| Trump Administration Orders Russia To Close Several Diplomatic Facilities In U.S. Posted: 31 Aug 2017 10:26 AM PDT  WASHINGTON ― The Trump administration ordered Russia to close three diplomatic facilities in the U.S., the latest move in a series of escalating diplomatic slights between the two countries.
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| Police find van of family of 6 believed to have been swept away by Hurricane Harvey Posted: 30 Aug 2017 11:07 AM PDT  Officials announced on Twitter they have located a van they believe may have belonged to a family of six who was swept away by raging flood waters brought by Hurricane Harvey on Monday.
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| Cowboys rescue terrified horse from drowning in flooded pen during Hurricane Harvey Posted: 30 Aug 2017 08:00 AM PDT  A horse stranded in a flooded paddock in Cleveland, Texas, was rescued by a pair of heroic cowboys on Monday as flood waters continued to rise around it in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Chance Ward, who runs a local feed and tack business, posted a video on Facebook showing his 17-year-old son, Rowdy, working quickly to rescue the panicked animal from the neck-deep water slowly rising around it.
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| Federal Air Marshals Say TSA Separated Them From Families During Harvey Posted: 30 Aug 2017 03:33 PM PDT  With the hurricane closing in, agents asked to return to their families in Houston. They were refused.
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| UN nuclear agency rejects Iran's stance on military sites Posted: 31 Aug 2017 01:19 PM PDT  VIENNA (AP) — The top U.N. official monitoring Iran's nuclear program on Thursday rejected Tehran's claim that its military sites were off-limits to inspection, saying his agency needs access to all "relevant locations" if suspicions arise of possible hidden atomic activities.
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| Danger in the Water: High Levels of Unsafe Bacteria Found in Harvey Floodwaters Posted: 31 Aug 2017 12:56 PM PDT  Microbiologists have found that the bacteria levels in the water are 125 times higher than what is considered safe for swimming.
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| Texans Form Human Chain To Rescue Driver From Sinking Car Posted: 30 Aug 2017 10:15 AM PDT  Dozens of good samaritans were filmed braving rising floodwaters in Houston this week to rescue a stranded motorist who was trapped in a sinking car.
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| U.S. forces Russia to close three diplomatic offices ‘in the spirit of parity’ Posted: 31 Aug 2017 10:39 AM PDT  Last month, the United States was ordered to cut in half its diplomatic and technical staff in Russia. Now Russia is being asked to close its consulate in San Francisco and annex buildings in Washington, D.C., and New York City.
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| When Rescue Efforts Seemed Impossible, Texas Civilians Performed Miracles Posted: 30 Aug 2017 06:43 AM PDT  HOUSTON ― Driving toward downtown Houston has been a near impossibility in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
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| U.S.-led jets strike in Syria to block Islamic State evacuation deal Posted: 30 Aug 2017 02:19 PM PDT  By Sarah Dadouch and Angus McDowall BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S.-led warplanes on Wednesday blocked a convoy of Islamic State fighters and their families from reaching territory the group holds in eastern Syria and struck some of their comrades traveling to meet them, a coalition spokesman said. The strikes were aimed at stopping an evacuation deal for Islamic State fighters to leave their enclave on the Lebanon-Syria border for areas they hold in eastern Syria, arranged by the Lebanese Hezbollah group and the Syrian army. It was part of a ceasefire agreed after offensives last week by the Lebanese army on one front, and the Syrian army and Hezbollah on another, that pushed Islamic State back into a small part of its enclave straddling the frontier.
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| Kitchen Paint Colors Ideas and Inspiration Posted: 31 Aug 2017 07:57 AM PDT |
| Before and after photos: Harvey's devastating floods are clearly visible from space Posted: 31 Aug 2017 01:57 PM PDT  Even from space, the flooding disaster caused by Hurricane Harvey is clear as day. New images taken by DigitalGlobe's WorldView-2 satellite show the catastrophic flooding in Texas left in the wake of Harvey this week. The new photos are particularly striking when compared with earlier images taken from orbit that show green fields instead of brown, flooded land. SEE ALSO: Tropical Storm Harvey's mind-blowing stats "Since Aug. 19, DigitalGlobe's constellation of five high-resolution imaging satellites has taken 77 images of the Texas coastline, totaling more than 180,000 square kilometers from Corpus Christi to Port Arthur," DigitalGlobe said in a statement. "Now that the clouds have parted, the imagery is starting to reveal the vast impact of the flooding across the region." Angleton, TX on April 6, 2017Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Angleton, TX on August 30, 2017Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Brookshire, TX on November 20, 2016Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Brookshire, TX on August 2016Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Harvey is a record-setting beast of a storm. The storm, which initially hit land as a Category 4 hurricane but then transitioned into a tenacious tropical storm, is now considered the most extreme rainstorm in recorded U.S. history. Harvey dumped more than 19 trillion gallons of water on Texas in less than a week. The storm produced 51.88 inches of rain at Cedar Bayou, Texas, beating the all-time state and continental U.S. rainfall records for the heaviest rainfall ever seen in a tropical storm or hurricane. In addition, Harvey brought 30-inches or more of rain to such a large area that it qualifies as an unprecedented rainfall event since record-keeping began in the U.S. 1895. A staggering 23 locations in Texas saw 40 inches or more of rain. To put this into perspective, some areas saw a year's worth of rain in just 4 days or less. Holiday Lakes, TX on April 3, 2017Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Holiday Lakes, TX on August 30, 2017Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Rosenberg, TX on April 3, 2017Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Rosenberg, TX on August 30, 2017Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe In Beaumont, Texas on Aug. 29, 26.03 inches of rain fell in 24 hours. That obliterated the previous record for the wettest day and even beat that city's all-time monthly rainfall record by nearly 4 inches. DigitalGlobe is planning to provide their images for recovery efforts. The full impact of the devastation caused by Harvey is only just starting to become clear as the storm moves away from Texas. Wharton, TX on October 9, 2016Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Wharton, TX on August 30, 2017Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Wharton, TX on October 9, 2016Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Wharton, TX on August 30, 2017Image: satellite image ©2017 DigitalGlobe Andrew Freedman contributed reporting to this story. WATCH: Catastrophic floods turn Texas highway into a large body of water with intense waves
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| Poll: Young Americans view Trump unfavorably Posted: 31 Aug 2017 01:00 AM PDT  Very few young people approve of the job President Donald Trump is doing in office.
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| Meet the Man Who Turned His Furniture Stores Into Shelters for Harvey Victims Posted: 30 Aug 2017 01:50 PM PDT  The popular furniture store owner is now housing 400 displaced residents
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| A Look At Mecca, Islam's Holiest Site, At The Height Of The Hajj Pilgrimage Posted: 31 Aug 2017 01:44 PM PDT  The annual Hajj pilgrimage is one of the world's largest religious gatherings, as some 2 million people flock to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to participate in one of Islam's five pillars of faith.
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| Beaumont, Texas, In Crisis After City Loses Water Supply Indefinitely Posted: 31 Aug 2017 06:58 AM PDT  BEAUMONT ― Residents of this city in eastern Texas are desperate for clean water after the main municipal water pumps failed due to flooding.
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| Feds: Ex-inmate with ISIS flag tattoo arrested in gun sting Posted: 31 Aug 2017 03:42 PM PDT  McLEAN, Va. (AP) — An ex-convict arrested Thursday on a gun charge became a supporter of the Islamic state group radicalized during his incarceration and wanted to join the organization overseas, according to an FBI affidavit.
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| Conservative Texans Love To Fight The Feds Until They Need Them Posted: 31 Aug 2017 09:39 AM PDT  WASHINGTON ― For Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), suing the federal government is a point of pride.
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| Teen saves horse trapped by Harvey's rising floodwaters with dad's help Posted: 29 Aug 2017 07:08 PM PDT  For days, Chance Ward and his son have been wading through deep water on horseback to save animals trapped by Tropical Storm Harvey's torrential rain. Ward, of Cleveland, Texas, shared pictures and videos of their rescue efforts on Facebook, highlighting just how devastated the region has become. One video that shows his 17-year-old son, Rowdy, letting loose a horse locked inside a pen as water rises above the fidgety animal's legs has gone viral, reaching 8.9 million views since it was posted Monday. SEE ALSO: Houston's local businesses pitch in as Harvey's flooding wreaks havoc "This is what we do, we help livestock. We try to help people," Ward wrote on Facebook. On Tuesday, Ward posted he had saved another four horses and he worked with several others to bring hundreds of cattle to higher ground. Another video shows him helping a man and his swimming dog. Mashable reached out to Ward for further comment. In a touching Facebook post, Ward reflects on helping the animals in need alongside his son. Harvey, which made landfall as a powerful hurricane on Friday and has continued to burden the Gulf Coast of Texas as a tropical storm, has set an all-time continental U.S. rainfall record of 51.88 inches. The rain slowed Tuesday evening in the Houston area, but the flooding emergencies continue. Harvey's wet wrath will hit Louisiana, coastal Mississippi, and Alabama, as well. Ward, his son, and their fellow helpers are not the only citizen saviors. Others have also come out to help people trapped by the devastating flood waters in Texas, including volunteer-led grassroots organizations such as the Cajun Navy, Louisiana Navy, and Texas Navy. "We make livestock our first priority, as I know many are helping people," Ward wrote on Facebook. WATCH: Hurricane Harvey is the strongest hurricane to hit the US in 12 years
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| ‘Daily Show’ Tears Down Confederate Statue Arguments Posted: 31 Aug 2017 08:01 AM PDT  "Washington and Jefferson are known for a lot of reasons," says Wood. "You only know Robert E. Lee because he fought to keep slavery."
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| Clinton Library shares archived image of Princess Diana meeting with Hillary Clinton Posted: 31 Aug 2017 09:04 AM PDT  The Clinton Library marked the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana's death on Thursday, sharing an archived image of the late Royal and former first lady Hillary Clinton.
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| North Korea launch increases focus on risky U.S. shootdown option Posted: 30 Aug 2017 12:54 PM PDT  North Korea's firing of a ballistic missile over Japan could increase pressure on Washington to consider shooting down future test launches, although there is no guarantee of success and U.S. officials are wary of a dangerous escalation with Pyongyang.
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| These Awesome Off-Road Rigs Are Rescuing People in Houston Posted: 30 Aug 2017 11:36 AM PDT  Calling all Texas truck owners.
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| The 77 Most Delish Casseroles Posted: 31 Aug 2017 12:14 PM PDT |
| Muslims Opening Their Doors To Flood Victims: 'We Feel And Suffer The Same' Posted: 30 Aug 2017 11:00 AM PDT  Shazia Ashraf watched from a boat as her mattress floated in six feet of water in her Houston home.
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| Texas Mother Dies Saving 3-Year-Old Daughter From Harvey Floods Posted: 30 Aug 2017 12:33 AM PDT  A 41-year-old woman who was trying to save herself and her child died on Tuesday afternoon after being swept away by floodwaters in Beaumont, Texas, police said.
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| Judge Blocks Texas Immigration Crackdown Posted: 30 Aug 2017 05:40 PM PDT  AUSTIN, Texas ― A federal judge on Wednesday blocked most of a state immigration crackdown two days before it was set to go into effect on Sept. 1, offering a major victory for opponents as a tropical storm ravages the state and local officials struggle to assure immigrants it's safe to seek help.
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| 16 Non-Alcoholic Drinks That Are Perfect for the Holidays Posted: 30 Aug 2017 03:51 PM PDT |
| Iraq announces another major victory over IS jihadists Posted: 31 Aug 2017 11:08 AM PDT  Iraq declared on Thursday that its forces had retaken the northern city of Tal Afar and the surrounding region, in another major victory over Islamic State group jihadists. IS, which seized nearly a third of Iraq in 2014 in a humiliating defeat for the army and police, now controls barely 10 percent of the country, according to the US-led international coalition ranged against the jihadists. The fall of Tal Afar, located in the northern province of Nineveh, deprives IS of what was once a key supply hub between its territory in Iraq and neighbouring Syria.
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| Hungry North Korean soldiers 'ordered to steal corn because war is imminent' Posted: 31 Aug 2017 03:20 AM PDT  As North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un boasts of his military prowess and flaunts his high tech weapons to the world, his malnourished soldiers are said to be stealing corn from fields to stave off hunger pangs. Officers are ordering their troops to supplement their meagre food rations by plundering local fields, in order to keep up their strength for battle, according to a report in the Daily NK. "The military officers are instructing their soldiers, exhausted after training, to eat corn in the fields because war is imminent," a source in North Hamgyong Province told the news website. Inside North Korea "They are even threatening their soldiers, saying: if you become malnourished despite permission to eat the corn, you will face difficulties." Another source in Ryanggang Province claimed that soldiers carrying big sacks of unripened corn had frequently been spotted trying to sell their wares at markets. The desperate conditions of his army paints a stark contrast with Mr Kim's brash threats since he fired a ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over a target strike exercise conducted by the special operation forces of the Korean People's Army Credit: AFP On Wednesday he hailed the test as a "good experience in…rocket operation for an actual war" and as a "meaningful prelude to containing" Guam, the US Pacific territory he threatened with missile strikes earlier this month. North Korean citizens, some of whom now have to guard their fields from marauding troops, are reported to be unimpressed by his bravado. "An increasing number of residents are pointing out that, for them, provoking the US is a losing battle," the Daily NK reported. Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers applaud as they watch a screen showing the missile test launch, in Pyongyang Credit: AFP
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| How to See The Biggest Asteroid to Pass Earth Since Records Began Posted: 31 Aug 2017 08:16 AM PDT  Florence is nearly 3 miles across
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| Chris Christie: Ted Cruz Is Lying About Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill Posted: 30 Aug 2017 02:01 AM PDT  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) didn't hold back in attacking Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for saying he opposed a Hurricane Sandy relief package because "two-thirds of the bill" had nothing to do with the disaster.
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| Receding waters reveal Harvey's devastation as death toll reaches 35 Posted: 31 Aug 2017 01:49 PM PDT  Members of the Nguyen family return to their home for the first time since Harvey floodwaters arrived. Rescuers continued plucking people from floodwaters across Texas on Thursday even as waters receded from Houston, revealing swathes of devastation wrought by former hurricane Harvey. Donald Trump pledged to donate $1m in personal funds to the relief effort.
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| Teen in fatal New Mexico library shooting remains detained Posted: 31 Aug 2017 02:24 PM PDT  CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico judge on Thursday ordered the teenager accused of fatally shooting two workers inside a public library and wounding four other people to remain in custody after prosecutors said he posed a threat to himself and others.
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| Kamala Harris To Co-Sponsor Bernie Sanders' Single Payer Bill Posted: 31 Aug 2017 07:41 AM PDT  on Wednesday became the first senator to announce that she would co-sponsor legislation adopting a national, single-payer health insurance system that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) plans to introduce in the coming weeks.
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| Spain admits receiving Barcelona attack warning Posted: 31 Aug 2017 07:49 AM PDT  Spain received a warning in May that the Islamic State group was planning an attack in Barcelona but decided it lacked credibility, Catalan regional authorities said Thursday. The daily El Periodico de Cataluna reported that the US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) had alerted Spanish intelligence officers to the threat weeks before a man ploughed his van into crowds of tourists along Barcelona's Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, killing 14 people. "Unsubstantiated information of unknown veracity from late May 2017 indicated that the Islamic State of Irak and ash-Sham (ISIS) was planning to conducted unspecified terrorist attacks during the summer against crowded tourist sites in Barcelona, Spain, specifically La Rambla street," according to what the paper claims was an NCTC briefing note dated May 25.
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| China questions German minister's 'one Europe' comments Posted: 31 Aug 2017 12:13 PM PDT  China expressed dismay Thursday after Germany's foreign minister said Beijing should not "attempt to divide us" following complaints China uses its status as an investor to influence European Union decisions.
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| Pastor tries to explain why megachurch didn't open sooner for Harvey victims Posted: 31 Aug 2017 02:20 AM PDT  Pastor Joel Osteen has defended not opening his megachurch sooner to help Hurricane Harvey victims, claiming the city "didn't ask" for his help. Osteen, a senior pastor at the 16,000-capacity Christian Lakewood Church in Houston, was heavily criticised over accusations he initially failed to offer shelter to flooding victims. The Lakewood megachurch Credit: Reuters Joel Osteen has a HUGE church in Houston that would make a great shelter. pic.twitter.com/byqHxXrHQn— Brasilmagic (@Brasilmagic) August 28, 2017 The 54-year-old televangelist, who appeared to backtrack by later opening his doors to those left homeless, has now shifted the blame onto Houston city officials. "We were just being precautious, but the main thing is the city didn't ask us to become a shelter then," he told NBC's Today Show. WATCH: "We were just being precautious, but the main thing is the city didn't ask us to become a shelter then." -Pastor @JoelOsteenpic.twitter.com/Qdn5vgm09H— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 30, 2017 He added that opening the church was unsafe at the height of the flooding, explaining: "We're all about helping people, this is what the church, and our church, is all about. "I don't know if (the criticism) is unfounded, but if people were here they would realise there was safety issues, this building had flooded before." Victoria and I care deeply about our fellow Houstonians. Lakewood's doors are open and we are receiving anyone who needs shelter.— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 29, 2017 Thank you Houston. Your response has been overwhelming. We cannot thank enough the hundreds upon hundreds of volunteers who came out today! pic.twitter.com/hI1jl5Sry8— Lakewood Church (@lakewoodch) August 29, 2017 New statement from @JoelOsteen and Lakewood Church in regards to Hurricane Harvey backlash pic.twitter.com/KLMNYysc6s— Anastasia (@AnastasiaElyseW) August 29, 2017 Osteen continued: "It's easy to say, 'Wow, there's that building. They're not using it.' But we don't have volunteers. "We don't have staff that could get here. We're all about helping the city whenever we could - if they would have asked us to become a shelter early on, we would have prepared for it." Houston's @indivisible_usa is acquainted with @JoelOsteen's Lakewood Church. They took these pics about an hour ago w/ commentary. pic.twitter.com/YTWrD9UG1z— Charles Clymer��️�� (@cmclymer) August 28, 2017 The church initially said it was "inaccessible due to severe flooding", however photos shared on social media showed no flood damage and suggested it could be reached. One critic tweeted the pastor: "If you were a real Christian, you'd be opening your doors to your displaced neighbours." The church later opened its doors Credit: AP Pastor Osteen responded to the criticism, insisting: "We have never closed our doors." The church later opened its doors to flood victims following the barrage of online criticism. Meanwhile, many inspiring acts of heroism and kindness have emerged from the devastation of Harvey. Hurricane Harvey hits Texas, in pictures
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| Colorado Construction Crew Finds 66-Million-Year-Old Triceratops Fossil Posted: 31 Aug 2017 11:22 AM PDT  A Colorado scientist says he's "over the moon" after a construction crew in the city of Thornton reportedly stumbled upon a triceratops fossil last week.
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| The World's Driest Desert Blooms With Hundreds Of Flowers After Rare Rain Posted: 31 Aug 2017 09:49 AM PDT  The Atacama desert in Chile, widely referred to as the world's driest desert, is currently experiencing a truly breathtaking phenomenon.
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