| As Trump vows to leave Syria, Kurds fear a power grab by Iran and Russia Posted: 21 Dec 2018 03:05 PM PST  Officials in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdish region, are now struggling to prepare for the consequences of what they fear will result from a hasty U.S. military withdrawal from Syria, the announcement of which caught them and even senior members of the Trump administration off-guard.
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| Brazil court overrules injunction on Boeing-Embraer tie-up Posted: 22 Dec 2018 05:40 AM PST  A Brazilian court on Saturday shot down a fresh injunction by a judge over a plan by planemakers Boeing of the US and Embraer of Brazil to create a $5.26-billion joint venture, Brazil's state news agency said. It was the second time this month an appeals court has overruled decisions by a Sao Paulo judge, Victorio Guizio Neto, seeking to temporarily block the deal. The higher court said Saturday it was not up to Guizio Neto to decide the future of the proposed joint venture, noting that the Brazilian government held a "golden share" in Embraer that allowed it to veto strategic decisions if it wished, according to state news agency Agencia Brasil.
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| Kremlin says would welcome Rusal minimizing impact of U.S. sanctions Posted: 21 Dec 2018 02:14 AM PST ![Kremlin says would welcome Rusal minimizing impact of U.S. sanctions]( "Kremlin says would welcome Rusal minimizing impact of U.S. sanctions") The Kremlin can only welcome Russian aluminum giant Rusal succeeding in minimizing the impact of U.S. sanctions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday. On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury said it would lift sanctions on the core empire of Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska, including Rusal and its parent En+, as they have agreed to restructure to reduce Deripaska's stakes. The deal is a corporate matter for Rusal only, Peskov said, when asked whether the Kremlin had approved it.
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| Eat avocados without washing them? That's an avoca-don't, FDA says Posted: 21 Dec 2018 11:24 AM PST  The concern is that when you cut into an avocado, the knife could bring pathogens on the peel to the edible fleshy part.
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| Van Jackson: My North Korea Prediction for 2019 Posted: 22 Dec 2018 07:11 AM PST  The appearance of progress belies the reality of an unchanging—or even worsening—situation below the surface.
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| Ford Recalls F-150 and Super Duty Pickup Trucks for Engine-Block Fire Risk Posted: 21 Dec 2018 07:44 AM PST  More than 400,000 pickups in the U.S. alone are affected by the recall.
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| 'The toughest year': US immigration changes dominated 2018 Posted: 21 Dec 2018 02:04 AM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — Children torn from parents, refugees turned away and a relentless stream of changes to immigration regulation and enforcement.
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| Florida to be battered by strong winds in the wake of Thursday's violent storms Posted: 21 Dec 2018 02:40 AM PST  In the wake of severe thunderstorms that damaged dozens of homes in Florida on Thursday, gusty winds on Friday will threaten to cause even more damage across the state.
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| The 8 Best Buildings Completed in 2018 Posted: 21 Dec 2018 11:18 AM PST |
| Rep. Chris Stewart: Border security is not outrageous and Democrats shouldn't shut down the government over it Posted: 21 Dec 2018 10:56 AM PST  Rep. Chris Stewart sounds off on the growing trend of government shutdowns in Washington.
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| Women charged in ill-timed theft at Target store filled with cops Posted: 21 Dec 2018 04:28 PM PST  About 15 police officers were at the Target on Wednesday night, helping disadvantaged children pick out Christmas presents for their families
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| In Mattis resignation, a singular challenge to Trump's agenda Posted: 21 Dec 2018 05:08 PM PST  Mattis, a retired Marine general who was highly regarded by Republicans and Democrats, had far wider political support in Washington than Trump himself when he walked into the White House on Thursday afternoon. Sources said Mattis had already made up his mind that it was time to go. Later in the afternoon, Trump announced Mattis was retiring, only to be rapidly contradicted as Mattis circulated his eight-paragraph resignation letter.
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| Barn find 1955 Chevy Corvette hasn't seen daylight in 40 years Posted: 21 Dec 2018 07:09 AM PST  Tucked away for 40 years, this 1955 Chevrolet Corvette looks worse-for-wear in its hiding place – but now it's out, don't even think about trying to buy it.
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| Indonesia takes majority stake in massive Grasberg mine Posted: 21 Dec 2018 03:13 AM PST  Indonesia on Friday finalised a $3.8 billion deal with US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan to take a 51 percent stake in the giant Grasberg mine, the president said. The announcement finally brings an end to a fierce standoff between Freeport and the government over rights to one of the world's biggest gold and copper mines. Indonesian state-owned mining firm Inalum will get the majority interest in the Grasberg mine, from just under 10 percent now, the company said in a statement.
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| One of World Trade's Top Prognosticators Is Worried About 2019 Posted: 20 Dec 2018 09:00 PM PST  "When you look at those leading indicators, they continue to weaken. It's almost like a death from a thousand cuts," Robert Koopman said in an interview Thursday. Financial markets have been increasingly concerned about a possible slowdown in the world economy next year and the impact of President Donald Trump's trade wars.
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| A blow to morale: Afghan generals worry about US withdrawal Posted: 21 Dec 2018 06:58 PM PST  ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban welcomed news of the U.S. plan to withdraw half its troops in Afghanistan by the summer, as Afghan generals warned it would be a blow to the morale of the country's beleaguered security forces who come under daily attacks from the insurgent fighters.
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| Wallace C. Gregson: My North Korea Prediction for 2019 Posted: 21 Dec 2018 05:36 AM PST  We must reconsider our policy and strategy.
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| UK police arrest man and woman over Gatwick drone disruption Posted: 22 Dec 2018 04:48 AM PST  Britain's second-largest airport was back in operation on Saturday after it was forced to close its runway in the run up to Christmas when drones flew near the site south of London in the most disruptive incursion from unmanned aerial vehicles at any major airport. Unmanned aerial vehicles have become a growing menace at airports across the world.
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| Google Celebrates the Shortest Day of the Year With a Winter Solstice Doodle Posted: 21 Dec 2018 02:04 AM PST  It's that time again
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| Gatwick airport reopens after 2 arrested for using drones to disrupt flights Posted: 22 Dec 2018 08:32 AM PST  A 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman have been arrested in connection with drones that forced the shutdown of London's Gatwick airport for two days, affecting 140,000 holiday travelers.
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| This 1993 Bugatti EB110 was the dawn of a new era Posted: 21 Dec 2018 02:24 AM PST  Long before Volkswagen Group ownership and the Bugatti Veyron, the EB110 was making headlines with its 213mph top speed and quad-turbo V12 engine
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| 8-year-old Congolese boy dies after undergoing surgery in Los Angeles to remove facial tumor Posted: 22 Dec 2018 08:09 AM PST  The 8-year-old boy who went to California to have a massive tumor removed from his face died Friday night.
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| Goldman Sachs CEO defends bank in 1MDB scandal Posted: 22 Dec 2018 12:31 AM PST  The head of Goldman Sachs defended the investment bank's handling of the scandal-plagued Malaysian fund 1MDB on Friday, saying much criticism of the financial giant was unfair. "I cannot stress enough how integrity is a cornerstone of our culture," newly-installed Chief Executive David Solomon said in a year-end message to employees. Goldman helped 1MDB to issue $6.5 billion of bonds but Kuala Lumpur accuses the bank and its former employees of misappropriating $2.7 billion during the process.
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| Kurds warn British jihadists and other Isil suspects could escape after US withdrawal from Syria Posted: 21 Dec 2018 08:42 AM PST  America's Kurdish allies have warned that thousands of Islamic State group jihadist prisoners - including the surviving Britons known as "The Beatles" - may escape custody once US forces leave Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they could be unable to secure 2,000 suspects they are holding if they have to divert forces to fight a Turkish offensive, after Donald Trump's decision to pull US forces from Syria. The suspected jihadist prisoners include six British men, four British women and several of their children. Among them are Alexanda Kotey and Shafee El-Sheikh, who allegedly behead Western hostages. The warning came as America's allies reeled from Mr Trump's twin unexpected decisions to pull out from Syria and significantly scale back the US military campaign in Afghanistan. Taliban officials said they welcomed Mr Trump's orders to begin withdrawing up to 7,000 of America's 14,000 troops based in Afghanistan fighting the insurgent movement. The SDF have spearheaded the fight against Isil Credit: REUTERS/Rodi Said/File Photo The decision to dramatically scale back the war effort in Afghanistan blind-sided Nato-allies including Britain. It also caused dismay among diplomats in Kabul and Afghan officials who fear abandonment by the West will cause a repeat of the 1990s civil war. Only last year, Mr Trump's new strategy for Afghanistan had pledged troop increases and promised not to pull back until security conditions had improved. Ashraf Ghani's government put a brave face on the announcement saying "If the few thousand foreign troops that advise, train and assist leave, it will not affect our security." American envoys earlier this week spent three days in discussion with Taliban negotiators trying to forge a tentative peace process. The Taliban have long demanded a US withdrawal as a precondition for talks with Kabul. Graeme Smith, a consultant for International Crisis Group, said: "It's clear that a rapid pullout of all international forces could spark the collapse of the Afghan government and start a new civil war. Still, this partial withdrawal could send a useful message to all sides. This signals to the Taliban that the US is serious about negotiating an exit. Taliban have been asking each other in recent weeks whether American diplomats were honest when they claimed to be ready for a responsible withdrawal." Mr Trump's decision to overrule military advice and embark on a pullout is understood to have contributed to the decision by his defence secretary, Gen Jim Mattis to resign. Gen Mattis had long been seen in Kabul as an advocate of supporting the Afghan government and a guarantor of American support. Diplomats said other members of the Nato coalition would now have to decide if they were able to stay with a greatly reduced US force. America's allies are largely reliant on US military might for logistics such as air transport and medical treatment. The White House has reportedly decided to pull the more than 2,000 US troops out of Syria Credit: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images European allies also disputed Mr Trump's claim that a withdrawal for Syria was justified because America had defeated Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Isil). "We do not share the analyses that the territorial caliphate has been annihilated," said French defence minister Florence Parly. "It's an extremely grave decision and we think ... the job must be finished." Yet Mr Trump insisted he had "done more damage to ISIS than all recent presidents....not even close!" The SDF warned the West that it could "lose control" of the jihadists if American troops left Syria. " We will continue our mission but confronting this terrorism will be difficult because our forces will be forced to withdraw from the frontlines in Deir Ezzor to take up positions on the border with Turkey to counter any attack we may face," said Ilham Ahmed, a senior official from the SDF's political council. The warning appeared intended to galvanise Western countries, who are deeply concerned about the return of foreign fighters from Syria, into maintaining support for the Kurds even after US forces withdraw.
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| U.S. plan to keep asylum seekers in Mexico sows confusion Posted: 21 Dec 2018 12:39 PM PST  Mexico's government said on Friday it wanted more details from the United States on the plan, and vowed not to deport people seeking refuge. It is not clear how Mexico plans to house what could be thousands of people from Central America for the months, or years, it takes U.S. immigration cases to be heard. There is currently a backlog of more than 800,000 cases pending in immigration courts.
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| The Latest: Drastic changes mulled over PG&E safety concerns Posted: 21 Dec 2018 08:12 PM PST ![The Latest: Drastic changes mulled over PG&E safety concerns]( "The Latest: Drastic changes mulled over PG&E safety concerns") SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on California regulators considering splitting up Pacific Gas & Electric (all times local):
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| There are so many great Philips Hue deals that’ll still arrive before Christmas Posted: 22 Dec 2018 06:05 AM PST ![There are so many great Philips Hue deals that'll still arrive before Christmas]( "There are so many great Philips Hue deals that'll still arrive before Christmas") Philips Hue smart LED lighting products are always best-sellers during the holiday shopping season, and the reasons for that isn't exactly a mystery. Philips Hue is super popular, and it's also a super expensive brand so people jump at the opportunity to save. One such opportunity is happening right now on Amazon, and the best part is all the products on sale will be delivered in time to give as Christmas gifts! That includes Philips Hue Single Premium A19 Smart Bulbs, Philips Hue White A19 4-Packs, the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance LightStrip Plus, and even more. Check out all the deals below. ## Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance LightStrip Plus Dimmable LED Smart Light * MAXIMUM COMPATIBILITY: Pair your Hue smart bulbs with any voice or Smart Home assistant (Hub required and included). Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Microsoft Cortana, SmartThings, IFTTT. * HASSLE-FREE CONNECTIVITY: Smart Lights that won't clog up your Wi-Fi network. Control up to 50 Hue lights on one Hue Hub without adding a Wi-Fi extender or extra router * HOW TO USE: Install the flexible 80-inch LightStrip under bars, bed frames, or cabinets, with included adhesive tape. Trim it to the perfect size with the included cut marks. Extend your Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus up to 33 feet by adding the 40 inch Hue Lightstrip Extension to cover larger surfaces and enable wider applications" * ULTIMATE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE: Sync your Hue lights with Gaming, Music and Movies using your PC via the Hue Sync app * NEXT-LEVEL AUTOMATION: Hue is a Smart Lighting system that remembers your light routines and timers, even when your Wi-Fi goes down * CONTROL LIGHTING FROM ANYWHERE: Take your Smart Light control using your mobile device with you when you travel. Control lights, edit routines and set timers even when you're away from home * INDUSTRY STANDARD: Philips Hue is the only smart lighting product with Energy Star certification and its smart light bulbs last up to 22 years. * LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES: Philips Hue works with the most Voice Assistant and Premium smart home brands. Connect your Hue lights with Nest, Logitech, Razer Gaming, and Xfinity (download for free on Meethue) ## Philips Hue Single Premium A19 Color Smart Bulb * Works with Alexa for voice control (hub required, Alexa device and hub sold separately) * Choose from 16 million colors to instantly change the look and atmosphere of your room or control your lights with your Voice device. Requiring the Hue hub (sold separately) for the full Hue experience * Voice control: Control your Philips Hue lights with your voice using Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant. Pair it for home automation with your existing Nest or Samsung SmartThings system * To install, simply screw in the smart bulbs into your desired light location, download the Hue mobile app and pair your Hue Hub. Control smart-bulb-equipped lamps and overhead lights via the Philips Hue App. Ideal for your favorite ceiling fan lights, floor lamps, table lamps, pendant lights, and more throughout your home * Easily expand your lighting system with accessories (sold separately), such as a Hue Dimmer Switch, Hue Tap, or Hue Motion Sensor. Lifespan : 25,000 Hours ## Philips Hue White A19 4-Pack * VOICE ACTIVATED: The Philips Hue White Starter Kit works with Alexa for voice control (smart hub required, Alexa device and hub sold separately). For the full Hue experience and to take advantage of voice activation purchase the Philips Hue Hub (Model: 458471). Search "Philips Hue Hub" or "B016H0QZ7I" to find this product on Amazon. * LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES: Add additional Smart light points to your smart home and expand your Philips Hue ecosystem with this 4-bulb White Smart Bulb pack. Requires the Philips Hue Hub for full experience, sold separately. * TAKE CONTROL: Turn smart lights on/off, dim to the desired level and set up schedules from wherever you have WiFi connection using the Philips Hue App (iOS and Android). Control your Philips Hue lights with your voice using Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant. * EASY INSTALLATION: To install the Philips Hue white 4 pack starter kit, simply screw the smart bulbs into your desired light location, download the Hue mobile app and pair your Hue Bridge (sold separately). Control smart-bulb-equipped lamps and overhead lights via the Philips Hue App. * EXPAND YOUR SMART HOME: Connect the smart bulbs directly to your other Smart Home Devices like Amazon Echo Plus, Nest, or SmartThings systems. Easily expand your smart lighting system with accessories (sold separately), such as a Hue Dimmer Switch, Hue Tap, or Hue Motion Sensor ## Philips Hue 2-Pack Premium Smart Light Starter Kit * LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES: The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance 2- Pack Smart Bulb Kit lets you choose from 16 million colors and shades of white to turn your everyday lighting into an extraordinary experience. These color lights are controlled remotely with your smartphone or tablet, create custom scenes and unleash your creativity. This is the perfect way to personalize your smart home. * VOICE ACTIVATED: Works with Alexa for voice control (smart hub required and included, Alexa device sold separately). * LASTS A LIFETIME: Lasts 25,000 hours or 23 years with normal use. To install, simply screw in the smart bulbs into your desired smart lighting location, download the hue mobile app and pair your smart hub. Control smart-bulb-equipped lamps and overhead smart lights via the Philips hue app. Ideal for your favorite Ceiling Fan lights, floor lamps, table lamps, Pendant lights, and more throughout your smart home. * EXPAND YOUR SMART HOME: Easily expand your smart lighting system with alexa-enabled accessories (sold separately), such as a Hue Dimmer Switch, Hue Tap, or Hue Motion Sensor. * COMPLETE PACKAGE: Comes with 2 Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 60W Energy Star Certified LED Smart Bulbs (able to fit most lamps, overhead lights, and 4-inch recessed cans), Philips hue hub and three-year warranty for the ultimate Philips Hue Smart Lighting experience. ## Philips Hue Single Premium Flood Smart Bulb * Works with Alexa for voice control (hub required, Alexa device and hub sold separately). For the full Hue experience and to take advantage of voice activation purchase the Philips Hue Hub (Model: 458471). Search "Philips Hue Hub" or "B016H0QZ7I" to find this product on Amazon. * LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES: Choose from 16 million colors to instantly change the look and atmosphere of your smart home or control your lights with your Voice. Requiring the Philips Hue Hub (sold separately) for the full Hue experience. Designed to fit 5-6 inch recessed cans. * SMART VOICE CONTROL: Control your Philips Hue smart lights with your voice using Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant. Pair it for home automation with your existing Nest or Samsung SmartThings system. * EASY INSTALLATION: To install, simply screw the smart bulbs into your desired light location, download the Hue mobile app and pair your Hue Hub. Control smart-bulb-equipped lamps and overhead lights via the Philips Hue App. * EXPAND YOUR SMART HOME: Easily expand your smart lighting system with alexa, google home, and apple homekit-compatible accessories (sold separately), such as a Hue Dimmer Switch, Hue Tap, or Hue Motion Sensor.
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| China calls US ‘arrogant and selfish’ over hacking charges Posted: 21 Dec 2018 04:27 AM PST  China has called the US "arrogant and selfish" after two Chinese citizens were charged for allegedly participating in a global hacking campaign to steal trade secrets and other sensitive information from American government agencies and corporations. Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong are accused of trying to illegally obtain intellectual property, technology secrets and the personal data of over 100,000 US navy members over a 12-year period. The crimes were apparently part of several campaigns lasting years that targeted dozens of companies as well as several foreign governments, according to the US department of justice.
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| These Are the Most Valuable Hot Wheels Cars of All Time Posted: 21 Dec 2018 07:11 AM PST |
| Facebook, Twitter remove fake news sites in Bangladesh ahead of election Posted: 21 Dec 2018 02:32 AM PST ![Facebook, Twitter remove fake news sites in Bangladesh ahead of election]( "Facebook, Twitter remove fake news sites in Bangladesh ahead of election") Facebook and Twitter said on Thursday they had removed accounts and fake news pages linked to the Bangladesh government that had posted anti-opposition content, days ahead of an election in the South Asian nation. Facebook, Bangladesh's most popular social network with an estimated 30 million users, said it had removed nine fake news pages "linked to individuals associated with the Bangladesh government" which mimicked those of independent news outlets. Bangladesh's interior minister, Assaduzzaman Khan, said action would be taken against people behind the fake accounts.
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| Erdogan vows to clear Syria of Kurd militia, IS Posted: 21 Dec 2018 11:04 AM PST  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday vowed to drive out a US-backed Kurdish militia and jihadists from Syria as Kurdish forces there warned that any attack by Ankara could seriously undermine the fight against the Islamic State. Erdogan's promise followed the shock decision by US President Donald Trump to pull out 2,000 American ground forces from Syria on the grounds that IS had been "beaten".
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| U.S. plans for more than 5,000 troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan Posted: 20 Dec 2018 07:02 PM PST ![U.S. plans for more than 5,000 troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan]( "U.S. plans for more than 5,000 troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan") On Wednesday, Trump rebuffed top advisers and decided to pull all U.S. troops out of Syria, a decision that contributed to U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis abruptly quitting on Thursday over significant policy differences with the president. It is unclear how the United States with less than 9,000 forces in Afghanistan will be able to fulfill the full set of missions now underway, including training Afghan forces, advising them in the field, and waging an air campaign against the Taliban and other militant groups. Instead, the United States almost certainly would have to curtail its missions, something that could provide an opportunity for a resurgent Taliban to expand their offensives across Afghanistan.
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| UBS to pay US states $68M in rate manipulation settlement Posted: 21 Dec 2018 01:38 PM PST ![UBS to pay US states $68M in rate manipulation settlement]( "UBS to pay US states $68M in rate manipulation settlement") HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Swiss bank UBS has agreed to pay $68 million to settle a multistate investigation into the bank's role in manipulating an interest rate used to price everything from credit cards to mortgages, officials said Friday.
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| Amazon’s huge lead in the smart speaker race is starting to shrink Posted: 20 Dec 2018 08:07 PM PST ![Amazon's huge lead in the smart speaker race is starting to shrink]( "Amazon's huge lead in the smart speaker race is starting to shrink") Smart speakers represent one of the next great battlefronts as the biggest tech giants race to capture new territory in the war for user attention -- and, of course, advertising real estate. And while Amazon has been the far and away market leader in the category for some time, new research shows its dominance appears to be eroding. The latest forecast from eMarketer predicts that next year, the user base for Amazon's line of Echo speakers will for the first time slip to less than two-thirds of all US smart speaker users. Obviously, two thirds of the category is still a strong leadership position, but the trend line here for Amazon is nevertheless going in the wrong direction. Looking at the category as a whole, it seems that a growing number of people are embracing the use of smart speaker technology. In the US next year, eMarketer is predicting that 74.2 million people will use one -- a 15 percent increase over 2018. Additionally, more than 25 percent of the US adult population will be using one by the end of 2019. Among other takeaways from eMarketer's forecast: Amazon is also starting to face tougher competition in this space from an ascendant Google, which will capture 31 percent of all smart speaker users next year. Sonos One and Apple, with its HomePod, are likewise making inroads. So much so that Amazon's market share is predicted to keep shrinking next year as well as the year after that, while everyone else sees gains. Axios has more: "Amazon's voice technology is getting clobbered outside the US, as Google and Chinese companies look to expand their voice footprints internationally. eMarketer notes that Amazon has managed to maintain its lead up to this point by brokering partnerships in which its voice assistant could be used on other premium speakers, like Sonos. But now other companies, like Google, are doing the same." As we noted earlier today, Amazon has also made some privacy-related missteps with Alexa, which also could play into the rise of its competitors. Among other data points that eMarketer highlights, meanwhile: Smart speaker hardware sales in the US are predicted to hit $3.2 billion this year, which would be a 64 percent jump over the $2 billion seen in 2017. Also, e-commerce revenue generated via smart speakers is expected to jump to a whopping $40 billion by 2022.
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| Brand-Name Companies, No-Name Workers: How ‘Ghosts’ at Contractors Keep ICE at Bay Posted: 21 Dec 2018 01:00 AM PST  As an undocumented immigrant, she'd learned long ago to accept all kinds of oddities and indignities at work. Lopez wasn't working directly for Target, but for a company called Diversified Maintenance Systems LLC that has had contracts to clean Target Corp. stores across the country since 2003. Amid the searing debate over President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, Diversified and other contractors have provided a way for some of America's biggest employers—including Target and Walmart Inc.—to effectively benefit from cheap, undocumented labor without fear of meaningful penalties.
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| Special Counsel Robert Mueller may submit Russia investigation report to attorney general as early as February 2019 Posted: 21 Dec 2018 11:04 AM PST  Investigation into the Trump administration has moved into the sentencing phase; Doug McKelway reports from Washington.
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| Supreme Court liberal Ginsburg has cancerous nodules removed from lung Posted: 21 Dec 2018 10:41 AM PST  Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the eldest justice of the minority liberal faction on the US Supreme Court, underwent surgery Friday to remove two malignant nodules on her left lung, the court announced. Ginsburg, 85, underwent the pulmonary lobectomy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The nodules were discovered last month in x-rays after she fell and fractured three ribs.
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| The New 2020 Ford Explorer Officially Debuts January 9 Posted: 21 Dec 2018 07:32 AM PST  Here's what we know about the redesigned SUV so far.
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| America’s Great Loss Posted: 21 Dec 2018 06:16 AM PST  Trump's preference for "yes men" is by now a well-known fact.
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| Israeli gunfire kills three Gazans during border protest: medics Posted: 21 Dec 2018 11:22 AM PST  Israeli forces shot and killed three Palestinians, including a teenager, in the Gaza Strip during the latest of weekly protests along the border with Israel on Friday, Palestinian health officials said. About 8,000 Palestinians gathered near the border fence, the Israeli military said. Most kept their distance, while some burned tires and tried to throw an explosive device into Israel, though it did not land across the border, the military said.
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| Chicago archbishop to have leading role in sex abuse reforms Posted: 20 Dec 2018 09:09 PM PST  The Catholic archbishop of Chicago, who was hand-picked by the pope to help organize an upcoming Vatican summit on clergy sex abuse, will have a leading role in the church's effort to seek reforms, including the response to new allegations from the Illinois attorney general.
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| AT&T will soon put a misleading ‘5G E’ logo on 4G Android devices Posted: 21 Dec 2018 01:41 PM PST ![AT&T will soon put a misleading '5G E' logo on 4G Android devices]( "AT&T will soon put a misleading '5G E' logo on 4G Android devices") For anyone who thinks the smartphone market is saturated with devices that are virtually indistinguishable from each other, there's good news on the horizon. 5G is on the way and will eventually offer up mind-blowing data speeds that will make you wonder how you ever lived without it. A number of carriers are rolling out 5G networks but you'll have to wait a while until 5G-equipped smartphones are available for purchase. Further, there's a good chance you'll have to wait until 5G coverage is expansive enough as to make spending extra cash on a 5G smartphone worth it. In the interim, a report from FierceWireless relays that AT&T will be replacing the LTE indicator on its smartphones with a 5G E symbol in markets that support the latest and fastest LTE technologies. The 'E' stands for Evolution and is available in 99 markets across the country and will expand to include 400 markets before 2019. AT&T notes that 5G E enables "peak theoretical wireless speeds for capable devices of at least 400 megabits per second." Is this a tad misleading? Of course, but carriers certainly aren't strangers to fudging the truth on matters like this. In response to a question about the move from FierceWireless, an AT&T spokesperson said the following: > If they have one of the latest Android devices and it connects to a tower that's enabled with 5G Evolution, they'll soon see a "5G E" indicator pop up on their screen. Initially we'll roll this out on a handful of devices, with more devices showing the indicator in spring 2019. While the boost from 5G E appears substantial, it still seems disingenuous for AT&T to pull this kind of stunt. Incidentally, AT&T launched its 5G mobile network this week, though it's currently limited to the following cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Louisville, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Raleigh, San Antonio and Waco, Texas. During the first half of 2019, 5G support will expand to these additional 7 cities: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose.
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| Altria takes stake in Juul e-cigarettes for $12.8 bn Posted: 20 Dec 2018 10:00 PM PST  US tobacco giant Altria, maker of major brands such as Marlboro and Chesterfield, announced Thursday that it will buy a 35 percent stake in popular e-cigarette maker Juul for $12.8 billion. The deal comes as US regulators increase scrutiny of usage among young consumers of the fast-growing vaping products that tobacco companies hope will compensate for declines in conventional cigarette sales. The investment more than doubles the value of Juul to $38 billion.
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