| Trump reelection launch heralds political scorched earth campaign Posted: 19 Jun 2019 10:56 PM PDT  With a 2020 campaign launch painting opponents in almost apocalyptic terms, President Donald Trump showed Democrats the scorched earth treatment they can expect in his fight for reelection. "He excited the base and it sends a pretty strong message to the Democrats that this is going to be a pretty tough race," Committee to Defend the President chairman Ted Harvey said on Trump's go-to TV channel Fox News.
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| Woman whose dead babies were found in home cleared of murder Posted: 20 Jun 2019 10:32 AM PDT  A Massachusetts woman who lived in a squalid, vermin-infested home where authorities found the remains of three babies was cleared Thursday of second-degree murder, but was convicted of lesser charges. Judge Janet Kenton-Walker said prosecutors did not prove that 35-year-old Erika Murray caused the death of one of the babies whom she had been charged with killing and hiding in her home filled with rodents, dead animals, dirty diapers and trash. Kenton-Walker called the case "senseless" and "tragic," but said she had to be guided by the evidence rather than her emotions.
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| Airbus demands chance to bid for IAG's surprise Boeing 737 MAX order Posted: 20 Jun 2019 11:23 AM PDT  Airbus called on Thursday for a chance to compete for a blockbuster plane order by British Airways owner IAG, which stunned industry executives at this week's Paris Airshow by ordering 200 of Boeing's grounded 737 MAX. Airbus announced a new version of its best-selling A321 with close to 240 orders and commitments in Paris, only to see its grip on IAG's European short-haul networks damaged by the Boeing deal which analysts said shores up the embattled 737 MAX. Boeing's top-selling aircraft has been taken out of service worldwide since an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX crashed in March, five months after a Lion Air 737 MAX plunged into the sea off Indonesia.
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| Candidates reveal their — very slightly — embarrassing moments to the Times Posted: 19 Jun 2019 08:53 AM PDT  Democratic presidential candidates told the New York Times stories about dropping underwear on a plane and wearing cargo shorts to the gym.
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| The Stealth Sniper: The F-22 Raptor Has a New Job Posted: 19 Jun 2019 10:45 AM PDT  The flying branch only bought 187 operational Raptors — out of an original goal of 381. The F-22 also won't fly into the 2060s without upgrades. Three years ago, four F-22 Raptors taking part in the second-wave of the U.S.-led coalition's opening airstrikes on Islamic State in Syria dropped their bombs. It was the first time the stealthy fifth-generation fighters had ever engaged in combat. The coalition's war planners also used the F-22s to leverage their low-observable profiles — and far-reaching sensors — while escorting non-stealthy fighters in case Syrian fighters or air-defense systems engaged.Fortunately, the Syrian military held its fire.Fast forward to today, and F-22 Raptors are still flying over Iraq and Syria and have shifted almost fully into that latter role, according to Air Force Magazine. "When we first got here, we were 95 percent precision strike. And now we're probably 95 percent air superiority," Lt. Col. "Shell" — a callsign — of the 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron told the magazine.This first appeared in October 2017.
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| The 17 Most Beautiful Highways for Road Trips Posted: 19 Jun 2019 05:00 AM PDT |
| NRA Suspends Two Leaders Amid Accusations of Coup Attempt Posted: 20 Jun 2019 12:46 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- The National Rifle Association suspended its top lobbyist and one of his deputies, adding further turmoil to the gun-rights group's leadership ranks as it wages legal battles on multiple fronts and prepares for a bruising 2020 election cycle.The NRA confirmed Thursday that it had suspended Chris Cox, the lobbying chief who was viewed widely as a future leader of the group, and his deputy chief of staff, Scott Christman.The moves came after Oliver North, the former NRA board president, was ousted from the organization in April after it accused him of leading an attempted coup against Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the NRA who has long served as the organization's leader. North alleged that LaPierre used the group to enrich himself. As part of the infighting, the NRA sued Ackerman McQueen Inc., its longtime advertising firm, and in turn Ackerman cut ties with the group.On Wednesday night, the NRA filed a lawsuit against North arguing that he didn't have the right to legal fees from the NRA. The lawsuit says that Cox, described as a "likely successor" to lead the organization, participated in the failed bid to oust LaPierre.The leadership struggle came to a head on April 24, according to the lawsuit. That's when North talked to a LaPierre aide by phone and threatened to reveal unflattering details about LaPierre's travel and clothing expenses unless he resigned and supported "North's continued tenure as president," according to the complaint, which calls the exchange an extortion.North also promised to arrange an "excellent retirement" for LaPierre through Ackerman McQueen if he resigned, the NRA claims.The NRA filed its suit against Ackerman McQueen in mid-April, claiming it refused to turn over details about North's contract with the advertising firm. Last month, the NRA sued again, claiming Ackerman McQueen engineered the failed coup attempt by leaking damaging information to undermine NRA leaders.The firm fired back with a breach-of-contract countersuit, claiming that the NRA was just trying to get out of its service agreement with the firm and that it had provided all the information sought by the gun group.North was aided in his efforts against LaPierre by NRA board member Dan Boren, a former congressman who's now a top executive for Chickasaw Nation, a major Ackerman McQueen client, according to the NRA complaint filed on Wednesday. Boren "helped to choreograph the ultimatum they presented to Mr. LaPierre," it said.In emails obtained by the NRA, Boren "admitted his knowledge that Ackerman may have been invoicing the NRA for full salaries of employees who were actually working on the Chickasaw Nation account." Those emails also show that Cox was an "errant fiduciary" who "participated in the Ackerman/North/Boren conspiracy," the NRA claims.The complaint asks a judge to declare that the NRA shouldn't be required to cover North's legal fees for subpoenas arising from its litigation with Ackerman McQueen and from a Senate Finance Committee request for information. North's attorney had demanded that the NRA cover his legal fees for the congressional probe and for "any other inquiries" that he "may receive" in the future, it said.Cox's suspension was reported earlier by the New York Times. Cox's spokeswoman told the Times that he played no role in the coup attempt.The suspensions throw the group's political operation into turmoil just days after President Donald Trump announced his re-election bid. The NRA spent heavily to support Trump during the 2016 race, and Cox has met with the president multiple times during his tenure. Speaking at the NRA's annual meeting this year, Trump was introduced by Cox rather than LaPierre.A lawyer for North, Brendan Sullivan, declined to comment and said he would respond in a court filing.As the group's chief lobbyist, Cox oversaw nine different divisions, including federal, state, and local government affairs. "Cox develops and executes independent political campaigns and legislative initiatives. He also serves as the Association's principal contact with the United States Senate and House of Representatives, the White House and federal agencies," the NRA Foundation wrote on its website in a profile of Cox.To contact the reporters on this story: Polly Mosendz in New York at pmosendz@bloomberg.net;Neil Weinberg in New York at nweinberg2@bloomberg.net;David Voreacos in New York at dvoreacos@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Jeffrey D Grocott at jgrocott2@bloomberg.net, David S. JoachimFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| High school graduates fall ill during trip to Dominican Republic Posted: 19 Jun 2019 08:06 AM PDT  A group of high school graduates are the latest to fall ill in the Dominican Republic.
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| 9/11 responder who appeared with Jon Stewart on Capitol Hill is now in hospice care Posted: 19 Jun 2019 10:23 AM PDT  Lou Alvarez, a 53-year-old former NYPD detective who testified alongside Jon Stewart at last week's House Judiciary Committee hearing on reauthorizing the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, says his cancer has worsened.
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| India warships sent to strategic Gulf waters: navy Posted: 20 Jun 2019 02:13 PM PDT  India has sent warships and stepped up aerial surveillance in strategic Gulf waters, the Press Trust of India reported on Thursday, with global tensions rising in the region. "INS Chennai and INS Sunayna have been deployed in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to undertake maritime security operations," the navy said, quoted by PTI. The aim is "to re-assure the Indian-flagged vessels operating/transiting through the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, following the maritime security incidents in the region," the navy said.
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| The Latest: Georgia high court declines to stop execution Posted: 20 Jun 2019 04:02 PM PDT  Lawyers for a Georgia death row inmate have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the state's plans to execute the inmate for a 1996 shotgun slaying. The lawyers for 42-year-old Marion Wilson Jr. asked as the scheduled 7 p.m. execution time neared that the U.S. Supreme Court block Georgia's plans to carry out the death sentence and allow a review of a lower court decision rejecting Wilson's claims. Earlier Thursday, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected two court challenges by Wilson over arguments claiming prosecutorial misconduct and Wilson's ineligibility to receive the death penalty.
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| Trump to Hannity: You’re ‘Not Really’ a Patriot, You Just Want ‘Great Ratings’ Posted: 19 Jun 2019 08:34 PM PDT  A night after Fox News ran President Trump's 2020 re-election "kickoff" rally uninterrupted in primetime, Fox News host Sean Hannity handed over almost the entirety of his show to a phone interview with the president. And while their friendly conversation on Wednesday night broke little news, the president did find time to boast about his rally's ratings—and to take an apparent jab at Hannity. Discussing Trump's penchant for using Twitter, Hannity noted that many people would like for Trump to "turn off the switch," prompting the president to say he uses social media to circumvent the media. Trump then quickly pivoted to his TV ratings."If I don't use social media—outside of you and a few other great people—I call them patriots," the president told Hannity. "But actually, you're not REALLY patriots as much as you want ratings.""I mean, you're getting great ratings, in all fairness Sean. It's like, last night, you got tremendous—I heard the speech. That was an easy night, you and Tucker [Carlson] and everyone else said let's do it and you did it."According to Nielsen, Hannity's program on Tuesday night—which was largely devoted to airing the rally—drew over five million total viewers to easily lead cable news for the night. In comparison, Trump's much-hyped primetime interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos drew an audience of only 3.9 million.In fact, on Monday night, Hannity sent a rather unsubtle message to the president after the disappointing ratings came in for his ABC special—stick with Fox News if you want to draw viewers.Highlighting that a March phone interview he did with Trump outdrew Stephanopoulos, Hannity said it was "humiliating" for the ABC News anchor and that he needs to "pack it up," all while celebrating the president's low ratings on another network.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Iran talking to Russia and China in case EU nuclear deal efforts fail: TASS Posted: 19 Jun 2019 05:55 AM PDT  Iran is in talks with Russia and China on a possible settlement mechanism in case discussions with EU over a nuclear deal fail, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security council, Ali Shamkhani, said, according to Russia's TASS news agency. Tehran said in May it would reduce compliance with the nuclear pact it agreed with China, Russia and other world powers in 2015, in protest at the United States' decision to unilaterally pull out of the agreement and reimpose sanctions last year.
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| Could This Old School Gun Be Better than a Glock? Posted: 19 Jun 2019 06:00 PM PDT  Truth be told I tend to shy away from comparing any revolver cartridge to any semi-auto handgun cartridge. It's an apples-to-oranges type of comparison — there's no practical reason for it, so ultimately, it's pointless. And I'm also a wheelgun guy so I'm a little biased toward revolver cartridges.But having written a few handgun caliber comparison articles in the past, from time to time I would get emails from some of our readers asking me to do such a comparison. I would always tell them to just look somewhere else to satisfy their caliber-wars curiosity because I couldn't care less about these types of comparisons. I'd rather avoid opening a can of worms — these types of comparisons lead to debates that can get ugly real fast.Recently, a good friend of mine purchased a Ruger LCRx chambered for the 9mm. After trying it out in the range, he brought it to me and asked me to shoot a few rounds and tell me what I think about it.
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| Airbus Vows to Fight Boeing for a Massive Jet Order That Could Mark the 737 Max's Turnaround Posted: 20 Jun 2019 05:36 AM PDT  British Airways' owner said it would purchase 200 737 Max aircraft, which are still grounded
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| Echoing Beijing, Duterte’s Government Now Calls Boat Collision an ‘Accident’ Posted: 19 Jun 2019 12:26 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- The Philippine government has fallen in with Beijing's explanation that a Chinese vessel didn't intentionally hit a Filipino boat in the South China Sea on June 9.Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday described the incident as "just an accident," adding the Chinese vessel may have left after hitting and sinking a Philippine boat with 22 fishermen out of fear of being "besieged" by other boats near Reed Bank."Maybe the other side didn't mean to brush against our boat," Lorenzana said at a televised briefing in Manila on Wednesday.The Philippines' Navy chief earlier said the Chinese vessel "rammed" the Filipino boat which was anchored when it was hit, while the spokesman of the military unit in charge of the disputed waters said the incident was "far from accidental." Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin also protested the incident, which he said he'd call a "hit and run."Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is not favoring China after the incident, said Lorenzana, who has also called for an apology and compensation from the Chinese vessel's captain for damaging the Philippine boat.China's Foreign Ministry earlier described the incident as an "accidental collision," while Beijing's embassy in Manila said the Chinese vessel's crew was "afraid" of other Philippine boats in the area, prompting the captain to leave the Filipino fishermen.The sunken Philippine boat's crew wants Duterte to ask China to hold the Chinese vessel's captain criminally liable for abandoning them at sea, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol said at a separate briefing after meeting the fishermen."There is no justification to the act of the Chinese vessel to abandon the Filipino fishermen. Under international maritime laws, that is illegal. Under human laws, that is immoral," Pinol said.To contact the reporter on this story: Andreo Calonzo in Manila at acalonzo1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Cecilia Yap at cyap19@bloomberg.net, Ruth PollardFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Corona Costco shooting: LAPD releases name of off-duty officer who opened fire Posted: 19 Jun 2019 08:03 PM PDT  Los Angeles police on Wednesday released the name of the off-duty LAPD officer who opened fire inside a Corona Costco Wholesale.
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| Interested in TSA PreCheck? It might soon be cheaper and easier to sign up Posted: 20 Jun 2019 11:16 AM PDT ![Interested in TSA PreCheck? It might soon be cheaper and easier to sign up]( "Interested in TSA PreCheck? It might soon be cheaper and easier to sign up") TSA, trying to boost enrollment in the expedited security program, is studying options including a shorter, cheaper membership and mobile enrollment.
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| Man charged in threat to kill gays at St. Louis Pride parade Posted: 19 Jun 2019 09:40 AM PDT  A suburban St. Louis man accused of telling organizers of the city's Pride parade that he would shoot and kill as many gays as possible at the LGBTQ celebration before turning the gun on himself has been charged with making a terrorist threat, according to court documents. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Edward Terry, 49, of Overland, was charged Tuesday. Marty Zuniga, vice president of PrideFest, said the organization works "hard to produce an event that is safe for all participants." The Pride parade in downtown St. Louis draws hundreds of thousands of people every year and is scheduled to take place June 30.
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| 'The biggest joke in politics': Trump campaign chief disses 2020 polling Posted: 19 Jun 2019 08:03 AM PDT  "The country is too complex now just to call a couple hundred people and ask them what they think," Brad Parscale said.
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| Illegal immigrants can now get a driver's license in New York Posted: 19 Jun 2019 05:57 PM PDT  New York State Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis speaks out against giving illegal immigrants licenses.
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| Hypersonic Weapons Are Almost Here (And They Will Change War Forever) Posted: 20 Jun 2019 03:05 AM PDT  A new technological competition has begun, one in which America's rivals, particularly Russia and China, may be ahead. This is the race to build and put in the field super-fast or hypersonic weapons and vehicles. The military defines a hypersonic weapon as one that travels at least Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound. In comparison, commercial aircraft fly at around Mach 1 while some military jets can push themselves to around Mach 3, but only for a short time.There are two basic types of hypersonic weapons: super-fast cruise missiles, and boost-glide vehicles that are mounted on ballistic missiles. Hypersonic cruise missiles, which would most commonly be launched from aircraft, maintain powered flight from launch to impact. Boost-glide vehicles are lofted by a ballistic missile launched from an aircraft, ship, submarine or ground unit to the edge of space from which point they use their speed and aerodynamic design to skip along the top of the atmosphere for up to 10,000 miles.
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| 2 killed when semitrailers explode on I-94 in Wisconsin Posted: 19 Jun 2019 10:40 AM PDT  Two semitrailers exploded into flames Wednesday on an interstate in southeastern Wisconsin, killing both drivers and setting other vehicles on fire, authorities said. Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said one trailer was southbound on Interstate 94 around 11 a.m. when it hit a construction barrier, overcorrected and crashed onto a median that separated northbound traffic.
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| EU to extend economic sanctions on Russia until 2020 Posted: 20 Jun 2019 05:39 AM PDT ![EU to extend economic sanctions on Russia until 2020]( "EU to extend economic sanctions on Russia until 2020") European Union leaders will decide on Thursday to prolong until the end of January 2020 economic sanctions against Russia over the turmoil in Ukraine and call on Moscow to help bring to justice those guilty of shooting down a passenger plane there in 2014. The EU slapped sanctions on Russia after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 and went on to support rebels fighting Kiev troops in the east of the country. The downing there in July 2014 of a Malaysian passenger plane marked another turning point for the EU's response to the crisis.
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| The best selling Bluetooth earbuds on Amazon are down to $14.99, an all-time low Posted: 20 Jun 2019 04:54 AM PDT ![The best selling Bluetooth earbuds on Amazon are down to $14.99, an all-time low]( "The best selling Bluetooth earbuds on Amazon are down to $14.99, an all-time low") At this point we're starting to think that nothing will ever knock the Mpow Flame Bluetooth Headphones off the top of Amazon's best-sellers list in the Bluetooth earbuds category. They've been there for nearly 2 years already, and sales like the one happening today will go a long way to keep them there for another 2 years. Clip the 5% coupon on Amazon and use the promo code D2MP088R at checkout, and you can pick up a pair of these awesome wireless earbuds for just $14.99. That's an all-time low, but this deal won't last long so hurry!Here's more info from the product page: * HD Bass Sound: With well tuned driver, advanced CSR chip and Bluetooth 4.1 technology, Mpow flame sport earbuds produce richer bass stereo sound with reinforced clarity, as well as faster pairing and enhanced wireless connection. * Long-lasting 7-9 Hours Playtime: Powerful battery offers 7-9 Hours of superior audio performance or hands-free phone conversation after charging for just 1.5 Hours. (Note: 1. Mpow flame has 12V over-voltage hardware cut off, 1a over-current restored fuse to achieve safe charging. 2. Please use charging cable provided, or certified brand charging cable. 3. We don't recommend using fast charging.) * IPX7 Waterproof Headphones: Mpow flame wireless headphones have reliable water & sweat-proof Nano-coating for worry-free use and improved durability in intense workouts or exercises in light rain. Perfect for running, jogging, hiking, yoga, exercises, gym, fitness, traveling and etc. * Enhanced Comfort & Secure Fit: Four different sizes of eartips (XS, S, M, L), one memory foam eartip and one optional wire clip are included for different ear canals and necks. A carrying case is provided for better portability. (Note: Please choose the most suitable eartips for your ears.) * CVC 6.0 Noise Cancelling Mic: With built-in CVC 6.0 noise canceling microphone, Mpow flame bluetooth headphones offer crystal clear sound quantity for hands-free calling. 18 Month Warranty: Every Mpow product includes a 45 days money-back guarantee & 18-month warranty.
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| Starving polar bear found in Russian city after traveling hundreds of miles Posted: 20 Jun 2019 09:45 AM PDT  A starving polar bear was found this week in Norilsk, Russia, far from its usual hunting grounds.
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| As Gulf tensions rise, Israel's Netanyahu warns 'enemies' Posted: 19 Jun 2019 09:50 AM PDT  With tensions rising between Israel's ally the US and its archfoe Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Jewish state's enemies not to test it Wednesday, his office said. "I hear our neighbours from the north, south and east threatening our destruction," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office after he observed a large-scale military excercise in the north of the country. "I say to our enemies: The Israeli army has very great destructive power.
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| Man decapitates roommate’s dog because she owed him rent money, police say Posted: 19 Jun 2019 12:03 PM PDT  A man beheaded his roommate's dog as she was moving out of their shared house because of a financial dispute, officials said on Tuesday. Jose Vega Meza, a 21-year-old living in a suburb outside of Phoenix, Arizona, has been arrested over suspicion of mutilating the animal. He told investigators he killed the dog over the weekend because his roommate owed rent money to his mother, who owns the home in the city of Buckeye, according to police. The owner of the dog told police she had lost track of her pet while moving her belongings out of the home, before spotting Mr Meza sneaking a box onto her truck. When she opened the box, she found her headless dog inside. Police did not immediately provide additional information about the dog's breed, but said it was small.The dog's owner was so distraught that she was unable to call authorities until the next day, police said. Mr Meza told investigators that he killed other animals around his neighbourhood, including a cat he said he drowned, police said in court documents.He was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty stemming from the killing of the dog on Saturday.Mr Meza was also booked for misdemeanour assault for attacking another inmate after he was booked in jail, investigators said.The Associated Press contributed to this report
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| Trump raises $24.8 million for reelection in less than 24 hours, RNC says Posted: 19 Jun 2019 06:43 AM PDT  According to the Republican National Committee, the president raised nearly $25 million for his reelection campaign in less than a day.
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| Harvard right to dump Kyle Kashuv for racist remarks: Today's talker Posted: 19 Jun 2019 11:52 AM PDT  If this were any other youth, this wouldn't be news and we wouldn't be giving it a second thought. Kids have been denied admission for much less.
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| Egypt: UN office tries to politicize Morsi's courtroom death Posted: 19 Jun 2019 08:00 AM PDT  Egypt said Wednesday that the U.N. human rights office was trying to politicize the death of former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, who collapsed inside a Cairo courtroom during his trial this week. Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president who hailed from the now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, was buried under heavy security early on Tuesday, a day after his dramatic collapse and death inside a Cairo courtroom. Rupert Colville, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, called Tuesday for a "prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation" into Morsi's death on Monday.
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| Author Ta-Nehisi Coates Criticized Mitch McConnell for Saying Slavery's Effects Were in the Past Posted: 19 Jun 2019 11:33 AM PDT  Coates passionately rebutted McConnell at a House hearing on reparations Wednesday
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| Polo club frequented by Prince William and Harry in row with neighbours over plans to double capacity Posted: 20 Jun 2019 06:10 AM PDT  A polo club frequented by the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex is embroiled in a planning row with neighbours over plans to double its capacity to 10,000 people. Residents believe the proposal will bring huge crowds that will cause extra noise and blight the area, and have complained to the council. The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club in Winkfield submitted the plans to the Bracknell Forest Council licensing panel. A decision is yet to be made. Yet one resident fumed: "I object to this application on the grounds that increasing the capacity of the premises is likely to have a negative impact on the prevention of public nuisance licensing objective. "Because a larger audience requires greater sound volume to penetrate both the greater area and the greater hubbub of chatter by the people attending. "We can hear the noise from their entertainments and are disturbed by it at night even though we live over half a mile away." Another said there would be a "significant increase" in traffic as well as the "major increase" in noise. In particular they said it would be a problem when loud music bands play on long summer nights after the polo. Prince Charles became a patron of the 220 acre polo club - just a stones throw from Windsor Castle - after it opened in 1985. This then led to both his sons playing regularly there. Just last July the Duke of Sussex shared a passionate kiss with his new wife, the Duchess of Sussex, after a game. He scored twice as his team won 5-4. The council panel was set to make a decision last night [Thurs]. It currently has an alcohol licence and can play music until 2am.
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| Iran shoots down US drone as tensions soar Posted: 20 Jun 2019 06:19 AM PDT  Iran shot down a US spy drone Thursday near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, with the two sides at odds whether it was in Iranian or international airspace, in the latest incident stoking tensions between the arch-foes. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the "US-made Global Hawk surveillance drone" was hit with a missile "after violating Iranian air space" over the waters of Hormozgan province. The Pentagon confirmed a US surveillance drone was shot down by Iranian forces, but it insisted the unmanned aircraft was in international airspace.
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| UPDATE 2-Harley-Davidson strikes deal to build smaller bike in China Posted: 19 Jun 2019 07:08 AM PDT ![UPDATE 2-Harley-Davidson strikes deal to build smaller bike in China]( "UPDATE 2-Harley-Davidson strikes deal to build smaller bike in China") Harley-Davidson Inc will partner with China's Qianjiang Motorcycle Co to build a new smaller motorcycle than its trademark "big hogs", making good on promises to move more production outside the United States that have angered President Donald Trump. Trump last year threatened to impose higher taxes on Harley after it made plans to move production for European customers overseas, part of a longer-term strategy for dealing with lower sales in the U.S. and higher costs because of trade tariffs. The partnership Harley outlined on Wednesday is aimed both at taking a bigger chunk of China's huge bike and moped market, while also fitting in with a plan to cut costs and source half of all sales outside the United States by 2027.
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| How the trade war with China could ruin your Fourth of July Posted: 20 Jun 2019 09:30 AM PDT  President Donald Trump's trade war with China may raise fireworks prices, hitting Fourth of July displays, jobs and businesses next Independence Day.
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| New leak says Galaxy Note 10 camera is getting major upgrades Posted: 19 Jun 2019 09:30 AM PDT  When Samsung launched the Galaxy S10 series earlier this year, it made it clear that the more money you spend, the better the camera experience you're going to get. The biggest S10 phone, the 5G version, has four lenses on the back and two on the front, and it's the only one of the four Galaxy S10 versions to feature a Time-of-Flight (ToF) lens. But both new Note 10 models might have ToF cameras when they launch in 2 months, and the feature could be used on other Samsung phones as well, not just flagships.By measuring the time light needs to travel to the subject, ToF cameras collect much more depth data alongside images. In turn, phones with ToF cameras can offer 3D facial recognition like the iPhone X and Apple's 2018 iPhone models, and also take portrait photos with bokeh effects. Furthermore, depth data can help with AR and VR apps on mobile devices.According to ETNews, component maker MCNEX invested 13 billion won ($11 million) in a new facility in Vietnam that will be completed by the end of July. The factory will mass-produce ToF modules as soon as August, with Samsung being one of its customers. The firm already manufactures camera modules and fingerprint sensors for Samsung.Samsung is also sourcing ToF cameras from other suppliers, including Partron, which manufactures ToF sensors for the Galaxy S10 5G.These moves indicate that Samsung has big plans for ToF going forward, with the Note 10 likely just the first upcoming new device to benefit from ToF camera adoption. And if both the front and rear cameras of the Note 10 get ToF, as the report notes, then Samsung will certainly need more parts from its suppliers.Previous Galaxy Note 10 leaks said the Note 10 and Note 10 Pro will have triple- and quad-lens cameras, respectively, but both of them will pack single-lens cameras on the front. It's unclear whether ToF tech can be incorporated into the main selfie camera, or whether a smaller sensor will join the selfie cam on the front.ETNews says that Apple is also working on ToF technology for its iPhone line without revealing other details about any of the upcoming iPhones. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10 Pro will be unveiled in early August and hit stores a few weeks later.
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| 'Once in a lifetime': Close encounter with Great White Shark shocks fishermen off Jersey Shore Posted: 19 Jun 2019 04:14 AM PDT  Fishermen off the Jersey Shore couldn't believe their luck when a giant Great White Shark swam right up to their boat.
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| Death penalty sought in hammer attack that killed 4 Posted: 20 Jun 2019 03:14 PM PDT  A Louisiana prosecutor said Thursday that he will seek the death penalty against a man accused of using a hammer to bludgeon to death a woman and three children in a New Orleans suburb. A grand jury has indicted Terrance Leonard on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder, Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul Connick Jr. said in a news release. "After consulting with my staff and receiving input from the victims' families, I have decided that my office will seek the death penalty," Connick said.
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| It's Time for America to Break with Beijing Posted: 19 Jun 2019 05:51 AM PDT  SOME MISTAKES are repeated over the course of generations. For more than four decades, American presidents sought a closer relationship with China, working to "engage" that country so as to "enmesh" it into the international system. Richard Nixon, in his landmark Foreign Affairs article in 1967, provided the rationale for engagement, arguing the Chinese state could not be isolated. "Taking the long view," he famously wrote then, "we simply cannot afford to leave China forever outside the family of nations, there to nurture its fantasies, cherish its hates and threaten its neighbors."Since the early 1970s, American policymakers believed they could avoid such nurturing, cherishing and threatening by making the success of the Communist Party of China a goal of U.S. foreign policy. With interests defined this way, American presidents helped China's communists at crucial moments.The first of those moments came in 1972, during the latter stages of Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution. Years of internal fighting and chaos—essentially civil war—had weakened China's ruling organization, but Nixon's visit that year signaled support for Mao's tottering regime. "We're damned," said Shanghai banker Wu Yaonan at the time, as recounted by democracy activist Chin Jin. "The United States is coming to the rescue of the Communist Party."
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| Schiff: House in the dark about DOJ’s 2016 campaign spying probe Posted: 19 Jun 2019 11:31 AM PDT  Attorney General Bill Barr said he wanted to find out whether there was inappropriate government "spying" on the Trump campaign.
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| Dell, HP, Intel and Microsoft Join Forces to Oppose Trump Tariff Posted: 19 Jun 2019 01:00 PM PDT ![Dell, HP, Intel and Microsoft Join Forces to Oppose Trump Tariff]( "Dell, HP, Intel and Microsoft Join Forces to Oppose Trump Tariff") (Bloomberg) -- Dell Technologies Inc., HP Inc., Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. are joining forces to oppose President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on laptop computers and tablets among $300 billion in Chinese goods targeted for duties.The companies submitted joint comments opposing the tariff escalation, saying it would hurt consumer products and industry, while failing to address China's trade practices. The tariffs are poised to hit during the peak holiday and back-to-school sales period, they said."The tariffs will harm U.S. technology leaders, hindering their ability to innovate and compete in a global marketplace," the companies said in comments posted online.Dell, HP, and Microsoft said they account for about half of the notebooks and detachable tablets sold in the U.S. Prices for laptops and tablets will increase by at least 19% -- about $120 for the average retail price of a laptop -- if the proposed tariffs are implemented, according to a study released this week by the Consumer Technology Association.The companies said they spent a collective $35 billion on research and development in 2018 alone, and tariff costs would divert resources from innovation while providing "a windfall" to manufacturers based outside the U.S. that are less dependent on American sales.The Trump administration is considering public comments on the proposed duties and hearing testimony from more than 300 U.S. companies and trade groups through June 25. The tariffs could be imposed after a rebuttal period ends July 2.The U.S. and China said their presidents will meet in Japan next week to relaunch trade talks after a month-long stalemate.To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Niquette in Columbus at mniquette@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Sara Forden at sforden@bloomberg.net, Sarah McGregor, Robert JamesonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Russia, China, block US effort to halt North Korea fuel deliveries Posted: 19 Jun 2019 02:05 AM PDT  Russia and China on Tuesday blocked an American initiative that aimed to halt fuel deliveries to North Korea, which Washington accuses of exceeding its annual ceiling for 2019, diplomatic sources said. Moscow and Beijing said more time was needed to study the US request, which was backed by 25 UN members including Japan, France and Germany, according to the sources. A week ago, the United States, in a report, accused North Korea of breaching the United Nations-imposed ceiling on fuel imports by carrying out dozens of ship-to-ship transfers.
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| UPDATE 2-EU agrees to extend economic sanctions on Russia until 2020 Posted: 20 Jun 2019 12:20 PM PDT ![UPDATE 2-EU agrees to extend economic sanctions on Russia until 2020]( "UPDATE 2-EU agrees to extend economic sanctions on Russia until 2020") European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to prolong until the end of January 2020 economic sanctions against Russia over the turmoil in Ukraine, a spokesman for the bloc said. The EU first slapped sanctions on Russia after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 and supported rebels fighting Kiev troops in the east of the country. "Russia sanctions unanimously extended for another six months because of a lack of Minsk Agreements implementation," said the spokesman, Preben Aman, referring to a stalled peace accord for east Ukraine.
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| 19 of the Most Beautiful Bridges in the World Posted: 20 Jun 2019 05:00 AM PDT |
| New accountability report finds NASA has been paying Boeing huge bonuses for failing Posted: 19 Jun 2019 01:43 PM PDT  Between its various ongoing Mars missions, orbiters studying asteroids and other planets, and a Moon trip on the horizon, NASA spends a lot of money. Boeing, which has contracts with NASA to build the rocket for its Space Launch System (SLS) is a big recipient of that cash, and a new government accountability report reveals that NASA has not only been paying more and more despite Boeing falling way behind on its deadlines, it's actually also been paying the company bonuses for its performance. As Ars Technica explains, the new government report is somewhat troubling, especially when you consider that the SLS program has now fallen well behind schedule. The Space Launch System has been in the works since the early 2010s and is designed to give NASA the power it needs to launch missions to the Moon and Mars. For starters, NASA just wants it to send an empty Orion spacecraft around the Moon, but those plans have had to be delayed since the rocket simply won't be ready in time. NASA has apparently been fudging the numbers a bit with regards to how much the whole program is going to cost, and while the agency already acknowledged cost overruns totaling around a billion dollars, the reality is even worse: > While NASA acknowledges about $1 billion in cost growth for the SLS program, it is understated. This is because NASA shifted some planned SLS scope to future missions but did not reduce the program's cost baseline accordingly. When GAO reduced the baseline to account for the reduced scope, the cost growth is about $1.8 billion.Oof. On top of that, the report reveals that NASA has been paying Boeing what amounts to performance bonuses for its role in the program. Audits of the company's performance on the SLS rocket have received several positive ratings from NASA assessors, leading to "award fees" of $271 million to be paid to the company. > NASA paid over $200 million in award fees from 2014-2018 related to contractor performance on the SLS stages and Orion spacecraft contracts. But the programs continue to fall behind schedule and overrun costs.Lovely.
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| The 2019 Honda HR-V Remains the Practical Choice among Subcompact SUVs Posted: 19 Jun 2019 05:00 AM PDT  While still as poky and sedate as ever, the HR-V now comes with more creature comforts.
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