| Trump Slams Media For Concocting Official Who Actually Ran His White House Briefing Posted: 26 May 2018 06:43 PM PDT  President Donald Trump attacked The New York Times in a tweet Saturday,
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| Flake: 'I do hope that somebody runs on the Republican side' against Trump in 2020 Posted: 26 May 2018 11:48 PM PDT  During an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) refuses to rule out a 2020 run for the White House, and expresses support for someone to challenge President Trump
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| RFK Jr. Seeking New Investigation Into His Father's Assassination Posted: 27 May 2018 12:16 AM PDT  Robert Kennedy Jr. had a three-hour prison meeting in California with his
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| University of Southern California president to step down in wake of scandal Posted: 26 May 2018 12:56 AM PDT  (Reuters) - The president of University of Southern California is resigning after criticism over the school's handling of complaints that a campus health clinic gynecologist sexually abused his patients during pelvic exams, the school said on Friday. C.L. Max Nikias will step down after serving as the school's president for nearly eight years, the university's executive committee of the board of trustees said in a statement. "President Nikias and the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees have agreed to begin an orderly transition and commence the process of selecting a new president," committee chairman Rick Caruso said.
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| Fight breaks out between passengers on American Airlines flight Posted: 26 May 2018 09:12 AM PDT  Cell phone video captures a flight attendant telling passenger Jason Felix that he can't have more alcohol during a flight from St. Croix to Miami. A fight broke out after he threatened another passenger and Felix now faces federal charges.
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| Panda cub makes first public appearance at Malaysia zoo Posted: 26 May 2018 01:17 AM PDT  A four-month-old panda cub made her first public appearance Saturday at the Malaysian zoo where she was born, to the delight of visitors. The fluffy little cub was the second born to Liang Liang, who has been on loan to Malaysia since 2014, aong with a male panda, a rare success story for natural reproduction among giant pandas which are notoriously clumsy at mating on the rare occasions they are actually in the mood. The family of three were in good health, said Mat Naim Ramli, director of the national zoo's panda centre outside Kuala Lumpur.
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| Commemorating veterans over Memorial Day weekend Posted: 27 May 2018 11:10 AM PDT ![Commemorating veterans over Memorial Day weekend]( "Commemorating veterans over Memorial Day weekend") On Memorial Day weekend, towns and cities across the United States and around the world, commemorate veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and the sacrifices they have made.
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| Border Patrol Alters Account Of Guatemalan Woman's Death Posted: 26 May 2018 06:26 PM PDT  U.S. immigration authorities have altered their account of the Border Patrol's
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| The Parkland students stopped a huge corporation from donating to the NRA Posted: 27 May 2018 10:48 AM PDT  The Parkland students are continuing to advocate for gun control, one issue at a time, and their efforts are creating real change. The latest proof of that is Publix, a supermarket chain found based in the southeastern United States. After boycotts and protests on Friday, the grocery store has publicly announced it will stop making political contributions, including those for Florida gubernatorial candidate and proudly vocal "NRA sellout" Adam Putnam. It's all thanks to Parkland'sDavid Hogg and his peers, who spearheaded a protest against the chain with a successful "die-in" at one of the store's locations. SEE ALSO: Parkland activists had breakfast with the Waffle House hero and they were all thrilled "Anyone who supports an NRA sellout is an NRA sellout," Hogg tweeted on Tuesday in his call to arms to boycott Publix. Anyone who supports an NRA sellout is an NRA sellout. That is why I am calling on everyone to stop shopping at Publix until they pull their endorsement of Putnam publicly. Publix is supporting the inaction after pulse, strozier, Douglas, liberty city. Don't support an NRA sellout — David Hogg (@davidhogg111) May 23, 2018 Just a few days later on May 25, students — in partnership with an organization birthed out of the Parkland shooting, Change The Ref — led the protests in Coral Springs, Florida inside and outside the store, with chalk outlines in the parking lot to commemorate the lives lost during the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Early this morning @davidhogg111 teamed up with @ChangeTheRef to create an art instillation outside of @publix in protest of the corporation and their support of Adam Putnam. 17 chalk outlines in multiple parking spots were drawn and wrapped in caution tape. #msd #neveragain pic.twitter.com/043cC2o6kA — Emilee McGovern (@EmileeRose) May 25, 2018 Inside, people staged a "die-in," lying on the floor of two local Publix stores on Friday. Additionally, Hogg put out a call for 12-minute die-in's to occur in various locations that afternoon as well. Together we can do anything. Together the young people will win by choosing love. pic.twitter.com/TRrfTJL2Wb — David Hogg (@davidhogg111) May 26, 2018 Guac's parents Manuel and Patricia lied down together at "die in " protest to Publix's contributions to pro-NRA Adam Putnam's campaign #ChangeTheRef #MarchForOurLives #parklandstrong pic.twitter.com/dYZSd6u9M7 — Change the Ref (@ChangeTheRef) May 25, 2018 The action worked, and Publix released a statement announcing that its donations to political candidates would cease. "We regret that our contributions have led to a divide in our community," the statement read, according to Tampa Bay Times. "We did not intend to put our associates and the customers they serve in the middle of a political debate. At the same time, we remain committed to maintaining a welcoming shopping experience for our customers. We would never knowingly disappoint our customers or the communities we serve." The corporation and its leaders have donated $670,000 to Putnam specifically over three years, as reported by Tampa Bay Times. Hogg is also asking Publix to donate $1 million to the Stoneman Douglas Victims fund, though it's not clear if that's going to happen. I call on @Publix to donate double the money they gave to Putman to the Stoneman Douglas Victims fund, $1,000,000. And never support an A rated NRA politician again. — David Hogg (@davidhogg111) May 24, 2018 WATCH: These celebs brought their star power to March for Our Lives
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| AMBER Alert Issued for New York Toddler After Mom's Body Found Stuffed in Bag in Woods Posted: 26 May 2018 11:25 AM PDT  Police in western New York are searching for a missing 14-month-old boy whose mother's dead body was found in the woods, stuffed in a plastic bag
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| With immigrant family separation policy, is Trump playing to base? Posted: 27 May 2018 01:48 AM PDT  Andrea Mitchell joins Ali Vitali to discuss the president's immigration policy and to ask whether it's an act of political base upkeep.
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| Indiana School Shooting: Hero Teacher Recovering After Tackling Student Gunman Posted: 26 May 2018 10:01 AM PDT  The teacher was shot three times.
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| Refugee Office That Lost 1,500 Kids Not 'Legally Responsible' For Finding Them: Official Posted: 26 May 2018 03:13 PM PDT  The government program meant to place unaccompanied children taken from the
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| Venezuela releases imprisoned American Joshua Holt Posted: 26 May 2018 08:48 AM PDT  Sen. Bob Corker helped broker the release of Holt and his wife Thamy, who were accused of stockpiling weapons and held for two years without trial. They returned to the U.S. on Saturday.
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| London introduces contactless payments for buskers Posted: 27 May 2018 09:07 AM PDT  London is introducing a contactless payment scheme for buskers in what organisers said would be a world first, Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Sunday as he unveiled a partnership with tech company iZettle. Under the "Busk in London" programme, street musicians in the British capital will be able to accept non-cash payments with contactless cards, wearable technology and chip and pin.
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| Oil output could return to October 2016 level, says Russia's Novak Posted: 26 May 2018 11:22 AM PDT  By Vladimir Soldatkin MOSCOW (Reuters) - A return to the oil production levels that were in place in October 2016, baseline for the current deal to cut output, is one of the options for easing curbs, Russia's energy minister said on Saturday. Sources said this week that Saudi Arabia and Russia were discussing raising OPEC and non-OPEC oil production to ease 17 months of strict supply curbs amid concerns that a price rally has gone too far. "When we extended the agreement until the end of 2018, we spoke about such possibilities (of returning to the October 2016 level)," Novak told reporters.
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| Teacher who confronted Indiana school shooter lauded as hero Posted: 25 May 2018 05:36 PM PDT  NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — An Indiana middle school student armed with two handguns opened fire inside his science classroom Friday, authorities said, wounding a classmate and a teacher whose swift intervention was credited with saving lives.
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| China, Burkina Faso establish ties following Taiwan snub Posted: 26 May 2018 06:15 AM PDT  China and Burkina Faso signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations on Saturday, days after the west African nation cut ties with Taiwan in yet another victory for Beijing in its campaign to isolate the island. A communique on establishing relations was signed in Beijing by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his counterpart Alpha Barry. Burkina Faso broke off ties with Taiwan on Thursday, becoming the second country to do so within a month and leaving the democratically ruled island with only 18 diplomatic allies around the world.
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| Colombia to be Nato's first Latin American 'partner' as country prepares for elections which could spell end of peace deal Posted: 26 May 2018 11:10 AM PDT  Colombia will become the first country in Latin America to join Nato as a "global partner", the outgoing president announced on the eve of the first presidential elections since its bloody civil war came to an end. Juan Manuel Santos, who signed a peace deal with the left-wing Farc guerrillas in 2016, ending the longest-running civil conflict in the western hemisphere and winning the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, made the announcement on Friday night. Colombia will join next week as a "global partner", Mr Santos said, which means it will not necessarily have to take part in military action but will be fully accredited in Brussels. But the announcement came as the peace process, on which he staked his presidency, hangs in the balance. Mr Santos cannot run for a third term, and the current front-runner for Sunday's election is Right-winger Ivan Duque, who has sharply criticised the deal for giving too much ground to the Farc. Juan Manuel Santos meets Theresa May in London, in November 2016 Hand-picked by Mr Santos's rival and presidential predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, Mr Duque, a 41-year-old lawyer and financial consultant from a prominent political family in Antioquia, has said he would alter the peace agreement if he is elected. While legally the deal cannot simply be torn up by a new government, it can be effectively "slow waked" to failure by blocking legislation needed to fully implement the agreement. People gather in Bogota, at the main Bolivar Square, on September 26, 2016, to celebrate the historic peace agreement between the Colombian government and Farc Mr Duque faces a strong challenge in the elections from the Left-wing candidate, Gustavo Petro, a well-known former rebel from the M-19 group who has a track record in congress and as the mayor of Bogota. The other three candidates are more centrist, and all are seasoned politicians: Germán Vargas Lleras toward the centre-right, and Sergio Fajardo and Humberto de la Calle – chief negotiator of the Farc peace deal - toward the centre-left. Polls suggest that no one candidate will win outright on Sunday, in which case a run-off will be held on June 17. Colombia joining Nato as a partner country will mean it will cooperate on global security areas like cyber and maritime security, terrorism and links to organised crime. Alvaro Uribe, president of Colombia from 2002-10, has emerged as one of the fiercest critics of the peace deal, and has chosen Ivan Duque as his successor "Colombia benefits a lot from being an active part of the international community," said Mr Santos, announcing the move, which had been agreed last year, on national television. "Many of the problems we face are increasingly global and need the support and collaboration of other countries for their solution." Other global partners include Afghanistan, Australia, Iraq, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Pakistan.
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| Superpower in the Sky: Why Israel Wants F-35s and Deadly New F-15s Posted: 26 May 2018 04:46 PM PDT  Although the F-35 saw its first combat duty this week in Israel, the Jewish state has reportedly decided to purchase more of the most advanced version of Boeing's F-15 rather than buy more Joint Strike Fighters. On May 16, Flight Global—an aviation-focused news source—reported that Israel is proposing a deal to purchase twenty-five F-15Is in an advanced configuration. This would double the number of F-15Is the Israeli Air Force (IAF) currently operates.
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| Service Dog Gives Birth to 8 Puppies at Florida Airport Gate Posted: 26 May 2018 12:00 PM PDT  They missed their flight.
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| Ireland votes to liberalize abortion laws with 66 percent in favor Posted: 26 May 2018 10:24 AM PDT  DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland voted by a landslide to liberalize its highly restrictive abortion laws as 66 percent of the electorate backed a referendum, official results showed on Saturday. Voters in the once deeply Catholic nation were asked if they wished to scrap a prohibition that was enshrined in the constitution by referendum 35 years ago, and partly lifted in 2013 only for cases where the mother's life was in danger. Over 64 percent of eligible voters cast their ballot, one of the highest ever for a referendum. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Toby Chopra)
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| The Latest: Girl critical after Indiana school shooting Posted: 25 May 2018 05:28 PM PDT ![The Latest: Girl critical after Indiana school shooting]( "The Latest: Girl critical after Indiana school shooting") NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — The Latest on a possible shooting at an Indiana middle school (all times local):
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| George H.W. Bush Hospitalized with Low Blood Pressure and Fatigue Posted: 27 May 2018 01:25 PM PDT  Former President George H.W. Bush was taken to the hospital on Sunday
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| Erdogan asks Turks to help prop up plunging lira Posted: 26 May 2018 09:20 AM PDT  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday urged compatriots to change their foreign currency to the lira to help prop up the embattled currency. The lira has lost 16 percent of its value against the greenback in a month as markets became jittery after Erdogan indicated he wanted a greater say in monetary policy if he won legislative and presidential elections on June 24. The lira hit 4.92 against the dollar on Wednesday before paring back some of its losses later this week after an emergency central bank rate hike.
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| Freed after 2 years, man jailed in Venezuela returns to US Posted: 26 May 2018 08:16 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — Joshua Holt, who traveled to Venezuela from Utah in 2016 to marry a Spanish-speaking Mormon woman but soon found himself jailed and later branded the CIA's top spy in Latin America, was set free by the anti-American Maduro government on Saturday, saying he was "overwhelmed with gratitude."
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| Toyota Corolla Crashes Into Parked 1931 Ford Model A Posted: 26 May 2018 09:00 AM PDT  Years of restoration painfully ends in the hands of a careless, distracted driver.
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| Palestinian President Abbas hospital stay extended Posted: 27 May 2018 05:39 AM PDT  By Ali Sawafta RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who officials said is being treated for a lung infection, will remain in hospital for an eighth day on Sunday. The 82-year-old leader had been expected to be released from hospital in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, but this was postponed, Abbas' office said in a text message to journalists. Abbas, who is a heavy smoker, was admitted on May 20 for what doctors had initially said were medical tests following ear surgery.
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| Thousands march in France against Macron reforms Posted: 26 May 2018 12:58 PM PDT  Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across France on Saturday to demonstrate against Emmanuel Macron's policies, but the turnout fell short of expectations and the president said nothing would stop his economic reforms. The ministry estimated that just over 93,000 demonstrated in 142 places throughout the country, while the left-wing CGT union put the number at 250,000. In Paris, police reported just 21,000 protesters, while the CGT claimed 80,000.
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| Suspect wounds teacher, fellow student in 23rd school shooting in 2018 Posted: 26 May 2018 01:44 AM PDT  The student, who was being held by police, was armed with two handguns when he shot a science teacher and another student in a science classroom at a Noblesville West Middle School on Friday morning, police in the community 25 miles (42 km) northeast of Indianapolis said. As of early Saturday, authorities had not identified the student or filed charges against him. The shooting, by CNN's count, was the 23rd in the United States this year and comes just a week after a high school student in Santa Fe, Texas, shot and killed eight classmates and two teachers.
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| High school valedictorian addresses grads through bullhorn following speech ban Posted: 27 May 2018 10:31 AM PDT  Christian Bales gave his graduation speech through a bullhorn outside the commencement venue after his school ruled his address too political to be given from the stage.
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| Alan Bean, former Apollo 12 astronaut and fourth person to walk on moon, dies Posted: 26 May 2018 06:03 PM PDT  Former Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean, who was the fourth man to walk on the moon and later turned to painting to chronicle the moon landings on canvas, has died. He was 86. Bean was the lunar module pilot for the second moon landing mission in November 1969. He spent 31 hours on the moon during two moonwalks, deploying surface experiments with commander Charles Conrad and collecting 75 pounds of rocks and lunar soil for study back on Earth. Bean died on Saturday in Houston, Texas, following a short illness, a Nasa statement said. "As all great explorers are, Alan was a boundary pusher," Nasa Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement that credited Bean with being part of 11 world records in the areas of space and aeronautics. "We will remember him fondly as the great explorer who reached out to embrace the universe." With Bean's passing, only four of 12 Apollo moonwalkers are still alive - Buzz Aldrin, Dave Scott, Charlie Duke and Harrison Schmitt. Astronaut Alan L. Bean holds a Special Environmental Sample Container filled with lunar soil collected during the Apollo 12 mission Credit: Reuters Schmitt, the lunar module pilot for Apollo 17, was one of many astronauts who mourned Bean's death and paid tribute on Saturday to his accomplishments that blazed trails for future space exploration. "His enthusiasm about space and art never waned. Alan Bean is one of the great renaissance men of his generation - engineer, fighter pilot, astronaut and artist," Schmitt said in a statement, adding that the wide array of lunar samples Bean helped collect from the moon was "a scientific gift that keeps on giving today and in the future." In 1998 Nasa oral history, Bean recalled his excitement at preparing to fly to the moon. "When you're getting ready to go to the moon, every day's like Christmas and your birthday rolled into one. I mean, can you think of anything better?" Bean said. Left to right: Mission Commander Charles "Pete" Conrad, Jr.; Command Module Pilot Richard F. Gordon and Lunar Module Pilot Alan L. Bean Credit: AFP After Apollo, Bean commanded the second crewed flight to the United States' first space station, Skylab, in 1973. On that mission, he orbited the Earth for 59 days and travelled 24.4 million miles, setting a world record at the time. Born March 15, 1932, in Wheeler, Texas, Bean received a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Texas in 1955. He attended the Navy Test Pilot School and was one of 14 trainees selected by Nasa for its third group of astronauts in October 1963. "I'd always wanted to be a pilot, ever since I could remember," Bean said in the 1998 Nasa oral history. "I think a lot of it just had to do with it looked exciting. It looked like brave people did that. I wanted to be brave, even though I wasn't brave at the time. I thought maybe I could learn to be, so that appealed to me." Bean retired from Nasa in 1981 and devoted much of his time to creating an artistic record of space exploration. Alan L, Bean, lunar module pilot for the Apollo 12 mission, starts down the ladder of the lunar module Credit: Universal Images Group Editorial His Apollo-themed paintings feature canvases textured with lunar boot prints and embedded with small pieces of his moon dust-stained mission patches. "Alan Bean was the most extraordinary person I ever met," astronaut Mike Massimino, who flew on two space shuttle missions to service the Hubble Space Telescope, said in a statement. "He was a one-of-a-kind combination of technical achievement as an astronaut and artistic achievement as a painter." Many fellow space explorers posted tributes to Bean on Twitter. Retired U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly said the world had not only lost "a spaceflight pioneer ... but also an exceptional artist that brought his experience back to Earth to share with the world." Kelly added: "Fair winds and following seas, Captain." Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the moon, is shown during a preview of his work at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum in Austin, Texas Credit: AP US astronaut Karen Nyberg called Bean a kind, gracious and humble man and a true role model. "As a girl who grew up with passions for spaceflight and art, Alan Bean was my hero," she wrote. "I feel fortunate to have met him." Retired astronaut Clayton Anderson tweeted "#RIP Alan Bean. Thank you for letting me stand upon your shoulders." Bean's wife of 40 years, Leslie Bean, said in a statement that Bean died peacefully at Houston Methodist Memorial Hospital surrounded by those who loved him. "Alan was the strongest and kindest man I ever knew," she said. "He was the love of my life and I miss him dearly." He is survived by his wife, a sister and two children from a prior marriage, a daughter Amy Sue and son, Clay.
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| Why Finding the Source of Tainted Romaine Lettuce Is so Hard Posted: 26 May 2018 11:28 AM PDT  The E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce started two months ago, and it has sickened 172 people and killed one. But federal investigators still do not know how the lettuce came to be contam...
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| Trump's 'phony' source turns out to be White House official Posted: 26 May 2018 05:24 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump accused The New York Times on Saturday of inventing a source for a story who, in fact, was a White House official conducting a briefing for reporters under the condition that the official not be named.
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| The Week's Most Important Car Numbers Posted: 26 May 2018 06:00 AM PDT  From a one-off Ferrari to a new Shelby Mustang, these are the most important numbers of the week.
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| EPA chief's security bill soars, agency cites death threats Posted: 25 May 2018 07:16 PM PDT  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt's security detail has cost taxpayers well over $3 million so far, up sharply from his predecessor during an equivalent period, according to details released by the agency, which said Pruitt's life had been threatened. Pruitt, who environmental groups have accused of lax enforcement and cozy ties with industry, requested 24-hour protection beginning on his first day in office. It was an unusual measure for the nation's top environmental regulator, and Pruitt and the agency have said it was justified by a high number of threats to his life.
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| Russia says 4 of its soldiers have been killed in Syria Posted: 27 May 2018 06:00 AM PDT ![Russia says 4 of its soldiers have been killed in Syria]( "Russia says 4 of its soldiers have been killed in Syria") MOSCOW (AP) — A clash with "terrorists" in eastern Syria killed four Russian soldiers and wounded others, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday.
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| Indiana middle schooler with two guns shoots teacher, student Posted: 25 May 2018 06:29 PM PDT  The incident at Noblesville West Middle School was the latest in a series of shootings at U.S. schools and colleges fueling debate about how to keep campuses safe. The suspect had excused himself from class and came back armed with the pistols and opened fire in a science class, authorities said. "We do know the situation resolved extremely quickly," Police Chief Kevin Jowitt told reporters in Noblesville, which is about 25 miles (42 km) northeast of Indianapolis.
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| Thousands square off in Berlin far-right rally and counter demos Posted: 27 May 2018 08:25 AM PDT  Thousands of demonstrators for and against the far-right faced off in mass rival rallies in Berlin on Sunday, where calls of "We are the people" were countered with "Go away, Nazis" and techno beats. Police, who were out in force to keep the groups apart, said the march organised by the anti-immigrant, anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) drew over 5,000 supporters while the counter-demonstrators numbered more than 25,000. The rallies passed off largely peacefully, although Berlin police said on Twitter that they had to use pepper spray to stop "demonstrators from trying to break down barriers" at one square.
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| BMW i8 Roadster First Edition Handover Event Had 18 Cars Posted: 27 May 2018 07:00 AM PDT  The first 18 out of 200 hybrid roadsters roll out of Munich.
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| Complete list of every full moon in 2018, including May's Flower Moon Posted: 27 May 2018 06:07 AM PDT  The beginning of this week will see the next full moon, known as the Flower Moon, brighten our skies the day after the second bank holiday weekend of the month. The first blue moon of the year was a spectacular sight, dubbed the 'super blue blood moon'. Falling on January 31, it was the product of three different phenomena: it was a supermoon, a blue moon and a blood moon. While many said it was the first to be seen in 152 years, other contested the fact, leading to a division among scientists. Stargazers were also treated to two full moons in March: as well as the first full moon on the night of March 1, we saw another full moon on March 31. As it was the second full moon of the month, it was a blue moon – the second of 2018. The moon is the largest and brightest object in our night sky and has enchanted and inspired mankind for centuries. Blue moons are a rare breed, but full moons can be admired every month. Here is everything you need to know about Earth's only natural satellite, from all its different names to how it was formed. Super blue blood moon, in pictures How often does a full moon occur? Afull moon occurs every 29.5 days and is when the Moon is completely illuminated by the Sun's rays. It occurs when Earth is directly aligned between the Sun and the Moon. Why do full moons have names? The early Native Americans didn't record time using months of the Julian or Gregorian calendar. Instead tribes gave each full moon a nickname to keep track of the seasons and lunar months. Most of the names relate to an activity or an event that took place at the time in each location. However, it wasn't a uniform system and tribes tended to name and count moons differently. Some, for example, counted four seasons a year while others counted five. Others defined a year as 12 moons, while others said there were 13. Colonial Americans adopted some of the moon names and applied them to their own calendar system which is why they're still in existence today, according to the Farmer's Almanac. January: Wolf Moon This moon was named because villagers used to hear packs of wolves howling in hunger around this time of the year. Its other name is the Old Moon. This January there are two Wolf Moons - and stargazers will be in for a treat as both will be supermoons. When two moons occur in one month, the second is called a blue moon. While blue moons typically occur only once every two to three years, this year we will be treated to two moons - the second appearing at the end of March. The night following the first full moon of the month saw the Quadrantid meteor shower light up the skies. When? January 2 and January 31 February: Snow Moon Snow moon is named after the white stuff because historically it's always been the snowiest month in America. It's also traditionally referred to as the Hunger Moon, because hunting was very difficult in snowy conditions. However this year there won't be a Snow Moon - with a full moon occurring at the end of January and another at the beginning of March, we won't see one light up the skies during the year's shortest month. When? There will be no full moon this month The full Snow Moon appears red above London's Albert bridge and Battersea Bridge in 2012 Credit: Anthony Devlin March: Worm Moon As temperatures warm, earthworm casts begin to appear and birds begin finding food. It's also known as Sap Moon, Crow Moon and Lenten Moon. There will be two moons this March, one at the start of the month and one at the end. As in January, the second moon of the month is called a blue moon. The second moon of the month is important because it is used to fix the date of Easter, which is always the Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. This year, that moon appears on Saturday March 31, which means Easter Sunday falls the day after, on April 1. When? March 1 and 31 April: Pink Moon April's full moon is known as the Pink Moon, but don't be fooled into thinking it will turn pink. It's actually named after pink wildflowers, which appear in the US and Canada in early spring. This moon is also known as Egg Moon, due to spring egg-laying season. Some coastal tribes referred to it as Fish Moon because it appeared at the same time as the shad swimming upstream. When? April 30 A couple watch the Pink Moon rise beside Hartshead Pike on April 29, 2018 in Manchester, England Credit: Anthony Devlin May: Flower Moon Spring has officially sprung by the time May arrives, and flowers and colourful blooms dot the landscape. This moon is also known as Corn Planting Moon, as crops are sown in time for harvest, or Bright Moon because this full moon is known to be one of the brightest. Some people refer to it as Milk Moon. When? May 29 (it will peak at 15:19) Night sky June: Strawberry Moon This moon is named after the beginning of the strawberry picking season. It's other names are Rose Moon, Hot Moon, or Hay Moon as hay is typically harvested around now. This moon appears in the same month as the summer solstice, the longest day of the year (June 21) in which we can enjoy approximately 17 hours of daylight. When? June 28 The so-called 'Strawberry Moon' rises behind Glastonbury Tor on in June 2016. Credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images July: Thunder Moon Named due to the prevalence of summer thunder storms. It's sometimes referred to as the Full Buck Moon because at this time of the year a buck's antlers are fully grown. When? July 27 August: Sturgeon Moon Tribes in North America typically caught Sturgeon during this month, but also it is when grain and corn were gathered so is also referred to as Grain Moon. This moon appears in the same month as the Perseid meteor shower. When? August 26 September: Harvest Moon The Harvest Moon is the name given to the first full moon that takes place closest to the Autumn equinox, which this year will come on September 23. The Harvest Moon arrived late last year, on October 5 - it normally rises in September. It was during September that most of the crops were harvested ahead of the autumn and this moon would give light to farmers so they could carry on working longer in the evening. Some tribes also called it the Barley Moon, the Full Corn Moon or Fruit Moon. When? September 25 October: Hunter's Moon As people planned ahead for the cold months ahead, the October moon came to signify the ideal time for hunting game, which were becoming fatter from eating falling grains. This moon is also known as the travel moon and the dying grass moon. When? October 24 November: Frost Moon The first of the winter frosts historically begin to take their toll around now and winter begins to bite, leading to this month's moon moniker. It is also known as the Beaver Moon. When?November 23 December: Cold Moon Nights are long and dark and winter's grip tightens, hence this Moon's name. With Christmas just a few weeks away, it's also referred to as Moon before Yule and Long Nights Moon. When? December 22 Clouds clear to allow a view of the final full moon of the year, a so-called 'Cold Moon' on December 13 2016 in Cornwall. Credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images Once in a blue moon Does this well-known phrase have anything to do with the moon? Well, yes it does. We use it to refer to something happening very rarely and a blue moon is a rare occurrence. It's the name given to a second full moon that occurs in a single calendar month and this typically occurs only once every two to three years. There's lots of other moons, too: Full moon: We all know what these are. They come around every month and light up the night at night. Harvest moon: The full moon closest to the autumn equinox. Black moon: Most experts agree that this refers to the second new moon in a calendar month. The last black moon was at the start of October 2016 and the next one is expected in 2019. Blue moon: A phenomenon that occurs when there is a second full moon in one calendar month. Joe Rao from space.com explains: "A second full moon in a single calendar month is sometimes called a blue moon. A black moon is supposedly the flip side of a blue moon; the second new moon in a single calendar month." Supermoon is seen behind the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, in May 2012. Credit: AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano The infrequent nature of this lunar event led to the phrase "once in a blue moon" to signify a rare occurrence. It does not actually mean the moon will be blue. Blood moon: Also known as a supermoon lunar eclipse. It's when the shadow of Earth casts a reddish glow on the moon, the result of a rare combination of an eclipse with the closest full moon of the year. There was one in the UK in September 2015, and before that in 1982 but the next one won't be until 2033. Strawberry moon: A rare event when there's a full moon on the same day as the summer solstice. It happened in June 2016 for the first time since 1967 when 17 hours of sunlight gave way to a bright moonlit sky. Despite the name, the moon does appear pink or red. The romantic label was coined by the Algonquin tribes of North America who believed June's full moon signalled the beginning of the strawberry picking season. What is a supermoon? Ever looked up at the night sky to see a full moon so close you could almost touch it? Well you've probably spotted a supermoon. The impressive sight happens when a full moon is at the point in its orbit that brings it closest to Earth. To us Earth-lings, it appears 30 per cent brighter and 14 per cent bigger to the naked eye. How a supermoon is generated Supermoon is not an astrological term though. It's scientific name is actually Perigee Full Moon, but supermoon is more catchy and is used by the media to describe our celestial neighbour when it gets up close. Astrologer Richard Nolle first came up with the term supermoon and he defined it as "… a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90 per cent of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit", according to earthsky.org. How many supermoons are there in 2018? There are two full moon supermoons this year, both of which took place in the first month of the year. The first appeared on January 2 and the second appeared on January 31. As it was the second moon of the month, the latter moon was also known as a blue moon. There will also be two new moon supermoons in 2018: one on July 13 and another on August 11. Unfortunately, stargazers were unable to see these moons as new moons are generally obscured by the light of the sun. Last year we were lucky enough to have four supermoons. The first three - April 26, May 25, June 24 - were new moons. The fourth supermoon of 2017 appeared on December 3 and was a full moon supermoon. This will be a full moon supermoon. In fact, it's the first of three full moon supermoons in a row. Supermoon rises over Auckland, New Zealand in August 2014. Credit: Simon Runting/REX What do I look for? Head outside at sunset when the moon is closest to the horizon and marvel at its size. As well as being closer and brighter, the moon (clouds permitting) should also look orange and red in colour. Why? Well, as moonlight passes through the thicker section of the atmosphere, light particles at the red end of the spectrum don't scatter as easily as light at the blue end of the spectrum. So when the moon looks red, you're just looking at red light that wasn't scattered. As the moon gets higher in the sky, it returns to its normal white/yellow colour. Will the tides be larger? Yes. When full or new moons are especially close to Earth, it leads to higher tides. Tides are governed by the gravitational pull of the moon and, to a lesser extent, the sun. Because the sun and moon go through different alignments, this affects the size of the tides. Tell me more about the moon The moon is 4.6 billion years old and was formed between 30-50 million years after the solar system. It is smaller than Earth - about the same size as Pluto in fact. Its surface area is less than the surface area of Asia - about 14.6 million square miles according to space.com Gravity on the moon is only 1/6 of that found on Earth. The moon is not round, but is egg-shaped with the large end pointed towards Earth. It would take 135 days to drive by car to the moon at 70 mph (or nine years to walk). The moon has "moonquakes" caused by the gravitational pull of Earth. Experts believe the moon has a molten core, just like Earth. How was the Moon formed? How the Moon was formed Man on the Moon Only 12 people have ever walked on the moon and they were all American men, including (most famously) Neil Armstrong who was the first in 1969 on the Apollo II mission. The last time mankind sent someone to the moon was in 1972 when Gene Cernan visited on the Apollo 17 mission. Although Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon, Buzz Aldrin was the first man to urinate there. While millions watched the moon landing on live television, Aldrin was forced to go in a tube fitted inside his space suit. Buzz Aldrin Jr. beside the U.S. flag after man reaches the Moon for the first time during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969. Credit: AP When the astronauts took off their helmets after their moonwalk, they noticed a strong smell, which Armstrong described as "wet ashes in a fireplace" and Aldrin as "spent gunpowder". It was the smell of moon-dust brought in on their boots. The mineral, armalcolite, discovered during the first moon landing and later found at various locations on Earth, was named after the three Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil ARMstrong, Buzz ALdrin and Michael COLlins. An estimated 600 million people watched the Apollo 11 landing live on television, a world record until 750 million people watched the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. One of President Nixon's speechwriters had prepared an address entitled: "In Event of Moon Disaster". It began: "Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay to rest in peace." If the launch from the Moon had failed, Houston was to close down communications and leave Armstrong and Aldrin to their death. How the Daily Telegraph reported Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon in 1969
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| Tesla seeks to dismiss securities fraud lawsuit: U.S. court document Posted: 25 May 2018 06:05 PM PDT  Tesla Inc on Friday asked a court to dismiss a securities fraud lawsuit by shareholders who said the electric vehicle maker gave false public statements about the progress of producing its new Model 3 sedan. Tesla did not seek to hide the truth, its motion to dismiss said. The company says its Model 3 has experienced numerous "bottlenecks" from problems with Tesla's battery module process at its Nevada Gigafactory to general assembly at its Fremont plant.
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| Freed from a Venezuela jail, US couple arrive back home Posted: 27 May 2018 02:08 AM PDT  An American couple who spent nearly two years in a Venezuelan jail received a heroes' welcome at the White House as they returned home Saturday after Caracas freed them in a bid to spur dialogue with Washington. "Very glad that Josh Holt is now back home with his family where he has always belonged. Sanctions continue until democracy returns to Venezuela," Vice President Mike Pence wrote on Twitter.
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