| The Latest: Trump denies instructing Navy about McCain ship Posted: 30 May 2019 01:01 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and the Navy warship named for the late Sen. John McCain (all times local):
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| Showdown over Missouri abortion clinic postponed as governor weighs in Posted: 30 May 2019 10:43 AM PDT  Gov. Mike Parson said court intervention in the fight over whether to renew the license of Missouri's lone abortion provider would be "reckless."
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| Danube currents keep rescuers from wreck after deadly river crash Posted: 30 May 2019 11:00 PM PDT  Roiling flood waters in the Danube made it impossible for rescuers to reach the wreck of a river boat on Friday, two days after it sank in the Hungarian capital with 28 people feared dead, nearly all of them South Korean tourists. Seven South Koreans were confirmed killed and seven rescued when their pleasure boat struck a cruise liner in heavy rain on Wednesday night. Another 21 people are still missing, 19 of them South Korean tourists, and officials say there is little hope any will be found alive.
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| The 29 Best New York City Landmarks to Visit Posted: 31 May 2019 05:00 AM PDT |
| AOC and Ted Cruz find common ground on lobbying ban Posted: 30 May 2019 02:08 PM PDT  Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., occupy opposite ends of the political spectrum, but on Thursday, Cruz found himself — to his own surprise — agreeing with her on an issue most often associated with progressives: whether members of Congress should be allowed to become lobbyists when they leave office.
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| At Least Eleven Dead In Virginia Beach Shooting Posted: 31 May 2019 04:04 PM PDT  At least eleven people are dead after a lone gunman fired indiscriminately into a crowd gathered at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, chief of police Jim Cervera announced Friday evening.The suspect, who is believed to be a disgruntled longtime public employee, was killed in a shoot out with police just after 4p.m. One police officer was also shot but his life was saved by his bulletproof vest, Cervera said.At least six victims have reportedly been transported to area hospitals and one victim has been taken to a level one trauma center.FBI officials have confirmed they are aiding the Virginia state police and Virginia Beach police in their investigation.Governor Ralph Northam said he has spoken to Cervera and mayor Bobby Dyer and his team continues to monitor the situation.> This is a tragic day for Virginia Beach and our entire Commonwealth. My heart breaks for the victims of this devastating shooting, their families, and all who loved them. I am on my way to Virginia Beach now and will be there within the hour.> > -- Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) May 31, 2019Virginia attorney general Justin Fairfax and Democratic senator Mark Warner also voiced their concern.> Thank you to our law enforcement & other first responders in Virginia Beach for your heroic actions regarding today's Active Shooter Incident. We are closely monitoring the situation and will provide any support you need. We are also praying for the victims and their families. https://t.co/bKpK9ECJQd> > -- Justin Fairfax (@LGJustinFairfax) May 31, 2019> I am closely monitoring the situation in Virginia Beach. Praying for all involved as we learn more.> > -- Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) May 31, 2019
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| NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope takes another step towards completion Posted: 30 May 2019 01:31 PM PDT  NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is late to its own party, and it's not just a little bit late. NASA originally planned to have the spacecraft ready to roll as early as 2007, but a laundry list of setbacks (and stupid human errors on the part of manufacturer Northrop Grumman) have pushed the project back by over a decade and roughly 20 times its original cost.With that much cash dumped into a project, you can bet that NASA is eager to see some hints of serious progress, especially with its tentative 2021 launch window rapidly approaching. The good news is that half of the telescope just completed a round of testing at its manufacturing facility, besting a vacuum chamber designed to put it through conditions it would experience while in space.The telescope is being built in two parts. One half contains the telescope itself as well as various scientific instruments, and the other half is the spacecraft platform which allows it to move and maintain its orbit. The spacecraft half is the portion that just completed its vacuum chamber testing, which put it up against temperatures ranging from negative 235 degrees Fahrenheit to 215 degrees Fahrenheit."The teams from Northrop Grumman and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center are to be commended for a successful spacecraft thermal vacuum test, dedicating long hours to get where we are now," Jeanne Davis, James Webb program manager, said in a statement. "This incredible accomplishment paves the way for the next major milestone, which is to integrate the telescope and the spacecraft elements."The news is a long time coming, but it's definitely a big step in the James Webb program. Ensuring that all the components will work as planned once they make it into space is, of course, crucial, but plenty of hurdles still have to be scaled before the telescope is ready to head skyward. Integrating all of the components takes time, and new issues could crop up at any moment. Let's hope the 2021 date sticks and NASA isn't forced to delay it yet again.
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| $200,000 Jeep Gladiator-based MAXIMUS is unveiled, with only 24 to be built Posted: 31 May 2019 12:29 PM PDT  Hennessey Performance is accepting orders for the MAXIMUS 1000, a Jeep Gladiator variant costing $200,000 with only 24 built.
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| Cemeteries and family memories stand in border wall's way Posted: 30 May 2019 11:36 AM PDT  SAN JUAN, Texas (AP) — On a muggy, mosquito-filled evening near the U.S.-Mexico border, the threat of President Donald Trump's border wall brought together a large group of family members at two historic cemeteries that are part of their ancestral land.
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| Louisiana abortion law: Fury as Democratic governor says he will sign bill banning terminations into law Posted: 29 May 2019 11:50 PM PDT  Louisiana lawmakers have passed a strict new abortion ban which will stop some women from having the procedure before they even know they are pregnant.In a 79-23 vote on Wednesday, the Louisiana House gave final passage to a bill barring abortion once there is a detectable fetal heartbeat, as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.The state joins Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio, which have all passed similar "heartbeat" bills this year.Missouri politicians also approved an eight-week ban on abortion and Alabama has gone even further, outlawing virtually all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest. None of the bans have taken effect, and all are expected to face legal challenges.Louisiana Democratic governor John Bel Edwards supports the ban and intends to sign it into law despite opposition from national party leaders who say such laws are attacks on women.He said in a statement after the ban's passage: "I know there are many who feel just as strongly as I do on abortion and disagree with me – and I respect their opinions."As I prepare to sign this bill, I call on the overwhelming bipartisan majority of legislators who voted for it to join me in continuing to build a better Louisiana that cares for the least among us and provides more opportunity for everyone."Abortion opponents are pushing new restrictions on the procedure in the hope a case will make its way to the high court, and two new conservative justices appointed by US president Donald Trump could help overturn the US Supreme Court's 1973 Roe V Wade decision that legalised abortion nationally.Louisiana's prohibition would only take hold if neighbouring Mississippi's law is upheld by a federal appeals court. A federal judge temporarily blocked that Mississippi law on Friday.Abortion rights activists said Louisiana's bill would effectively eliminate abortion as an option before many women realise they are pregnant, calling the proposal unconstitutional.The legislation includes an exception from the abortion ban to prevent a pregnant woman's death or "a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function" – or if the pregnancy is deemed "medically futile".However it does not include an exception for a pregnancy caused by rape or incest.A doctor who violates the prohibition under the bill could face a prison sentence of up to two years, as well as having their medical licence revoked.Although similar abortion bans have drawn sharp criticism from Democrats nationwide, Louisiana's proposal won wide bipartisan support and was sponsored by a Democrat from the north-west corner of the state, Senator John Milkovich.Support from Mr Edwards, who is running for re-election this autumn against two Republicans, is expected to help shore up his position with some voters in his conservative home state, even if it puts him at odds with national Democratic Party leaders and donors.The ban is one of several bills that Louisiana politicians are advancing to add new restrictions on abortion.Another bill nearing the governor's desk would limit where medication-induced abortions can be performed to the state's three licensed abortion clinics.Reacting to the news Mr Edwards was poised to sign the bill, Allison Galbraith, second vice chair of Maryland Democratic Party, said: "We keep a big tent, but I've no room for being so incompetent or spineless that you don't get or don't care what these bills do."Adam Best, an activist and co-host of The Left podcast, tweeted: "Democrats are the party of civil rights and social justice. Being pro-choice is non-negotiable. "You can't have DINOs like John Bel Edwards making draconian abortion laws. Should be zero tolerance for Dems like that."Krishan Patel, who described himself as a progressive Democrat from Irvine on his Twitter profile, said: "If John Bel Edwards wants to make the government force a girl violently raped by her own father to carry that pregnancy out to term and give birth, then he does not deserve any Democratic support."Leana Wen, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, added that the law would "devastate the health and well-being of women and families".While Jacob Taber tweeted: "The Democratic Party has no room for misogynists who want to police women's bodies."The chief executive of Walt Disney said it would be "very difficult" for the media company to keep filming in Georgia if a new abortion law takes effect.Bob Iger said the law would mean many people would not want to work in the US state.Georgia's Republican governor Brian Kemp signed the legislation earlier this month. The law bans abortion once cardiac activity can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks.If it survives court challenges, the law is due to take effect on 1 January.Disney has shot blockbuster films such as Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame in the state.Netflix has also warned it would "rethink" its film and television production investment in Georgia if the law goes into effect.Agencies contributed to this report.
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| Bolton wants Britain to leave EU: Telegraph Posted: 31 May 2019 11:39 AM PDT  The United States wants Britain to leave the European Union as it would strengthen the NATO military alliance and show respect for the result of 2016's referendum, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said in an interview published on Friday. "The U.S. preference is for Britain to follow the course of what the people asked for and leave the EU. It is a lesson for everyone in the triumph of democracy," Bolton was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.
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| Kim Hyok Chol, rep for US affairs, executed with other NK foreign ministry officials, reports say Posted: 31 May 2019 05:44 AM PDT  AP reports there is reason for caution after reports that North Korea executed a senior envoy involved in nuclear negotiations with the U.S.
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| The Next Best Thing to an F-35?: Check Out Russia's 'New' MiG-35 Posted: 30 May 2019 01:35 AM PDT  With Russia's MiG-29 nearing the end of its shelf life as Russia's staple multirole fighter, the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) are taking an increasing interest in its successor: the MiG-35.For years, its manufacturer has marketed the MiG-35 as a "4++" fighter: "I would say that this is a new plane that surpasses our foreign competitors. In other words, this is a 4++ level plane," stated Mikoyan General Director Ilya Tarasenko in a recent interview.Russian President Vladimir Putin echoed this sentiment at a Kremlin conference: "I note that the new multipurpose MiG-35 fighter has enhanced flight and technical characteristics and is equipped with the very latest weapons systems. You know this better than I. It can follow from 10 to 30 targets at once, and can operate over land or sea. This is a genuinely unique and promising aircraft, 4++, you could say, very close to being fifth generation."But what exactly does "4++" mean, and is the MiG-35 really a hair's breadth away from being considered a fifth-generation fighter?A recent documentary from T24, a Russian state-funded television channel, sheds light on the MiG-35's capabilities while offering plenty of high-fidelity footage of the plane in action.
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| U.S. will respond with military force if Iran attacks its interests: Hook Posted: 30 May 2019 07:39 AM PDT  The United States will respond with military force if its interests are attacked by Iran, the U.S. Iran envoy said on Thursday as Arab leaders gathered in Saudi Arabia to discuss what they see as the threat from Tehran amid rising tensions. The U.S. military has sent forces, including an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers, to the Middle East in a move that U.S. officials said was made to counter "clear indications" of threats from Iran to American forces in the region.
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| Police: Ex-Jaguars LB pointed gun, threatened to kill woman Posted: 30 May 2019 03:46 PM PDT ![Police: Ex-Jaguars LB pointed gun, threatened to kill woman]( "Police: Ex-Jaguars LB pointed gun, threatened to kill woman") JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Blair Brown pointed a gun at a woman and threatened to kill her, according to the Jacksonville's Sheriff's Office.
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| No happy ending: Missing Hawaiian hiker Noah 'Kekai' Mina found dead Posted: 30 May 2019 07:42 AM PDT ![No happy ending: Missing Hawaiian hiker Noah 'Kekai' Mina found dead]( "No happy ending: Missing Hawaiian hiker Noah 'Kekai' Mina found dead") Less than a week after the rescue of a hiker lost in a Hawaiian forest for 17 days, the search for another missing Hawaiian hiker ended in tragedy.
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| Trump Shakes Fox News Reporter’s Hand, Thanks Him for Asking Question He Likes Posted: 30 May 2019 08:12 AM PDT  President Trump took a break during a Thursday morning press gaggle to personally acknowledge and thank a Fox News reporter for always treating him "fairly" and giving him a question he liked.Prior to departing for a quick trip to Colorado, the president stopped to speak with reporters on the White House lawn, using much of his time to rail against Robert Mueller's public statement and to walk back his Twitter admission that Russia helped get him elected. At one point, however, Fox News White House correspondent Kevin Corke asked the president about China, which caused Trump to approach Corke to praise him."Come here, I want to shake your hand," the president exclaimed while reaching out his hand. "Come here. You treated me fairly. Thank you, thank you."Other reporters, likely thinking Trump was done with Corke after the mutual admiration session, began shouting additional questions, prompting Trump to get in additional shots at the media while heaping more praise upon Corke."I want to ask [sic] a real reporter's question," he blared. "We'll answer a real reporter's question, okay?"This is just the latest example of the president treating Fox News employees as though they are part of his team while shunning the rest of the "Fake News" media. In recent weeks, however, while the president has continued to trumpet Fox's opinion hosts and commentators, he's taken pointed shots at the network's hard-news anchors, reporters, and analysts he feels aren't sufficiently deferential to him. Corke, it would appear, does not fall into that category.The White House correspondent, meanwhile, has a history of uncritically amplifying and supporting commentary from alt-right conspiracy-theory zealots. Back in March 2017, he mass-deleted tweets promoting unverified far-right conspiracies (such as a claim that Hillary Clinton had bisexual trysts) after The Daily Beast spotted several of them. And earlier this year, the reporter excited the QAnon community with a since-deleted tweeted hyping up a photo of a coffee cup with the letter Q on it.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet 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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| Barr: Counter-intelligence Probe of Trump Campaign Crossed ‘Serious Red Line’ Posted: 31 May 2019 08:15 AM PDT  Attorney General William Barr said Friday that the FBI's counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign "crossed" a "serious red line" and should be "carefully looked at.""The use of foreign intelligence capabilities and counterintelligence capabilities against an American political campaign to me is unprecedented and it's a serious red line that's been crossed," Barr said in an interview with CBS.The attorney general is currently investigating the origins of the probe to determine whether the U.S. intelligence community's surveillance of the Trump campaign was warranted. He has expressed skepticism about the explanations for some of the investigative actions taken.During testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee last month, Barr stated that "spying did occur" on the Trump campaign, angering Democratic lawmakers."I guess it's become a dirty word somehow," Barr told CBS. "I think there is nothing wrong with spying. The question is always whether it is authorized by law.""There were counterintelligence activities undertaken against the Trump campaign, And I'm not saying there was not a basis for it, that it was legitimate, but I want to see what that basis was and make sure it was legitimate," he added.The New York Times reported that the FBI sent an undercover agent posing as a research assistant to ask former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos whether the campaign was working with Russia. Papadopoulos was told by a Maltese professor in early 2016 that Russia had damaging information on Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, but said he told the undercover agent he had "nothing to do with Russia.""Republics have fallen because of Praetorian Guard mentality where government officials get very arrogant, they identify the national interest with their own political preferences, and they feel that anyone who has a different opinion, you know, is somehow an enemy of the state," Barr remarked. "That can easily translate into essentially supervening the will of the majority and getting your own way as a government official."FBI director Chris Wray said earlier this month that he had seen no evidence that the FBI illegally spied on the Trump campaign.
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| The 2019 Mercedes-AMG CLS53 in Photos Posted: 31 May 2019 06:19 AM PDT |
| Teacher writes 'WTF is this?' on child's homework Posted: 30 May 2019 03:13 AM PDT  A teacher is being investigated after writing "WTF" on a student's homework.The science tutor penned the missive – text-slang for "what the f***?" – after apparently finding the pupil's science assignment somewhat underwhelming."WTF is this?" she wrote. "Absolutely no credit."But after the pupil's mother complained, the unnamed teacher – at Rutherford High School in Florida's Bay County – has been told the incident will be investigated."It wasn't anything about not getting the credit, it was more so the language…that was very inappropriate and not acceptable for a teacher whatsoever," said Melinda Smith, whose son received the unflattering feedback. "I think for sure she needs to be reprimanded. I believe that something should be placed in her file."Neither her son's name or age have been revealed.Rutherford High's principal, Coy Pilson, said the school was taking action."Once we were notified, I notified district officials and our HR has been involved and they're currently investigating the situation," he told regional TV station WJHG. He would not be drawn on what action may be taken but suggested the incident was out of character for the member of staff involved."She was apologetic and it was a mistake on her part," he said. "All of the teachers at Rutherford High School are caring, loving teachers and we're also human and so, we make mistakes."But we understand that we are called to a high professional standard and when we make mistakes, we try to correct those mistakes and move forward."
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| China Thinks Russia's New Stealth Fighter 'Trashes' the F-35 Posted: 30 May 2019 03:00 PM PDT  The Su-57 completely 'trashes' the latest American fighters like the F-35—at least, according to Chinese media.Earlier this month, Chinese defense news outlet Mil.news.sina published an analytical piece on the state of Russia's arsenal. The article looked to the Su-57, Russia's upcoming fifth generation stealth fighter, as a case study in the failures and successes of Russia's ambitious, decades-long campaign to modernize its armed forces.Whereas other fifth-generation fighters—most prominently, the US F-35—are strategic weapons, the author argues that the Su-57 was designed for an entirely different purpose that makes sense within the broader context of Russian military doctrine: "The Russians have a very simple idea. Nuclear weapons will defend Russia against the aggression of great powers. Jet fighters, military vessels, and other tactical weapons will guarantee Russia's victory in small, local conflicts."This first appeared earlier in 2019.
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| India's Modi to name ruling party chief Shah as finance minister: media Posted: 29 May 2019 10:49 PM PDT  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to name Amit Shah, the chief of his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as the country's new finance minister after taking his oath of office for the second time on Thursday, according to several Indian media reports. As Modi's right-hand man and long-time strategist, Shah would be in a powerful position to direct financial policy in Asia's third-largest economy in his first role as a federal lawmaker. Shah masterminded the BJP's landslide victory in the April-May general election, but there are questions about his lack of central government experience and financial background, especially at a time of growing signs of weakness in the economy.
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| Honduras: US has no drug proof against Honduran president Posted: 31 May 2019 09:59 AM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — The Honduran government says that U.S. federal court documents show no incriminating evidence against President Juan Orlando Hernández, despite listing him as being a target of a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation.
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| The surprising main reason 492 out of 500 people at one company chose iPhone over Android Posted: 31 May 2019 06:36 AM PDT  There are so many exciting new Android smartphones coming in 2019. In fact, several of the best ones have already been released. After two years with the same design, Samsung completely overhauled the Galaxy S10 series and gave it a new all-screen design with a hole-punch camera that people seem to love. Then the OnePlus 7 Pro came along with the first true all-screen design and a selfie camera that pops up out of the top of the phone only when you need it. Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg and there are even more exciting new Android phones set to be released over the course of the year, including the first crop of smartphones with OLED screens that actually fold so they can be made more compact.Meanwhile, on the other side of the fence, there's not really anything terribly exciting about Apple's upcoming new iPhone 11 series smartphones. The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max will feature upgraded triple-lens cameras, which is certainly nice considering how far Apple has fallen behind market leaders like Huawei and Google. Beyond that, however, we're looking at new iPhone 11 models that look just like iPhone XS models from last year and the iPhone X from two years ago. And yet... despite how boring Apple's 2019 iPhone upgrade is shaping up to be, the companies unreleased iPhone 11 series smartphones still garner so much more hype than Android rivals. There's just something about Apple's iPhones that people can't seem to stay away from, and people are constantly trying to figure out exactly what it is. There are undoubtedly plenty of different reasons people have for choosing an iPhone over Android smartphones, but a new informal survey that was recently conducted suggested that one of the biggest reasons is something you would probably never expect.A Redditor who goes by the name "jackharvest" posted earlier this week in the Android subreddit to share an interesting story. He works in IT at an unnamed company, and his team noticed something crazy: of the 500 employees at the company, only 8 of them chose to use an Android phone. Everyone else -- all 492 of them -- chose an iPhone over Android phones.The IT team was so intrigued that it decided to issue a survey to ask employees why they chose the iPhone over Android. According to the Redditor, more than half of the iPhone users at the company gave the same answer. Did they choose Apple's iPhone over an Android handset because the design and build quality are so much better? Was it because iPhones always outperform even the most powerful Android flagships in real-life speed tests? Or perhaps it was because they all prefer the simplicity and ease of use that iOS offers compared to Android.Nope, it wasn't any of that. It was because they didn't want to be "green bubbles," a reference to the fact that iMessage chats in the iPhone's Messages app use blue bubbles while SMS chats are displayed with green bubbles. Forget all of the great advantages iPhones might offer, iMessage is the main reason all these people wanted an iPhone. 98% of the employees at this company went with Apple over Android, and for the majority of them, it was mainly because of a single service.Now, commenters on Reddit were quick to point out that this phenomenon is unique to the United States and perhaps a handful of other regions, and they're correct. Cross-platform messaging apps from third-party app makers are popular in the US, but SMS and iMessage are still widely used. That's not the case in many other markets -- SMS has been almost completely abandoned in favor of messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and others. The US is one of the biggest smartphone markets in the world though, and it's pretty crazy to think that the desire to be a blue bubble is still such a huge deciding factor for people here. Meanwhile, Google continues to flounder in all of its attempts to produce a similar messaging service for Android with anywhere near the kind of lock-in we've seen with iMessage.
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| Pork Producers, Corn Growers Urge Trump to Drop Mexico Tariffs Posted: 31 May 2019 12:22 PM PDT  The president said Thursday that 5% duties could be placed on all imports from Mexico on June 10, rising in increments to 25% in October unless Mexico halts the flow of immigrants heading to the U.S. border. "We appeal to President Trump to reconsider plans to open a new trade dispute with Mexico," David Herring, president of the National Pork Producers Council and a hog farmer from Lillington, North Carolina, said Friday in an emailed statement.
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| Taiwan's military trains for a Chinese invasion on the beach Posted: 30 May 2019 03:01 AM PDT  FANGSHAN, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwanese tanks and soldiers fired at simulated Chinese forces and assault helicopters launched missiles in an anti-invasion drill Thursday on a beach on the island's southern coast.
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| Scouted: Save On Dozens of Cole Haan Styles During Nordstrom Rack’s Flash Sale Posted: 30 May 2019 11:00 AM PDT  If you're in the process of taking stock of your shoe collection and just can't seem to find that one shoe that really feels like you, look no further than Nordstrom Rack's sale on Cole Haan styles for both men and women.This sale has something for everyone and it's perfect timing seeing as finally (finally!) the weather is getting nice. There are tons of sandals for women like the Fernanda Grand Flat Sandal, down to $70. Or go for the breathable go-anywhere-do-anything Ella 2.0 Stitchlite Oxford Sneaker, the perfect pair for shorts or skirts in the breezy summer weather. It's on sale for $80. Men can shop the ever-popular oxfords, like the $90 Original Grand Wingtip Leather Derby that can take you from boardroom to drinks without trouble. Or prepare for the cooler weather with a pair of the Watson II Chukka Boot, down to $130. There are multiple pages to this sale, so you'll be sure to find something to add to your shoe wardrobe.Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.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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| Cadillac expands high-performance V-Series with new CT4-V and CT5-V sedans Posted: 31 May 2019 03:02 AM PDT  Cadillac has unveiled a pair of brand-new models that take their place within the company's high-performance V-Series sub-brand: the 2020 CT4-V and CT5-V. Following the announcement of the latest CT6-V sedan earlier this year, a model added to the segment in March of 2018, Cadillac on Thursday revealed two additional brand-new sedans that will be joining the V-Series lineup for the 2020 model year: the CT4-V and the CT5-V. The two luxury sedans will be effectively replacing the ATS-V and CTS-V that are nearing the end of their careers, replacements that are likely to underwhelm those who have a need for speed.
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| UPDATE 4-Russia says an end to fighting in Syria's Idlib is Turkey's responsibility Posted: 31 May 2019 12:50 AM PDT ![UPDATE 4-Russia says an end to fighting in Syria's Idlib is Turkey's responsibility]( "UPDATE 4-Russia says an end to fighting in Syria's Idlib is Turkey's responsibility") MOSCOW/ANKARA, May 31 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Friday it was Turkey's responsibility to stop rebels in Syria's Idlib province from firing on civilian and Russian targets, signaling it would continue to back a Syrian government offensive there despite Ankara's protests. The month-long offensive, the biggest escalation of the war between President Bashar al-Assad and his insurgent enemies since last summer, has raised fears of a humanitarian crisis as thousands of people shelter from air strikes at the Turkish border.
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| India's new government signals Hindu and India-first goals Posted: 31 May 2019 03:58 AM PDT  NEW DELHI (AP) — India's newly sworn-in Prime Minister Narendra Modi named a Cabinet on Friday, handing the powerful home affairs portfolio to the president of his Hindu nationalist party credited with delivering him a thunderous reelection and appointing a former diplomat to signal the government's focus on foreign policy.
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| Galaxy S11 rumored to deliver Samsung’s next big camera innovations Posted: 31 May 2019 12:24 PM PDT  When the Galaxy Note 10 launches about two months from now, it'll deliver a novel design, maybe the kind of radical update that removes all physical buttons and the headphone jack. Yup, the audio port seems to be history, at least on the Note line. The phone is also expected to sport an S Pen stylus with improved functionality, as well as faster battery charging technology. But what the Galaxy Note 10 won't deliver, in spite of getting a brand new camera system, is a better camera experience than the Galaxy S10 phones. That's because a rumor says Samsung's next major camera evolution is planned for next year's Galaxy S11 instead.That's not to say the Galaxy Note 10 camera will be disappointing. It'll definitely be an upgrade over last year's Note 9, which is already quite impressive. Samsung's triple-lens-or-better module is coming to the upcoming Note 10 series, according to a leak from earlier this week. It's going to have a different placement on the back of the phone compared with the previous Note, but it'll probably get most or even all of the Galaxy S10's camera features.The news comes from Samsung insider Ice Universe, who said on Twitter that the Galaxy Note 10 will be Samsung's last "last 1/2.55-inch 1.4um CMOS flagship phone," which Samsung has been using for four years. The leaker also said the Galaxy S11 will get a new "large-size large-pixel CMOS."https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1133554761393795073According to the same leaker, the Galaxy Note 10 won't pack optical zoom capabilities similar to what you might find from the competition -- namely the Huawei P30 Pro. Samsung has tested 10x optical zoom on phones, but the components apparently require too much space inside the phone.https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1133553896499007488Samsung has created its own 5x optical zoom camera that will compete against the Huawei P30 Pro, but it'll launch it on new Galaxy A series mid-range phones at first, not the Note 10.https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1133551214417698816Samsung will unveil the Note 10 phones in August, so there's plenty of time left to learn everything about their rear and front-facing cameras.
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| Jussie Smollett: Possible deal was in the works a month before charges dropped, documents show Posted: 31 May 2019 07:59 AM PDT  New documents on the Jussie Smollett case show that prosecutors told Chicago police detectives that a possible deal with the actor was in the works a month before charges against him were dropped.Smollett was charged in March with 16 counts alleging he lied to police when reporting he'd been the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack in January. Police contend the black and openly gay actor allegedly staged the attack because he was unhappy with his salary and wanted publicity.Prosecutors dropped charges on 26 March without Smollett admitting guilt. Then Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and police Superintendent Eddie Johnson expressed outrage over the prosecutors' decision. Smollett has maintained his innocence. The approximately 460 pages of new documents show that detectives investigating Smollett's allegations were told by Cook County prosecutors a deal with the Empire actor could include a $10,000 fine and community service. The detectives did not pass the information to superiors. "They didn't pass it on because they didn't know it (the case) was going to be handled the way it was," said Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. In the documents released on Thursday, detectives note the Chicago Police Department was informed by the Cook County State's Attorney's office on 28 February that they could no longer investigate the crime. Smollett was indicted on 7 March. The lead investigators in the case met with Assistant State's Attorney Risa Lanier, who informed detectives "that she felt the case would be settled with Smollett paying the city of Chicago $10,000 in restitution and doing community service". The detectives closed the case at that point because an arrest was made and the alleged offender was being prosecuted, according to Guglielmi.It was the attorneys for Smollett who announced charges alleging he lied to police about attack had been dropped. At the time, Johnson said he learned of the deal prosecutors made with Smollett when the deal was announced by lawyers, adding he didn't think justice was being served. However, he didn't directly criticise prosecutors."My job as a police officer is to investigate an incident, gather evidence, gather the facts and present them to the state's attorney," Johnson said. "That's what we did. I stand behind the detectives' investigation." The Illinois Prosecutors Bar Association said the dismissal of the charges was "an affront to prosecutors across the state" as well as police, victims of hate crimes and the county as a whole.The city of Chicago is seeking $130,000 from Smollett to cover the costs of the investigation into his reported beating. The city claims about two dozen detectives and officers investigated the entertainer's report that he was attacked, resulting in a "substantial number of overtime hours."Additional reporting by agencies
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| Ford Hikes the 2020 Mustang Bullitt's Price by $1215 Posted: 30 May 2019 12:08 PM PDT  Other Mustangs see only a $250 increase in base price.
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| Kanye West talks about his mental health struggles: 'You pretty much don't trust anyone' Posted: 31 May 2019 05:43 AM PDT  The two men discussed a number of hot-button topics from Me Too and mental illness to President Trump.
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| Nicolas Maduro Has Stripped Venezuela of Its Democratic Future Posted: 30 May 2019 05:54 AM PDT  As on-again off-again negotiations for Venezuela's future start up again in Norway, both the Maduro regime and the constitutional interim government seek a knockout blow that neither has yet been able to deliver. But the status quo is unsustainable; without a dramatic course correction Venezuela is headed for national collapse.On January 23, 2019, Juan Guaido claimed the interim presidency according to Venezuela's constitution. Nicolas Maduro's term expired on January 10; his 2018 "re-election" was a deeply flawed, cynical manipulation of the voting process widely rejected by the international community including the Organization of American States. Over fifty nations now recognize Guaido as the legitimate, albeit temporary, leader. The coup de main was intended to be a May 1 uprising led by senior regime officials. They planned to force Maduro into exile and install Guiado to organize new elections. In the end, word leaked, the timeline was accelerated, and the plan was ultimately aborted.
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| PHOTO GALLERY: Looking back at hurricane damage Posted: 31 May 2019 11:37 AM PDT  Crews with bulldozers and dump trucks have removed tons of debris from the Florida Panhandle since Hurricane Michael slammed ashore in October, wrecking miles of homes and businesses, yet signs of the storm's fury remain everywhere as hurricane season approaches. In south Florida, where Hurricane Andrew caused devastation in 1992, few physical signs of damage remain. The scene isn't much different in Panama City, which thousands of residents left after Michael and still haven't returned.
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| China willing to meet reasonable rare earth demand from other countries Posted: 30 May 2019 01:08 AM PDT  China is willing to meet reasonable demand for rare earths from other countries, but it would be unacceptable that countries using Chinese rare earths to manufacture products would turn around and suppress China, its commerce ministry said. President Xi Jinping's visit to a rare earths plant last week had sparked speculation that China would use its dominant position as an exporter of rare earths to the United States as leverage in the trade war.
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| Nevada governor vetoes national popular vote compact Posted: 30 May 2019 03:41 PM PDT  CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada will not join a cohort of other U.S. states that have pledged their Electoral College votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.
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| Google quietly ruined Chrome, and we almost missed it Posted: 31 May 2019 02:20 PM PDT  Google's Chrome is the most popular way to browse the web on desktop and mobile, thanks to a combination of features that make it a reliable, albeit sometimes resource-intensive, app. However, Google's recent moves are going to ruin the Chrome experience for many users, and we nearly missed them.Google a few months ago announced a proposal to change the way Chrome extensions work, which would prevent current ad blockers from working. Google received plenty of negative feedback from users, but this hasn't deterred the company from going forward with these plans.Google a few days ago responded to some of the criticism (via 9to5Google) regarding its Manifest V3 changes, explaining what will change going forward. The company confirmed that the ad blocking capabilities of Chrome would no longer be available to regular Chrome users. Chrome will still block content if you're a paid, enterprise user of Chrome.A Google's spokesperson told 9to5Google that "Chrome supports the use and development of ad blockers," adding that Google is "actively working with the developer community to get feedback and iterate on the design of a privacy-preserving content filtering system that limits the amount of sensitive browser data shared with third parties."However, as the blog points out, the Chrome changes will make it impossible for most Chrome ad blockers to work in the near future. Google's moves aren't surprising, considering that it makes money from advertising. Alphabet noted in a recent SEC Form 10-K filing that ad blocking extensions are a "risk factor" to revenue:> New and existing technologies could affect our ability to customize ads and/or could block ads online, which would harm our business.> > Technologies have been developed to make customizable ads more difficult or to block the display of ads altogether, and some providers of online services have integrated technologies that could potentially impair the core functionality of third-party digital advertising. Most of our Google revenues are derived from fees paid to us in connection with the display of ads online. As a result, such technologies and tools could adversely affect our operating results.What's also interesting is that Google made it clear during I/O 2019 that it wants to offer better privacy and security to users, something that seemed to go against its bottom line. Google tried to redefine privacy to suit it needs around that time. The fact that it's trying to protect the customizable ads that it sells to businesses is also an indication that Google won't give up collecting user data anytime soon.In Google's defense, we'll remind you the company is looking to improve the advertising experience on the web, and prevent the kind of annoying ads that you'd use ad blockers to stop from appearing in the first place.Also, in the same response, Google said that future versions of Chrome will make it easier for end-users to deal with permissions that extensions require and force developers to inform end-users of what data their extensions will access. The move is meant to protect privacy and prevent abuse, which is certainly laudable. However, that doesn't minimize the fact that Google plans to temporarily or permanently disable third-party ad blockers.
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| 12 Dead After Virginia Beach Employee Opens Fire at Work, Police Say Posted: 31 May 2019 05:35 PM PDT  L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot/APA Virginia Beach employee shot and killed 12 people inside the city's municipal complex where he worked on Friday, authorities said. The death toll would have been greater if not for a ferocious gun battle with cops that killed the gunman.Four police officers emptied all of their ammunition at the suspect, Virginia Beach Police Chief James Cevera said at a press conference late Friday night. One officer was shot but saved by his armored vest, Cevera said.Four people are being treated for injuries at local hospitals, he said. The shooter was a longtime utilities employee, according to Cevera, who said he would name the suspect at a later time. Cevera declined to offer a motive, citing the investigation's early stages.Multiple news outlets identified the suspect as DeWayne Craddock, 40.Craddock was listed an engineer in the Virginia Beach public utilities department, according to official websites and news reports. State records show Craddock first received a professional engineer license in 2008. He graduated from Old Dominion University in 2002 with a degree in civil engineering, according to a 2003 biography posted on a local engineering firm where he apparently used to work. His criminal record appears confined to traffic tickets, according to public records.The shooting began shortly after 4 p.m. when the gunman shot one person in a vehicle outside Building 2 of the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, which accommodates up to 400 workers in the utilities and public works departments, Cevera said. The suspect entered the building using access available as an employee, he added.Armed with a .45-caliber handgun outfitted with a suppressor, Cevera said the suspect fired indiscriminately on multiple levels of the building. When the call came out, four officers immediately responded: two veteran supervisors of the detectives bureau and two canine handlers, Cevera said. They located the gunman by the crack of gunfire and began what Cevera described as a "long-term gun battle.""The suspect was reloading extended magazines in that handgun, firing at victims throughout the building, and at our officers," Cevera said.Officers exchanged fire down a hallway and mortally wounded the suspect. "The officers stopped this individual from committing more carnage in that building," Cevera said.Victims were found on all three floors and one outside, he said. "Even though he was involved in a long-term moving gun battle with these officers, when he went down, they did what cops do and they rendered first aid to this individual," Cevera said.One officer was shot in his armored vest but will survive, he said, adding the officers were recovering from seeing "what could best be described as a war zone." "Police work the scene where eleven people were killed during a mass shooting at the Virginia Beach city public works building, Friday, May 31, 2019 in Virginia Beach, Va. A longtime, disgruntled city employee opened fire at a municipal building in Virginia Beach on Friday, killing 11 people before police fatally shot him, authorities said. Six other people were wounded in the shooting, including a police officer whose bulletproof vest saved his life, said Virginia Beach Police Chief James Cervera. L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot/AP"Today is Virginia Beach's darkest hour," Mayor Bobby Dyer said. "A senseless crime happened and imposed tremendous grief on the people of Virginia Beach, the commonwealth, and the country."Megan Banton, who worked in the Public Works building where the shooting took place, told Channel 13 NewsNow she and about 20 of her colleagues barricaded themselves inside their offices with their desks. Banton said she heard gunshots, and police yelling for people to "get down.""I just don't know why anyone would do something like that," Banton told the station. "I don't know what would possess somebody to come in and just start shooting at people.""Police work the scene where eleven people were killed during a mass shooting at the Virginia Beach city public works building, Friday, May 31, 2019 in Virginia Beach, Va. A longtime, disgruntled city employee opened fire at a municipal building in Virginia Beach on Friday, killing 11 people before police fatally shot him, authorities said. Six other people were wounded in the shooting, including a police officer whose bulletproof vest saved his life, said Virginia Beach Police Chief James Cervera. L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot/APCity Councilwoman Barbara Henley told The Virginian-Pilot that she pulled up to City Hall at around 4 p.m. when she heard sirens and saw police."I thought it was an accident," Henley told the newspaper, adding that someone outside the building had told her to get out of the area. She said she got back into her car and drove home after she heard someone yell, "Get down!""I was scared to death," she said.Henley said security had been "beefed up" in nearby city hall in response to shootings across the nation, but not all of the buildings in the complex."Police work the scene where eleven people were killed during a mass shooting at the Virginia Beach city public works building, Friday, May 31, 2019 in Virginia Beach, Va. A longtime, disgruntled city employee opened fire at a municipal building in Virginia Beach on Friday, killing 11 people before police fatally shot him, authorities said. Six other people were wounded in the shooting, including a police officer whose bulletproof vest saved his life, said Virginia Beach Police Chief James Cervera. L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot/AP\-- Adam Rawnsley contributed reportingRead 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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| Volkswagen's Atlas Cross Sport Two-Row SUV Is Almost Here Posted: 31 May 2019 09:02 AM PDT  Spy photos show the mid-size SUV is close to production ready.
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| Trump plans to use tariffs to force Mexico to stop migrants Posted: 30 May 2019 07:49 PM PDT  "These are not tariffs as part of a trade dispute, these are tariffs as part of immigration matter," he said.
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| JPMorgan Chase settles case with male employees over paid parental leave Posted: 31 May 2019 09:14 AM PDT ![JPMorgan Chase settles case with male employees over paid parental leave]( "JPMorgan Chase settles case with male employees over paid parental leave") JPMorgan Chase reached a settlement with male employees who accused the company of denying them paid parental leave.
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| Cancer causes dad to lose eye, but not sense of humor Posted: 31 May 2019 11:22 AM PDT  A dad suffering from a watery eye for six months was horrified when it turned out to be facial cancer. After doctors had to remove his right eye and part of his nose to tackle the tumor, he was left with extensive scarring.
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