| White House Official Says Voter Fraud Panel Found Nothing, Will Delete Voter Data Posted: 09 Jan 2018 08:22 PM PST  A White House official told a federal judge Tuesday that President Donald Trump's now-defunct voter fraud commission plans to delete the voter data it collected from about 20 states and contradicted the administration's public statements saying the Department of Homeland Security would take up the panel's work.
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| 14-year-old girl pulled from 'tangled mess of a house' after California mudslide Posted: 09 Jan 2018 12:51 PM PST  Firefighters in Montecito, California, were able to rescue a 14-year-old girl trapped inside her mangled home on Tuesday following a deadly mudslide that claimed the lives of at least five people, according to NBC News.
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| Miss Trans America Founder Is The First Known Transgender Person Killed This Year Posted: 09 Jan 2018 05:33 PM PST  The founder of the Miss Trans America pageant is believed to be 2018′s first known victim of deadly violence against the transgender community.
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| Australian girl who was face of iconic Akubra hat commits suicide aged 14 after being bullied online Posted: 10 Jan 2018 03:25 AM PST  A 14-year-old girl who was once the face of Akubra– Australia's famous cowboy-style hat – has taken her own life after being harassed online, prompting calls by her family to "stop the bullies". The parents of Amy "Dolly" Everett, who appeared in a popular advertising campaign for Akubra when she was 8, said she was a "caring, beautiful soul" and expressed hope that her death would raise awareness about bullying and harassment. Tick Everett, her father, said in a Facebook post that Amy had taken her life "to escape the evil in this world". He did not reveal details of the bullying but appealed to those responsible to attend a memorial service for her in their home town of Katherine in outback central Australia. "If we can help other precious lives from being lost and the suffering of so many, then Doll's life will not be wasted," he wrote. "If by some chance the people who thought this was a joke and made themselves feel superior by the constant bullying and harassment see this post, please come to our service and witness the complete devastation you have created." Amy's father invited her bullies to attend her funeral to "witness the complete devastation you have created" Akubra, which has been making its trademark wide-rimmed hats for more than a century, released a statement, expressing condolences and denouncing bullying. "This is not an easy post to write," said the statement. "We were shocked and distressed to hear of the passing of "Dolly" - the young girl many of you will recognise from our past Christmas adverts… Bullying of any type is unacceptable. It is up to us to stand up when we see any kind of bullying behaviour." We are shocked and distressed to hear of the passing of "Dolly" - the young girl many of you will recognise from our past Christmas adverts. This beautiful photo was taken 8 years ago. Dolly chose to end her life to escape the bullying she was being subjected to. She was not even 15 years old. To think that anyone could feel so overwhelmed and that suicide was their only option is unfathomable. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable. It is abuse and it is time for us to stand up when we see any kind of bullying behaviour. Dolly could be anyone's daughter, sister, friend. We need to make sure that anyone in crisis knows there is always someone to talk to. Be a friend, check up on your mates. Our hearts go out to Dolly's family and friends. Amy 'Dolly' Everett 1.5.2003-3.1.2018 #stopbullyingnow #doitfordolly #justbekind A post shared by Akubra Hats Official (@akubraofficial) on Jan 9, 2018 at 12:13am PST The statement added: "Dolly could be anyone's daughter, sister, friend... Be a friend, check up on your mates." Dolly's death prompted an outpouring of support from friends, family and well-wishers across the country. Surveys in Australia have found about a quarter of students aged 8 to 14 have reported being bullied. "Dolly, beautiful girl your death has been a tragedy that we didn't foresee but your memory will make changes happen," said a message on Facebook. Numbers to call
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| China races to prevent environmental disaster from stricken tanker Posted: 08 Jan 2018 09:58 PM PST  China raced to contain oil leaking from an Iranian tanker stricken off its eastern coast Tuesday amid warnings the burning ship could spark an environmental disaster. The Sanchi was carrying 136,000 tonnes of light crude oil when it collided with a cargo ship on Saturday and erupted into flames 160 nautical miles east of Shanghai. If all the cargo from the Panamanian-flagged 274-metre (899-foot) tanker spills, it would be the biggest oil slick from a ship in decades and could kill marine life across a vast area, analysts have said.
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| Photos Capture Brutal Devastation Of California Mudslides Posted: 10 Jan 2018 09:23 AM PST  The mangled frames of abandoned cars, drenched in mud.
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| Ex-Idaho lawmaker facing sex-abuse inquiry kills himself Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:39 PM PST ![Ex-Idaho lawmaker facing sex-abuse inquiry kills himself]( "Ex-Idaho lawmaker facing sex-abuse inquiry kills himself") BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A former Republican state lawmaker from Idaho who was facing a sexual abuse investigation has shot and killed himself, authorities said Tuesday.
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| 7.6 magnitude earthquake shakes the Caribbean Sea, tsunami threat diminishes Posted: 10 Jan 2018 07:22 AM PST  A magnitude 7.6 earthquake shook the Caribbean Sea early Tuesday night. As of 10:48 p.m. CST, all tsunami advisories were canceled throughout the Caribbean and Central America.
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| Trump, Congress reach deal to negotiate DACA, border security Posted: 09 Jan 2018 07:59 AM PST  A bipartisan meeting between President Donald Trump and members of Congress on Tuesday appears to have moved negotiations forward, however slightly, on how to address the fate of undocumented immigrants under the DACA program.
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| A Highly Classified Spy Satellite Has Been Destroyed. Probably. Posted: 09 Jan 2018 03:06 PM PST  SpaceX launched a classified, multibillion-dollar spy satellite for the U.S. government on Sunday ― and then something went wrong.
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| Videos Of Mudslide-Ravaged Montecito Reveal Staggering Devastation Posted: 09 Jan 2018 08:01 PM PST  Rescue workers desperately scouring wreckage for survivors: The photos and videos out of Montecito, California, on Tuesday showed a town devastated by mudslides and debris flows mere weeks after it was ravaged by the Thomas fire.
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| Ford sued by truck owners alleging diesel emissions cheating Posted: 10 Jan 2018 02:06 PM PST ![Ford sued by truck owners alleging diesel emissions cheating]( "Ford sued by truck owners alleging diesel emissions cheating") By Nick Carey DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co installed software that enabled its F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks to cheat at passing federal emissions tests, according to a lawsuit by truck owners filed on Wednesday, a claim the No. 2 U.S. automaker described as "baseless." Ford manipulated the emissions system in violation of federal requirements and the affected trucks released twice the legal limits of emissions during normal driving, the lawsuit claimed. An emission-cheating scandal that came to light in 2015 cost German automaker Volkswagen tens of billions of dollars in settlements and fines. Ford said in a statement that all of its vehicles comply with all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board emissions regulations.
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| Couple with pot gifts again arrested in Nebraska Posted: 09 Jan 2018 03:34 PM PST ![Couple with pot gifts again arrested in Nebraska]( "Couple with pot gifts again arrested in Nebraska") LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A California couple arrested in Nebraska last month for carrying 60 pounds of marijuana they described as family Christmas gifts have again been arrested in Nebraska, this time on suspicion of carrying drug money.
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| Poll: Oprah tops Trump with likely voters in 2020 election Posted: 10 Jan 2018 07:31 AM PST  President Donald Trump was asked whether he would beat Oprah Winfrey in a presidential contest on Tuesday, to which he replied, "Yeah I'll beat Oprah. According to the latest Rasmussen Reports survey released on Wednesday, 48 percent of likely U.S. voters would choose Oprah -- an iconic entertainment mogul -- while 38 percent would opt for the current Republican president. An additional 14 percent are "undecided" on the matchup, signaling Oprah -- who has no political or government experience to date -- could potentially gain or lose support if she decided to roll out a presidential platform.
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| Top-Tier Gymnast Maggie Nichols Says Larry Nassar Sexually Abused Her, Too Posted: 09 Jan 2018 07:33 AM PST  Gymnast Maggie Nichols alleged Tuesday that she was among the young women sexually abused by former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor Larry Nassar.
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| Federal Court Strikes Down North Carolina Congressional Map As Unconstitutional Posted: 09 Jan 2018 03:08 PM PST  A three-court panel of federal judges in North Carolina struck down North Carolina's congressional map Tuesday, saying it went so far to benefit Republicans that it violated the U.S. Constitution.
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| Land Rover 70th anniversary marked by special restoration Posted: 10 Jan 2018 07:17 AM PST  When vehicle manufacturers celebrate a major milestone in their history, it's quite common for them to produce anniversary models that pay homage to a vehicle from the company's early days, or to roll out some historic models for an event or photoshoot. Well, Land Rover is going right back to the very beginning to celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2018, by restoring a vehicle that effectively started everything for the British brand. The vehicle being restored is one of three pre-production Land Rovers that were originally shown in 1948 at the Amsterdam Motor Show Launch.
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| Boeing logs record deliveries for 2017, upbeat on 2018 Posted: 09 Jan 2018 09:44 AM PST  Boeing reported record commercial plane deliveries for 2017 on Tuesday and said cargo and customer passenger trends continued to look strong for 2018. The gains were fueled by global economic growth of three percent and an increase in overall passenger traffic that has outpaced historical trends, said Boeing vice president of marketing Randy Tinseth. Boeing shares jumped 2.7 percent to $318.36 and was the biggest gainer in the Dow in midday trading.
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| Southern California Mudslides Leave At Least 17 Dead Posted: 10 Jan 2018 07:42 AM PST  A day after powerful mudslides swept through the Southern California community of Montecito, rescue crews continued to search the wreckage for missing people on Wednesday.
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| Netanyahu: Israel helped stop terror attacks on planes in Europe Posted: 09 Jan 2018 10:06 AM PST  Israeli intelligence has helped stop terrorists from using civilian aeroplanes in Europe to carry out major attacks "of the worst kind", Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday. The Israeli prime minister told a group of ambassadors from Nato countries that his nation's intelligence agencies had "helped save many European" lives by passing on warnings of jihadist plots. He did not give details of the thwarted attacks but said they "involve civil aviation". "We have, through our intelligence services, provided information that has stopped several dozen major terrorist attacks, many of them in European countries. Some of these could have been mass attacks, of the worst kind that you have experienced on the soil of Europe and even worse, because they involve civil aviation," Mr Netanyahu said. Israel has a formidable intelligence apparatus and Mr Netanyahu often uses his country's intelligence gathering capabilities as a calling card as he tries to improve Israel's diplomatic standing around the world. He speaks often about how countries that were once hostile to the Jewish state now seek out its help in the fields of both intelligence and technology. Jihadist groups remain determined to try to smuggle bombs aboard civilian aircraft, according to assessments by both Western and Israeli intelligence agencies. Perhaps the most dangerous bomb makers are Al-Qaeda's Yemeni affiliate, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The group was behind a failed plot to smuggle bombs into printer cartridges and get them aboard cargo planes in 2010. One bomb was discovered at East Midlands Airport in Leicestershire and another in Dubai. The plot was foiled after Saudi Arabia intelligence chief tipped off the US. A forensic officer removes a package from a UPS container at East Midlands Airport in Castle Donington in 2010 Credit: REUTERS/Darren Staples AQAP was also behind the failed "underpants bombing", when a young Nigerian man named Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab nearly blew up a flight to Detroit on Christmast Day 2009. Mr Netanyahu said that Israel was helping Europe by preventing the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) from setting up "an alternative territorial base" in the Egyptian Sinai desert following their battlefield defeats in Iraq and Syria. The jihadist group has a presence in the Sinai and has carried out deadly attacks against both Egyptian civilians and security forces. Israel has carried out strikes against the group in Sinai and shared intelligence with Egyptian forces as they battle the jihadists. He told ambassadors that Israel was also working to prevent Iran consolidating its position in Syria. "This is dangerous for you too because the conquest of the Middle East by Iran would eventually effect all of your interests," he said.
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| Donald Trump speaks at a fourth-grade level, the lowest of last 15 U.S. presidents, according to analysis Posted: 09 Jan 2018 10:16 AM PST  President Donald Trump connects with the American people by using a language that even a fourth grader could understand, according to a recently published analysis by Factbase on the speech patterns of the last 15 U.S. presidents.
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| One Of America's Key Voting Laws Is About To Face A Big Test At The Supreme Court Posted: 09 Jan 2018 02:47 AM PST  In November of 2015, Larry Harmon, a software engineer then in his late 50s, went to the polls to vote against an Ohio ballot initiative to legalize marijuana.
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| 39 Tweets That Sum Up Parenting Teens Posted: 09 Jan 2018 08:21 AM PST  Parents of young children often joke about the difficult teenage years ahead.
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| French beef producers cheer chance for return to China Posted: 09 Jan 2018 08:14 PM PST  French beef producers on Tuesday hailed a deal reached by President Emmanuel Macron and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to end China's 2001 embargo on French beef. The accord, which would allow French producers back into the huge Chinese market within six months, came as Macron made a three-day visit to the country, his first destination in Asia as France's leader.
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| Boeing unveils prototype for unmanned electric cargo air vehicle Posted: 10 Jan 2018 10:20 AM PST ![Boeing unveils prototype for unmanned electric cargo air vehicle]( "Boeing unveils prototype for unmanned electric cargo air vehicle") (Reuters) - Boeing Co on Wednesday unveiled a prototype for an unmanned electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing cargo air vehicle (CAV) that the planemaker said will be used to test it's autonomous technology.
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| 'Ask This Guy.' Thailand's PM Leaves a Life-Size Cardboard Cut-Out to Answer Questions Posted: 08 Jan 2018 11:50 PM PST  Prayuth Chan-ocha has previously joked about executing journalists
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| 4 ex-fraternity members get jail in pledge's hazing death Posted: 08 Jan 2018 06:46 PM PST  STROUDSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Four New York City men were given jail sentences Monday in the death of an 18-year-old fraternity pledge during a 2013 hazing ritual in Pennsylvania, with a judge saying she believes they succumbed to "brainwashing" and "indoctrination" that is rampant at fraternities around the nation.
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| Trump Spiritual Advisor Wants You To Send Her Up To 1 Month's Pay Or Face 'Consequences' Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:52 AM PST  Paula White, a prosperity gospel preacher with close ties to President Donald Trump, is calling on followers to send her donations of up to one month's salary.
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| What's The Deal With Depression Naps? Posted: 09 Jan 2018 12:27 PM PST  Spend some time scrolling through your social media feed and you're likely to come across the term "depression nap."
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| Legendary French Actress Catherine Deneuve Decries #MeToo Movement As 'Puritanism' Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:48 PM PST  French movie icon Catherine Deneuve thinks the #MeToo movement to hold sexual harassers accountable has gone too far, joining a group of other influential French women arguing that it amounts to "puritanism" and "a wave of purification" that has created "a climate of a totalitarian society."
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| Fewer asylum seekers cross border into Canada over winter Posted: 10 Jan 2018 12:06 PM PST  Fall and winter saw a big drop in the number of asylum seekers from the United States crossing farmers' fields and dense forests on foot to reach Canada, officials said Wednesday. The northbound wave of migrants came after US President Donald Trump announced the end of special protections for Haitians and other groups. Nearly 21,000 asylum claims were made in 2017 by border jumpers, most of whom went to Quebec province, the immigration ministry said.
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| Autonom Cab to launch in Las Vegas Posted: 09 Jan 2018 04:42 AM PST  The Navya Autonom Cab is making its debut in America at CES 2018, with live demonstrations being carried out in the downtown Las Vegas Innovation District. The Autonom Cab will be operated by Navya's valued partner, Keolis, which will be the system's first operator in North America. Unlike many of the driverless cars and taxis we see at the moment undergoing testing, Autonom Cab has been designed as a truly autonomous vehicle from day one.
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| Iran has foiled plot to use protests to overthrow system, leader says Posted: 09 Jan 2018 02:48 PM PST ![Iran has foiled plot to use protests to overthrow system, leader says]( "Iran has foiled plot to use protests to overthrow system, leader says") By Babak Dehghanpisheh BEIRUT (Reuters) - Iran has foiled attempts by its foreign enemies to turn legitimate protests into an insurgency to overthrow the Islamic Republic, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday. "Once again, the nation tells the U.S., Britain, and those who seek to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran from abroad that 'you've failed, and you will fail in the future, too'," Khamenei tweeted. The Revolutionary Guards, the military force loyal to Khamenei, said on Sunday security forces had put an end to the unrest that it also said had been whipped up by foreign enemies.
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| Teenager pulled alive from the rubble, as death toll from Southern California mudslides rises to 17 Posted: 10 Jan 2018 04:39 PM PST  The number of people killed by mudslides in California has risen to 17 after two more bodies were found in rescue searches late on Wednesday. The rise comes after a glimmer of hope among the tragedy when a teenage girl was pulled from the debris alive in a dramatic rescue. Firefighters were able to free 14-year-old Lauren Cantin from the ruins of her Montecito home after six hours chopping away rubble using 'jaws of life' equipment and other tools. She was found alive after firefighters with rescue dogs heard her cries for help. "I thought I was dead there for a minute," Miss Cantin, covered in mud, said after workers spent six hours rescuing her. She was able to stand up and walk with assistance, NBC News reported. "To be able to have her come out safely and as unscathed as she was, it was pretty phenomenal," Andy Rupp, a Montecito Fire Protection District firefighter, told NBC News. Rescue efforts are expected to become easier on Wednesday after a powerful rain storm heads west and skies clear, authorities said. Early on Wednesday, rescue personnel continued searching for victims in Santa Barbara County, where mudslides slammed into homes, covered highways and swept away vehicles the previous day when more than half an inch (1.5 cm) of rain fell in five minutes, far exceeding the normal flash flood threshold. "While we hope it will not, we expect this number to increase as we continue to look for people who are missing and unaccounted for," Santa Barbara Sheriff Bill Brown said of the death toll during a news conference on Tuesday. The upscale communities of Montecito and Carpenteria, just outside the city of Santa Barbara, were hardest hit. Montecito is a wealthy enclave of about 9,000 people northwest of Los Angeles that is home to such celebrities as Oprah Winfrey, Rob Lowe and Ellen DeGeneres. Californian firefighters rescued 14-year-old Lauren Cantin Credit: MIKE ELIASON/AFP Over the past month California's scenic coastline was ravaged by a series of intense wildfires that burned off vegetation. On Tuesday, emergency workers using search dogs and helicopters to rescue dozens of people stranded in mud-coated rubble in the normally pristine area, sandwiched between the ocean and the sprawling Los Padres National Forest, about 110 miles (180 km) north of Los Angeles. About 300 people were stranded in a canyon. Local rescue crews, using borrowed helicopters from the U.S. Coast Guard, worked to airlift them out, officials said. Areas under evacuation order Heavy downpours struck before dawn on Tuesday after 7,000 residents in Santa Barbara County were ordered to evacuate and another 23,000 were urged to do so voluntarily, some of them for a second time since December. Some of those celebrities in the area posted messages online: What a day! Praying for our community again in Santa Barbara. Woke up to this blazing gas fire. then swipe left to see how deep the mud is in my backyard. Helicopters rescuing my neighbors. Looking for missing persons. 13 lives lost. #Mudslides. A post shared by Oprah (@oprah) on Jan 9, 2018 at 5:03pm PST The county set up an evacuation shelter at Santa Barbara City College, where some people showed up drenched in mud, and also provided a place for people to take their animals. But only 10 to 15 per cent complied with mandatory orders, said Amber Anderson, a spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. The number of fatalities surpassed the death toll from a California mudslide in January 2005, when 10 people were killed as a hillside gave way in the town of La Conchita, less than 20 miles south of the latest disaster. Boulders block a road after being moved by the mudslide Credit: Reuters Last month's wildfires, the largest in California history, left the area vulnerable to mudslides. The fires burned away grass and shrubs that hold the soil in place and also baked a waxy layer into the earth that prevents water from sinking deeply into the ground. Some local residents had to flee their homes due to the fires last month and again this week because of the rains. 'I came around the house and heard a deep rumbling' The torrent of mud swept away cars and destroyed several homes, reducing them to piles of rubble. Photos posted on social media showed waist-deep mud in living rooms. Some residents were unaccounted for in neighborhoods hard to reach because of downed trees and power lines, Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Dave Zaniboni said. My beautiful home town, just after getting through weeks of wild fire, has been hit by a major storm. That "river" is the 101 freeway. �� Please keep the families of Santa Barbara in your thoughts and prayers, �� pic.twitter.com/Yj7C9sRR4n— Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) January 9, 2018 "I came around the house and heard a deep rumbling, an ominous sound I knew was ... boulders moving as the mud was rising," said Thomas Tighe, who discovered two of his cars missing from the driveway. "I saw two other vehicles moving slowly sideways down the middle of the street in a river of mud." Marshall Miller, who evacuated his home in Montecito on Monday with his family, returned to check for damage and found his neighborhood devastated. He never reached his home because two of his neighbors, an elderly woman and her adult daughter, needed a lift to the hospital after being rescued by firefighters. A search dog looks for victims in damaged homes Credit: Reuters The pair had left their house before it was inundated with 6 feet (1.8 meters) of mud, but they got trapped outside in the deep muck. "It was sobering," Miller said. "I saw them covered in mud and shaking from the cold." The path of the deluge was graphically illustrated on the side of a white colonial-style house, where a dark gray stain created a wavy pattern halfway up the front windows. 'All hell broke loose' The worst of the rainfall occurred in a 15-minute span starting at 3:30 am (PST). Montecito got more than half an inch in five minutes, while Carpinteria received nearly an inch in 15 minutes. "All hell broke loose," said Peter Hartmann, a dentist who moonlights as a news photographer for the local website Noozhawk. Emergency personnel evacuate local residents and their dogs Credit: Reuters "There were gas mains that had popped, where you could hear the hissing," he said. "Power lines were down, high-voltage power lines, the large aluminum poles to hold those were snapped in half. Water was flowing out of water mains and sheared-off fire hydrants." Hartmann watched rescuers revive a toddler pulled unresponsive from the muck. "It was a freaky moment to see her just covered in mud," he said. "It was scary." Hartmann said he found a father-son tennis trophy awarded in 1991 to men his wife knows. "Both of them were caught in the flood. Son's in the hospital, dad hasn't been found yet," he said, declining to name them.
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| Jaylen Brown: Donald Trump's Made It 'More Acceptable For Racists To Speak Their Minds' Posted: 10 Jan 2018 01:08 AM PST  Jaylen Brown has spoken out about racism in the U.S. in the age of Trump.
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| Aerial view shows aftermath of deadly flooding and mudslides in California Posted: 09 Jan 2018 04:21 PM PST  Over a dozen people are dead from weather-related incidents.
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| Kansas lawmaker quits posts after remarks about blacks Posted: 09 Jan 2018 12:36 PM PST  TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A white Kansas lawmaker who suggested at a public forum that blacks were predisposed to abusing drugs resigned from two legislative committee leadership jobs on Tuesday but did not give up his seat in the Legislature.
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| LeBron James Has The Best Response To H&M's Racist Online Ad Posted: 09 Jan 2018 05:31 AM PST  LeBron James has taken aim at H&M over the clothing retailer's racist online shopping ad.
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| Vatican takes over scandal-hit Catholic group in Peru Posted: 10 Jan 2018 07:59 AM PST  The Vatican has taken control of a Catholic movement in Peru whose founder is accused of sexual abuse, just days before the pontiff visits the country. Pope Francis has been "following with concern" developments at the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (SCV) and the investigation into its scandal-hit founder Luis Fernando Figari, the Vatican said Wednesday.
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