| Trump overruled Mattis on Congress vote on Syria strikes: NYT Posted: 17 Apr 2018 01:54 PM PDT  Rachel Maddow shares breaking news from the New York Times that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis wanted Donald Trump to get congressional approval before military strikes on Syria but was overruled by Trump.
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| NYC Removes Statue Honoring 19th Century Surgeon Who Experimented On Female Slaves Posted: 17 Apr 2018 08:01 AM PDT  New York City workers removed a Central Park statue on Tuesday commemorating
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| Unarmed Black Man Killed In 'Mind-Boggling,' Unjustified Barrage Of Police Gunfire: Lawyer Posted: 18 Apr 2018 09:07 AM PDT  A lawyer representing relatives of an unarmed black man killed in a hail of
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| Trump squirming over Russia sanctions ties White House in knots Posted: 17 Apr 2018 01:20 PM PDT  Carol Leonnig, national investigative reporter for The Washington Post, talks with Rachel Maddow about Donald Trump's panicked concern about appearing to sanction Russia more than other countries and turning back his own.
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| Sinclair Broadcast Boss Donated To GOP Rep Who Assaulted Reporter Posted: 18 Apr 2018 05:05 AM PDT  One of the brothers who runs local TV news giant Sinclair Broadcast Group
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| Listen to how Tammie Jo Shults, hero pilot of Southwest 1380, kept calm and saved her passengers Posted: 18 Apr 2018 03:35 AM PDT  Audio of the Southwest Airlines incident has emerged, showing how pilot Tammie Jo Shults remained completely calm after an engine exploded and a woman passenger was nearly sucked out of the plane. It is believed that one woman, Jennifer Riordan, died in the initial engine explosion, which sent shrapnel smashing into the Boeing 737-700, but Ms Shults, whose experience includes being one of the first female fighter pilots in the US Navy, was able to get all the other passengers to safety.
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| Most Expensive 2018 Ford Mustang: We Welcome Our One-Month Loaner Posted: 18 Apr 2018 07:42 AM PDT  Ford asked us what sort of Mustang we'd like, so we ticked every box.
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| 60 Seriously Delicious Healthy Breakfasts Posted: 18 Apr 2018 09:23 AM PDT |
| Body of last missing family member found in California river Posted: 16 Apr 2018 09:25 PM PDT  LEGGETT, Calif. (AP) — Searchers on Monday found the body of a 12-year-old boy in a Northern California river — the last of four family members who perished when their sport utility vehicle plunged into the rain-swollen torrent.
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| Baboons Work Together To Escape From Biomedical Testing Facility Posted: 17 Apr 2018 01:16 PM PDT  Four baboons held at a Texas biomedical research facility briefly escaped on
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| Fox News' Judicial Analyst Absolutely Shreds Hannity's Cohen Claim Posted: 17 Apr 2018 08:36 PM PDT  Fox News host Sean Hannity's legal claim is getting torn to pieces on his own
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| Israel marks 70 years as a nation as new and old challenges lurk Posted: 18 Apr 2018 12:15 PM PDT  Israel celebrated 70 years since the country's foundation on Wednesday, lauding its improbable economic success and military prowess, but facing a range of political and security challenges. The anniversary of the proclamation of the state of Israel by founding father David Ben-Gurion began at sundown on Wednesday under the Hebrew calendar, but falls on May 14 according to the Western calendar. At the traditional Jerusalem torch-lighting ceremony kicking off what Israelis call Independence Day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed what he called "real seeds of peace" he said were beginning to sprout among some of Israel's Arab neighbours.
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| In medical 1st, man gets 2nd face transplant Posted: 17 Apr 2018 11:59 PM PDT  In a medical first, a French surgeon performed a second face transplant on the same patient, after his first face was rejected.
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| 1 Dead After Southwest Airlines Flight Suffers Engine Failure Posted: 17 Apr 2018 11:50 AM PDT  Federal investigators said Tuesday afternoon that one person was killed after
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| ‘Unarmed’ black man killed in Walmart parking lot by police officers firing 'dozens of bullets' into packed car Posted: 17 Apr 2018 07:55 AM PDT  Police have shot and killed a 26-year-old black man in a packed car outside of a Walmart in what his family say was an overly aggressive police response that led to an unnecessary death. Police in Barstow, California killed Diante Yarber, a father of three, earlier this month after attempting to stop the vehicle he was in. A report from Barstow police says that Mr Yarber was "wanted for questioning" in a stolen vehicle case, and that he struck two patrol cars before an officer opened fire.
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| Intruders storm Nigerian parliament and snatch mace: Senate spokesman Posted: 18 Apr 2018 07:21 AM PDT  By Camillus Eboh ABUJA (Reuters) - Three men burst into Nigeria's Senate on Wednesday and snatched the legislature's ceremonial mace, in an incident the body's spokesman blamed on a lawmaker who had been suspended. Decisions taken in the Senate cannot be approved without the mace, an ornamental staff symbolising the authority of the legislature. "Today, some hoodlums led by suspended senator Ovie Omo-Agege walked into the Senate plenary and seized the symbol of authority of the upper legislative chamber, the mace," Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, spokesman for the upper house, said in a statement.
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| The Latest: Colorado Springs Airport to reopen after fire Posted: 17 Apr 2018 03:01 PM PDT  COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The Latest on a fire that damaged the terminal at Colorado Springs Airport (all times local):
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| Starbucks to close 8,000 branches for afternoon of racial bias training after discrimination row Posted: 17 Apr 2018 11:13 AM PDT  Starbucks will close more than 8,000 US stores for an afternoon of racial bias training after the arrest of two black men in a Philadelphia branch triggered claims of discrimination. Almost 175,000 workers will go through training on May 29, the company announced on Tuesday after footage of the arrest made headlines. Kevin Johnson, the Starbucks CEO, said the move was just "one step" in the company's "journey" to improve and understand "what we did wrong". Footage of the arrest taken by other customers had gone viral in recent days and prompted a slew of negative headlines for the company. The two black men had been waiting for a friend when they were asked to leave by staff. There are reports one or both of the men asked to use the restroom without buying anything. An employee called the police before the men's friend arrived and argued with officers as they applied handcuffs, saying: "You can't discriminate." Other customers are heard criticising the police. The pair were arrested and held for eight hours before being released with no charge, according to their attorney. The incident triggered protests, with critics holding posters saying "shame on you Starbucks" and "too little too latté". Protestors demonstrate inside a Center City Starbucks, where two black men were arrested, in Philadelphia Credit: REUTERS/Mark Makela Mr Johnson gave interviews saying he wanted to "personally apologise" over the arrests and also met the two men to say sorry face-to-face. He told ABC News: "The circumstances surrounding the incident and the outcome in our store on Thursday were reprehensible... they were wrong." On Tuesday, Mr Johnson said in a statement: "I've spent the last few days in Philadelphia with my leadership team listening to the community, learning what we did wrong and the steps we need to take to fix it. Starbucks's US stores will close on May 29 Credit: AP Photo/Lisa Poole "While this is not limited to Starbucks, we're committed to being a part of the solution. Closing our stores for racial bias training is just one step in a journey that requires dedication from every level of our company and partnerships in our local communities." The training on May 29 will "address implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion, prevent discrimination and ensure everyone inside a Starbucks store feels safe and welcome". Starbucks has more than 8,000 company-owned stores in the United States which are all closing.
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| Republicans Are Scrambling To Save An Arizona House Seat In GOP Territory Posted: 16 Apr 2018 07:39 PM PDT  Democrats have launched a serious bid to win an April 24 special election for
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| 'Can you speak for Alfie' father of terminally ill toddler asks Pope Posted: 18 Apr 2018 08:00 AM PDT  The father of terminally ill toddler Alfie Evans appealed for Pope Francis' help at the Vatican after losing an appeal to continue his treatment in the UK and Italy. Rough cut (no reporter narration).
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| New York Daily News Scorches Sean Hannity With New Cover Posted: 17 Apr 2018 02:43 AM PDT  The New York Daily News took aim at Fox News host Sean Hannity in its Tuesday
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| Passenger Killed On Southwest Flight Is the First U.S. Commercial Airline Fatality In 9 Years Posted: 17 Apr 2018 01:58 PM PDT  The flight made an emergency landing in Philadelphia due to engine failure
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| Cuba: Castros, communism and cigars Posted: 16 Apr 2018 07:00 PM PDT  Cuba opens a new chapter when Raul Castro steps down from the presidency on April 19, ending six decades of single-family rule launched by his brother Fidel. Ties between communist Cuba and the United States, roughly 150 kilometers (90 miles) apart, have been fraught due to US occupations and Cold War enmity that took the neighbors to the brink of nuclear war. A historic thaw began in 2014, when Barack Obama and Raul Castro simultaneously announced plans to normalize ties.
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| The Latest: 25 people airlifted out of Hawaii state park Posted: 17 Apr 2018 05:58 PM PDT  HONOLULU (AP) — The Latest on relief efforts after heavy rains battered the Hawaiian island in Kauai leaving hundreds stranded (all times local):
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| Iraq sentences French woman to life in jail for joining IS Posted: 17 Apr 2018 07:23 AM PDT  Iraq on Tuesday sentenced a French woman to life in prison for belonging to the Islamic State group, raising to more than 180 the number of such convictions of foreign women since the country's defeat of IS. Djamila Boutoutaou, a 29-year-old of Algerian origin, told a Baghdad court that she left France with her husband, a rapper. Boutoutaou, who appeared in court wearing a brown headscarf, said she and her two children had been forced to live in a "cave".
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| Russia to allow chemical weapons inspectors into Douma amid concerns attack site has been 'tampered with' Posted: 16 Apr 2018 10:53 PM PDT  Chemical weapons experts are due to arrive in Douma on Wednesday to probe the alleged poison gas attack, Russian officials said, as the US voiced fears Moscow may already have "tampered with" evidence at the site. Following weekend missile strikes on Syria by the US, France and Britain, Russia traded accusations with Western nations on Monday, dismissing as "a blatant lie" accusations that Moscow was hindering the investigation in Douma. The four nations confronted each other in tense emergency talks at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague as inspectors prepare for a difficult and dangerous mission. Syrian state media early Tuesday said air defence had shot down missiles over the central province of Homs, with the strikes reportedly targeting regime air bases. It was not known who carried out the attack, with Pentagon spokeswoman Heather Babb saying: "There are no US or coalition operations in that area." Israel's military declined to comment, as is its custom. Initial reports indicated that the incident may have been a false alarm and that Syrian forces may have opened fire by mistake. Syrian authorities distribute bread, vegetables and pasta to Douma residents more than a week after the attack Credit: Hassan Ammar/ AP The developments came as UK parliament geared up for its second debate on the West's missile strikes on chemical weapons facilities at the weekend. Ahead of an emergency debate called by Jeremy Corbyn has insisted on parliamentary approval for intervention, Lord Hague told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday morning that the Government had "quite possibly made a mistake" by recalling MPs to vote on action in Syria after the chemical attack in 2013. He said: "I don't subscribe to the idea that any military action makes things worse. There have been many military actions and wars that have made it worse. "But I do strongly believe that if in 2013 Parliament had given us the permission to launch limited strikes ... I do strongly believe that there would have been less Russian adventurism, less foreign intervention and fewer attacks by chemical weapons in the years since then." The weekend missile strikes by the US, Britain and France were in response to an alleged chlorine and sarin gas attack in Douma on April 7 in which 40 people were said to have been killed. OPCW director general Ahmet Uzumcu said his nine-strong, all-volunteer team had reached Damascus, but so far "the team has not yet deployed to Douma". Syrian and Russian officials had warned of "pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place," Uzumcu said. Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's radiological, biological and chemical protection unit, told reporters the roads still had to be de-mined and cleared and would be tested by UN security services on Tuesday. "On Wednesday is when we plan the arrival of the OPCW experts," he added at a press conference in the Russian embassy in The Hague. Pro Assad supporters were among an anti-war demonstration outside parliament in London on Monday Credit: TOLGA AKMEN/ AFP The US ambassador to the OPCW, Ken Ward, claimed however the Russians had already visited the site and "may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW fact-finding mission". The Kremlin dismissed the claims. "I can guarantee that Russia has not tampered with the site," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the BBC. And the Russian ambassador to the Netherlands, Alexander Shulgin, said it was a "blatant lie" that Moscow was hampering the investigation. Instead he said it was the United States, France and Britain who were "standing in the way" of the investigation by ordering air strikes "in the blink of an eye" before the OPCW team had had a chance to do their work. The missiles that US, French and British warships fired on suspected chemical facilities Saturday constituted the biggest Western attack against the regime in the seven-year war to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The targeted sites were largely empty, and were all said to be facilities for chemical weapons storage or production. British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron faced anger Monday from their lawmakers for conducting the air strikes with the United States. Despite polls showing scant support for the move, May said it had been her "responsibility as prime minister to make these decisions," while Macron also defended his move as part of his constitutional powers. France urged OPCW nations to boost the organisation's work so it can completely dismantle Syria's "secret" toxic weapons programme. And the United States called for a clear condemnation by the OPCW of "the Syrian government for its reign of chemical terror". A boy sits on a chair along a damaged street in Douma, which was allegedly hit with a chlorine attack Credit: ALI HASHISHO/REUTERS The trio of Western powers that carried out the strikes warned they would repeat the operation if Damascus used chemical weapons again. Regime forces have now entered Douma and declared the entire Eastern Ghouta region around it fully retaken, ending a five-year siege and reclaiming an opposition bastion on the edge of the capital. Even though the OPCW team was not allowed in, the Syrian authorities organised a tour of the town for some foreign press. It included a visit to the main hospital to which the victims of the alleged chemical attack where taken. Medical student Marwan Jaber said no chemical weapons were used on April 7. "Suffocation cases arrived as a result of the debris, dust, fire and smoke. They were given routine treatment", he said. But "strangers entered as we were in a state of chaos and spread a rumour among people there had been a chemical attack, and people became alarmed". Damascus and Moscow have vehemently denied that any chemical weapons were used in Douma and alleged instead that grim videos showing civilians foaming at the mouth after the attack were staged. Russian ambassador Shulgin repeated the accusations telling reporters in The Hague that Douma residents had not been able to produce "a single body".
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| Nikki Haley Hits Back After Trump Undermines Her Posted: 18 Apr 2018 04:43 AM PDT  ## TOP STORIES
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| Amazon launches new app feature targeting international shoppers Posted: 18 Apr 2018 09:58 AM PDT  International shipping is already an option on many orders from Amazon's U.S. website but the new services are aimed at easing the process. The feature, which was announced late on Tuesday, will display pricing, shipping costs and import duty estimates, with Amazon managing courier services and customs clearance. In a statement, Amazon said customers using the new function will be able to shop in five languages - English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, German, and Brazilian Portuguese - and will be able to make purchases in 25 currencies.
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| Heartsick Boy Asks If Atheist Dad Is In Heaven. Pope Francis Reveals The Answer With A Hug. Posted: 17 Apr 2018 12:33 PM PDT  A tearful little boy grappling with big existential questions after the death
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| The Proper Way to Use an Oxygen Mask in the Event of a Midair Emergency Posted: 18 Apr 2018 12:01 PM PDT  After a Southwest Airlines emergency Tuesday, many noticed that some passengers were not wearing their oxygen masks properly.
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| Starbucks to close stores for an afternoon for bias training Posted: 17 Apr 2018 11:22 PM PDT  Starbucks, moving swiftly to confront a racially charged uproar over the arrest of two black men at one of its stores in Philadelphia, plans to close more than 8,000 U.S. stores for several hours next month to conduct racial-bias training for nearly 175,000 workers. Philadelphia police released a recording of the call from the Starbucks employee that led to the arrests. In the recording, a woman is heard saying, "Hi, I have two gentlemen in my cafe that are refusing to make a purchase or leave." She gives the address of the Starbucks store, and the entire call lasts less than 30 seconds.
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| School shooting survivor calls for investment firm boycott Posted: 18 Apr 2018 10:59 AM PDT ![School shooting survivor calls for investment firm boycott]( "School shooting survivor calls for investment firm boycott") MIAMI (AP) — A survivor of a mass shooting that killed 17 at a Florida high school in February is calling for a boycott of two of what he says are the biggest investors in gun manufacturers: BlackRock and The Vanguard Group.
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| Chemical arms experts due in Douma Wednesday, Russians say Posted: 16 Apr 2018 07:07 PM PDT  Chemical weapons experts are due to arrive in Douma on Wednesday to probe an alleged poison gas attack, Russian officials said, as the US voiced fears Moscow may already have "tampered with" evidence at the site. Following weekend missile strikes on Syria by the US, France and Britain, Russia traded accusations with Western nations on Monday, dismissing as "a blatant lie" accusations that Moscow was hindering the investigation in Douma.
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| 13 Four-Cylinder Porsches That Make The Most Of Small Engines Posted: 17 Apr 2018 08:16 AM PDT |
| Top GOP Senator Hopes Macron And Merkel Convince Trump To Save Iran Deal Posted: 18 Apr 2018 10:25 AM PDT  WASHINGTON ― With weeks to go before President Donald Trump is expected to
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| Jerry Brown: California Won't Roll Back Auto Emissions Standards Posted: 17 Apr 2018 09:54 AM PDT  WASHINGTON ― California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) on Tuesday expressed confidence
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| GW cannabis-derived epilepsy drug gets positive FDA staff review Posted: 17 Apr 2018 07:24 AM PDT  GW Pharmaceuticals' cannabis-derived medicine for severe childhood epilepsy won a favorable review from U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) staff on Tuesday, boosting hopes for its approval in the world's biggest drugs market. GW's medicine Epidiolex, which is given as a syrup, is a purified form of cannabidiol, one of the active ingredients found in marijuana. It is designed to treat Dravet syndrome (DS) and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), rare childhood-onset forms of epilepsy that are among the most resistant to treatment.
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| Macron warns of European 'civil war' over growing East-West divide Posted: 17 Apr 2018 03:26 AM PDT  The European Union risks being torn apart by a "civil war" between its liberal and authoritarian democracies, Emmanuel Macron, the president of France has warned. Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Macron said that the EU must "build a new European sovereignty" and embark on much needed reforms to save the bloc. The ardent Europhile was given a standing ovation and numerous compliments by adoring MEPs during the plenary debate on the future of Europe after Brexit. "We have a context of division and indeed doubt within Europe," Mr Macron said. "There seems to be a sort of European civil war where selfish interests sometimes appear more important than what unites Europe." In a thinly-veiled swipe at Hungary and Poland, Mr Macron said Europe was in the grips of "a fascination with the illiberal". Brussels is at loggerheads with Warsaw over Poland's controversial judicial reforms and there are also concerns about the rule of law in Hungary after strongman Viktor Orban's election campaign, which was won by stoking fears over immigration. Members of the European Parliament hold placards saying "Stop the War in Syria" before a debate on the Future of Europe Credit: VINCENT KESSLER/REUTERS "We are seeing authoritiarinism all around us," Mr Macron said, "The response is not authoritarian democracy but the authority of democracy." "In these difficult times, European democracy is our best chance," he added before warning against the "deadly tendency" of national selfishishness and egotism that could lead the continent "to the abyss". Evoking the Second Word War, Mr Macron said he belonged to a generation that had never experienced war and that he "suffered the luxury of forgetting what happened to our ancestors". "I don't want to be part of a generation of sleepwalkers. A generation that has forgotten its past," he declared as the plenary chamber broke into applause." "I will not give in to any kind of fixation on authoritarianism," said Mr Macron, "I want to belong to a generation that will defend European sovereignty because we fought to attain it." "European sovereignty is the system I believe in," Mr Macron said. "Defending Europe is not defending something abstract or the dilution of our own sovereignty." In quotes | Macron on Brexit Mr Macron, under pressure domestically as he tries to force through unpopular labour reforms, even took a swipe Donald Trump, the US president and at his ally in the strikes on Syria. "We share so much with country but this country has rejected multilateralism, free trade and climate change," he said before exhorting MEPs to "listen to the anger of the people of Europe" who felt abandoned by the bloc. Florian Philippot, a French MEP in Nigel Farage's Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group, attacked Mr Macron, branding him the EU's "top pupil" repeating all "the canons of the European catechism". Mr Philippot, a former member of Marine Le Pen's National Front, praised Britain "for breaking free of its chains" and to hoots and catcalls called for a Frexit referendum that would allow France to go out into the world. Mr Macron gave him short shrift and said the French people had spoken when they elected him last year. "You lost because the French people decided otherwise," Mr Macron told the MEP. The French president called for a European fund for communities taking in migrants and insisted that Brexit must not derail EU spending suggesting a tax could be levied to raise money for the EU Budget. He also demanded that eurozone banking integration picked up pace and other reforms. Mr Macron's speech will be seen as a direct response to growing authoritarianism in countries like Hungary Credit: Bernadett Szabo/REUTERS Mr Macron, who praised Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, for his handling of the talks was greeted with unabashed admiration by Europhiles in Strasbourg. Outside the parliament a demonstration was held against the French president. "The true France is back," declared Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission. "This house has waited a long time for a French president like you," Manfred Weber, the German MEP who leads the largest party in the European Parliament, told Mr Macron. But hard left MEPs accused Mr Macron of breaking international law by launching missile strikes on Syria. On Brexit, Mr Macron said he was in favour of the "most integrated relations, the closest relations" with the UK. "There is a solution that we are very familiar with and that is EU membership," he told MEPs. "I am very fond of our friendship with the UK but there is no cherry-picking in the single market," he added after praising Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator. "I believe in Europe so therefore I believe in what we have done," he said referring to the EU's insistence that Britain's Brexit red lines would limit the UK-EU relationship to a trade deal rather than full access to the single market. "We have to be consistent," he said in Strasbourg as Syed Kamall, the most senior Tory MEP shook his head. "That is what democracy is about." Front Bench promotion - end of article
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| Canadian drug mule sentenced in Australia for cocaine cruise Posted: 18 Apr 2018 02:56 AM PDT ![Canadian drug mule sentenced in Australia for cocaine cruise]( "Canadian drug mule sentenced in Australia for cocaine cruise") CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A Canadian drug mule broke down in tears in an Australian court on Wednesday when she was sentenced to eight years in prison for her part in an attempt to smuggle cocaine worth $16 million into Sydney in luggage aboard a luxury cruise ship.
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| Armenia's ex-president set to keep power as opposition blocks govt buildings Posted: 17 Apr 2018 03:46 AM PDT  Opposition demonstrators blockaded government buildings in Armenia's capital Tuesday as parliament was set to confirm the pro-Moscow former president as the real power in the country. Parliament is expected to elect ex-president Serzh Sarkisian as prime minister under a new parliamentary system of government that will allow the 63-year-old to maintain his chokehold on the country. The ruling party pressed ahead with the vote despite opposition rallies that saw several dozen protesters hurt in clashes with police in the capital Yerevan on Monday.
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| Ferrari 488 Pista vs Lamborghini Huracan Performante: The Numbers Posted: 18 Apr 2018 01:45 AM PDT  Lighter, faster, cooler versions of already cool, already quick supercars. So which one wins the Top Trumps numbers game?
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| New Mexico mourns bank executive killed on Southwest plane Posted: 18 Apr 2018 05:52 AM PDT  Family, friends and community leaders are mourning the death of a bank executive on a Southwest Airlines jet that blew an engine as she was flying home from a business trip to New York.
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