| Joe Biden tops key 2020 poll as he mulls whether he is too old to run for president Posted: 16 Dec 2018 10:28 AM PST  Joe Biden, Barack Obama's vice-president, has emerged as an early frontrunner among Democrats vying for the 2020 presidential nomination with a dominant lead among voters in Iowa, who will be the first to state their preference next year. A new CNN/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll finds 32 per cent of likely caucusgoers saying they back Mr Biden as their first choice, ahead of 19 per cent for Bernie Sanders and 11 per cent for Beto O'Rourke, the telegenic campaigner who came close to an against-the-odds win in Texas last month. The results have Democrats salivating about a dream ticket that matches a 76-year-old veteran, who is popular with blue-collar voters, with Mr O'Rourke, a 46-year-old with a knack for producing viral videos. "It's early days and a lot can change but it could be a way to get past the age issue with Joe," said a Democratic strategist who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of endorsing a candidate. "Then again, it's two white men." Mr Biden has not yet decided whether he will join a crowded field of contenders. However, he has done little to dispel the speculation and has touted his age as an advantage. Profile | Joe Biden "I'll be as straight with you as I can. I think I'm the most qualified person in the country to be president," he said during a speech at the University of Montana earlier this month. "The issues that we face as a country today are the issues that have been in my wheelhouse that I've worked on my whole life." His supporters say he is best placed to woo back the parts of the Rust Belt and middle America that were unimpressed with Hillary Clinton's run and defected to Donald Trump in 2016. But doubts remain that the Democrats are in danger of losing the youth vote if they plump for Mr Biden or the likes of Mr Sanders, 77, or Elizabeth Warren, 69. The Associated Press reported at the weekend that Mr Biden was talking to friends and long-time supporters about whether he was too old to run for the White House. They have floated the idea of teaming up with Mr O'Rourke. Mr O'Rourke excited Democratic voters and individuals donors in Texas, a usually staunch Republican state. Beto O'Rourke is mulling a 2020 run after a strong midterm showing Credit: Sergio Flores/Reuters The three-term Congressman initially ruled himself out of a 2020 run but is now considering capitalising on his sudden national profile. He became famous for livestreaming almost every aspect of his life during the midterm campaign when he came within three percentage points of a giant-killing victory over Ted Cruz. Iowa is a critical state for would-be presidents. It represents the first votes of the election cycle as, come February 2020, party supporters gather in caucuses to select their preferred candidate. The winner has gone on to clinch the nomination in every contested primary season since 2000. Among other notable contenders, Ms Warren, the Massachusetts Senator, polled eight percent and Kamala Harris, the California Senator, won the backing of five percent of respondents in the new poll. Last week the New York Times reported that Mr Sanders and Ms Warren had met to discuss their rival presidential ambitions, but that neither had tried to dissuade the other from running, nor had they agreed to a joint-ticket. Ms Warren, a noted progressive like Mr Sanders, has drawn fierce criticism for publishing the results of a DNA test to prove that she has Native American ancestry. The move followed Mr Trump, who mockingly dubbed Ms Warren "Pocahontas", alleging such claims were false.
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| Trump Defender Alan Dershowitz Argues That Lying To The FBI Isn't A Crime Posted: 17 Dec 2018 01:26 PM PST  On the eve of Michael Flynn's sentencing for lying to the FBI, retired Harvard
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| More than 40 injured in explosion in Japan's Sapporo: Kyodo Posted: 16 Dec 2018 07:56 AM PST  More than 40 people were injured in an explosion on Sunday at a bar in Sapporo in northern Japan, Kyodo news agency reported. Kyodo said one person was in critical condition. Eyewitnesses reported smelling gas in the area following the explosion, which Kyodo said happened at 8.30 p.m. (1130 GMT).
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| Girl who died fled intensely poor Guatemalan village Posted: 15 Dec 2018 06:19 PM PST  SAN ANTONIO SECORTEZ, Guatemala (AP) — Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin received her first pair of shoes several weeks ago, when her father said they would set out together for the United States, thousands of miles from this small indigenous community in Guatemala where she spent her days plodding through mud and surrounded by coconut trees.
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| Dogs Thrown From Vehicle On New York Highway, Police Say Posted: 16 Dec 2018 04:28 PM PST  Two beagle mixes are recovering after authorities said they were tossed from a
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| Hilton: Trump’s record is head and shoulders above the rest Posted: 16 Dec 2018 06:29 PM PST  Trump haters say that the president pulling out of the Paris climate deal is definitive proof that he's destroying the world.
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| ‘One of a kind’ royal tomb is 4,400 years old, Egypt says Posted: 17 Dec 2018 06:42 AM PST ![‘One of a kind’ royal tomb is 4,400 years old, Egypt says]( "‘One of a kind’ royal tomb is 4,400 years old, Egypt says") Officials in Egypt revealed they discovered a 4,400-year-old tomb believed to belong to a senior official linked to the fifth dynasty of the pharoahs.
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| Hillary Clinton Offers Encouragement To Third-Grader Who Lost School Election Posted: 16 Dec 2018 11:28 PM PST  An 8-year-old Maryland girl reportedly received some high-powered
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| Is Yemen finally on the road to peace? Posted: 16 Dec 2018 06:53 AM PST  At the same time, the United Nations must prepare for critical discussions on a wider truce and a framework for political negotiations to end the conflict. The nearly four-year-old war, which has killed tens of thousands of people, pits the Iran-aligned Houthi group against other Yemeni factions fighting alongside the Saudi-led coalition trying to restore the government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The Houthis, who ousted Hadi's administration from the capital Sanaa in 2014, and their coalition foes are due to start implementing the Hodeidah ceasefire on Tuesday.
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| Bijan Rafiekian: Michael Flynn's former business partner charged over conspiracy to act as foreign government agent Posted: 17 Dec 2018 02:50 AM PST  US federal prosecutors have charged associates of former national security advisor Michael Flynn for illegally lobbying for the extradition of a Turkish national who has been a frequent critic of the Turkish government. Bijan Rafiekian, a former business partner of Michael Flynn, was charged with two counts including conspiracy to act as an agent for a foreign government. Kamil Ekim Alptekin has also been charged.
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| Stocks stumble at start of busy week Posted: 17 Dec 2018 08:58 AM PST  Major European stock markets fell on Monday, with Wall Street's main indices also touching multi-month lows, at the start of a busy week packed with central bank interest rate decisions.
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| French city honors victims of Christmas market attack Posted: 16 Dec 2018 03:43 PM PST  PARIS (AP) — People filled a square in the French city of Strasbourg on Sunday to show respect and sympathy for the victims of last week's shooting attack near a famous Christmas market as the death toll rose to five.
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| Pauley Perrette, Sasha Alexander back ex-'NCIS' star Michael Weatherly amid harassment claims Posted: 16 Dec 2018 11:53 AM PST ![Pauley Perrette, Sasha Alexander back ex-'NCIS' star Michael Weatherly amid harassment claims]( "Pauley Perrette, Sasha Alexander back ex-'NCIS' star Michael Weatherly amid harassment claims") Pauley Perrette and Sasha Alexander are supporting their ex-'NCIS' co-star Michael Weatherly after Eliza Dushku accused him of sexual harassment.
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| East Coast storm to strike during peak of Christmas travel; Northwest to stay stormy Posted: 17 Dec 2018 07:49 AM PST  Storms with the greatest potential to disrupt travel will focus on the East and the Northwest in the days leading up to Christmas.
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| Colin Kroll, Co-Founder Of HQ Trivia And Vine, Found Dead In New York Apartment Posted: 16 Dec 2018 08:38 AM PST  Colin Kroll, the co-founder of the widely popular game HQ Trivia, has been
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| Turkey would consider working with Assad if he won a democratic Syrian election Posted: 16 Dec 2018 08:18 AM PST ![Turkey would consider working with Assad if he won a democratic Syrian election]( "Turkey would consider working with Assad if he won a democratic Syrian election") Turkey and other world powers would consider working with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if he won a democratic election, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a conference in Qatar on Sunday. Turkey supported the opposition to Assad in the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011 and continues to support rebel fighters who control part of northwest Syria. A year ago Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan described Assad as a terrorist and said it was impossible for Syrian peace efforts to continue with him.
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| A Brazilian Celebrity Faith Healer Accused of Sexual Abuse Has Turned Himself in to Authorities Posted: 16 Dec 2018 09:46 PM PST  An internationally famous Brazilian "spiritual healer" has turned himself into authorities after being accused by hundreds of women of sexual abuse last week, police said.
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| Challenge to Hungary's strongman Viktor Orban as 'slave law' protests rock Budapest Posted: 17 Dec 2018 12:35 PM PST  Viktor Orban, the populist prime minister of Hungary, is facing a rare challenge to his grip on power as protesters demand an end to controversial labour reforms and and what they call his assault on democracy. The Hungarian capital has been rocked by nearly daily protests and opposition MPs have called for Mr Orban's overthrow since the country's parliament adopted a bill liberalising overtime rules on Wednesday. As part of the reform, which critics have dubbed "the slave law", employers would be allowed to delay payment for overtime worked for up to three years. Several thousand people gathered outside the offices of Hungary's state television broadcaster on the fifth night of protests on Monday evening, after two opposition MPs were physically thrown out of the building. Arkos Hadhazy and Bernadetter Szer were filmed being manhandled out of the MTVA headquarters by security guards earlier in the day, after demanding that the station broadcast a list of protesters' demands. The pair, among a group of opposition MPs who spent the night inside the building demanding studio access, called a protest for Monday evening in response under the slogan: "They threw us out the door, but we'll go back in through the windows." "We knew this was no longer a democracy, but we did not know it was already a dictatorship," Ms Szer said after filing a complaint with police outside the building on Monday morning. She said the security guards had violated the MPs' constitutional right to airtime and free access to the building. Protesters are demanding the repeal of the labour law and a controversial judicial reform that opponents say grants Mr Orban near total control of the legal system Credit: Marko Djurica/Reuters The demonstrations peaked on Sunday night, when up to 15,000 people chanting "we want democracy" and "we want free media" gathered outside parliament. Half a dozen opposition MPs including Mr Hadhazy and Ms Szer then led several thousand demonstrators on a march from parliament to the offices of MTVA, the state broadcaster, to demand they broadcast the list of demands. Some members of the crowd threw smoke bombs and paint when the station refused to broadcast the list. Riot police responded with tear gas. The demands including the repeal of both the labour law and a controversial judicial reform that was passed on the same day, which paves the way for new "administrative courts" to oversee cases concerning matters such as public procurement or electoral disputes. Opposition leaders say it would grant Mr Orban near total control of the judicial system because Laszlo Trocsanyi, the justice minister and a close ally of the prime minister, would oversee the courts. They are also demanding a cut in the overtime police officers are required to work, that Hungary sign up to the European Prosecutor's office, a move Mr Orban has rejected, and guarantees of editorial impartiality at the country's state media outlets. Mr Orban has been accused of destroying editorial independence at MTVA and other influential media outlets, effectively giving his Fidesz party a monopoly on positive media coverage. Opponents say the Right-wing populist has mounted an assault on democracy in his eight years in power Credit: Peter Kohalmi/AFP The government says the labour reform, which increases the annual overtime that employers can demand from 250 to 400 hours and allows payment to be delayed by up to three years, is needed by employers short of manpower and will benefit those wanting to work extra hours. Opposition MPs and labour unions have accused Mr Orban of bowing to pressure from German businesses which operate major factories in the country. The wave of dissent has brought rare unity to Hungary's fractious opposition groups, with liberal and left wing groups siding with right wing parties, including the nationalist Jobbik, to oppose the bill. Protests have also taken place in other major cities. "[Government] Power has failed in Budapest. It is still alive because the truth doesn't get to the people in the provinces. I ask you to bring the truth to these people" Peter Marki-Zay, the mayor of Hodmezovasarhely, a town in southeastern Hungary, said in a message to the protesters in Budapest.
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| Every Photo You Need to See of the $100,000 Lincoln Continental Coach Posted: 17 Dec 2018 02:50 AM PST |
| A look at where the investigations related to Trump stand Posted: 17 Dec 2018 08:58 AM PST  A look at where the investigations related to President Donald Trump stand and what may lie ahead for him:
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| Qatar Buys Mexican Oil Stakes From Eni Posted: 16 Dec 2018 01:00 PM PST  Eni and the government-owned energy company in Qatar, the world's biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, will produce about 90,000 barrels of oil a day from the Amoca, Mizton and Tecoalli fields in the Gulf of Mexico by the end of 2021, Saad Sherida Al Kaabi, Qatar's energy minister, said in Doha. The fields hold 2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, he said at a press conference with Eni Chief Executive Officer Claudio Descalzi.
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| Best new airport amenities of 2018: Smart bathrooms, therapy alligators, more Posted: 17 Dec 2018 07:59 AM PST  New amenities and creative activities introduced by airports, airlines and in-terminal vendors are making airport dwell time more enjoyable.
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| Early week storm may be strongest yet this season in northwestern US Posted: 17 Dec 2018 01:42 AM PST  The next storm aiming for the northwestern United States will pack a big punch in Washington and Oregon through Tuesday.
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| How to Remove a Closed Account From Your Credit Report Posted: 17 Dec 2018 06:00 AM PST ![How to Remove a Closed Account From Your Credit Report]( "How to Remove a Closed Account From Your Credit Report") You might think closing a credit card or other account might remove it from your credit report automatically. Credit reports include information for both open and closed accounts. As long as they stay on your credit report, closed accounts can continue to impact your credit score.
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| Saudi Arabia slams US Senate vote as 'interference' Posted: 16 Dec 2018 06:48 PM PST  Saudi Arabia on Monday slammed as "interference" US Senate resolutions over its war in Yemen and critic Jamal Khashoggi's murder, warning that the move could have repercussions on its strategic ties with Washington. The Republican-controlled Senate voted on Thursday to end American military support for a Riyadh-led war in Yemen, and separately held Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for Khashoggi's killing. The largely symbolic vote dealt a fresh warning to President Donald Trump, who has staunchly backed the Saudi regime in the face of intense global outrage that analysts say has left the kingdom diplomatically weakened.
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| 160-strong classic car collection on sale due to museum closure Posted: 17 Dec 2018 01:06 PM PST  From (a replica of) the first production car in the world through to a 12-mile Dodge Viper, the 160-strong Tupelo collection has some fine pickings
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| Google Is Spending $1 Billion on a Massive New York City Expansion Posted: 17 Dec 2018 04:48 AM PST  Just weeks after Amazon announced plans to build office space in Queens
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| Sudan president lands in Syria in 1st visit by Arab leader Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:02 PM PST  DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Sudan's president on Sunday became the first Arab League leader to visit Syria since civil war erupted there nearly eight years ago.
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| Hungary’s Orban Suffers for His Overconfidence Posted: 17 Dec 2018 05:53 AM PST  Since his Fidesz party won a constitutional majority in April and installed him as prime minister for a third consecutive term, Orban has moved to tighten his grip on the country. Earlier this month, the Central European University, founded by George Soros, announced it would decamp for Vienna after years of fighting to stay in Budapest. Orban has treated the opposition politicians, journalists and activists who have protested these measures with contempt.
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| Christmas and New Year's flying guide: 6 things to know Posted: 17 Dec 2018 03:29 PM PST  Most holiday travel tips are the same from year to year, but there are some new things to keep in mind this year.
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| Pet Retirement Home Rescues Dogs In Their Golden Years Posted: 17 Dec 2018 02:45 AM PST  Nougat and Clarence became best friends almost as soon as Nougat moved into
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| Global stocks drop, where is 'Santa Claus rally'? Posted: 17 Dec 2018 01:23 PM PST  Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 506.71 points, or 2.1 percent, to 23,593.8, the S&P 500 lost 54.09 points, or 2.08 percent, to 2,545.86 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 156.93 points, or 2.27 percent, to 6,753.73. "If Santa Claus doesn't turn up very soon, U.S. stocks may end this year in negative territory", wrote Rabobank analysts as the Nasdaq remained the only benchmark in the black for the year, with the Dow and the S&P 500 down between 2 and 3 percent. Some investors had hoped for a bounce back before the holidays, but any "Santa Claus rally" has proven elusive so far.
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| North Carolina Election Fraud Is A Crime. So Treat It That Way. Posted: 17 Dec 2018 08:58 AM PST  For decades, Republicans have been claiming that voter fraud was endemic.
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| Giuliani: Hush money payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal 'not a crime' Posted: 16 Dec 2018 05:05 AM PST  President Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani is interviewed on "This Week" to respond to Michael Cohen's exclusive interview with ABC News and other developments in the Mueller probe.
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| Father of Strasbourg attacker said his son backed IS group Posted: 15 Dec 2018 06:42 PM PST  PARIS (AP) — The man described as the father of the 29-year-old suspect in this week's deadly Christmas market attack in Strasbourg says his son subscribed to the beliefs of the Islamic State group.
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| Nigerian Pastoral Clashes Kill More Than 3,600, Amnesty Says Posted: 17 Dec 2018 03:30 AM PST  The London-based human rights organization blamed the escalation in the conflict on the authorities' failure to investigate the violence or prosecute perpetrators, according to the report on its website. "The authorities' lethargy has allowed impunity to flourish and the killings to spread to many parts of the country, inflicting greater suffering on communities who already live in constant fear of the next attack," Amnesty's Nigeria director, Osai Ojigho, said in the report released on Monday. The army condemned the report and accused Amnesty's Nigerian branch of trying to destabilize the nation.
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| Congress told it can't interview agents who detained 7-year-old migrant girl who died Posted: 17 Dec 2018 03:06 PM PST  Members of Congress will visit a Border Patrol station in New Mexico where a 7-year-old Guatemalan migrant was detained before she died, but Homeland Security says the members cannot interview the agents involved.
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| Southwest Passenger Says She Was Forced To Leave Pet Fish At Denver Airport Posted: 17 Dec 2018 10:35 AM PST  A San Diego-area college student is accusing Southwest Airlines of forcing her
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| Nissan CEO calls on Renault to listen to detail of Ghosn allegations Posted: 17 Dec 2018 04:53 AM PST  Renault's interim chairman Philippe Lagayette said on Friday that its board had not considered replacing Ghosn, who was ousted by Nissan days after his arrest in Japan in November, as head of the French carmaker. Ghosn has denied wrongdoing, media reports say, although he has not made any public statements since his arrest. "We hope the board will listen to our explanation," Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa told reporters after a board meeting of the Japanese carmaker at which it confirmed plans to strengthen corporate governance following the Ghosn crisis.
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| 5 Products That Can Make Driving in Winter Easier Posted: 17 Dec 2018 10:16 AM PST |
| Australia reaffirms Israel decision despite backlash Posted: 15 Dec 2018 10:33 PM PST  Australia's conservative prime minister on Sunday stood by his decision to recognise west Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite criticism from neighbouring Muslim countries. Canberra became one of a handful of governments to follow US President Donald Trump's lead and recognise the contested city as Israel's capital, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had announced Saturday. Australia's Muslim-majority neighbour Malaysia said Sunday it "strongly opposes" the decision to recognise west Jerusalem.
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