| Hawaiian Airlines flight returns to Los Angeles three times for three separate issues Posted: 03 Feb 2019 10:24 AM PST ![Hawaiian Airlines flight returns to Los Angeles three times for three separate issues]( "Hawaiian Airlines flight returns to Los Angeles three times for three separate issues") A Maui-bound Hawaiian Airlines flight returned to Los Angeles International Airport three times over the weekend before finally getting canceled.
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| EU Nations May Recognize Guaido as Venezuela Leader Amid Split Posted: 02 Feb 2019 08:40 AM PST  Foreign ministers from the EU's 28 countries discussed the statement at an informal meeting in Bucharest on Thursday and Friday, and only Italy objected to the wording, according to a diplomat familiar with the matter. In recognizing Guaido, the EU nations would be following the U.S. and more than a dozen other nations, adding to pressure on Maduro to step down. The political crisis in oil-rich Venezuela has set down worldwide battle lines, with a U.S.-led group of nations that recognize Guaido as interim president facing countries such as Russia and China that support Maduro.
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| Fever Dream: Mueller’s Collusion-Free Collusion Indictment of Roger Stone Posted: 02 Feb 2019 02:30 AM PST  Special Counsel Robert Mueller's indictment of Roger Stone may be the most peculiar document to emerge from the Trump–Russia "collusion" saga. It is an instant classic in the Mueller genre: lots of heavy breathing, then sputtering anti-climax. After a 20-page narrative about Russian cyber-ops, WikiLeaks' role as a witting anti-American accomplice, and Trump supporters enthralled by thousands of hacked Democratic emails and visions of the Clinton campaign's implosion, Stone, a comically inept hanger-on, ends up charged with seven process crimes.
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| Southern California rain: Storm strengthens, drenches SoCal with torrential rain Posted: 02 Feb 2019 05:25 PM PST  A large and steady storm is dousing the Southland and is getting stronger as the day progresses on Saturday.
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| Russia to abandon nuclear arms treaty after US accuses Moscow of deploying banned missiles Posted: 02 Feb 2019 04:30 AM PST  Vladimir Putin has said Russia will develop nuclear weapons prohibited by a centerpiece arms treaty, after Moscow and Washington both abandoned the pact amid a dispute over alleged violations. The Kremlin said on Saturday that it was pulling out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty a day after the US announced its withdrawal, accusing Russia of deploying missiles that violated the terms of the Cold War agreement. In a deepening standoff that has prompted warnings of a repeat of a Cold War showdown and calls for deescalation from China, Mr Putin said he was ordering the military to develop new land-based weapons banned by the INF pact. His defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, said in the televised meeting that they would include a land-based version of the Kalibr ship-based cruise missile and a new hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile. The Russian leader said they would not be deployed unless the US also did so, but vowed a "quid pro quo" response. "Our American partners have announced they were suspending their participation in the treaty and will do the same. They have announced they will conduct research and development, and we will act accordingly," Mr Putin said. "Russia will not station intermediate-range weapons in Europe or other regions until similar US weapons appear in those regions," he added. Donald Trump, the US president, claimed on Friday that Moscow was violating the treaty with "impunity" and said Washington would move forward with developing its own military response to Russia's deployment of banned cruise missiles capable of reaching Western Europe. Moscow has dismissed the claims as fabrications aimed at putting the blame onto Russia for the demise of the bilateral 1987 treaty, which was negotiated by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev to end a Cold War buildup of warheads. The ratcheting tensions drew calls from Beijing for the two rival powers to "resolve differences through constructive dialogue". Geng Shuang, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, warned the US withdrawal from the treaty could trigger "a series of negative consequences". But Beijing ruled out joining a new multilateral pact - another irritant to Washington, which says that some 95 per cent of China's ballistic and cruise missiles would fall foul of the INF treaty if it were party to it. Mr Putin also said he would review progress on building other weapons not covered by the INF treaty, including the intercontinental Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle and the Poseidon underwater nuclear drone. The Russian president used his annual address last year to unveil an array of new "invincible" nuclear weapons, including the Avangard and the Poseidon. The Avangard, he claimed, could travel at 20 times the speed of sound and strike "like a fireball". Mr Putin also said he wanted the Russian military to prepare a response to the possible deployment of weapons in space - a move that follows Mr Trump's announcement last month that he wants to develop space-based sensors and missile defence systems. The US leader said at the time that space was the new arena for war as he called for the sensors to detect missile launches, as part of his Space Force proposal for a military department specifically focused on space. On Saturday, Iran also announced the "successful test" of a new cruise missile with a range of over 1,350 kilometres (839 miles), coinciding with anniversary celebrations for the country's 1979 Islamic revolution.
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| TSA officer jumps to his death at Orlando airport Posted: 02 Feb 2019 03:35 PM PST  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — An officer from the Transportation Security Administration jumped to his death from a balcony inside Florida's busiest airport Saturday, creating panic that brought some security checkpoints to a halt for hours, grounded flights and caused serious delays.
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| 'El Chapo' allegedly had sex with underage girls, called them his 'vitamins,' records show Posted: 03 Feb 2019 12:22 PM PST  Accused drug lord Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán allegedly had sex with girls as young as 13, called them 'vitamins,' newly disclosed court records show
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| Head of Ukraine's new orthodox church enthroned Posted: 03 Feb 2019 03:36 AM PST  The leader of the new independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church was enthroned in a ceremony in Kiev on Sunday, formalising a break with the Russian Orthodox Church that has enraged Moscow. During the three-hour event in the gold-decked 11th-century Saint Sophia Cathedral, Metropolitan Yepifaniy became head of the Church, having been elected by bishops last year. The 40-year-old is a critic of Moscow's religious influence in Ukraine and has helped organise humanitarian aid for Kiev's army in its struggle against Russian-backed separatist movements.
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| Snow to whiten western US as cold air takes hold into Tuesday Posted: 03 Feb 2019 03:23 AM PST  A sweep of cold air will allow for snow across the mountains and even the lower elevations of the western United States early this week.
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| Virginia Governor Calls for Urgent Staff Meeting, ABC 7 Says Posted: 03 Feb 2019 04:16 PM PST  The staff in the meeting include Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, ABC 7 News reported, without saying where it got the information. Northam said he won't quit during a televised press conference on Saturday at the state Executive Mansion in Richmond to address what he earlier called a "clearly racist and offensive" photograph on his medical school yearbook page from 1984 that surfaced on Friday. "I am not the person in the photo that caused a stir yesterday," Northam said.
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| Trudeau speaks with Venezuela's Guaido, praises 'courage and leadership' Posted: 03 Feb 2019 03:30 PM PST  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke Sunday with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, praising the "courage and leadership" of the national assembly head whom Ottawa recognizes as interim president, according to a statement. The phone call comes a day before a meeting of the 14-nation Lima Group -- made up of Canada and Latin American countries -- in Ottawa. "The two leaders discussed the importance of the international community sending a clear message regarding the illegitimacy of the Maduro regime and the need to respect the Venezuelan Constitution," a readout of the call from Trudeau's office said.
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| China's Super Assault Rifle: Meet the QBZ-95-1 Posted: 03 Feb 2019 06:00 AM PST  Is it ready for battle?
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| Meghan Markle wrote uplifting notes on bananas bound for sex workers in need Posted: 02 Feb 2019 08:58 AM PST  Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is giving back to the community and adding her own personal touch along the way. On Friday, she and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, visited the One25 organization in Bristol, which works to "reach out to women trapped in or vulnerable to street sex-work, supporting them to break free and build new lives away from violence, poverty and addiction." During the unplanned visit, the Duchess helped volunteers pack bags of food for women in need. As they went about the work, she spontaneously decided to leave an uplifting, handwritten note in each package. "Do you have a Sharpie marker? I have an idea," she can be heard asking in a video shared by reporter Omid Scobie. She then proceeded to write empowering affirmations on the skins of bananas. > During their visit Meghan asked for a sharpie to write messages of affirmation on items of food that will tonight be handed out to women by @One25Charity's mobile van service. She was inspired by a cafeteria manager at a school in Virginia who had done the same last year. pic.twitter.com/AZwuhSKTzA > > -- Omid Scobie (@scobie) February 1, 2019 SEE ALSO: 14 of the biggest royal family moments from 2018 The Duchess explained she was inspired to write messages like "You are loved," "You are strong," "You are special," and "You are brave" on the bananas after seeing someone do a similar project in the United States. Image: Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images Image: TOBY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty Images "I saw this project that someone had started somewhere in the States, this school lunch program, where on each of the bananas she wrote an affirmation or something to make the kids feel really empowered," she explained to volunteers at the One25 organization, noting how she thought the small gesture was lovely. The Duchess appeared to be really enjoying her time at One25, even joking that she's "in charge of the banana messaging." > While packing lunches for @One25Charity's outreach service, The Duchess of Sussex had an idea to write positive messages on banana skins... pic.twitter.com/Fwm6arfc25 > > -- Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) February 1, 2019 Meghan and Harry also met with many of the people who work to make One25 successful, and One25 CEO Anna Smith told BAZAAR.com how grateful she was for the visit. > During their visit they met with volunteers, drop-in coordinators, mentors and execs from the charity. CEO Anna Smith: "The women we support are often hidden from society and this visit shines a light on the enormous challenges they face and the incredible strength they have." pic.twitter.com/oGOTYim8LG > > -- Omid Scobie (@scobie) February 1, 2019 "That really touched me--and I'm not even a royalist," Smith said about Meghan's banana notes. "She was just watching the food being packed up and suddenly decided she wanted to write these beautiful messages on every banana they had there." "She had clearly listened and heard what we are all about -- that we don't judge, we simply offer the service and unconditional love. She totally got it." ## WATCH: Meghan Markle is the reigning queen of Google
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| Egypt hosts Palestinian groups, urges calm with Israel Posted: 03 Feb 2019 06:34 AM PST ![Egypt hosts Palestinian groups, urges calm with Israel]( "Egypt hosts Palestinian groups, urges calm with Israel") The head of the Islamist militant group Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, led a delegation to meet with Egyptian security officials in Cairo. The leader of a smaller Gaza-based faction, Islamic Jihad, also headed to Cairo, Palestinian officials said. Hamas has been in a bitter rivalry with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is based in the occupied West Bank, for more than a decade.
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| Walmart introduces paid time-off for sick days and other absences Posted: 03 Feb 2019 02:53 PM PST  Walmart employees can now earn paid time-off unplanned absences from work. The retailer will pay a higher bonus to those with spotless attendance.
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| Coq au vin Posted: 02 Feb 2019 10:00 PM PST  A coq au vin will always be a brilliant way to feed a crowd – especially when it's freezing outside. It's rich, luxurious and full of umami. Choose a starchy side to absorb the juices, whether mashed potatoes, gratin dauphinois or polenta. SERVES six INGREDIENTS 2 x 75cl bottles red wine 1.5kg whole chicken, jointed into 8-10 pieces 3 carrots, chopped into chunks 2 sticks celery, chopped into 5cm pieces 1 bulb of garlic, separated into cloves 20 baby onions or 10 baby shallots, peeled 1 bouquet garni (a bundle of parsley, thyme sprigs and bay leaf tied with kitchen string or in a strip of leek) 5 black peppercorns, crushed Olive oil, for cooking 250g pancetta or streaky unsmoked bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp 250g baby mushrooms Good handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped METHOD Pour the wine into a pan and heat to reduce it by half. This will boil off the alcohol and increase the intensity of the wine. Allow to cool. Place the chicken joints, carrots, celery, garlic, baby onions or shallots, bouquet garni and peppercorns in a bowl and pour over the wine. Leave this to marinate overnight, ideally for 24 hours. Drain the chicken and vegetables well, reserving the marinade and setting aside the chicken and veg separately. Pat the chicken pieces dry with kitchen paper and season them well. In a large pan or casserole large enough to hold the chicken, heat a tablespoon of oil and cook the chicken pieces to colour them and develop a crispy skin, turning them over. This takes about eight minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and add the marinated vegetables and bouquet garni. Sauté for four minutes until the vegetables have coloured. Add the chicken back to the pan, along with the bacon. Pour over the reserved marinade and cook at a low simmer with the lid on for 35-45 minutes. With 10 minutes to go, add the baby mushrooms. Finish with chopped parsley and serve from the pan. Recipes | Angela Hartnett's French bistro classics
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| Where the investigations related to President Trump stand Posted: 03 Feb 2019 12:39 PM PST  A look at where investigations related to President Donald Trump stand and what may lie ahead for him:
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| Groundhog Day prediction is for an early spring but Twitter's not buying it this year Posted: 02 Feb 2019 07:25 AM PST  Punxsutawney Phil, the Pennsylvania groundhog we let decide our seasons for us, is officially predicting an early spring. On Saturday morning, the famous groundhog awoke at sunrise to celebrate Groundhog Day and did not see his shadow. This, his male handlers in top hats dramatically said, signals an early start to spring and an end to winter. But don't get too excited. JUST IN: Punxsutawney Phil sees no shadow, predicts early spring. pic.twitter.com/BsMser58Rt — NBC News (@NBCNews) February 2, 2019 Would an early spring be nice? Sure! Especially considering temperatures have recently reached record-breaking lows in states across the country. But with the ever-present threat of climate change on the brain, reactions to Phil's verdict this year were pretty mixed. SEE ALSO: Bored Midwesterners are throwing boiling water into the frigid wind during the polar vortex Considering several states in America just experienced a brutally cold polar vortex, some gleefully embraced and early spring without question. The groundhog didn't see his shadow, Spring is right around the corner #GroundhogDay pic.twitter.com/SzrEKWcoZK — Tom Eschen (@TomEschenJr) February 2, 2019 #PunxsutawneyPhil did NOT see his shadow this Groundhog Day, which means early spring! ���� pic.twitter.com/RzhRnMoiZr — Adrienne Green (@adrienne_wx) February 2, 2019 The groundhog didn't see his shadow ���� I 100% trust his opinion on the weather pic.twitter.com/O3MpDLSGCH — Charnay Pickett (@CharnayPickett) February 2, 2019 But other Twitter users who've simply been burned too many times were especially reluctant to believe Punxsutawney Phil's hopeful weather reports this year. With climate change dominating more and more headlines, many people began openly questioning this unconventional tradition, with some simply refusing to buy the rodent's hopeful weather forecast in 2019. Groundhog says early Spring. I don't know if I can trust him. pic.twitter.com/PMGj3tTIXR — Casey Wheeless (@WVLTCasey) February 2, 2019 You all don't trust the nations best scientists on climate but you trust a groundhog's mood to determine forthcoming weather this season? — Audrey.�� (@BettercallA) February 2, 2019 Love to live in the United States, where people will trust a groundhog to predict the weather but won't trust 97 percent of climate scientists — Delak (@Delak_Iloth) February 2, 2019 Why do we put so much trust in a rodent & weather patterns? Perhaps this groundhog isn't as trustworthy as we think he is..... — Camille (@camille_yoho) February 2, 2019 America: The country where we deny Climate Change but trust our forthcoming weather with a groundhog #GroundhogDay — Sidharth Rao (@Sid12Rao) February 2, 2019 why do we all trust this group of men in top hats to tell us if a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow or not and why does this decide if we get spring this year — Liv Durbin (@liv_durbin) February 2, 2019 Phil's been wrong before, and his 2019 prediction is also in dispute after Shubenacadie Sam — the famous groundhog in Nova Scotia — just saw his shadow and predicted we're not rid of winter quite yet. Perhaps groundhogs aren't the most reliable weather forecasters after all... so it seems we'll just have to keep our hats and gloves handy and see what the weather brings. And maybe put some more trust in the research-supported wisdom dispensed by meteorologists and climate scientists. WATCH: Tesla drivers are getting screwed by the polar vortex
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| Inside a raid in Maduro's crackdown on critics in Venezuela slums Posted: 03 Feb 2019 01:50 PM PST  It was the afternoon of Jan. 24, the day after tens of thousands of slum residents left their hillside homes to join mass protests against President Nicolas Maduro, who they blame for an economic crisis that has left them without water, power, medicines and food. Several dozen officers from the National Police's Special Action Force (FAES) drove into the slum in armored vehicles and on motorcycles. By dawn, the FAES unit had killed as many as 10 people, leaving with their bodies and about a dozen hooded detainees, according to four local community leaders.
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| Dropping weapons treaty would let US update its nuclear arsenal Posted: 02 Feb 2019 09:15 PM PST  The US scrapping of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia could launch a new arms race, but will also allow the United States to update its nuclear arsenal, a publicly stated goal for the past year. President Donald Trump announced Friday the US was suspending its obligations under the INF treaty as of Saturday and starting a process to withdraw in six months. NATO has said that US allies "fully support" its withdrawal from the pact, and agreed that Russia's 9M729 ground-launched cruise missile systems violates the treaty.
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| Palestinian wounded by Israeli fire dies: Gaza ministry Posted: 03 Feb 2019 08:58 AM PST  A Palestinian died Sunday from gunshot wounds inflicted by Israeli soldiers during violent protests along the Gaza Strip's border, the enclave's health ministry said. Ahmed Abu Jamal, 30, was wounded during clashes in Beit Lahiya in the north of Gaza on January 29, said ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra.
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| Jussie Smollett tearfully speaks out at first concert since attack: 'I fought ... back' Posted: 03 Feb 2019 09:08 AM PST  "Empire" star Jussie Smollett took the stage Saturday in L.A. for his first concert since being attacked in what Chicago police call a "hate crime."
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| Normandy chicken with cream and cider Posted: 02 Feb 2019 10:00 PM PST  This rich and satisfying dish is good served with mashed potatoes or steamed rice. SERVES six INGREDIENTS 50g butter Oil, for cooking 6 chicken breasts, well seasoned 2 medium onions, finely sliced, or 12 baby onions 2 Discovery apples, halved Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg Ground white pepper, to season 500ml cider 150ml double cream METHOD Heat half of the butter in a large pan with a dash of oil and colour the chicken breasts on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and add the remaining butter to the pan. Add the onions and apples and cook for about five minutes, until the onions start to soften – but don't let them take on colour. Add the chicken breasts back to the pan and season with a touch of nutmeg and ground white pepper. Add the cider and cook over a low heat to reduce the liquid by two thirds, cooking the chicken at the same time. This takes about 30 minutes. Add the cream and emulsify with the cider sauce. If the sauce seems too runny, remove the chicken and apples and reduce the cream over a low-medium heat. Pour the sauce over the chicken and apples and serve immediately. Recipes | Angela Hartnett's French bistro classics
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| Deutsche Bank Denied Trump Loan During 2016 Campaign, NYT Says Posted: 02 Feb 2019 12:22 PM PST ![Deutsche Bank Denied Trump Loan During 2016 Campaign, NYT Says]( "Deutsche Bank Denied Trump Loan During 2016 Campaign, NYT Says") Trump's request was rejected by the bank's top management committee, which at the time included future Chief Executive Officer Christian Sewing, according to three unidentified people cited by the Times. Among its concerns was that if Trump won the election and eventually defaulted, the bank would have to choose between not collecting the debt and seizing assets of the U.S. president, the newspaper said. The Trump Organization sought a loan against its Miami resort to pay for work on a golf property in Turnberry, Scotland, according to two of the people.
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| Virginia Democrat says Northam won't resign Posted: 02 Feb 2019 10:44 AM PST  RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia Democrat who has spoken with Gov. Ralph Northam has told The Associated Press that the governor now does not believe he was in a racist picture in his 1984 medical yearbook and has no immediate plans to resign.
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| Rose Leslie knows Jon Snow’s fate on ‘Game of Thrones,’ and seemingly doesn’t like it Posted: 02 Feb 2019 01:09 PM PST ![Rose Leslie knows Jon Snow's fate on 'Game of Thrones,' and seemingly doesn't like it]( "Rose Leslie knows Jon Snow's fate on 'Game of Thrones,' and seemingly doesn't like it") We know you're probably getting sick of these teases by now that hint at an epic final season of Game of Thrones without revealing really anything in the way of details. Only how gobsmacked the participating actors confess to feeling once the cameras stopped rolling. Still, this revelation from Kit Harington during a recent British radio interview is surely going to raise your eyebrows and cause you to wonder what it means. Obviously, we're not about to spoil what ultimately happens to Kit's character, fan favorite Jon Snow. However, Kit has told one person -- his wife and former GoT co-star, Rose Leslie, who played the wilding on a couple seasons and famous accused him of not knowing anything. Rose, it seems, did not like what she was told. During a recent interview with KISS' breakfast crew hosts, Harington said he told his wife Jon Snow's fate sometime last year "and she wouldn't talk to me for about three days. And she'd asked!" Continued Harington during the interview: "It's quite nice walking around, which will only happen for a few months before everyone's seen it, knowing. I know and no one else does. I know how it wraps up. I think it's gonna be groundbreaking." An Uproxx piece Friday offers a little more from the Harington interview: "Harington isn't sure whether he's happy with the ending, because 'I don't think it's about happy or sad really. I'm satisfied with what they did, but I don't know whether I'll be really satisfied until I see it.' "The Thrones cast has been surprisingly forthcoming about how the public will relate to the series finale, with (Sophie) Turner, among others, accepting that it won't be for everyone. 'There will be some people who are disappointed, I'm sure, because they will want certain people to end up in certain places,' she previously confessed, while Ian Glen (Ser Jorah) said, 'You cannot please everyone.' Including Ygritte, apparently." So there you have it. That's certainly an interesting reaction, as we wait for the final season to premiere on April 14. By the way, Kit telling his wife his big secret might remind you of this earlier piece of ours, in which we noted that Sophie Turner has likewise told a few people how Game of Thrones ends. Miraculously, none of the people who've been told the secrets have spilled the beans as of yet.
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| The Latest: Bolton: US to send humanitarian aid to Venezuela Posted: 01 Feb 2019 06:06 PM PST  CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The latest on the political crisis in Venezuela (all times local):
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| Does Russia Have a Plan to Solve the North Korea Nuclear Crisis? Posted: 02 Feb 2019 01:42 PM PST  Some think so.
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| Cory Booker becomes latest Democrat to declare his candidacy for 2020 Posted: 02 Feb 2019 05:49 AM PST  Independent Women's Forum visiting fellow Kelsey Harkness looks at the growing field of candidates and their platforms.
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| Boko Haram kill 6 in southeast Niger Posted: 02 Feb 2019 06:34 AM PST  Boko Haram islamists have shot dead six people in a village in south Niger, near the border with Nigeria, a local official said Saturday. "Six people were killed Friday night by Boko Haram at Bague Djaradi," a village in Toumour commune, the official told AFP, adding the assailants were on foot.
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| This glacier has a gigantic cavity and that's not good for the sea level Posted: 03 Feb 2019 12:03 PM PST  Whether they're in your teeth or in an Antarctic glacier, cavities are a bad sign. The Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has developed a cavity roughly two-thirds the size of Manhattan and about 1,000 feet tall, according to a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory study published Thursday. This empty space has the negative effect of speeding up the rate at which the glacier melts and, in turn, how quickly sea levels rise. SEE ALSO: Climate change made these 17 extreme weather events radically worse An investigation by the New York Times from 2017 looked at the Thwaites Glacier, which is roughly the size of Florida, and how much ice it's regularly shedding and feeding into the sea. The problem with this glacier is that it's shedding a lot and accounts for about 4 percent of total sea level increase around the world according to NASA. The newly discovered cavity previously contained 14 billion tons of ice, which is now water, and it means that the Thwaites Glacier is melting faster than anyone thought. If the whole glacier melts, it would raise the sea level by more than two feet. In 2018, a report from over 40 earth sciences agencies looking at ice loss in Antarctica found that the continent has lost three trillion tons of ice over 25 years, primarily from West Antarctica. This has had a dramatic effect on the sea level, which has risen 7 and a half millimeters from the continent alone. The melting of glaciers and the sea level's rise, which is spurred on by global climate change, has devastating impacts on wildlife and coastal communities. As sea levels rise, coastal communities and low-level land areas become more susceptible to flooding and will force millions of people to relocate. The discovery of this cavity suggests the devastation is ramping up faster than we previously thought. h/t New York Times WATCH: Giant icebergs are a big tourist draw in Newfoundland, and a warning sign
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| Exclusive: Top U.S. insurer to cover Amgen, Eli Lilly migraine drugs, exclude Teva Posted: 01 Feb 2019 06:44 PM PST  Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's rival migraine headache preventer is excluded on one list and patients can pay more for it in some cases on a second list, the note said. As with rival PBMs Express Scripts and CVS Health Corp, OptumRx's lists of covered drugs, or formularies, cover tens of millions of consumers who receive their healthcare from employers and health insurers. About 39 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches, according to the Migraine Research Foundation, and global migraine drug sales could reach $8.7 billion by 2026, according to analytics firm GlobalData.
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| Stealth Rules: Why the F-22, F-35, B-2 and New B-21 Stealth Bomber are Nearly Unstoppable Posted: 03 Feb 2019 04:00 AM PST  Despite the loud and fast-growing chorus of analysts, critics and weapons developers who continue to raise the question as to whether stealth technology may slowly be becoming obsolete, some senior weapons developers are citing some ways current and emerging stealth platforms will - for years to come - remain very difficult to destroy.
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| To Florida's Venezuelan exiles, Pence vows more pressure on Maduro Posted: 02 Feb 2019 01:12 AM PST  In a visit to the largest community of Venezuelan exiles in the United States - and flanked by four prominent Florida Republican politicians - Pence rejected calls for talks with Maduro, and said all options were on the table to force him to leave. This is time for action," Pence told a few hundred people at a rally in a local church, many of whom waved Venezuelan flags and shouted "Libertad!" "The time has come to end the Maduro dictatorship once and for all," said Pence, who has emerged as one of the strongest voices against the Venezuelan leader in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. government has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president.
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| Duterte Appears on Facebook Live to Dispel Rumors That He's Dead Posted: 03 Feb 2019 03:59 AM PST ![Duterte Appears on Facebook Live to Dispel Rumors That He's Dead]( "Duterte Appears on Facebook Live to Dispel Rumors That He's Dead") "For those who believe in the news that I passed away, then I request of you, please pray for the eternal repose of my soul," Duterte said in a Facebook Live post, via the account of his common-law wife Honeylet Avancena. Avancena posted the video of her and the 73-year-old leader at a table, as they discussed a newspaper article while he ate some snacks.
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| Venezuela crisis: Nicolas Maduro on brink as military top brass turn against him Posted: 02 Feb 2019 01:45 PM PST  Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Caracas to back opposition leader Juan Guaido's calls for early elections as international pressure increased on President Nicolas Maduro to step down. Mr Maduro addressed a rally in Caracas on Saturday and proposed bringing forward parliamentary elections, scheduled for 2020, to this year, as he sought to damp down demands for presidential elections. "You want elections? You want early elections? We are going to have parliamentary elections," he said. "There is no dictatorship in Venezuela, nor will there be." He said the constituent assembly, which he controls, would debate ordering elections in the rival national assembly, which is opposition controlled and headed by Mr Guaido. The suggestion will likely have little impact, however, as he ignored Mr Guaido and his supporters' demands to resign, and stopped short of the four EU nations' demand for presidential elections. It certainly had little impact on the tens of thousands of anti-Maduro demonstrators in the streets. Protests were held across the country, and remarkably, as the day edged towards evening, there was no reported violence, and no tear gas fired. Wearing t-shirts saying "Let's take back our country" and holding aloft banners and placards criticising Mr Maduro, they processed through Caracas demanding change. Nakary Coelho, 28, broke down in tears, Venezuelan flag around her neck, as she told why she was supporting Mr Guaido. "I want my country to be free, and I want freedom to be the way here again," she told The Telegraph. "There is too much suffering, and we have to bring democracy back. Today we are doing it." Opposition activists pour onto the streets on Saturday, to back Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido's calls for early elections Bekis Seijas, a 60-year-old retired health ministry employee, said he and his two children were the only members of his family not to have fled the country. "We need humanitarian aid," he told The Telegraph. "We need medicines, we need food, and this government blocks everything. That's why I'm here." Mr Guaido announced on Twitter that humanitarian aid was on its way. The move is being seen as a test of whether the military remains loyal to Mr Maduro, and turns it away, or defies the commander in chief and helps the people. "You, soldier... have the decision in your hands" to allow it in or not, said Mr Guaido. In the northwestern city of Barquisimeto video on social media appeared to show riot police refusing to repress protesters, and walking away from the demonstrations. One officer hugged a protester. The demonstrations came as a general from the Venezuelan air force announced he no longer recognises Mr Maduro as the country's president, in what appears to be the highest ranking military defection to hit the regime. Major European countries have set a Sunday deadline for Mr Maduro to call snap presidential elections. Failing that, they will join the United States in recognising Mr Guaido, leader of the national assembly, as Venezuela's interim president. His announcement on Saturday does not meet their demands. "Maduro's tyranny must end and must end now," said Mike Pence, the US vice president, at a rally of exiled Venezuelans in Miami on the eve of the protest. An anti-government protester wears signs asking for humanitarian aid and a message on his chest that reads in Spanish: "Venezuelans die for lack of medicines. Maduro is an assassin" Mr Guaido in an interview with Italian newspaper La Stampa said he wanted the Vatican to intervene in his favour. "We hope to soon hear a pronouncement by the pope," he said. But the Argentine-born pontiff said a few days earlier that, although he is terrified there could be a bloodbath in Venezuela, his pastoral role does not let him take sides. Mr Guaido's call for a massive show of popular support coincides with a huge pro-Maduro demonstration. The ruling Socialist party celebrated the 20th anniversary of the rise to power of Hugo Chavez, Mr Maduro's deceased predecessor, on Saturday. Mr Maduro told the crowd that the armed forces were "the spinal column" of the country, and that he had every faith in them. "If Venezuela wants a future, peace, then we must preserve our country's integrity," he said, praising his armed forces. "If you want peace, prepare yourself to defend it. We are a peaceful population. But we are warriors. The United States empire threatens us every day. We don't want another Vietnam. And I have a message for the people of the United States: stop the madness of Donald Trump." Clashes last week around the country left some 40 people dead, according to the United Nations. Chavez, the army officer whose oil-fueled spending raised millions of Venezuelans out of poverty, assumed office as Venezuela's president February 2, 1999 at the head of a socialist movement. Government supporters are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hugo Chavez's rise to power Credit: Ariana Cubillos/AP His hand-picked successor, Mr Maduro, has presided over the oil-rich country's economic collapse and is widely denounced as a dictator for ruthlessly cracking down on dissent amid chronic shortages of food and medicines. Mr Guaido, 35, is trying to force the socialist leader from power so he can set up a transitional government and hold new presidential elections. The United States and a dozen Latin American countries rapidly recognised Mr Guaido after he declared himself acting president in a January 23 speech, posing a direct challenge to Mr Maduro's authority. European Parliament politicians recognised Mr Guaido on Thursday as the acting head of state. And four major European powers - Britain, France, Germany and Spain - have said they will do so if Mr Maduro fails to call presidential elections by midnight on Sunday. The international heave against Mr Maduro's leftist regime came after weeks of behind-the-scenes diplomacy including secret talks in Washington between Mr Guaido and US officials. "Nicolas Maduro will do well not to test the resolve of the United States of America," Mr Pence warned on Friday. "Let me be very clear: this is no time for dialogue. This is time for action," the vice president said. "The time has come to end Maduro's dictatorship once and for all." Evo Morales, president of Bolivia, flew into Venezuela on Friday to offer Mr Maduro his support In a letter to the presidents of Mexico and Uruguay published Friday, Mr Guaido ruled out any negotiations with Maduro unless they "start the transition process, culminating in the holding of free elections." Mexico's Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Uruguay's Tabare Vazquez have jointly called a conference in Montevideo next Thursday for "neutral" countries to discuss the crisis. Previous negotiations all had the same "unsatisfactory result," Mr Guaido wrote. "The dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro has not changed its position. They have mocked the Venezuelan people to their face." The last 10 days of political upheaval have exacerbated economic meltdown in Venezuela, which has the world's largest proven oil reserves but has suffered hyperinflation and shortages of basic necessities. The UN says 2.3 million people have fled the country, unleashing a migration crisis in South America. Mr Guaido has acknowledged "clandestine meetings" with members of the armed forces and security forces, who he is trying to woo with an amnesty offer. So far, the military high command has remained loyal to Mr Maduro.
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| Israel releases report on links between BDS and militants Posted: 03 Feb 2019 01:37 PM PST ![Israel releases report on links between BDS and militants]( "Israel releases report on links between BDS and militants") JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli government released a report Sunday claiming to reveal close links between the Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel and militant groups.
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| Here’s how most fans are going to watch Super Bowl 53 this weekend Posted: 03 Feb 2019 06:31 AM PST  Cord-cutting is one of the storylines we cover regularly here, and for good reason. It is dramatically reshaping the TV and broader entertainment landscape, bringing major new services into the mix like Disney's forthcoming streaming service and upending the business models of cable providers and all of Hollywood. There's still one corner of the TV industry, though, that retains its dominance in spite of the changes wrought by cord-cutting. And if you intend to plant yourself on the couch in front of the TV this weekend to watch the Rams take on the Patriots, you already know what we're talking about. According to new data from Sports Illustrated, in partnership with PCMag, most of you are still going to watch the big game this weekend via traditional cable. "Perhaps not surprisingly, cable is still king for Super Bowl viewing," a report of the survey findings reads. "Fifty percent of respondents plan to watch on TV using their cable subscription; another 8.4 percent will watch the broadcast over the air (OTA). Only 10.4 percent plan to stream the game, while 31.1 percent do not plan to watch at all." For this survey, some 2,800 people were asked between January 22 and January 25 how they're going to watch the Super Bowl this year. But even with the main takeaway being that cable remains dominant, there are also some other interesting findings when you take a closer look at the results. There's a spike this year in younger viewers who say they'll stream the game -- 60% of 18-34-year-olds will, in fact. Rams fans say they're more likely to stream the game than Pats fans, and among those who say they plan to stream the game, Roku devices are the most popular method for doing so -- 33% say they'll watch the game that way. The game will be available on Roku devices via the CBS Sports channel as well as via CBS All Access for subscribers. The Sports Illustrated/PCMag survey goes on to note that 23.7% of streamers are going to watch on an Amazon Fire device, which likewise supports CBS' app. "Split by region, those in the Southwest are most likely to stream the game, at 17 percent," the survey findings continue. "Not everyone will be home or available to watch at kickoff, which is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. As such, 37 percent of NFL fans will DVR the game. Split by team allegiance, 42 percent of Patriots fans will use DVR, while 34 percent of Rams fans will use DVR."
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| Erdogan says Turkey keeping 'low-level' contact with Syria Posted: 03 Feb 2019 01:09 PM PST  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said his government maintained "low-level" contact through its spy agency with the Syrian regime despite being one of its most fervent critics. Ankara fell out with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad following the 2011 crackdown on popular dissent, with Erdogan denouncing him as "killer Assad". The Turkish leader has ruled out any direct talks with Assad and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in December Ankara was only in contact with Damascus through third parties, namely Russia and Iran.
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| Virginia Governor `Deeply Sorry` for Racist Yearbook Page Amid Calls for Him to Step Down Posted: 01 Feb 2019 08:25 PM PST  Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has apologized for the photo of a two men in blackface and a KKK costume on his 1984 yearbook page, but he says he does not have plans to resign.
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| Dizzying Hubble video zooms in for a detailed, layered look at the Whirlpool Galaxy Posted: 03 Feb 2019 08:23 AM PST  You ever get the feeling that you're just a tiny, insignificant speck floating free in the vast ocean of our universe? If the answer is "no" then you haven't been spending enough time on the Hubble Space Telescope's YouTube channel. A video posted late last month offers a detailed view of one of our Milky Way's neighbors, the Whirlpool Galaxy. The three-minute assemblage of photos and 3D visualizations breaks down the anatomy of the galaxy using data pulled from three sources. Hubble itself only captured the visual imagery, actual photographs. The video's infrared imaging comes from the Spitzer Space Telescope, while the x-ray imaging comes from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Captions in the video guide viewers through a process of peeling away the Whirlpool Galaxy's layers, and looking at them across different spectral bands and wavelengths. It's informative! And also pretty. Space gives good pictures. Just mind the abundance of existential minefields.
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| US top court delays litmus test on abortion Posted: 01 Feb 2019 06:45 PM PST  The conservative-leaning US Supreme Court on Friday said it has delayed what is sure to be a highly polarizing upcoming abortion rights test case. A clinic and two doctors offering abortions in Louisiana have appealed to the Supreme Court to block a law restricting access to abortion that is due to come into force next week in the conservative southern state. Louisiana argues that the risks of complications arising during an abortion procedure mean that patients may need to be transferred to a nearby hospital where doctors could step in.
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| Trump appoints former White House doctor to be chief medical adviser despite ongoing misconduct probe Posted: 03 Feb 2019 02:38 AM PST  Donald Trump has appointed his former doctor as his assistant and chief medical adviser despite an ongoing investigation into allegations of professional misconduct. Dr Ronny Jackson, who has also been nominated for a promotion to two-star admiral, first emerged as a controversial figure last year when he said the US president had "excellent" physical and mental health.
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| Congresswoman Gabbard to officially declare 2020 candidacy Posted: 02 Feb 2019 03:04 AM PST  Gabbard, 37, will officially launch her candidacy in Hawaii, where she has served as a congresswoman since 2013. A Samoan-American, she was the first Hindu elected to Congress. Gabbard then endorsed Sanders for president, becoming one of the few members of Congress to do so.
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| Red Cross talks to US about risks of sending Venezuela aid Posted: 02 Feb 2019 02:02 AM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — The International Committee of the Red Cross has talked to the United States about the risks of delivering humanitarian aid to Venezuela without the approval of security forces loyal to President Nicolas Maduro, an official with the agency said Friday.
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| America's Other Big Plan for Nuclear Weapons (And It Has Nothing to Do with War or Russia) Posted: 02 Feb 2019 01:42 PM PST  Washington had all sorts of plans to use nuclear weapons for lots of things. But they never happened—for very obvious reasons.
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| The person behind the World Record Egg has been revealed Posted: 03 Feb 2019 02:22 PM PST  The World Record Egg's creator has finally been revealed, and it's ... Are you sitting down for this? Are you ready? Guys. The person behind the bizarrely normal egg that managed to beat Kylie Jenner's world record for the most liked photo on Instagram has been revealed. It's Chris Godfrey, who works at the advertising agency The&Partnership in London. > View this post on Instagram > > Let's set a world record together and get the most liked post on Instagram. Beating the current world record held by Kylie Jenner (18 million)! We got this #LikeTheEgg #EggSoldiers #EggGang > > A post shared by EGG GANG (@world_record_egg) on Jan 4, 2019 at 9:05am PST Up until now, despite numerous attempts to discover who was behind the massive internet stunt, his identity remained a mystery. The egg gave interviews under various egg-related pseudonyms but we didn't know the name of the human who thought the whole thing up. Mashable's reporting identified Godfrey as the egg's creator several weeks ago, but we held the story because Godfrey told Mashable he did not wish to go public. Today, ahead of the Super Bowl, BuzzFeed ran a piece identifying Godfrey, confirming the details of our reporting. > View this post on Instagram > > The wait is over All will be revealed this Sunday following the Super Bowl Watch it first, only on @hulu. #EggGang #WeGotThis #TalkingEgg > > A post shared by EGG GANG (@world_record_egg) on Feb 1, 2019 at 4:24pm PST This development comes after an announcement on Friday that the egg had partnered with Hulu and would reveal more during the Super Bowl on Sunday. This is a developing story...
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