| Trump, Cohen and the paradox of believing proven liars Posted: 01 Mar 2019 01:05 PM PST  Republicans go after Michael Cohen's portrayal of the president on the grounds that he is a "pathological liar."
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| Final battle to liberate last Islamic State village begins after civilians evacuated Posted: 01 Mar 2019 10:50 AM PST  Western-backed forces say they plan to crush the Islamic State terror group within two days after launching an operation to clear out the group's final stronghold. The Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish-led group that has been the US-led coalition's main ally against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) in Syria, commenced their final assault on the village of Baghuz just after sunset on Friday night. "After evacuation of thousands of civilians and our comrades who were held hostage in Baghouz, the operation to clear the last remaining pocket of Isil started at 18:00 this evening," Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the SDF said. Mr Bali told The Daily Telegraph that said the operation is expected to last two days, but may take a week to complete as hardened jihadists fight back with heavy weapons and suicide car bombs. Isil, which once ruled over eight million people in a proto-state covering large swathes of Syria and Iraq, now controls a patch of land about 700 metres across on the banks of the Euphrates river. The demise of ISIL in Syria and Iraq The operation follows three weeks of evacuations of civilians from the tiny pocket. About 17,000 people, mostly women and children, have left in the past 16 days. SDF commanders estimate there are around 1,000 Isil fighters remaining in the pocket, along with an unknown number of non-combatants. They may include John Cantlie, a British journalist who was kidnapped in 2012. Ben Wallace, the UK Security Minister, said last month that there was reason to believe Mr Cantlie is still alive. Photo Dispatch: Syria's fight against ISIL Although the fall of Baghuz would mark the end of the group's pretensions to a caliphate, SDF officials have warned it will continue to present a security threat. Sleeper cells using guerrilla tactics continue to carry out drive-by shootings and suicide bombings in liberated areas. Some fighters still hold some desolate territory in a remote area west of the Euphrates River. "All the remaining fighters are experienced and professional. They the true radicals and jihadist fighters. Therefore they will fight to the end," Mr Bali said. "We do not expect any to surrender."
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| U.S. revokes visas of 49 people aligned with Venezuela's Maduro: State Department Posted: 01 Mar 2019 12:59 PM PST ![U.S. revokes visas of 49 people aligned with Venezuela's Maduro: State Department]( "U.S. revokes visas of 49 people aligned with Venezuela's Maduro: State Department") WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Friday revoked the visas of 49 individuals aligned with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, according to the State Department, a move intended to pressure Maduro to step down. The State Department said it was imposing visa restrictions on "individuals responsible for undermining Venezuela's democracy" and that the policy would be applied "to numerous Maduro-aligned officials and their families." (Reporting by Lisa Lambert and David Alexander; Editing by Richard Chang)
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| 2 arrests, officer on desk duty after wild NYC highway chase Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:29 PM PST ![2 arrests, officer on desk duty after wild NYC highway chase]( "2 arrests, officer on desk duty after wild NYC highway chase") NEW YORK (AP) — A police officer has been placed on desk duty after shooting at a car during a wild four-mile chase onto a Manhattan highway.
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| Bribery Probe Could Cost Netanyahu Israel's Election, Polls Show Posted: 02 Mar 2019 05:54 AM PST  Polls released Friday night showed the Blue & White bloc led by ex-military chief of staff Benny Gantz and former Finance Minister Yair Lapid positioned to form a center-left government after April's vote with 61 seats in parliament, compared with 59 likely to back a right-wing government led by Netanyahu's Likud party. Before Attorney General Avihai Mandelblit's announcement Thursday evening, polls had projected Netanyahu would form the next government atop a 61-seat bloc.
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| EU ready to give UK more guarantees on Brexit: Barnier Posted: 02 Mar 2019 06:57 AM PST  The European Union is prepared to give Britain further Brexit guarantees to help a divorce deal through the British parliament, the bloc's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said in an interview published Saturday. "We can find guarantees to confirm, clarify, guarantee the goodwill and good faith of the Europeans with commitments which would have real legal force," Barnier said in comments published in several European newspapers including Die Welt in Germany and Les Echos in France. Barnier also suggested European leaders would be amenable to a short "technical" delay in Britain's departure from the EU, scheduled for March 29, to give the British parliament time to formally ratify a final divorce deal.
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| Eleven-year-old girl charged with child abuse over death of baby left in her care Posted: 02 Mar 2019 12:34 PM PST  An 11-year-old girl has been charged with first-degree child abuse of a one-year-old boy who died after suffering serious injuries in her care. The girl, who is not related to the victim, was left babysitting Paxton Davis at her home in Maryland near Washington DC while her mother went out on an errand. Major Brian Reilly, commander of the criminal investigation division, told a press conference the motive remains under investigation.
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| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reportedly threatens to primary Democrats who vote with Republicans Posted: 01 Mar 2019 02:21 PM PST  Extreme Democrats divide party as progressives reportedly put moderates on notice; reaction and analysis on 'The Five.'
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| Easter Islanders seek outside help for iconic statues 'leprosy' Posted: 01 Mar 2019 10:45 AM PST  The giant heads, carved centuries ago by the island's inhabitants, represent the living ancestors of Easter Island's Polynesian people - the Rapa Nui - and have brought it UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Dozens of giant "Moai" statues dominate the hillsides surrounding the island's Rano Raraku wetland, but they are facing the threat of what locals describe as a kind of leprosy, white spots that are appearing on their iconic facades. The statues must also contend with coastal erosion, rising sea levels, high winds and damage from freely roaming livestock.
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| The Latest: Global Muslim body urges India, Pakistan to talk Posted: 02 Mar 2019 07:52 AM PST  SRINAGAR, India (AP) — The Latest on tensions between India and Pakistan (all times local):
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| Want to know which cars are the hot sellers? It's getting trickier now Posted: 01 Mar 2019 09:03 AM PST  The auto industry reported February new car sales, but GM and Ford did not release results. They report quarterly, and analysts have mixed reactions.
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| Syria force launches assault on last IS redoubt Posted: 01 Mar 2019 11:37 AM PST  Kurdish-led forces on Friday launched a final assault against diehard jihadist fighters clinging to the last sliver of their "caliphate" in eastern Syria. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they resumed their advance after plucking a last batch of civilians from the tiny riverside hamlet of Baghouz where jihadists are holed up. The "operation to clear the last remaining pocket of ISIS has just started" at 6:00 pm (1600 GMT), SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali announced on social media, using another acronym for the jihadists.
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| Schlumberger Unloaded Its PDVSA IOUs Just Before U.S. Sanctions Posted: 01 Mar 2019 12:38 PM PST  In January, the U.S. tightened sanctions on Venezuela and PDVSA that severely limited transactions in their debt. Joao Felix, a spokesman at Schlumberger, declined to comment on the deal beyond what was in the annual filing.
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| AOC supplants Clinton and Pelosi as conservatives’ greatest foe Posted: 01 Mar 2019 11:14 AM PST  Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dominated conversation at this year's conservative convention.
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| EU ready to give Britain more guarantees 'backstop' is temporary: Barnier Posted: 01 Mar 2019 02:07 PM PST  The European Union is ready to give Britain more guarantees that the Irish "backstop" is only intended to be temporary, the bloc's chief Brexit negotiator said on Friday. "We know that there are misgivings in Britain that the backstop could keep Britain forever connected to the EU," Michel Barnier said in an interview with Germany's Die Welt newspaper to be published on Saturday.
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| Venezuela: Washington not seeking to intervene 'militarily', claims official who oversaw US intervention in Nicaragua Posted: 01 Mar 2019 04:51 AM PST  The official who oversaw the US's efforts to overthrow the government of Nicaragua, has claimed Washington is not seeking to intervene "militarily" to oust Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro. Elliott Abrams, a conservative hawk who three decades ago was convicted of lying to Congress over the Iran-Contra affair, claimed the US would take "appropriate action" against Mr Maduro and in support of opposition leader, Juan Guaido, who in January declared himself the country's "legitimate" president. Speaking to reporters at the state department as the US treasury announced new sanctions targeting Venezuelan officials linked to Mr Maduro, Mr Elliott said Washington was speaking to other countries about how to put more pressure on the Latin American nation's government, Reuters said.
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| Las Vegas Sands said in 'good hands' as CEO battles cancer Posted: 01 Mar 2019 04:55 PM PST  LAS VEGAS (AP) — Casino magnate and major GOP donor Sheldon Adelson is battling cancer, but industry analysts and his Las Vegas Sands Corp. on Friday said the gambling empire he founded and helms has the personnel to guide it through the health crisis.
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| Make all your dumb devices smart with $7.99 Alexa smart plugs on Amazon Posted: 01 Mar 2019 05:46 AM PST ![Make all your dumb devices smart with $7.99 Alexa smart plugs on Amazon]( "Make all your dumb devices smart with $7.99 Alexa smart plugs on Amazon") If you're in search of Alexa and Google Assistant enabled smart plugs and you were thinking of spending $20 or $30 on models from a big-name brand, we've got a sale that you'll definitely want to check out before you pull the trigger. For around the same price you can get not one but four Teckin Mini Smart Outlets. A 4-pack is on sale right now on Amazon for just $31.99, which means you're paying just $7.99 per smart plug. That's an unbeatable deal and it might not last much longer.Here are the highlights from the product page: * 【Remote Control】 Control your electrical items via your phone whenever and wherever you are after downloading the FREE APP Smart Life as long as there is a network. Ideal for someone who can not move around very well and needs easy access to turn on/off a device. * 【Voice Control】Compatible with Amazon alexa, Google home assistant and IFTTT, control your home appliances with the smart plug by simply giving voice commands to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. No Hub Required, the smart plug SP10 works with any Wi-Fi router without the need for a separate hub or paid subscription service. * 【Schedule & Timer】 Get ready to have a smart home and create customized schedule to automatically turn on and off any home Electronics or appliances such as lamps, Christmas Lighting, coffee maker, etc * 【Set up easily】Simply plug TECKIN mini outlet into an electrical outlet, connect a device to the Smart Plug, and wirelessly control your device using a tablet or phone. A secured 2.4GHz WiFi network is required. * 【Quality Guaranteed】 The Mini Smart Plug features a sleek new design that is FCC approved product. If you encounter any problem or need support, please feel free to contact us through following E-mail support.us@teckinhome.com or Amazon directly. We offer two years of warranty and replacement services and lifetime technical support services if the plug is defective.
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| St. Louis Daycare Worker Accused of Throwing Child Arrested Posted: 01 Mar 2019 04:33 PM PST  A daycare employee, who went missing after surveillance video showed her tossing a three-year-old, is now in custody after authorities found her hiding in the basement of a Missouri home.
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| March roars in like a lion: Millions to endure coast-to-coast snow, then 'punishing' blast of record cold Posted: 01 Mar 2019 09:21 AM PST  March is definitely coming in like a lion over the next few days. A winter storm will spread snow along a 2,500-mile path from California to Maine.
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| Trump Returns Home to Face the Mueller Music Posted: 01 Mar 2019 03:06 AM PST  Donald Trump is back in Washington, where the political and legal peril he faces has grown in his absence. Trump now confronts what could be the most difficult phase of his tumultuous presidency. While he was halfway around the world in Hanoi, his long-time lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen – who is cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller – implicated him in fresh alleged criminal misdeeds in a day of explosive public testimony on Capitol Hill.
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| The 20 Best Hotel Lobbies in the World Posted: 02 Mar 2019 01:16 PM PST |
| Explainer: In Trump-Russia probe, when does collusion become a crime? Posted: 02 Mar 2019 04:02 AM PST  U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia used a scheme of hacking and propaganda to cause discord in the United States and harm Trump's Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Mueller's probe, with several Trump campaign figures already pleading guilty or being convicted, has documented numerous contacts between Russians and people close to the president. Mueller, who has sought to determine whether Trump's campaign coordinated with Moscow, is preparing to submit a report on his investigation to U.S. Attorney General William Barr.
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| Tesla announces long-promised $35,000 Model 3 Posted: 01 Mar 2019 04:53 AM PST  Tesla's long-awaited Model 3 with a $35,000 price has finally arrived.
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| Dragon capsule successfully separates from rocket: SpaceX Posted: 02 Mar 2019 12:26 AM PST  SpaceX's new Crew Dragon astronaut capsule was on its way to the International Space Station Saturday after it successfully launched from Florida on board a Falcon 9 rocket. With only a dummy named Ripley on board, the launch was a dress rehearsal for the first manned test flight -- scheduled for later this year with two NASA astronauts. The rocket blasted off without incident at 2:49 am (0749 GMT) from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, lighting up Florida's coastline.
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| Brand new iPads are back down to Black Friday prices, but they’re about to sell out Posted: 01 Mar 2019 06:20 AM PST  Look, we're not going to ask how it's even possible that Amazon is selling brand new iPads at discounts of up to $100 right now. We don't want to know. We just want to make sure that all the BGR Deals readers out there are aware that Apple's current-generation iPad tablets are available right now at the same crazy price they were during the Black Friday shopping blitz a few months ago. You can pick up an Apple iPad (Wi-Fi, 128GB) today for $329.99, which is a massive $100 discount compared to what you would pay if you buy one from Apple. If you don't need quite that much storage, pick up an Apple iPad (Wi-Fi, 32GB) with an $80 discount, which drops the price to just $249.99!Here are the key details from the product page: * 9.7-Inch Retina Display * A10 fusion chip * Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor * 8MP back camera and 1.2MP FaceTime HD Front camera * Two speaker Audio * 802.11AC Wi-Fi and LTE cellular data * Up to 10 hours of battery life * Lightning Connector for charging and accessories * iOS 12 with group FaceTime, shared augmented reality experiences, screen time, and more
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| The Latest: Pakistan hands over captured pilot to India Posted: 01 Mar 2019 01:32 PM PST  ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Latest on escalating India-Pakistan tensions (all times local):
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| Headteacher reads students bedtime stories on Facebook Live Posted: 02 Mar 2019 11:26 AM PST  A Texas headteacher who wants her students to continue learning after school ends has started reading bedtime stories to them on a Facebook livestream. Dr Belinda George, 42, films herself reading a children's book in her living room in her pyjamas every Tuesday evening, which anyone can watch on Homer Drive Elementary School's Facebook page. "I don't know if they are read to or not at home," said Dr George.
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| Manafort seeks sentence well below guidelines in Virginia case Posted: 01 Mar 2019 03:24 PM PST  Lawyers for Paul Manafort, U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, asked a federal judge in Virginia on Friday to hand down a sentence that is significantly below sentencing guidelines, according to a court filing. Manafort, 69, who was convicted in August of eight charges of bank and tax fraud as part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, is due to be sentenced on March 7. Under federal guidelines, Manafort is eligible for a sentence ranging from 19-1/2 to 24 years.
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| Pompeo says North Korea not clear on scope of closing Yongbyon facility Posted: 01 Mar 2019 02:23 AM PST  U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that North Korea had asked for full sanctions lifting during a summit in Hanoi but lacked complete clarity on what it was prepared to offer on dismantling the Yongbyon nuclear facility. "They were pretty expansive with respect to what they are prepared to do at Yongbyon but there was still not complete clarity with respect to full scope of what it is they were prepared to offer," Pompeo told a news conference during a short stop in Manila. Pompeo said North Korea had "basically asked for full sanctions relief".
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| JetBlue asks flyers to wipe their Instagram accounts for chance to win unlimited flights Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:39 AM PST ![JetBlue asks flyers to wipe their Instagram accounts for chance to win unlimited flights]( "JetBlue asks flyers to wipe their Instagram accounts for chance to win unlimited flights") JetBlue is giving three flyers the chance to win unlimited flights for a whole year − if they delete or archive their Instagram posts.
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| The 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus Has More Power, More Battery, Not That Much More Range Posted: 01 Mar 2019 12:40 PM PST  For around $6500 extra, a 62.0-kWh battery pack boosts driving range by around 40 percent, but the Leaf still falls short of rival EVs.
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| Democrats slam Former Vice President Joe Biden for calling Mike Pence a ‘decent guy’ Posted: 01 Mar 2019 02:06 PM PST  Dion Baia, Kat Timpf, Michael Parrish Dudell and Emily Compagno weigh in on the backlash Biden is facing from Democrats over complementing Vice President Mike Pence.
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| Pakistan returns Indian pilot in 'peace gesture' Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:24 AM PST  A pilot shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani aircraft returned to India on Friday, after being freed in what Islamabad called a "peace gesture" following the biggest standoff between the two countries in years. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, shot down on Wednesday over Kashmir -- divided between the nuclear-armed rivals since 1947 -- crossed into India at the famed Wagah crossing point, sporting a black eye from his ordeal. In New Delhi the announcement of the experienced pilot's release was seen as a diplomatic victory, but India warned that its military remained on "heightened" alert.
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| Iran says British Hezbollah ban 'irresponsible' Posted: 01 Mar 2019 04:24 PM PST  Britain said Monday it would seek to make membership of the Shiite movement or inviting support for it a crime. The decision followed outrage over the display of the Hezbollah flag, which features a Kalashnikov assault rifle, at pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London. "Iran considers Hezbollah a legitimate and legal force which plays an effective and undeniable role in helping its country's political stability and safeguarding its security," the foreign ministry said on its website.
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| Michael Cohen: How Trump's former lawyer will survive prison life, according to his jail guide Posted: 02 Mar 2019 05:57 AM PST  Michael Cohen will be stripped of most of his liberties when he enters the US prison system in May after pleading guilty to financial crimes, campaign violations and lying to congress. Cohen will likely serve his three-year sentence at the FCI Otisville after US district judge William Pauley said he would recommend the prison for him to the Bureau of Prisons – which determines where a prisoner will be held – in court last year. Considered one of "America's 10 cushiest prisons" by Forbes Magazine, FCI Otisville is a medium-security correctional institution boasting basketball and tennis courts, a baseball field and an alternate, minimum-security satellite camp.
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| Chip and Joanna Gaines donate baby Crew's bassinet to pregnant fan Posted: 02 Mar 2019 02:08 PM PST ![Chip and Joanna Gaines donate baby Crew's bassinet to pregnant fan]( "Chip and Joanna Gaines donate baby Crew's bassinet to pregnant fan") Thanks to a donation from Chip and Joanna Gaines, one lucky fan doesn't have to worry about having a "Fixer Upper" bassinet for her baby.
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| Cohen 'fully cooperative' on Day 3 of Capitol Hill questioning Posted: 28 Feb 2019 06:32 PM PST ![Cohen 'fully cooperative' on Day 3 of Capitol Hill questioning]( "Cohen 'fully cooperative' on Day 3 of Capitol Hill questioning") House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, a Democrat, said Cohen would return for further questioning on March 6 to give lawmakers another chance to follow up on allegations of wrongdoing that Cohen leveled at his former boss this week. Schiff said the panel also will talk to Felix Sater, a Russian-born property developer and former business associate of Trump, in a public session on March 14 to talk about efforts to build a Trump tower in Moscow. Cohen pleaded guilty last year to lying to Congress about the Moscow project, but Schiff said he answered all of the panel's questions.
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| Activist ValueAct Joins BlueMountain's Push to Revamp PG&E’s Board Posted: 01 Mar 2019 12:10 PM PST  BlueMountain, a PG&E shareholder that pushed to keep PG&E out of bankruptcy, launched a proxy fight to replace its board in the days prior to the company's Chapter 11 filing in January and has been seeking support from other investors. On Friday, ValueAct Chief Executive Officer Jeff Ubben stepped forward to say one of his funds has taken a position in the company, and BlueMountain named him as one of its 13 nominations for the board. In joining the campaign, Ubben said in an interview that PG&E "needs a restart to gain the trust of stakeholders." ValueAct Spring Fund has bought 1 million shares of PG&E, according to BlueMountain's open letter to PG&E shareholders.
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