to escort a Russian intelligence-gathering ship through the North Sea and the England Channel. A Wildcat helicopter was then also dispatched to monitor two further Russian vessels. Royal Navy's HMS Westminster Giving a strong statement last month, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, said: "I will not hesitate in defending our waters or tolerate any form of aggression. "Britain will never be intimidated when it comes to protecting our country, our people, and our national interests."
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| Israeli air strikes, rockets hit Syria: Syrian army Posted: 09 Jan 2018 09:01 AM PST  The Israeli army carried out air strikes and fired rockets at targets in Syria overnight, causing damage near a military position, the Syrian army said Tuesday. Israel's military has carried out several attacks on the Syrian army and its ally Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah since the start of the conflict in Syria in 2011. The Israeli air force conducted strikes on the Qutayfeh area northeast of Damascus, causing the Syrian army to retaliate and "hit one of its planes", the Syrian army said in a statement.
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| Fisker unveils Emotion Electric sedan with butterfly doors Posted: 08 Jan 2018 03:57 AM PST  Fisker Inc. might sound like a familiar name, but it's actually a very new company that's just released a few details of its first new vehicle, the EMotion electric sedan. Although the official image doesn't give away much about some of the really revolutionary engineering behind the EMotion, it does show in some style the feature most people will inevitably talk about with this car: its pretty crazy butterfly doors. The company is run by Henrik Fisker, who was also the man behind Fisker Automotive, which produced the Karma electric sedan before the company withered and car went to China, resurrected by a company called Karma as the Revero.
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| Mom Kills Husband, Two Sons Before Fatally Shooting Herself at Upscale Texas Resort Posted: 09 Jan 2018 08:31 AM PST  Texas police believe a 37-year-old old mother fatally shot her husband and their two young sons before turning the gun on herself in an apparent murder-suicide in a high-end Galveston resort, PEOPLE confirms
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| Elisabeth Moss Thanks Margaret Atwood In Stirring Golden Globes Acceptance Speech Posted: 07 Jan 2018 06:24 PM PST  Elisabeth Moss brought down the house Sunday night with her acceptance speech for her Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama.
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| Robert Mueller Is Interested in Interviewing President Trump as Part of the Russia Probe Posted: 08 Jan 2018 03:05 PM PST  No details have been worked out if the interview were to take place
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| Lawmaker Says Black People Can't Handle Marijuana Because Of 'Genetics' Posted: 08 Jan 2018 05:55 PM PST  Put this in your pipe and smoke it: A Kansas lawmaker thinks marijuana should be illegal because he said black people are genetically unable to handle its effects.
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| Cliven Bundy emerges free, defiant after Nevada case tossed Posted: 08 Jan 2018 07:05 PM PST  LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Nevada rancher accused of leading an armed standoff that stopped federal agents from rounding up his cattle in 2014 walked out of a courthouse in Las Vegas a free and defiant man Monday, declaring that his fight against U.S. authority is not over.
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| Black Artists Creatively Reimagine Racist H&M Ad Posted: 09 Jan 2018 12:56 PM PST  Black artists have stepped up to create new versions of a racist H&M ad after the brand drew criticism for a photo on its website. The Weeknd announced he was ending of his partnership with the brand over the ad. Amid the backlash, black celebrities and creatives have stepped up to do what they do best: turn a horrible situation into a reason to celebrate.
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| U.S. hails Korea talks, despite North's rejection of denuclearization Posted: 09 Jan 2018 03:11 PM PST ![U.S. hails Korea talks, despite North's rejection of denuclearization]( "U.S. hails Korea talks, despite North's rejection of denuclearization") By Christine Kim and David Brunnstrom SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North and South Korea held their first talks in over two years on Tuesday, which Washington welcomed as a first step to solving the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis, even though Pyongyang said those were aimed only at the United States and not up for discussion. The U.S. State Department said Washington would be interested in joining future talks, but stuck to its insistence that they must be aimed at denuclearization, showing that a diplomatic breakthrough remains far off.
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| Saudi stadiums to open doors to women on Friday Posted: 08 Jan 2018 03:02 AM PST  Sports stadiums in Saudi Arabia will open their doors to women to attend football matches for the first time ever on Friday, the government has announced. "The first match that women will be allowed to watch will be Al-Ahli versus Al-Batin on Friday January 12," the ministry of information said in a statement on Monday. It said women would also be able to attend a second match on the following day and a third one on January 18.
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| Nephew of French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe among three tourists stabbed in Israel Posted: 08 Jan 2018 04:21 PM PST  The nephew of French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was among three tourists repeatedly stabbed in the Israeli seaside resort of Eilat, it emerged Monday night. The wounded holidaymakers, who have not been named, were found lying on the promenade last Wednesday after being targeted by a gang of Israeli men. It comes at a time of heightened tension between France and Israel, as President Emmanuel Macron and Mr Philippe refuse to accept Jerusalem as Israel's capital city. This has greatly angered many in Israel, and especially those who do not want East Jerusalem to be set aside as the capital of a Palestinian state. Mr Philippe has also controversially backed the publication of anti-Semitic essays by the author Louis-Ferdinand Destouches, better known as Celine, despite fury from France's sizeable Jewish community. UN vote to condemn Trump recognising Jerusalem as capital of Israel By Monday night, Israeli news outlets were reporting the shocking Eilat crime, while French media ones generally remained silent. According to the Israeli i24 news channel: 'The French consul in Tel Aviv was rushed to the spot urgently. 'Three French tourists, including the nephew of the French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who was on holiday in the seaside resort of Eilat in Israel, were attacked last Wednesday by a group of Israelis. 'The municipal police found three young tourists lying on the Eilat Promenade with stab wounds on the lower part of their bodies. Two of them were slightly hurt, and the third more seriously.' All were taken to a local hospital, where they were later joined by the French consul, who is thought to have contacted Mr Philippe immediately. Two of those hurt were released from hospital on Thursday, while the third remained in a ward. It is not known if he is Mr Philippe's nephew. A criminal enquiry into the attack has been launched in Israel, with police attempting to bring the perpetrators to justice. They are all believed to be Israeli men, according to detectives. There was no comment on the incident from France's Ambassador to Israel, or from the French foreign ministry. On Monday, President Macron reaffirmed his country's commitment to a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Leaders on both sides must continue 'calling for calm and dialogue', Mr Macron said during a meeting with members of the Palestinian Central Council. It follows American President Donald Trump plunging the area into renewed chaos by recognising Jerusalem as solely being the capital of Israel, and not Palestine too. This shocked Western allies including France and Britain as much as it did Arab leaders, who insist that East Jerusalem must become the capital of Palestine. On Sunday Mr Philippe said he was fine about the publication of Celine's anti-Semitic essays. Referring to Celine, Mr Philippe said: 'There are very good reasons to detest the man himself, but you cannot deny the writer's central position in French literature.' But CRIF, France's main Jewish umbrella group, said in a statement that it opposed the publication of the three 'racist, anti-Semitic and pro-Hitler' essays. Last year the Jewish Agency of Israel claimed that 5000 Jews emigrated to Israel from France in 2016, partly because of security fears, and an atmosphere of anti-Semitism condoned by those in power.
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| Fired Programmer James Damore Sues Google for Discrimination — Against White Men Posted: 08 Jan 2018 11:51 AM PST  Google has not commented on the lawsuit
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| New York Times Responds To Backlash From Mormons Over Late Leader's Obit Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:29 PM PST  More than 160,000 people have signed a petition urging The New York Times to rewrite its obituary for Mormon leader Thomas Monson, who died last week.
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| Pi Delta Psi Fraternity Banned From Pennsylvania After 'Glass Ceiling' Hazing Death Posted: 08 Jan 2018 05:59 PM PST  The Pi Delta Psi national fraternity has been banned from operating in Pennsylvania for 10 years, a judge ruled Monday, over the 2013 hazing death of a 19-year-old Baruch College student.
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| The Politics of Washington Have Wrecked Afghanistan's Future Posted: 08 Jan 2018 04:55 PM PST  Afghanistan's old wounds—no longer bandaged by U.S. dollar bills—are opening once again. President Donald Trump rang in the new year with a Twitter salvo directed at Pakistan, claiming that Washington has given Islamabad more than $33 billion in aid after 9/11, but has only received "lies and deceit" in return. The administration has since announced the suspension of military assistance to Pakistan.
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| Supreme Court takes the wheel in 2 cases of vehicle searches Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:42 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court's justices put themselves in the driver's seat Tuesday, hearing arguments in two cases involving vehicle searches, but it was unclear what routes the justices will take to resolve the cases.
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| Monday's Morning Email: Oprah's Rousing Golden Globes Speech Sparks Chorus Of Calls For Oprah 2020 Posted: 08 Jan 2018 04:36 AM PST  TOP STORIES (And want to get The Morning Email each weekday?
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| Protests turn violent in Tunisia over price hikes Posted: 09 Jan 2018 02:13 PM PST ![Protests turn violent in Tunisia over price hikes]( "Protests turn violent in Tunisia over price hikes") Tunisia's prime minister promised Tuesday to crack down on rioters after violent protests over price hikes left one person dead and raised fears of broader unrest in the country that was the birthplace of the Arab Spring. The clashes earlier this week recalled the 2010-2011 protest movement that led to the ouster of authoritarian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked uprisings across the Arab world. Tunisia's economy has struggled ever since.
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| Critics Say Gary Oldman's 'Time's Up' Pin Doesn't Make Up For Past Abuse Allegations Posted: 08 Jan 2018 07:20 AM PST  Gary Oldman won his first-ever Golden Globe on Sunday night, snagging the prize for Best Performance By an Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the film "Darkest Hour."
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| At Least 13 Killed as Mudslides Sweep Through California Burn Areas Posted: 09 Jan 2018 07:58 AM PST  The bodies were found during rescue operations
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| Steve Bannon Out At Breitbart Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:09 PM PST  Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is out at far-right Breitbart News, a New York Times reporter learned Tuesday.
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| Teacher handcuffed, arrested and removed from school board meeting after challenging teacher pay Posted: 09 Jan 2018 09:36 AM PST  A Louisiana teacher was forcibly removed from a school board meeting and arrested after saying that pay raises for leadership on the board was a "slap in the face" to all teachers. Deyshia Hargrave, a teacher in the Vermilion Parish School System, asked questions regarding the board's consideration of a $38,000 raise for the superintendent of the school system. Ms Hargrave appeared to leave the meeting willingly after the officer approached her and asked her to do so, but in the hallway video showed that she was on the ground being handcuffed and asking "what are you doing?" repeatedly.
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| Poles in shock as PM carries out sweeping reshuffle ahead of EU showdown Posted: 09 Jan 2018 08:39 AM PST  A number of high-profile ministers in the Polish government have been sacked in a sweeping overhaul of the country's cabinet seen as an attempt to reform the country's international image left battered by a series of bruising conflicts with the EU. The ministers of foreign affairs, defence, health and agriculture were among those who lost their jobs in the shake-up, the extent of which caught many Poles by surprise. It also came just hours before Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister, was due to fly to Brussels to meet Jean Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, to discuss rule of law proceedings against Poland. "This is a new government for a new and better Poland," said Mr Morawiecki when announcing the changes. "For us the most important matter is to build a strong and safe Poland, both at its borders and within in borders." Mr Morawiecki, an English-speaking ex-banker who only became prime minister last month, is also seen as part of a diplomatic offensive to enhance the country's reputation. Poland has become the enfant terrible of the EU owing to numerous disputes between it and Brussels on matters such as rule of law, the environment and migration. The country became the first EU state to face the possible loss of voting rights after the EU triggered Article 7 owing to fears a government overhaul of the legal system threatened the independence of the judiciary. But despite the threats from the EU Warsaw appears happy to defy Brussels in its desire to put what it considers Poland's interests first. Yet the appointment of a new prime minister and Tuesday's cabinet changes appear, in part, to be motivated by a desire to soften and lighten the tone of the Polish government abroad, although few expect its core message to change. Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki poses with his cabinet after a sweeping reshuffle. A showdown with the EU is looming Credit: AGENCJA GAZETA/ REUTERS Among those to face the chop was Jan Szyszko, the agriculture minister. Mr Szyszko triggered an international scandal by overseeing increase in logging in the Bialowieza Forest, one of the last significant tracts of primeval lowland forest left in Europe. Despite the threat of financial penalties from the EU if the logging was not halted, and Mr Szyszko persisted with the policy. He will join Witold Waszczykowski, the former foreign minister, and ex-defence minister Antoni Macierewicz in the political long grass. Mr Waszczykowski had become known as gaffe-prone, while Mr Macierewicz, despite being a fierce ally of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, had clashed with the Polish president over the appointment of army commanders. Political experts in Poland pointed out that by dismissing the three ministers, Mr Kaczynski had removed figures who had become focal points of opposition criticism. By cutting out apparent weaknesses in the government Mr Kaczynski may also have one eye on the next general election, due in 2019.
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| Zimbabwe opposition leader says time for "new hands" to lead Posted: 08 Jan 2018 07:30 AM PST ![Zimbabwe opposition leader says time for "new hands" to lead]( "Zimbabwe opposition leader says time for \"new hands\" to lead") Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)leader Morgan Tsvangirai said on Monday it was time for the older generation to step back and allow "new hands" to lead, raising prospects of leadership change in the party. Tsvangirai, a former trade union leader who has been at the helm of the MDC since its formation in 1999, disclosed in June 2016 that he had cancer. Pictures of a frail Tsvangirai meeting President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who succeeded Robert Mugabe in November after he was eased from office by a de facto military coup, have increased calls that he consider giving way to a new opposition leader.
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| Pizza Hut Plan To Bring 'Black Mirror' Prediction To Life Freaks Folks Out Posted: 09 Jan 2018 04:17 AM PST  Pizza Hut plans to turn a slice of the dystopian "Black Mirror" universe into a reality, and it's too much for some folks online to handle.
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| See Jupiter Looking Downright Gorgeous in These New NASA Photos Posted: 09 Jan 2018 09:11 AM PST  NASA's Juno spacecraft has taken stunning photos of the gas giant
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| Okla. Dad Claimed Ex-Cheerleader Daughter Killed Herself — But Now He Faces Trial on Murder Charges Posted: 09 Jan 2018 10:47 AM PST  An Oklahoma dad who claimed his ex-cheerleader daughter fatally shot herself will be tried for murder after a detective said the shot could not have been self-inflicted, according to several media reports
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| Watch for Falling Iguanas! Bomb Cyclone Drops Frozen Lizards Posted: 08 Jan 2018 01:16 PM PST  You know what they say: When it rains, it pours — and when it snows in Florida, it hails frozen iguanas. As a so-called bomb cyclone continues lashing the U.S. East Coast with historic cold temperatures, weird weather abounds. Photos posted on social media show the green reptiles lying belly-up and stock-still on lawns, seemingly dead.
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| Barefoot Catholics throng icon in huge Philippine procession Posted: 09 Jan 2018 06:31 AM PST  A sea of heaving, towel-waving humanity swarmed a black statue of a cross-bearing Jesus Christ in the Philippine capital Tuesday as the Catholic faithful joined one of the nation's largest religious festivals. In a frenzied display of religious fervour, men, women and children climbed over heads and shoulders and flung themselves at the centuries-old Black Nazarene that they say performs miracles. Devotees pulled on stout ropes to move the carriage forward as the procession drew more than half a million people wearing maroon and yellow shirts and waving towels while chanting "Viva" ("Long live"), Manila police said.
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| Iran FM warns neighbors against fomenting unrest Posted: 08 Jan 2018 11:19 AM PST  TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's foreign minister on Monday warned neighboring countries against fomenting unrest after anti-government protests roiled the country over the past two weeks.
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| However Small, North Korea's Olympics Talks Are a Victory Posted: 08 Jan 2018 12:22 AM PST  When the stakes are so high, opening up dialogue is a goal in itself
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| Tuesday's Morning Email: Inside Alabama's Wild Championship Comeback Posted: 09 Jan 2018 04:21 AM PST  TOP STORIES (And want to get The Morning Email each weekday?
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| In photos: Top rising destinations of 2018 Posted: 09 Jan 2018 02:04 AM PST |
| Philippines to protest to China over apparent airbase on manmade island Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:02 AM PST ![Philippines to protest to China over apparent airbase on manmade island]( "Philippines to protest to China over apparent airbase on manmade island") The Philippines will make a diplomatic protest to China, which the southeast Asian nation's defense minister described as having reneged on a promise not to militarize artificial islands in the busy South China Sea waterway. The United States has criticized China's build-up of military facilities on the artificial islands and is concerned they could be used to restrict free movement along the key trade route. Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana's comment followed a Dec. 30 broadcast of aerial footage by the official China Central Television (CCTV) showing Fiery Cross Reef, which appeared to have been transformed into an airbase.
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| Alabama Player Proposes After Game Because A National Title Isn't Enough Posted: 09 Jan 2018 10:58 AM PST  While many Alabama players will remember the Crimson Tide's 26-23 national title game victory over Georgia as the pinnacle of a glorious season, center Bradley Bozeman may have a different recollection.
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| Supreme Court sides with death row inmate over racist juror claim Posted: 08 Jan 2018 11:38 AM PST ![Supreme Court sides with death row inmate over racist juror claim]( "Supreme Court sides with death row inmate over racist juror claim") The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday paved the way for a black Georgia inmate to challenge his 1991 death sentence for killing his sister-in-law after he argued the case was tainted by a racist white juror who questioned whether black people have souls. The justices, in a 6-3 unsigned decision, threw out a lower court's decision that had rejected his biased jury assertion. Keith Tharpe was found guilty and sentenced to death by a jury of 10 white people and two black people in Georgia's Jones County.
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| Hundreds of flying foxes die in Australia during searing heatwave Posted: 09 Jan 2018 06:03 AM PST  Hundreds of flying foxes have perished during Australia's searingly hot summer, according to environmentalists. Shocked campaigners were confronted by the sight of scores of dead animals, and claimed the creatures were "boiled alive" in the heat. Some flying foxes were still hanging from trees as they died, in a shock mass death which campaigners called "dreadful and heartbreaking". The Help Save the Wildlife and Bushlands in Campbelltown campaign wrote on Facebook that temperatures hit over 44C in the Campbelltown district of Sydney, and that over 400 of the animals died. Sydney reached a nearly 80-year temperature high of 47.3C on Sunday. The campaign wrote: "So many little lives lost due to the extreme heat and not enough canopy cover to shade them or keep them cool. "Adults sought out shade and more shelter further up the creek resulting in many babies being left behind to deal with the heat." Campaigners attempted to nurse the animals back to health Credit: Facebook People who live in the area are being urged to watch out for flying foxes which may be suffering heat stress, as those which are often move further to the ground, and to call local wildlife rescue services. Volunteer Cate Ryan told local media: "It was unbelievable. I saw a lot of dead bats on the ground and others were close to the ground and dying. I have never seen anything like it before." A local wildlife rescue group advised: "If the flying-fox is on the ground and it's a hot day, you can place a cool towel or umbrella above it until the rescuer arrives to protect it from the the worst of the heat. Spraying the animal intermittently with a very light mist or setting up a sprinkler to gently wet the animal can also help." A pile of dead flying foxes Flying foxes are big bats and eat nectar, pollen and fruit. Unlike smaller bats, they do not use sonar and instead, like humans, use their eyes and ears. The Help Save the Wildlife and Bushlands in Campbelltown campaign said "Flying foxes are intelligent and remarkable. These unique animals help regenerate our forests and keep ecosystems healthy through pollination and seed dispersal. They are a migratory and nomadic 'keystone' species; meaning a species that many other species of plants and animals rely upon for their survival and wellbeing. Flying foxes, like bees, help drive biodiversity, and faced with the threat of climate change, land clearing, and other human-caused ecological pressures, we need them more than ever." The Australian heatwave featured temperatures which melted the bitumen on the highway, as well as sparking bushfires which politicians warned were a danger to life.
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| US police shot and killed 987 people in 2017: newspaper Posted: 08 Jan 2018 09:53 AM PST  Police officers shot and killed nearly 1,000 people in the United States in 2017, slightly more than the previous year, according to a tally published on Monday by The Washington Post. The newspaper has been logging details of shootings by police in the United States since 2015, tracking local news reports, public records and social media. Black men, both armed and unarmed, accounted for 22 percent of all people shot and killed by US police last year but make up just six percent of the total US population.
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