| Appellate judge on D.C. Circuit seen as early favorite on Trump's Supreme Court shortlist Posted: 27 Jun 2018 01:31 PM PDT  Bloomberg and the Los Angeles Times are both reporting that the favorite is Brett Kavanaugh, 53, a federal appellate court judge based in Washington, D.C., who previously clerked for Kennedy.
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| California Dad's Mysterious Death Brings More Unsolved Shootings To Light Posted: 28 Jun 2018 03:31 AM PDT  The campground at California's Malibu Creek State Park has been "closed
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| Reiko Takahashi is 2018 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Posted: 28 Jun 2018 11:28 AM PDT ![Reiko Takahashi is 2018 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year]( "Reiko Takahashi is 2018 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year") A photograph of a humpback whale calf's tail has earned Reiko Takahashi of Japan the prestigious grand prize in the 2018 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year contest. Takahashi took the photo, titled "Mermaid," off the coast of Japan's Kumejima Island. The longtime photographer left her office job to pursue her passion for underwater photography and traveled to Kumejima Island on a mission to photograph humpback whales with their young calves.
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| Bipartisan Bill Seeks To Make Puerto Rico The 51st U.S. State By 2021 Posted: 28 Jun 2018 02:12 AM PDT  A bipartisan bill introduced on Wednesday seeks to make the U.S. territory of
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| Worker found dead in stadium cooler was Minnesota inventor Posted: 27 Jun 2018 02:36 PM PDT ![Worker found dead in stadium cooler was Minnesota inventor]( "Worker found dead in stadium cooler was Minnesota inventor") ATLANTA (AP) — A body found inside a beer cooler at the major league home of the Atlanta Braves belongs to a Minnesota inventor who was doing contract work at the stadium, police in Atlanta's suburbs said Wednesday.
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| Rebel Wilson ordered to pay back $3 mn plus interest Posted: 26 Jun 2018 10:11 PM PDT  Hollywood actress Rebel Wilson was ordered to return almost $3.1 million with interest to an Australian publisher Wednesday after a defamation payout was slashed on appeal. The "Pitch Perfect" star was awarded Aus$4.5 million ($3.3 million) in damages against Bauer Media last September over articles claiming she lied about her age and background to further her career. It was the largest defamation win in Australian legal history and Bauer appealed, arguing the size of the settlement set a dangerous precedent and there were errors of law in the judgement.
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| How to reunite 2,000 families: The government has no clue Posted: 27 Jun 2018 05:23 AM PDT  President Trump's recent executive order on keeping migrant families at the southwest border together has sent several federal agencies scrambling to figure out how to reverse course on a policy that has already separated more than 2,000 children.
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| Moment Missing Toddler Is Found by Police in Woods Captured on Bodycam Footage Posted: 28 Jun 2018 07:25 AM PDT  Little Kamiyah Vicks was found crying in a dense wooded area bordering the Lakeshore neighborhood in Port Wentworth, where her mother lives, at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, officials said.
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| Democrats Demand GOP Follow 'McConnell Rule' And Delay Supreme Court Hearing Posted: 27 Jun 2018 03:48 PM PDT  WASHINGTON ― Democrats on Wednesday urged Republicans to delay replacing
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| Man seen riding on hood of car speaks out Posted: 28 Jun 2018 03:20 AM PDT  The man's ex-girlfriend, who was driving, is now facing charges. ABC News' Kendis Gibson reports.
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| Amazon takes on pharmacy sector with new acquisition Posted: 28 Jun 2018 01:52 PM PDT  Amazon set its sights on the pharmacy market Thursday with the acquisition of tech-focused retailer PillPack, sending shock waves through the sector over prospects of disruption by the US online colossus. Amazon has long been rumored to be interested in the pharmacy business, and the entry by a powerful new player could unsettle a business dominated by large American chains including CVS and Walgreens. Terms were not disclosed on the deal for PillPack, an online pharmacy which operates in all 50 US states and offers pre-sorted dose packaging and home delivery.
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| Complaint: Brother of Giants' Jenkins, victim had dispute Posted: 28 Jun 2018 02:37 PM PDT  HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) — The brother of New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins had an alleged altercation in his brother's New Jersey home that led to the death of a 25-year-old man.
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| Russian pop singer linked to Trump says music video was 'satire' Posted: 27 Jun 2018 09:30 AM PDT  A surreal new You Tube video released by a Russian pop singer who is a key figure in the investigations into ties between the Kremlin and the 2016 Trump campaign was a "satire" making fun of "some of the things I've been accused of," the singer said Wednesday.
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| Who will pick up Kennedy's bipartisan legacy on the court? No one. Posted: 27 Jun 2018 03:27 PM PDT  Justice Anthony Kennedy could please, and enrage, partisans on both sides with his even-handed approach. His successor is unlikely to do the same.
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| 10-Year-Old Boy Allegedly Said He 'Liked Boys' Before Being Beaten To Death Posted: 27 Jun 2018 12:36 PM PDT  UPDATE June 26: Heather Barron's boyfriend, Kareem Leiva, has been arrested
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| How Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Caught Fire And Took Down The 'King Of Queens' Posted: 28 Jun 2018 08:48 AM PDT  Just six weeks ago, when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was still campaigning in
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| Deadliest recent mass shootings in the United States Posted: 28 Jun 2018 04:31 PM PDT  Washington (AFP) - At least five people were killed when a gunman opened fire inside a newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland on Thursday.
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| Complete list of every full moon in 2018, including June's Strawberry Moon Posted: 28 Jun 2018 02:22 AM PDT  Early this morning the seventh full moon of the year – dubbed the Strawberry Moon – lit our skies, peaking at 05:53. 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. July will see will see the longest total eclipse of the 21st century, expected to last one hour 43 minutes – just four minutes shy of the longest amount of time an eclipse can last for. The lunar eclipse, which will occur on July 27, will also be a full moon, a micro moon (meaning it is the smallest full moon of the year) and potentially a blood moon. The view from Parliament Hill in Hampstead of the full moon rising over the City of London on JUne 28 2018 Credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire 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. How often does a full moon occur? A full 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. Super blue blood moon, in pictures 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 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. The blood micro-moon lunar eclipse Next month will see an incredibly rare occurance grace our skies: a blood micro-moon lunar eclipse, the longest eclipse of the century thus far. It will be visible in large parts of Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America, although it is only expected to be a partial eclipse in the UK. Its totality will last for 103 minutes, which will make it the longest eclipse of the 21st century. The longest total eclipse of the 20th century occurred on July 16 2000, lasting one hour and 46.4 minutes. There is a possibility that we will be able to see Mars on the night of the eclipse, which will fall on July 27. The fourth planet from the sun will be very close to the eclipsed moon on July 27 and 28, which means it will be easier to see it with naked eyes. 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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| 4 Things Worth Grilling That Aren't Meat Posted: 28 Jun 2018 07:57 AM PDT ![4 Things Worth Grilling That Aren't Meat]( "4 Things Worth Grilling That Aren't Meat") Last fall, my family went 10 weeks without an oven or stovetop, thanks to our kitchen renovation. While the challenge had me (finally) getting to know every plug-in appliance my husband and I had listed on our wedding registry more than 10 years ago, it also forced me to push the limits of our backyard gas grill. Before the renovation, we pretty much only used it to cook marinated chicken breasts, burgers, corn or the occasional pile of peppers. But during the renovation, my family began thinking of this appliance's full potential as a heat source in lieu of our oven and stovetop. ...
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| Xi Jinping Warns U.S. That China Won't Surrender ‘One Inch’ of Territory Posted: 27 Jun 2018 09:57 PM PDT  The U.S. has criticized China's claims to the disputed South China Sea
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| Harley-Davidson: Donald Trump says 'we won't forget' and company should 'stay 100% in America' Posted: 27 Jun 2018 01:54 PM PDT  The president tweeted that "Harley-Davidson should stay 100 per cent in America," despite the fact that it already has some production outside of the United States. "I've done so much for you, and then this," Mr Trump said. The American brand, synonymous with American motorcycle culture, was founded in 1903 in Wisconsin.
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| Israel says Gaza militants fire more than a dozen rockets Posted: 27 Jun 2018 11:48 AM PDT ![Israel says Gaza militants fire more than a dozen rockets]( "Israel says Gaza militants fire more than a dozen rockets") JERUSALEM (AP) — More than 12 rockets were launched from Gaza toward southern Israeli communities early Wednesday, the Israeli military said.
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| Seized Cash and Luxury Goods Linked to Malaysia's Former Prime Minister Are Valued at $273 Million Posted: 26 Jun 2018 11:27 PM PDT  Malaysian police say the total value of cash, jewelry and hundreds of watches and handbags seized from properties linked to former Prime Minister Najib Razak in a money-laundering investigation amounted to $273 million.
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| Man Charged With Killing Heather Heyer In Charlottesville Faces 30 New Counts Posted: 27 Jun 2018 10:10 AM PDT  James Alex Fields Jr., the suspect accused in the killing of Heather Heyer in
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| Court ruling on unions no lifesaver for Illinois' sinking finances Posted: 28 Jun 2018 03:17 PM PDT ![Court ruling on unions no lifesaver for Illinois' sinking finances]( "Court ruling on unions no lifesaver for Illinois' sinking finances") A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday that dealt a blow to public sector labor unions will not be a fix, at least in the short term, for massive financial problems in Illinois, where the case was filed, public finance and economic experts said. The 5-4 ruling in the case brought by state worker Mark Janus found that forcing workers who opt out of unions to pay so-called fair-share dues to labor organizations violated free speech rights. The opinion cited Illinois' "severe budget problems," including a nearly $160 billion unfunded liability for pensions and retiree healthcare in 2013, a huge pile of unpaid bills, and near-junk level credit ratings.
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| The rockets that are pushing the boundaries of space travel Posted: 28 Jun 2018 08:49 AM PDT  Friday morning at 5:42 am (0942 GMT), a rocket owned by the US company SpaceX will blast off from Florida carrying two and a half tons of gear from NASA, only to dock three days later and 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth at the International Space Station. It launched a NASA satellite into orbit two months ago, then landed back on Earth -- upright -- on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Canaveral. It flew a mission to the ISS in 2016.
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| Walt Disney Co (DIS) Deal With Fox Isn't Final Yet Posted: 28 Jun 2018 08:18 AM PDT ![Walt Disney Co (DIS) Deal With Fox Isn't Final Yet]( "Walt Disney Co (DIS) Deal With Fox Isn't Final Yet") The Department of Justice approved the Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS) $71.3 billion buyout offer for Twenty-First Century Fox ( FOXA) on Wednesday, but the Disney deal is far from a sure thing at this point. Disney must still get the green light from international regulators, and analysts say Comcast Corp. ( CMCSA) is nowhere close to throwing in the towel on Fox. The Justice Department said on Wednesday that the Disney deal to acquire Fox can go through as long as Disney agrees to divest 22 of Fox's regional sports networks.
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| Nationally Backed Democrat Falls Short In New York Primary For Congress Posted: 26 Jun 2018 07:51 PM PDT  Dana Balter, a progressive activist and Syracuse University professor, won the
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| Justice Kennedy Chose To Let Trump Pick His Replacement. That's His Legacy. Posted: 28 Jun 2018 05:59 AM PDT  I am going to speak ill of Justice Kennedy.
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| Amazon Wants You to Start a Business As a Package Delivery Driver Posted: 28 Jun 2018 05:47 AM PDT  It's promising financial and logistical support
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| Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered Limited To 20 Examples In U.S. Posted: 28 Jun 2018 07:16 AM PDT  And it will cost $1,100 per month through the Care by Volvo subscription service.
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| Teen detained in case that led to fatal police shooting Posted: 26 Jun 2018 08:42 PM PDT  PITTSBURGH (AP) — Police made an arrest in a drive-by shooting that started a chain of events resulting in the police killing of a black teenager.
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| Texas executes 'ice pick killer' for 1979 rape and murder Posted: 27 Jun 2018 04:47 PM PDT  By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Texas on Wednesday executed a man dubbed the "ice pick killer" for the weapon he used to murder a woman in 1979, after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a last-minute appeal from his lawyers, who argued his veins were too compromised for a lethal injection. Danny Bible, 66, was put to death at the state's death chamber in Huntsville. Bible made no last statement, a prisons official said.
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| Zimbabwe president says he suspects political faction linked to Grace Mugabe was behind rally blast Posted: 27 Jun 2018 02:18 AM PDT  Zimbabwe's new president has implicated a ruling party faction loyal to Robert Mugabe's wife in a bomb attack that nearly killed him over the weekend. Significantly raising the political temperature ahead of a crucial election next month, Emmerson Mnangagwa claimed that rivals who had hoped to install Grace Mugabe as president may have been behind Saturday's apparent assassination attempt. Renewing a vicious rivalry with the former first lady, Mr Mnangagwa said he suspected Mrs Mugabe's G40 faction of being behind the attack because it opposed the democratic turn the country had taken under his stewardship. "The people who are aggrieved about the new dispensation are the G40," he told the BBC. "That is the logical and reasonable conclusion one may make." Two people were killed after a bomb exploded as Mr Mnangagwa left the podium during a rally by his ruling Zanu PF party in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second city. More than 40 others were wounded, among them the wife of Constantino Chiwenga, the general — now a vice president — who launched the military takeover that ousted Mr Mugabe and brought Mr Mnangagwa to power in November. Grace Mugabe greets party supporters at a rally in Chinhoyi in July 2017 Credit: Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP No arrests or claims of responsibility have been made, and Mr Mnangagwa admitted he had no evidence for his statement. But the attack, and the president's accusation, has rattled a country with a history of election-related violence, some of which has previously been linked to the president. Hundreds of opposition supporters were tortured, abducted or even murdered in the presidential election of 2008 that that was won, in the first round by the opposition's candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, who has since died. Mr Mnangagwa, President Mugabe's most loyal acolyte at the time, was accused of organising violence during the run-off campaign which was so bad Tsvangirai had to withdraw from the poll. He was also accused of rigging the polls to deliver victory to Mr Mugabe, a claim he has always denied. Some in the opposition have suggested that Saturday's bomb was an "inside job" meant to create the same atmosphere of fear that would allow Mr Mnangagwa to call in the army to restore order. Such accusations seem unlikely, however — not least because the president appears to have been lucky to have survived the blast. Emmerson Mnangagwa greets supporters before an explosion at an election rally in Bulawayo Credit: Reuters Mr Mnangagwa has also proved much more tolerant of his opponents than the man he ousted, allowing opposition marches and rallies to proceed unhindered. The president also has much to lose from a tainted election, the conduct of which will dictate Zimbabwe's international rehabilitation. The United States and the European Union have said that a reassessment of sanctions and possible debt relief for the near-bankrupt country are contingent on a free and fair poll. The bomb also raised fears in the south, where Bulawayo lies, that it could be used as a pretext to repress the Ndebele ethnic minority, which tends to support the opposition. Thousands were killed and fled the country in the early 1980s during purges launched by President Mugabe when Mr Mnangagwa was his security minister. But Mr Mnangagwa was quick to absolve southerners, calming tensions, and analysts said it was not unreasonable of the president to implicate the G40 faction. "It is a legitimate message for Mnangagwa to say he suspects the G40 would be the engineers behind the explosion," said Eldred Masungure, a veteran political scientist at the University of Harare. "It is common cause that what happened last Saturday is a continuation of the intra-Zanu PF struggles and G40 were part of all that equation… There is unfinished business within Zanu PF." Grace Mugabe | A life in controversies Last November's coup was triggered by President Mugabe sacking Mr Mnangagwa as his deputy, seen as a move by the nonagenarian to install his wife, known as "Gucci Grace" for her excesses, as his successor. The leadership of the G40 faction was largely routed during the coup. Three of its leaders fled into exile, including Jonathan Moyo, Mr Mugabe's most loyal servant, who claimed in a tweet that the ruling party was behind the bomb. Others were purged from their posts or faced prosecution — although some were allowed to leave for South Africa for medical treatment and have subsequently been quietly allowed to return. Mid-ranking G40 supporters still hold parliamentary seats and positions within the ruling party. It is unclear if Mr Mnangagwa will attempt to purge them after the election. Mr Mnangagwa leads his nearest opponent Nelson Chamisa by 11 points in the latest opinion poll. more than a quarter of respondents, however, refused to indicate who they would vote for, leading some to forecast a tight race. Some ruling party figures have threatened to call in the army for a second time if Mr Chamisa wins, but Mr Mnangagwa has promised to respect the result.
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| Jeb Hensarling clashes with Waters during committee hearing Posted: 27 Jun 2018 02:35 PM PDT  Rep. Maxine Waters responds to Chairman's comments on civility during House Financial Service committee hearing.
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| Japanese space probe arrives at asteroid to collect samples Posted: 27 Jun 2018 06:35 AM PDT  TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese space probe arrived at an asteroid Wednesday after a 3 1/2-year journey to undertake a first-ever experiment: blow a crater in the rocky surface to collect samples and bring them back to Earth.
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| China defends its post-WTO business record Posted: 28 Jun 2018 04:45 AM PDT  China on Thursday insisted it has "carried out every promise" made in joining the World Trade Organization as Washington and Brussels push Beijing to do away with protectionist policies. Hitting back at critics like US President Donald Trump, China published a white paper titled "China and the World Trade Organization" outlining reforms Beijing has undertaken since joining the agreement in 2001.
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| 15 Easy, Delicious Potato Salad Recipes Posted: 27 Jun 2018 12:15 PM PDT |
| Joe Jackson, Father Of Michael And Janet Jackson, Dead At 89 Posted: 27 Jun 2018 09:43 AM PDT  Joe Jackson, father to Michael and Janet Jackson and no-nonsense manager of
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| 2018 Ford Fusion Sport Review: Relaxed, Despite Its Name Posted: 28 Jun 2018 06:13 AM PDT  Plenty of power, but it comes at a hefty price.
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| Kim Jong Nam murder not a prank: prosecutors Posted: 28 Jun 2018 02:43 AM PDT  The assassination of the estranged half brother of North Korea's leader was not a prank, Malaysian state prosecutors said Thursday, insisting it was a "carefully planned and executed" murder using a UN-banned poison. Prosecutors dismissed the defence case that the two women defendants were recruited to take part in what they thought were prank TV shows but were instead tricked into becoming inadvertent assassins, in an elaborate plot by a group of North Korean agents. Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong are accused of killing Kim Jong Nam by smearing the toxic nerve agent VX on his face at Kuala Lumpur airport last year in a Cold War-style hit that shocked the world.
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