| The Latest: US, Russia draft rival UN Venezuela resolutions Posted: 12 Feb 2019 03:55 PM PST  CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The Latest on Venezuela's political crisis (all times local):
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| Catalan separatist trial gives Spanish far right global platform Posted: 10 Feb 2019 06:41 PM PST  Far-right Spanish party Vox is on track to get a global soapbox as it takes part in the much-hyped trial of Catalan pro-independence leaders as a "popular prosecutor" -- a Spain-specific legal mechanism that has left Madrid embarrassed. Vox burst on to the political scene by winning 12 seats in southern Andalusia's regional parliament in December. Its involvement in the upcoming trial of Catalan separatist leaders will be as so-called "popular prosecution", a set-up which allows any citizen or organisation to be an accuser in court alongside public prosecutors.
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| Republican-Controlled Senate to Vote on Democrats’ Green New Deal Posted: 12 Feb 2019 04:35 PM PST  Senate GOP leaders who joined McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, at a news conference in Washington on Tuesday criticized the measure, saying it would increase energy costs. "To me, this is just so extreme," said John Barrasso of Wyoming. The legislation, a sweeping package of climate-change measures unveiled by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, has drawn a tepid response from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who didn't explicitly throw her support behind the ideas.
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| Hawaii storm brings 60-foot waves, damaging winds, power outages Posted: 11 Feb 2019 04:37 AM PST  A winter storm reached Hawaii over the weekend, bringing dangerous surf conditions in some parts of the state and gusty winds throughout.
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| Former Trump lawyer Cohen's Senate testimony postponed due to surgery Posted: 11 Feb 2019 03:06 PM PST  Testimony by U.S. President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen planned for Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee has been postponed as he recovers from a recent surgical procedure, an attorney for Cohen said. "The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has accepted Mr. Cohen's request for postponement of tomorrow's hearing due to post surgery medical needs," Lanny Davis said in a statement to media. Cohen, who is set to go to prison on March 6, had been subpoenaed to appear before the Senate committee, one of two main congressional panels investigating whether Russia interfered in the U.S. 2016 presidential election.
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| Burning Man nixes 'Fyre Festival-style' camp that charged up to $100,000 Posted: 11 Feb 2019 04:31 PM PST  Burning Man, the annual weeklong arts and culture event in the Black Rock desert of Nevada, prides itself on the principle of "radical inclusion." But that may no longer apply to exclusive camps for wealthy attendees that offer luxury amenities while fouling up the environment. In a blog post this weekend titled "Cultural Course Correcting," Burning Man CEO Marian Goodell revealed a number of changes to ticket sales and camp placement for Burning Man 2019, to be held in August, that were widely praised by attendees. And for the first time in the event's history, she publicly disinvited an entire camp.That camp's name was Humano the Tribe, one of the so-called "turnkey" or "plug and play" camps that caters to high-rolling attendees with prefab pads and personal "sherpas." Some attendees have compared Humano's presence to the Fyre Festival -- both in terms of its audacious pricing and its incompetence.A price list for Humano's camp at Burning Man 2018, obtained by Mashable, shows accommodation starting at $25,000 for a 160 sq. ft. "Single Bedouin Tent" with minibar and AC. Prices go all the way up to $100,000 for a "Moon Village" with two bedrooms, a private bathroom, and "super-powerful AC." That's on top of a "tribal fee" of $2,000, the cost of "initiation."A 2018 Camp Humano brochure offers the "Maximum Comfort Arctic Cocoon," which reportedly costs $50,000 and was sold out at last year's event.Image: humano To put that in perspective, the price of a Burning Man ticket starts at $190 for low-income attendees and tops out at $1,200, a voluntary price for those who can afford it. "Main sale" tickets are $425. Median personal income for attendees in 2017, the latest year for which census data are available, was $60,000. Still, there has been an uptick in wealthy attendees in recent years, particularly those from Silicon Valley. Debate has raged for years about whether turnkey camps should be allowed, and the extent to which the rich are "participating" rather than "spectating" (spectators are a big Burning Man no-no). Humano, with its Facebook and Instagram pages full of models in basic Burner attire, and a camp layout that does not appear inviting to neighbors, would seem to be the poster child for everything that old-school Burners say has gone wrong with the event.The Humano brochure tells attendees to "honor the Burning Man principles" -- without saying what they are.Image: HUMANO brochureHumano did not respond to requests for comment. Reportedly the camp's founders have claimed to the Burning Man organization that the price list is the work of a third-party concierge that added its own exorbitant fees. However, the price list document appears to have been created in the name of Humano co-founder and restaurant investor Santiago Gomez.In any case, it was not the outrageous price list that was responsible for Humano's de-invitation. It was the camp's ignorance of the most sacred Burning Man tenet: Leave No Trace. Goodell described the camp as a "strain on resources" with multiple environmental citations from the BLM (Bureau of Land Management), which owns the land on which Burning Man is held, and multiple complaints from neighboring camps at the 2018 event.What she didn't mention, however, is that the camp was literally leaking toilet water. Humano's brochureImage: humanoThose private toilets were supposed to save $100,000-tier guests from the indignity of using the event's many public Porta Potties. However, Burning Man sources say Humano arrived with PVC piping that did not properly connect to its toilets. Instead of fixing the problem with proper plumbing available 90 miles away in Reno, Humano simply duct-taped the piping. That led to what is euphemistically termed black water leaking onto the playa, which is about as much of a health hazard as you can get. Ironically, Humano's brochure had promised a "green theme camp" with a workshop devoted to waste. The camp also had problems containing its post-washing grey water, and neglected to clean its dance floor of trash for several days after the organization inspected and requested it. Burning Man takes trash so seriously that it produces a "MOOP [matter out of place] map" every year, designed to shame camps that leave so much as a bottle cap. It is no spoiler for the as-yet-unreleased 2018 map to say that Humano's location is deepest red.SEE ALSO: Make Burning Man suck again!The hits keep coming. Humano's brochure claimed that its private chefs would focus on "raw and organic ingredients" from "local farms," despite the fact that there are no farms local to the Black Rock Desert. Its art car vehicle, the "Tribe Car," was said to be returning from a "one-year hibernation." Left unsaid: that was because Burning Man's own DMV ("Department of Mutant Vehicles) had banned it the previous year for various infractions. Image: humano brochureA lengthy Reddit thread devoted to Humano features various camp neighbors accusing them of "ruining multiple blocks" with MOOP and leaving trailers in areas zoned for other camps. There are also allegations that Humano's packages were priced to include the companionship of multiple female models. Mashable was also shown unmet requests for refunds from Humano attendees who paid upwards of $130,000 for a stay in a luxury RV and didn't get what they bargained for. And all this may be just the tip of the iceberg of bad camps. "There are a dozen other camps that have been sent warnings," Goodell wrote. What remains to be seen is whether the organization can hold the worst excesses of such groups at bay before they destroy the host organism. WATCH: Forget body painting--body marbling turns your skin into a psychedelic work of art
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| China condemns Turkey over claim of famed musician's death Posted: 11 Feb 2019 02:57 AM PST ![China condemns Turkey over claim of famed musician's death]( "China condemns Turkey over claim of famed musician's death") BEIJING (AP) — Beijing on Monday condemned Turkey over its claim that a celebrated musician from China's Turkic Muslim Uighur ethnic group has died in custody, releasing a brief video clip that it said proved he was alive and in good health.
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| Showdown looms as Venezuela's Guaido sets aid entry date Posted: 12 Feb 2019 01:09 PM PST  Tens of thousands of protesters had taken to the streets to demand that Maduro allow aid into Venezuela, where food and medicine shortages are rife. Most Western countries, including the United States, have recognized Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate head of state, but Maduro retains the backing of Russia and China as well as control of state institutions including the military. An aid convoy supplied by the United States and Colombia arrived in the Colombian border town of Cucuta last week, where it is being held in warehouses.
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| Snow slams Northwest again and even Hawaii gets some Posted: 11 Feb 2019 07:28 PM PST  SEATTLE (AP) — Schools closed across Washington state and the Legislature canceled all hearings Monday with winter snowstorms pummeling the Northwest again as a larger weather system wreaked havoc in the region and even brought snow to Hawaii.
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| Waffle House is taking reservations, but only for Valentine's Day Posted: 11 Feb 2019 05:53 AM PST  To set the mood, Waffle House will put out white tablecloths and dim the lights. They'll even offer a special menu for Valentine's Day customers.
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| 'And I did inhale': Kamala Harris admits marijuana use Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:29 AM PST  Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said in a new interview that she supports the legalization of marijuana — admitting that she has not only smoked pot, she has inhaled.
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| Pentagon to review certification of Elon Musk's SpaceX launch vehicles Posted: 12 Feb 2019 07:54 AM PST  "Our objective is to determine whether the U.S. Air Force complied with the Launch Services New Entrant Certification Guide when certifying the launch system design for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle-class SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles," U.S. Department Of Defense Deputy Inspector General Michael Roark said in the memo. The review will begin this month, the memo stated.
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| The 2020 BMW 7-series Sedan's Kidney Grille Is 40 Percent Bigger Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:40 AM PST  The BMW flagship sedan also gets revised engines and plenty of new tech.
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| Park in Hawaii gets unusual snow dusting Posted: 11 Feb 2019 04:48 PM PST  The Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area on the Hawaiian island of Maui gets an unusual dusting of snow, as captured on video by one enthusiastic visitor. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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| Most Americans trust Mueller more than Trump, new poll finds Posted: 12 Feb 2019 08:11 AM PST  Most Americans think that special counsel Robert Mueller is far more credible than Donald Trump, according to the latest poll released, as the Russia investigation reportedly nears its conclusion. A poll by The Washington Post-Schar School on Tuesday found that 56 per cent of Americans say they trust Mr Mueller's version of the facts surrounding the Russia investigation more than Mr Trump's. That is compared to just 33 per cent who say they trust the president's version.
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| Nationwide manhunt for disbarred attorney accused of stabbing his mother to death, stealing her car Posted: 11 Feb 2019 01:14 PM PST  -year-old Richard Merritt was supposed to surrender for a 15-year prison sentence for other crimes; Steve Harrigan reports from Atlanta.
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| Heavy rain to renew flood concerns across Ohio, Mississippi valleys into Tuesday Posted: 11 Feb 2019 01:41 AM PST  Areas of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys that got hit hard with downpours last week will face renewed flooding dangers into Tuesday.
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| Nigerian widows sue Shell for complicity in activist deaths Posted: 12 Feb 2019 08:53 AM PST  THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The widow of a Nigerian activist executed by their country's government more than two decades ago accused oil giant Shell of complicity in his death at a civil case in a Dutch court Tuesday.
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| The Latest: Fairfax accuser's lawyer urges public hearing Posted: 11 Feb 2019 11:26 PM PST  RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Latest on scandals involving Virginia's Democratic leaders (all times local):
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| Democratic senators urge administration to reject Sprint, T-Mobile merger Posted: 12 Feb 2019 11:58 AM PST  The signatories included potential or confirmed presidential candidates Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, Sherrod Brown, Kirsten Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker. Also signing the letters were Senators Richard Blumenthal and Tom Udall. The senators noted the four largest wireless carriers including AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc control 98 percent of the market.
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| See How the 2020 Toyota Supra Looks with TRD's Mild Aero Tweaks Posted: 12 Feb 2019 07:20 AM PST  Power gains and a fat rear wing are still up in the air.
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| Have You Shopped Walmart's New MoDRN Collection Yet? Posted: 12 Feb 2019 07:41 AM PST |
| White House says leaker about to be caught. Then new leaked copies of Trump schedule land Posted: 11 Feb 2019 04:04 AM PST ![White House says leaker about to be caught. Then new leaked copies of Trump schedule land]( "White House says leaker about to be caught. Then new leaked copies of Trump schedule land") White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Sunday that hope to identify the staffer who leaked Trump's schedule by the end of the week.
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| Ilhan Omar: Democrat congresswoman accused of antisemitism over Israel tweets Posted: 11 Feb 2019 12:34 PM PST  Ilhan Omar, a newly elected US congresswoman, has been accused of antisemitism after she criticised a pro-Israel lobby group online. In two tweets posted late on Sunday night the Minnesota Democrat implied that funding from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was responsible for US politicans' support for Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial Israeli government. Following calls from fellow Democrats for her to apologise, Ms Omar has since posted a message on her Twitter account acknowledging the backlash.
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| 2019 Volvo S60 Is Sophisticated and Comfortable Posted: 11 Feb 2019 10:33 AM PST  All-New 2019 Volvo S60 Is Sophisticated and Comfortable The 2019 Volvo S60 is a stylish compact luxury sedan that's new from the ground up. In fact, it's an entirely different car than the outgo...
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| Venezuela at UN says no aid crisis Posted: 12 Feb 2019 11:53 AM PST  Venezuela's foreign minister insisted at the United Nations on Tuesday that there is no humanitarian crisis in his country even as he announced plans to step up cooperation with UN agencies to help the economy. Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza met Monday with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres -- his second meeting in a month -- as the stalemate hardened between opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself acting president, and President Nicolas Maduro.
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| Suspect in synagogue massacre pleads not guilty to new charges Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:25 AM PST  The man accused of massacring 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue last year in the deadliest attack on a U.S. Jewish institution pleaded not guilty on Monday in federal court to a dozen additional charges including hate crimes.
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| Journalist Sues Twitter for Banning Her over ‘Women Aren’t Men’ Tweets Posted: 11 Feb 2019 02:57 PM PST  After a number of temporary suspensions, Twitter in November permanently locked the verified account of Murphy, a Canadian writer and self-described feminist, informing her that she had violated the platform's hateful-conduct rules. In late October, Twitter added "targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals" to its list of prohibited behavior and applied the policy retroactively to Murphy's earlier tweets. "Women aren't men," read an October tweet from Murphy.
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| AccuWeather Alert: Winter storm to bring snow, sleet and rain Posted: 12 Feb 2019 08:58 AM PST  Winter storm warnings and advisories have been issued for parts of the New York area as a few inches of snow, sleet and rain are expected on Tuesday.
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| 25 good tweets for people who hate Valentine's Day Posted: 12 Feb 2019 08:49 AM PST  Valentine's Day is kind of nice, but it's mostly a cloying, capitalist nightmare. It makes sense, then, that the anti-Valentine's Day community is a large and vocal one. V-Day skeptics aren't bitter; they just hate Russell Stover samplers from CVS!If you count yourself among the lukewarm this Feb. 14, you're not alone. There are loads of tweets from people who also detest the holiday on which a nonzero number of people will receive a Doritos bouquet. (To be clear, I am jealous of the Doritos bouquet.)SEE ALSO: Texas zoo comes up with a clever Valentine's Day offer for vengeful exesPlease enjoy.> Oh you don't have a valentine on valentine's day? Some people don't even have a groundhog on groundhogs day. check your privilege> > -- Johnny Brittner (@JohnnyBrittner) February 10, 2019> Friend: what are you doing for VD? > > Me: taking antibiotics and drinking cranberry juice > > Friend: Valentine's Day... > > Me, leaning in: taking antibiotics and drinking cranberry juice> > -- sarah schauer (@SJSchauer) January 29, 2019> "What do uh think you'll be getting for Valentines Day?" > > Me: a snap from team Snapchat> > -- Anaya. (@imdalight) January 27, 2018> Can we replace Valentine's Day with another thanksgiving?> > -- MisfitMama (@okayest_momm) January 28, 2018> "Actually, violets are violet," I say, ripping up her poem.> > -- Anna (@anjvs) February 14, 2015> Dump your boyfriend not because I'm bored but because Valentine's Day is coming up and it's hard to explain but we can't let capitalism win> > -- Gina (@ginadivittorio) February 10, 2019> "Do you have a date for Valentine's Day?" > Me: Yes... February 14th> > -- Zachary (@zacharywhyde) January 28, 2018> Instead of showing our partners love through overpriced chocolate and trite greeting cards, this February we're going to the cave of the goddess of breastfeeding, we're sacrificing a goat, we're annointing ourselves with its blood, we're running naked through the streets of Rome> > -- Anne Theriault (@anne_theriault) January 31, 2019> all of the posts on @1800flowers Facebook page are complaints. This guy didn't even use words, and its the best one. pic.twitter.com/Uq4MNi0Erv> > -- Malcolm Xbox One X (@NickArcadeX) February 14, 2015> Gearing up for yet another Valentine's night of complete & total romance pic.twitter.com/wXu3i1qGRI> > -- Bridger Winegar (@bridger_w) February 15, 2015> you, a fool: its valentines day > me, an intellectual: it is wednesday my dudes> > -- proto (@ProtomanX97) February 14, 2018> the best thing about being single on valentine's day is I get to eat all 2 dozen of these roses by myself> > -- thomas violence (@thomas_violence) February 14, 2015> Here is your annual reminder that if you are single/lonely on Valentine's Day, you can always celebrate Arizona's birthday instead! She'll be 106 and beautiful as ever!!> > -- Bryce Cluff (@Bryce_Cluff) February 5, 2019> You are never alone on Valentine's Day if you're near a lake and have bread.> > -- Mike Primavera (@primawesome) February 14, 2015> If men wrote candy hearts: > > \- hey > \- what r u up to? > \- K > \- lol > \- *silence*> > -- Eden Dranger (@Eden_Eats) February 14, 2018> Happy Valentines ❤️ https://t.co/Tq6RyJ03fS> > -- Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) February 12, 2019> Valentines Day might make you feel more pathetic and alone but you're not! Its impossible to be more pathetic or alone than you already were> > -- Brent (@Brentweets) February 14, 2016> i dont need a valentine i need 8 million dollars and a fast metabolism> > -- Jamie Macgregor (@m1ndspeak5truth) February 5, 2018> Rough love life? Consider these animals that definitely have it worse > > -Bees' genitals explode after sex > > -Hippos soil themselves to attract a mate > > -Every woman I've dated has had to watch Titanic with me while I recite most of the lines from memory > > -Boy seahorses get pregnant!> > -- Dan Sheehan (@ItsDanSheehan) February 14, 2018> Let's all take a moment of silence this Valentine's Day to think about the couples who started dating end of January> > -- Mike Ginn (@shutupmikeginn) February 14, 2015> When making Valentines for preschoolers, is it ok to address them all to "Tiny Satan" since the kids can't read? Asking for myself.> > -- Ashley Austrew (@ashleyaustrew) February 11, 2016> [gives wife pet cockroaches for Valentine's day] > Are you crying because you're happy?> > -- Jeff Wysaski (@pleatedjeans) February 11, 2015> valentine's day was ruined ever since Liam M. spilled hawaiian punch all of my cards in 4th grade and didn't even bother to get paper towels! MEN!!> > -- Taylor Trudon (@taylortrudon) February 13, 2018> catch me on valentines day wearing a flowy top, crossfaded off allergy meds and a glass of wine, twirling to fleetwood mac in my bedroom mirror> > -- jaboukie (@jaboukie) January 25, 2018> Sending flowers to your significant other at work is a great way to tell all their coworkers that you used to have $60.> > -- ratthew (@sucittaM) February 14, 2012 WATCH: Comedian Steve Capps paints 'farting clouds' with Bob Ross -- Bob Ross Challenge
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| Militant Iran taunts U.S. on revolution's 40th birthday Posted: 11 Feb 2019 03:02 PM PST  Soldiers, students, clerics and black-clad women holding small children thronged streets across Iran, many with portraits of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Shi'ite cleric who toppled the Shah in an Islamic uprising that still haunts the West. On Feb. 11, 1979, Iran's army declared its neutrality, paving the way for the fall of U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. State television showed crowds carrying Iranian flags in cold rainy weather, shouting "Death to Israel, Death to America" - trademark chants of the revolution.
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| Jeff Bezos investigation: Text messages 'were leaked by brother of mistress Lauren Sanchez' Posted: 12 Feb 2019 12:00 AM PST  Investigators working for Jeff Bezos have reportedly concluded that the intimate text messages published by the National Enquirer were leaked by the brother of the Amazon boss's mistress. The team, led by investigator Gavin de Becker, believed that Michael Sanchez – the brother of Mr Bezos's girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez – gave the texts to the tabloid, several media reports have suggested. Mr Sanchez has previously denied he was involved in leaking the material and this weekend he attacked the Amazon founder.
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| How Virginia's top 3 leaders are handling scandals Posted: 12 Feb 2019 01:32 PM PST  RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — All three of Virginia's top elected officials remain in office despite varying calls for their ouster amid scandals involving blackface costumes and sexual-assault allegations. But each has taken a slightly different path forward.
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| Venezuela's Guaido Expresses ‘Dismay’ at Populist Italy's Stand Posted: 12 Feb 2019 08:44 AM PST  Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi briefed the lower house on the Rome administration's stand, shortly after the two coalition partners, the rightist League and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, worked out a compromise. "The government believes that the last presidential elections did not attribute democratic legitimacy to the winner, that is Nicolas Maduro," Moavero Milanesi told lawmakers.
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| The Latest: Synagogue shooting suspect pleads not guilty Posted: 11 Feb 2019 06:41 AM PST  PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Latest on the arraignment for the suspected Pittsburgh synagogue shooter (all times local):
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| The Toyota 86 British Green Limited Is a Thing of Beauty from Toyota Japan Posted: 12 Feb 2019 09:15 AM PST  British racing green and a black-and-tan interior make this Toyota 86 just about irresistible.
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| Skis, sleds, laundry baskets ... kayaks? Seattle residents take advantage of record snow Posted: 11 Feb 2019 06:53 AM PST  Forget rain, Seattle this month is among the nation's snowiest cities: More snow has fallen there than in Buffalo, Cleveland and Boston combined.
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| Differences Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Posted: 11 Feb 2019 06:56 AM PST ![Differences Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes]( "Differences Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes") How much do you know about diabetes? Diabetes is one of the more common diseases in the U.S. -- more than 30 million in the country have it as of 2015, according to the 2017 National Diabetes Statistics Report, a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Millions of people don't know they have diabetes.
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| Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan meets Afghan president in Kabul Posted: 11 Feb 2019 11:31 AM PST  Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Monday, where he met with President Ashraf Ghani as the United States leads a push for peace talks with the Taliban. The visit comes after Washington held major talks with Taliban officials in Qatar last month that negotiators hope could herald a breakthrough in the grinding 17-year conflict. US President Donald Trump is pushing to end US involvement in Afghanistan, where 14,000 American troops are still deployed -- raising Afghan fears that Washington could exit before securing a lasting peace between the Taliban and the Kabul government.
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| OPEC, Russia draft cooperation charter offers no formal body: document Posted: 11 Feb 2019 06:00 AM PST  Scared by looming U.S. anti-cartel legislation for the oil industry, the Organization for the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies such as Russia have decided against creating a formal body, at least on paper. A draft of a document - setting up a new alliance and dated January 2019 - and seen by Reuters carefully avoids any mention of sensitive issues such as oil prices, market share and production cuts. OPEC and Russia have been cutting production together to support prices since 2017, after clinching a deal in December 2016, in moves that have provoked criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump.
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