| US-backed fighters make slow advance into IS pocket in Syria Posted: 11 Mar 2019 09:45 AM PDT  BAGHOUZ, Syria (AP) — U.S.-backed Syrian forces pounded the last village held by the Islamic State group with artillery and heavy weapons from multiple sides Monday and made slow advances on its edges, battling militants holed up in underground tunnels.
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| The nations grounding their Boeing 737s Posted: 11 Mar 2019 02:46 PM PDT  A number of countries grounded Boeing's 737 MAX 8 medium-haul workhorse jet on Monday in response to an Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed all 157 people on board. There are some 350 of the 737 MAX 8 planes currently in service around the world and while some countries and airlines have opted to ground the planes, others are continuing to fly the aircraft pending an investigation into the crash and possible guidance from Boeing itself. Boeing has sent experts to assist in the Ethiopia probe and said safety was its "number one priority".
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| Tank Terror: Why the U.S. Army's 'New' M1 Abrams Tank Is A Monster on the Battlefield Posted: 11 Mar 2019 12:55 AM PDT  Russia and China won't like this one bit.
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| Actor Jussie Smollett indicted on 16 counts of lying to Chicago police Posted: 11 Mar 2019 11:33 AM PDT ![Actor Jussie Smollett indicted on 16 counts of lying to Chicago police]( "Actor Jussie Smollett indicted on 16 counts of lying to Chicago police") (This March 8 story has been refiled to correct amount of alleged payment by Smollett to $3,500 instead of $35,000 in paragraph 8) By Suzannah Gonzales CHICAGO (Reuters) - Television actor Jussie Smollett, arrested last month on a single charge of perpetrating a hate-crime hoax, has been newly indicted on 16 felony counts of falsely reporting to police that he was assaulted by two strangers shouting racist and homophobic slurs. The indictment, returned by a Cook County grand jury on Thursday and made public on Friday, greatly expands on the legal jeopardy faced by Smollett, whose story of being attacked in Chicago by supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump has drawn suspicion since it first surfaced in late January. Smollett, 36, who is black and openly gay and plays a gay musician on the Fox network hip-hop drama "Empire," was charged last month in a single-count criminal complaint with making a false report to police, defined under Illinois law as a form of disorderly conduct.
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| Keeping the Peace in South Asia Posted: 10 Mar 2019 05:00 AM PDT ![Keeping the Peace in South Asia]( "Keeping the Peace in South Asia") As India looks ahead to its approaching election, the world's biggest democracy should take care to draw the right lessons from the crisis. The great temptation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be to exploit and even inflame the country's mood of militant nationalism. Modi, leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, has boasted that a tough "new India" won't be bullied.
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| View 2019 Volvo V60 T5 Momentum Photos Posted: 11 Mar 2019 02:15 PM PDT |
| Wildlife World Zoo says it won't put down jaguar that attacked a woman taking a photo Posted: 10 Mar 2019 02:27 PM PDT ![Wildlife World Zoo says it won't put down jaguar that attacked a woman taking a photo]( "Wildlife World Zoo says it won't put down jaguar that attacked a woman taking a photo") The attack reportedly took place about 6:40 p.m. Saturday at the Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield Park, Arizona.
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| Tesla changes course, will keep more showrooms open Posted: 11 Mar 2019 07:03 AM PDT  Electric carmaker Tesla is reversing course on its decision to move most of its sales online, saying it will keep many of its showrooms open -- but will need to hike prices to do so. Tesla said in a statement late Sunday the new plan will mean a three percent rise in the cost of the vehicles, but won't apply that to the lowest-priced Model 3, which is being sold for $35,000. "As a result of keeping significantly more stores open, Tesla will need to raise vehicle prices by about three percent on average worldwide," the statement said.
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| Fox News condemns its own host over comments about congresswoman's hijab Posted: 11 Mar 2019 09:51 AM PDT  Fox News has condemned its host Jeanine Pirro after she questioned whether a Muslim congresswoman's wearing of a headscarf stood in conflict to the US Constitution. In a rare rebuke of one of its star presenters, the network said: "We strongly condemn Jeanine Pirro's comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar. They do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly." Pirro suggested on her Saturday show that Ms Omar's religious beliefs may run counter to the US Constitution, saying: "Think about it: Omar wears a hijab, which, according to the Qur'an 33:59, tells women to cover so they won't get molested. Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?" Ms Omar, who is a Somali-American and of the first Muslim women elected to Congress in November, has been at the centre of a furious row over anti-Semitism after controversial comments she made about Israel. The Democratic Party was forced to pass a resolution in the House of Representatives last week condemning the use of anti-Semitic stereotypes after Ms Omar compared support for Israel to "allegiance to a foreign country". Ilhan Omar was one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress Credit: Alex Edelman/Bloomberg Ms Omar, who has already been once rebuked by Democrat leadership over her comments on Israel in the two months she has been in office, triggered this new row with a tweet. She wrote: "I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee" Pirro, also known as Judge Jeanine, opened her weekend programme criticising Ms Omar for "anti-Israel sentiment" and questioned whether it was rooted in the representative for Minnesota's Islamic beliefs. President Trump was right when he said the democrat party is now the anti-Israel party. Don't forget Nancy, history has proven over and over when you appease to anti-Semitic sentiment, the worst happens. OpeningStatementpic.twitter.com/vrnzhcu95o— Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) March 10, 2019 "She's not getting this anti-Israel sentiment doctrine from the Democrat Party. So if it's not rooted in the party, where is she getting it from?" Pirro said on her "Justice with Judge Jeanine" show. The comments drew criticism from her own colleagues. Hufsa Kamal, a producer on Fox's "Special Report with Bret Baier," tweeted: "@JudgeJeanine can you stop spreading this false narrative that somehow Muslims hate America or women who wear a hijab aren't American enough? You have Muslims working at the same network you do, including myself." @JudgeJeanine can you stop spreading this false narrative that somehow Muslims hate America or women who wear a hijab aren't American enough? You have Muslims working at the same network you do, including myself. K thx. https://t.co/ZfKhRhlvM3— Hufsa Kamal (@hufkat) March 10, 2019 Responding to the furore, Pirro said her intention "was to ask a question and start a debate." "Of course because one is Muslim does not mean you don't support the Constitution. I invite Rep. Omar to come on my show any time to discuss all of the important issues facing America today."
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| Here Come the Robot Submarines: Meet Boeing's 4 Huge Robotic Subs Posted: 11 Mar 2019 04:28 AM PDT  What can they do?
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| Modern policing: Algorithm helps NYPD spot crime patterns Posted: 10 Mar 2019 11:24 AM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — When a syringe-wielding drill thief tried sticking up a Home Depot near Yankee Stadium, police figured out quickly that it wasn't a one-off. A man had also used a syringe a few weeks earlier while stealing a drill at another Home Depot 7 miles (11 kilometers) south in Manhattan.
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| With shrouded faces, Islamic State fighters stand guard over final enclave Posted: 10 Mar 2019 10:19 AM PDT  Thousands of people - many of them the wives of Islamic State fighters and their children - have been streaming out of the besieged enclave at Baghouz for weeks, forcing the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to delay an assault on the last vestige of the jihadists' territorial rule. Reuters TV footage of the Islamic State-controlled frontline shows armed militants, most with only their eyes visible, supervising the evacuations from a scrubby patch of agricultural land scattered with vehicles and a few buildings. The SDF has said the fighters staying put through waves of evacuations are the most hardened foreign militants, wanted by governments around the world, who are likely to fight to the death.
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| As Venezuela’s Lights Flicker, Guaido Seeks an Opening Posted: 10 Mar 2019 06:08 PM PDT  Instead, the 35-year-old leader made another plea to the military to ditch Maduro, a change that would almost certainly bring him down. "Will you keep hiding the dictator?" he asked in a news conference in Caracas, addressing the military high command.
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| Emily Ratajkowski and husband are apparently rent deadbeats and nightmare neighbors, according to their landlord Posted: 11 Mar 2019 06:00 AM PDT  Millionaire movie-maker Sebastian Bear-McClard and model Emily Ratajkowski are apparently rent deadbeats and nightmare neighbors, according to their landlord Antoni Ghosh.
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| How to stay cool under pressure, according to Barack Obama Posted: 11 Mar 2019 09:59 AM PDT  Former President Barack Obama shared his secrets on how he was able to remain calm and level-headed under immense pressure throughout his presidency while speaking at a tech conference this week. The 44th President of the United States told attendees in Salt Lake City, Utah on Wednesday that there some truth to his nickname "no drama Obama," despite admitting he would still be ridden with fear over making a mistake. It wasn't until his second term did Mr Obama experienced a "shedding of fear" that he said helped him perform better.
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| Covington Catholic student's lawyer plans lawsuit against CNN after suing Washington Post Posted: 09 Mar 2019 06:29 PM PST  L. Lin Wood, attorney for Nick Sandmann, says CNN was 'more vicious' in coverage as reason for planned lawsuit that could be more than $250 million.
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| Iran's Rouhani arrives in Iraq on first official visit: state TV Posted: 11 Mar 2019 12:42 AM PDT  Iran's President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Iraq on Monday for his first official visit, state television said, as Baghdad is under pressure from Washington to limit ties with its neighbour. Before leaving Tehran Rouhani hailed the "special" relations between Iran and Iraq, saying they could not be compared to Baghdad's ties "with an aggressor country like America".
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| Ethiopian airlines crash: British death toll rises to 'at least nine' as more victims identified Posted: 11 Mar 2019 02:10 PM PDT  Ethiopian Airlines said 157 passengers and crew members were killed when one of its jets crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa on Sunday morning. At least nine Britons and one Irish citizen were among the dead, as were scientists, doctors, aid workers and three members of a Slovakian MP's family. The Foreign Office said: "We can now sadly confirm at least nine British nationals were on board flight ET302. "Our staff at the British Embassy in Addis Ababa are continuing to work with the relevant authorities in Ethiopia to obtain further information. "We extend our deepest condolences to all those who have lost loved ones and those affected by this tragic event." Here is what we know so far about the victims: Joanna Toole Joanna Toole, a 36-year-old from Exmouth, Devon, was heading to Nairobi to attend the UN Environment Assembly when she was killed. Her father, Adrian, described her as a "very soft and loving" woman whose "work was not a job - it was her vocation". "It's just tragic that she couldn't carry on to further her career and achieve more," he told the BBC. "She was very well known in her own line of business and we've had many tributes already paid to her." Joanna Toole He also said she used to keep homing pigeons and pet rats and travelled to the remote Faroe Islands to prevent whaling. Manuel Barange, director of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations fisheries and aquaculture department, tweeted saying he was "profoundly sad and lost for words" over the death of the "wonderful human being". Michael Ryan Irishman Michael Ryan was among the seven dead from the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), a Rome-based humanitarian organisation distributing billions of rations every year to those in need. The aid worker and engineer known as Mick was formerly from Lahinch in Co Clare in Ireland's west and was believed to be married with two children and living in Cork. His projects have included creating safe ground for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and assessing the damage to rural roads in Nepal which were blocked by landslides. Irish premier Leo Varadkar said: "Michael was doing life-changing work in Africa with the World Food Programme." Mr Ryan's mother Christine said that her son "wanted to save the world". He was employed by the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), which is a leading humanitarian organisation delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with impoverished communities to improve nutrition. The married father-of-two, who was originally from Lahinch in Co Clare, had relocated to Rome to work at WFP headquarters. His wife Naoise and children were due to move out to Rome in the coming months. Speaking to RTE Morning Ireland, Christine said: "He's an amazing person, we can't believe it and we can't come to terms with this. "His wife and children are just devastated. "He was a very enthusiastic person, he had a great vision and he believed in engineering and in putting people first." Mrs Ryan said she knew he was flying to Nairobi but didn't know he was on the flight that crashed until his wife contacted her. "Naoise was saying that she was always concerned when he got on different flights but when he got on this particular flight she wasn't particularly concerned as he had been in worse situations and survived and got through it," Christine added. "He was involved in a lot of projects worldwide, flood relief, landslides, Ebola. He had been in Afghanistan and Pakistan and Sudan. "He felt he made a difference. He had a marvellous vision and he just got there and did it and had great enthusiasm. "He always wanted to help others and he loved people and would light up a room. He had a way with people. "He never wanted a nine to five job, he put everything into his work. "He had some amazing stories. There was a lot of danger for him but he loved his work. We all appreciated what he was doing and we couldn't take that away from him." Mrs Ryan said her son was turning 40 at the end of the month and the family were to fly to Rome next week for the celebrations. Sarah Auffret Polar tourism expert Sarah Auffret was making her way to Nairobi to discuss tackling plastic pollution in the seas at the UN assembly, according to her Norway-based employers Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO). The University of Plymouth graduate held dual French-British citizenship, Norwegian media reported. Sarah Auffret Credit: PA/AECO Raised in Brittany, the environmental agent was leading AECO's efforts to cut back single-use plastics on Arctic expeditions and co-ordinating beach clean-ups. Tributes were paid by the University of Plymouth to Sarah Auffret, who graduated in 2007 after studying European Studies and German. "The university was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Sarah Auffret over the weekend and sends its deepest condolences to her family and friends," a spokesman said. "Sarah was an exemplary student who fully embraced university life and took every opportunity to develop herself while she was here. "She is remembered as someone who had a passion for learning about Europe and a strong moral compass. "In her role at the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators, Sarah had also met several of the university's leading scientists at the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromso this year. "They, like many others in the audience, had been deeply impressed with her presentation on plastic pollution and her evident passion for the planet." Joseph Waithaka Joseph Waithaka, a 55-year-old who lived in Hull for a decade before moving back to his native Kenya, also died in the crash, his son told the Hull Daily Mail. Ben Kuria, who lives in London, said his father had worked for the Probation Service, adding: "He helped so many people in Hull who had found themselves on the wrong side of the law." Joseph Waithaka Credit: Twitter It is understood Mr Waithaka had a dual-nationality passport. His son paid tribute to his father Joseph Waithaka, calling him "one of the humblest people that I know". Mr Kuria, from south London, said: "He's someone who really loved justice, and didn't give up on people most people had given up on. "He really just wanted the best for his kids. He was a father not just to us but to so many people in so many ways." Sahra Hassan Said and Nasrudin Abdulkadir The family of Sarah Hassan Said and her son Nasrudin Abdulkadir has confirmed that the pair died on the plane. It is understood they are dual Somali-British nationals. Ms Hassain Said's siblings and nephew wrote tributes to the mother and son on Facebook. Ms Said's brother wrote: "May Allah have mercy on them." Another relative, Maxamuud Hassan, said the pair had been travelling from Germany together, writing: "We are feeling so bad right now. We have lost so much." Sam Pegram An aid worker from Penwortham has been identified tonight as one of the 157 people who died when an Ethiopian Airways plane crashed near Addis Ababa yesterday. Geneva-based Mr Pegram, 25 and from Penwortham, was an intern with the Norwegian Refugee Council. Sam Pegram The Lancashire Evening Post quoted Mr Pegram's mother Deborah, who said: "Sam was so looking forward to going to Nairobi. He loved the work he was doing. "We can't believe this has happened. We're totally devastated." The foreign nationals who died in the crash Senior Captain Yared Getachew, who was a dual Ethiopian-Kenyan national, was the pilot on the flight. Colleagues said he had piloted over 8,000 hours and had an "excellent flying record". Anton Hrnko, an MP for the nationalist Slovak National Party, said he was "in deep grief" to announce that his wife Blanka, daughter Michala and son Martin were among the dead. Hospitality company Tamarind Group announced "with immense shock and grief" that its chief executive Jonathan Seex was among the fatalities. German national Anne-Katrin Feigl was named as a crash victim by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). She was en route to a training course in Nairobi as part of her role as a junior professional officer at the organisation. Italian Paolo Dieci, a founder of an aid group that works with Unicef in Africa, was also reported as among the dead. Three members of humanitarian organisation Africa Tremila, based in Bergamo, Italy, were on board. The aid group's president Carlo Spini, his wife Gabriella Viggiani, and treasurer Matteo Ravasio were among the eight Italians killed. Sicilian regional culture ministry assessor Sebastiano Tusa, an underwater archaeologist, was also reportedly on the plane. Also among those killed from the WFP were Virginia Chimenti and Maria Pilar Buzzetti. Cedric Asiavugwa, a 32-year-old law student at Georgetown University in Washington was travelling to Nairobi, his home town, following a family bereavement, college officials told the Washington Post. The African Diaspora Youth Forum in Europe said co-chairman Karim Saafi had been a passenger on the flight and had been due to represent them at a meeting with the African Union in Nairobi. Professor Pius Adesamni was named as a victim by Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Hussein Swaleh, the former secretary general of the Football Kenya Federation, was named as being among the dead by Sofapaka Football Club. Abiodun Oluremi Bashua - a retired envoy who served in Iran, Austria and Ivory Coast - was killed, Nigeria's foreign affairs ministry said. Austrian media reported that three doctors who were aged between 30 and 40 and worked at hospitals in Linz had died. Save the Children said its child protection in emergencies adviser Tamirat Mulu Demessie was among the dead. Three of the Russians on board were tourists Yekaterina Polyakova, Alexander Polyakov and Sergei Vyalikov, the Russian Embassy in Ethiopia said. The first two were reportedly married. Max Thabiso Edkins, who studied at Oxford University, has been confirmed by his employer, The World Bank, as one of the victims. He spent his life working on climate change projects and was en route to the One Planet Summit in Nairobi on the plane that crashed. He was born in Lesotho and grew up between Lesotho, Germany and South Africa. Canadian Danielle Moore, 24, was travelling to a UN environment conference in Nairobi. She was an expert in marine biology, working as a member of the clean ocean advocacy group Ocean Wise and as an education lead at the charity Canada Learning Code. Karoline Aadland, 28, from Norway, was a programme finance co-ordinator for the Norwegian Red Cross. "Our thoughts are with her next of kin. Our focus is on providing them with assistance in this difficult time," the Norwegian Red Cross tweeted. The Addis Ababa office for Catholic Relief Services lost four senior Ethiopian staffers who were traveling to Nairobi for a training program. They were identified as Sara Chalachew, Getnet Alemayehu, Sintayehu Aymeku and Mulusew Alem. Susan Abu Faraj and Asmat Arnasa, from Egypt, were interpreters for the African Union who had been flying to attend the U.N. conference in Nairobi. Indian citizen Shikha Garg, a consultant with India's Environment Ministry working with the U.N. Development Program, also died in the crash while travelling to the conference.
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| Medical examiner identifies HISD student stabbed to death over food Posted: 09 Mar 2019 04:43 PM PST  Police say Brian Angel was arguing with the juvenile suspect over food when he was stabbed.
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| No majority in British parliament for second Brexit referendum: Reuters analysis Posted: 11 Mar 2019 01:07 AM PDT  Britain is due to leave the European Union at the end of this month, and with parliament yet to approve Prime Minister Theresa May's exit deal, calls for a second referendum to break the deadlock, often dubbed a 'people's vote', have intensified. Last month, the opposition Labour Party broke new ground for one of the major parties by saying it would support a new referendum on May's deal after parliament defeated its alternative Brexit plan. Labour's position could face its first test on Tuesday when May's deal is brought back to parliament.
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| Plane makes emergency landing after suspected fire, passengers evacuated Posted: 10 Mar 2019 05:49 PM PDT  Air Transat Flight 942 was on its way from Montreal to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when it reported a possible fire in the cargo hold and was diverted to Newark.
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| US sanctions against Venezuela scaring off banks Posted: 10 Mar 2019 01:39 AM PST  As the United States has quickly ratcheted up sanctions against Venezuela to pressure Nicolas Maduro, bankers say they are shying away from doing even legitimate business with the crisis-wracked oil-producing country for fear of getting caught in the crossfire. The sanctions target a growing list of individuals and companies linked to the Maduro regime -- including state oil company PDVSA, the lifeblood of the Caribbean nation's crumbling economy.
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| What to Watch When Wells Fargo’s CEO Returns to Congress Posted: 11 Mar 2019 01:31 AM PDT  Sloan, who rose to chief executive officer of the fourth-largest U.S. bank in October 2016, appeared before the Senate Banking Committee just months later, telling lawmakers he had "a long to-do list." Tuesday's questioning poses both a chance for Sloan to tout what he's checked off that list, and a risk that he'll stumble in front of some of his harshest critics. Scandals at Wells Fargo erupted in 2016 on the revelation that bank employees opened millions of potentially fake accounts to meet sales goals. Wells Fargo has dispatched its army of lobbyists and executives, including Sloan, to meet with lawmakers ahead of the hearing.
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| Apple confirms March 25th ‘It’s show time’ event with media invites Posted: 11 Mar 2019 12:40 PM PDT  News that Apple would host a March event to discuss its latest services broke last month via a BuzzFeed report, but on Monday, Apple confirmed the date and location of the event by sending out invites to the press. As expected, the event will take place on March 25th at 10 a.m. from the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino. Apple, unsurprisingly, only hinted at the contents of the event with the following phrase: "It's show time."The initial report claimed that Apple's paid news subscription service would take center stage, but the invites the press received on Monday, in addition to featuring the words "show time," also includes a short animation that mirrors an old film reel countdown, suggesting that the video service will be highlighted.With Disney expected to launch its own subscription service by year's end, Netflix continuing to take over the world, and all the networks considering taking back their content to launch services of their own, the window of opportunity to capture a significant audience seems to be closing at a rapid rate. If Apple is going to make a big move and try to carve out its own share of the market, it needs to do so before the market is completely splintered.Therefore, it's no surprise that the March event is looking increasingly likely to be a launch party for Apple's streaming service. Here's what the invite for the event looks like, courtesy of TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino:In addition to the video streaming service, the news subscription service will probably be along for the ride as well. We still don't know much about what it will look like, but as Apple's services division continues to grow so much year after year, bringing in more subscribers, in whatever form possible, has become a priority.
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| NRA targets Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in scathing attack, labelling her a 'self-absorbed socialist darling' Posted: 10 Mar 2019 10:31 AM PDT  The National Rifle Association has launched a scathing attack on Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, branding the congresswoman a "self-absorbed socialist darling". Grant Stinchfield, who is a host on the TV channel of the largest gun lobbying group in America, said Ms Ocasio-Cortez made him "sick". Mr Stinchfield, a self-described "firearms enthusiast", hit out at the Democrat for criticising the war in Afghanistan.
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| Sajid Javid insists death of Shamima Begum's baby is her sole responsibility Posted: 11 Mar 2019 07:03 AM PDT  Shamima Begum bears sole responsibility for the death of her newborn son, the Home Secretary has said. Sajid Javid rejected arguments from both Conservative and Labour MPs that Britain could have helped save the jihadi bride's child, who was a British citizen. Taking questions on the case in the Commons, he warned those who expressed doubts about the threat posed by Miss Begum: "No one should make a judgment on the threat of foreign terrorist fighter poses based on their gender." He insisted there was no way officials could have provided any assistance to the baby because of the lack of consular presence in Syria, despite several MPs noting that many journalists, medics and aid agencies managed to travel "backwards and forwards to these camps all the time". Miss Begum, 19, who fled the family home in Bethnal Green, east London, to join Islamic State in Syria four years ago, is currently living at the Roj refugee camp on the Iraqi border. Her son, Jarrah, who was not yet three weeks old, was buried at the camp last week after he contracted a lung infection. Sajid Javid revoked Shamima Begum's British citizenship Credit: Kirsty O'Connor/PA He was her third child to die within five months, the older two, aged 18 months and nine months, dying of malnutrition and illness, respectively, in November and January. Her family has urged the Home Office to urgently reconsider its decision to revoke her citizenship as an "act of mercy". The formal request, sent yesterday (MON), warned that Miss Begum was "extremely unlikely" to be in a fit state to make rational decisions and expressed renewed concern for her health and safety. But Mr Javid made it clear he was sticking by his decision, despite many questions concerning Britain's responsibility to its citizens and the repercussions of leaving them to languish in refugee camps. Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, asked why he deemed the teenage mother more dangerous to Britain than the hundreds of foreign fighters who have already been allowed to return. The letter sent to the Home Office "Nobody on this side of the House condones what Shamima Begum did, the choices she made, the things she said," she said. "If it was his 19-year-old daughter, however badly she had behaved, however reprehensible or near-criminal her choices would he want her to bury three babies in the course of a year?" Mr Javid replied: "The death of any British child, even those children born to a foreign terrorist fighter, of course is a tragedy. But the only person responsible for the death of that child is the foreign terrorist fighter." He suggested he would review and "modernise" treason laws that determine maximum sentences for convicted terrorist fighters.
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| Tibet supporters in India mark 60 years since uprising Posted: 10 Mar 2019 10:10 AM PDT  Huge crowds gathered at the Dalai Lama's temple in India Sunday to commemorate 60 years since the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule that drove the spiritual leader into exile. Supporters of the 83-year-old peace icon chanted and prayed at the Buddhist shrine in mountainous Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama established a government-in-exile after fleeing a deadly Chinese crackdown in Tibet in 1959. Devotees in the Indian hill station the Dalai Lama has called home for six decades waved Tibet's colourful "snow lion" flag, which China has outlawed as a symbol of separatism.
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| Kim Jong Nam trial resumes as Vietnamese suspect takes the stand Posted: 10 Mar 2019 08:31 AM PDT  The trial of two women accused of killing Kim Jong-un's half-brother will resume in Malaysia after months of delay on Monday, with a Vietnamese suspect in the case taking to the stand for the first time. In a brazen plot resembling a spy thriller, Doan Thi Huong, 29, from Vietnam, and Siti Aisyah, 25, from Indonesia, are suspected of assassinating Kim Jong Nam, 45, by smearing lethal VX nerve agent on his face at Kuala Lumpur airport in February 2017. The women were ordered to testify in an August ruling by High Court Judge Azmi Ariffin, who said that it could be inferred from evidence presented in court that there was a "well-planned conspiracy" between them and four North Korean suspects to kill Kim. The North Koreans remain at large. He said he "cannot rule out that this could be a political assassination" but noted there was no concrete evidence to support this. The two young women, both from impoverished backgrounds but with aspirations for stardom, have claimed since their arrest shortly after the murder that they were duped by North Korean agents into believing that they were actors in a TV prank show when they wiped the toxic substance on Kim's face. Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia, will also stand trial Credit: Reuters Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, one of Ms Doan's lawyers, told The Telegraph that she was "well and fine" ahead of the trial, but added that "there is definitely a bit of anxiety." His client's main line of defence would be that she had "no knowledge" of the audacious conspiracy, he said. "She will take the oath and testify the truth as per her police statement that she gave when she was arrested." Mr Hisyam said he was "very confident" that his client would be acquitted based on the evidence and her statement. However, the trial is set is expected to require several hearings. The pair of women have been on trial since October 2017 but proceedings have been hit by repeated delays, and Ms Aisyah's defence - which was originally due to start last year – is currently on hold due to a row over witness statements. Last year prosecutors presented their case, calling 34 witnesses. Some described how the victim died in agony when his body quickly seized up as the substance took effect. Kim was the estranged relative of the North Korean leader and it is widely believed he was targetted for being a perceived threat to the isolated regime. South Korea has accused the North of ordering the hit, which Pyongyang denies. The women are the only two suspects in custody, after four accused North Koreans - the alleged masterminds of the plot – fled Malaysia and went into hiding. A murder conviction currently carries a mandatory death penalty in Malaysia, although plans are afoot by the Malaysian government to abolish capital punishment for all crimes.
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| Kremlin says it's not Putin's place to answer Briton whose mother died in poisoning Posted: 11 Mar 2019 05:03 AM PDT  President Vladimir Putin will not reply to a letter from the son of a woman killed by a suspected Russian nerve agent near the English city of Salisbury last year because Russia's ambassador to Britain has already done so, the Kremlin said on Monday. Ewan Hope called on Putin in a letter publicized by the Daily Mirror earlier this month to allow Britain to question two Russian nationals London suspects of trying to murder former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter last year. Hope's mother, Dawn Sturgess, died after coming into contact with the same nerve agent used in the attack, which her partner found in a discarded perfume bottle, police said.
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| Tesla Reverses Course on Store Closings, Will Raise Vehicle Prices Instead Posted: 11 Mar 2019 06:54 AM PDT  The new online-only sales model remains in place, so if you'd like to buy a Tesla soon, you'll need an internet connection.
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| Fox News condemns host Jeanine Pirro's comments about Rep. Omar's hijab Posted: 11 Mar 2019 02:29 PM PDT  "Think about it. Omar wears a hijab," Pirro said, questioning if the head covering signals an "adherence to Sharia law."
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| Ford patents attachable entertainment system for cargo bed viewing Posted: 11 Mar 2019 10:11 AM PDT  Ford was recently granted a patent for a portable entertainment system that features a pull-down screen that can be mounted in the bed of a pickup. Basically, the entertainment system would be comprised of two main components: one crossbar mount placed right behind the truck's cabin which supports a roll-down screen facing towards the bed and a second crossbar mount placed further down the bed towards its rear that supports a video projector for the display and two flanking speakers. A couple years ago, Hitch Theaters tried to bring a similar truck entertainment system into the world, but their Kickstarter campaign failed to earn enough funding to make the system a reality.
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| Best Tech Deals in March 2019 Posted: 11 Mar 2019 08:35 AM PDT  Amazon Deals | Walmart Deals | Apple Deals | TV Deals | Gaming Deals | Laptop Deals | iPhone DealsThe countdown to spring is underway and now's a great time to update your arsenal of gadgets for the new season. With new products making their way to store shelves, retailers are offering end-of-season clearance sales on everything from laptops to gaming consoles. Whether you're upgrading to a 4K Smart TV or purchasing your first smart device, here are the best tech deals in March. Amazon Hardware DealsAmazon is currently offering many of its branded devices at holiday pricing. * All-new Kindle Paperwhite for $99.99 ($30 off) [NEW] * Echo 2nd Generation for $74.99 ($25 off) * All-new Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle for $139.97 ($50 off) * Blink XT Home Security Camera System for $184 ($46 off) * All-New Fire HD 8 Tablet w/ Show Mode Charging Dock for $109.98 ($10 off) * iHome iAV2 V2 Speaker w/ Echo Input Bundle for $67 ($18 off) * Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet 2-Pack for $150 ($50 off) * Echo Dot Kids Edition for $34.99 ($35 off) * Echo Dot Kids Edition + Fire 7 Kids Edition for $129.98 ($40 off) * Echo Dot Kids Edition + Fire HD 8 Kids Edition for $149.98 ($50 off) * All-New Echo Plus with Hue Smart Bulb for $149.99 ($15 off) * All-New Echo Dot (2-Pack) for $90 ($10 off) Top Tech Deals Right Now * HP Pavilion X360 15.6-inch 2-in-1 Laptop for $399 ($200 off) [NEW] * SanDisk 500GB Extreme External SSD for $89.99 ($80 off) [NEW] * Jabra Elite Active 65t True Wireless Earbuds for $159.99 ($30 off) [NEW] * Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (2018, Wi-Fi, 64GB) for $749 ($50 off) * Soundcore Life 2 Over-Ear Headphones for $54.99 ($25 off) * Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Headphones for $140 ($40 off) * Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless Earphones for $89.99 ($110 off) * Lenovo Ideapad 320 Laptop for $289 ($110 off) TV Deals * Samsung 58-inch 4K UHD Smart LED TV for $448 ($202 off) [NEW] * TCL 55-inch 4K Ultra HD (2160p) Roku Smart TV for $419.99 ($279 off) * Samsung 55-inch QLED 4K UHD 6 Series Smart TV for $768 ($731 off) * JVC 65-inch 4K UHD HDR Smart LED TV for $499.99 ($350 off) * Hisense 43-inch FHD Roku Smart TV for $189.99 ($100 off) Tech Under $50 * Choetech Multi Plug Power Strip for $7 ($8 off) [NEW] * HP DeskJet 2652 Wireless All-in-One Printer for $39 ($20 off) * Anker PowerWave Wireless Car Charger for $35.99 ($10 off via code, "TOMS2551") * Anker PowerCore 20100 Power Bank for $39.99 ($10 off via code, "TOMSBPC2") * Anker USB Type C Nylon Cable (2-Pack) for $8.79 ($2 off via code, "TM873CAB") * Anker Powerline+ II Lightning Cable for $19.99 ($5 off via code, "TM8454CA") * Anker 24W Dual USB Car Charger for $9.99 ($2 off via code, "TOMSCC23") * Anker 6-Port USB Wall Charger for $26 ($7 off via code, "TOMSWC63") Smartwatch Deals * Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS, 42mm) for $229 ($80 off) [NEW] * Fitbit Charge 2 for $116 ($34 off) * Fitbit Alta HR Activity Tracker for $94 ($36 off) * Samsung Gear Sport Smartwatch for $190 ($111 off) * Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS, 44mm) for $415 ($15 off) * Sony Version 1 Smartwatch for $69.90 ($80 off) * Amazfit Pace Smartwatch for $129.99 ($30 off) * Garmin Vivofit 3 Activity Tracker for $58 ($45 off) * Garmin Approach X40 Activity Tracker for $174 ($76 off) Phones * Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium Unlocked for $649 ($251 off) [NEW] * Google Pixel 3XL Unlocked for $799 ($100 off) [NEW] * Razer Phone 2 Unlocked for $499 ($300 off) also at Razer * Samsung Galaxy S9+ Unlocked for $639 ($200 off) * Samsung Galaxy S9 Unlocked for $525 ($195 off) * Up to $400 Best Buy Gift Card with iPhone trade-in Cameras * Fujifilm X-T20 Mirrorless Digital Camera for $789 ($211 off) [PRICE DROP] * Panasonic Lumix GX85 Mirrorless Camera for $498 ($502 off) * Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Instant Camera for $99.99 ($80 off) * Nikon D3500 18-55mm VR Lens DSLR Camera for $397 ($100 off) * Canon PowerShot SX530 Digital Camera for $249 ($130 off) Games and Consoles * Nintendo Switch Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Bundle for $329.99 ($34 off) [NEW] * Red Dead Redemption 2 for PS4 or Xbox One for $40 ($20 off) also at Amazon and Best Buy * Marvel's Spider-Man for PS4 for $35 ($25 off) also at Amazon * Call of Duty: Black Ops for PS4 for $35 ($25 off) * Call of Duty: Black Ops for Xbox One for $37 ($23 off) also at Amazon * Xbox One X 1TB PUBG Console Bundle for $370 ($130 off) * Grand Theft Auto V for PlayStation 4 for $15 ($45 off) * Nintendo Switch with 35 eShop Credit for $299.99 ($35 off) also at Amazon and Best Buy * Xbox One S 1TB Forza Horizon 4 Console Bundle for $199 ($100 off)
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| Wonder Woman to the rescue: Gal Gadot takes on Netanyahu Posted: 11 Mar 2019 07:53 AM PDT  JERUSALEM (AP) — Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot has come to the rescue of a fellow Israeli celebrity in a spat with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Beto O’Rourke Steal Some Thunder From 2020 Democrats Posted: 10 Mar 2019 12:21 PM PDT  Eight 2020 Democratic hopefuls took the stage at the annual South by Southwest cultural festival in Austin, Texas, over the weekend, attempting to broaden their appeal and test their message with a millennial-heavy audience. New York Representative Ocasio-Cortez and O'Rourke, a former Texas representative, each commanded huge crowds and dominated the conference buzz. O'Rourke made a widely expected "surprise" appearance at the premier of a documentary about his close but ultimately failed 2018 Senate race against Republican Ted Cruz.
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| Venezuela's Guaido calls for new rally as lawmakers declare 'alarm' Posted: 11 Mar 2019 03:20 PM PDT  Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Monday called for a new mass demonstration as the country's devastating blackout that has left millions without power entered its fifth day. "Tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon, all of Venezuela will be on the streets" to protest against President Nicolas Maduro, Guaido said in a speech to the National Assembly legislature, which he heads. Parliament accepted the 35-year-old's request to declare a "state of alarm" to pave the way for the delivery of international aid, 250 tons of which has been stuck for a month at Venezuela's borders with Colombia and Brazil.
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| Timeline of events in the Kim Jong Nam assassination Posted: 11 Mar 2019 12:50 AM PDT  Malaysian prosecutors Monday unexpectedly dropped a murder charge against an Indonesian woman who had been accused of assassinating the half-brother of North Korea's leader. Siti Aisyah walked free from a court outside Kuala Lumpur after prosecutors withdrew the charge without giving any reason. A portly North Korean man, later identified as Kim Jong Nam, dies after being attacked at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13.
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| Chinese database openly listing personal details of 1.8m women Posted: 11 Mar 2019 08:02 AM PDT  A security researcher claims to have uncovered a database in China that is publicly listing the personal information of more than 1.8m women, making available sensitive data such as their phone numbers, home addresses and "BreedReady" status. According to Victor Gevers, a Dutch researcher at non-profit organisation GDI.Foundation, the cache holding personal details of the Chinese citizens is "unprotected". In screenshots posted to Twitter by Mr Gevers, the open database is seen to contain extensive categories of data about the women, including their age, identity card digits, birthday, marital status and "BreedyReady" status, which is thought to refer to whether or not a woman has a child or has the potential to "breed". Mr Gevers found the youngest girl on the database to be aged 15 years old, with the average age of people listed on the database 32. Around 82pc of the women appear to be located in Beijing. "In China, they have a shortage of women. So an organisation started to build a database to start registering over 1.8 million women with all kinds of details like phone numbers, addresses, education, location, ID number, marital status and a "BreedReady" status?" he said on Twitter. Technology intelligence - newsletter promo - EOA China has more than 29,000 open databases, according to specialist search engine ZoomEye, and the personal data being so readily-available raises concerns about the security of open databases in the country. It is unclear what the purpose of the database would be, but evidence suggests that Chinese authorities are growing increasingly concerned about a drop in birth rates in the country. Some firms in the country have started giving women a "dating leave" to encourage marriage. The database, which was first found by Mr Gevers at the weekend, has been unreachable for a number of hours on Monday. "We will keep an eye on that IP address for a while to make sure it doesn't come back online. We still do not know [who] the owner was or what the database was actually designed for," he said. "When we do we will share this."
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| Woman seriously injured after being attacked by bull in New Jersey Posted: 11 Mar 2019 02:17 PM PDT  A bull attacked its owner in New Jersey Friday afternoon, sending the woman to the hospital with lacerations and bruises.
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| Tornadoes cause damage in south; no injuries reported Posted: 09 Mar 2019 06:52 PM PST ![Tornadoes cause damage in south; no injuries reported]( "Tornadoes cause damage in south; no injuries reported") Two powerful winter storms threatened strong winds, heavy snow and even blizzard conditions in the north; hail, possible tornadoes in the South.
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| Design Talk Series, Michael Menn Honored with Award, and More News This Week Posted: 11 Mar 2019 11:57 AM PDT  Here's what you need to know
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| The Latest: EU chief says new Brexit deal is 'best possible' Posted: 11 Mar 2019 04:15 PM PDT  LONDON (AP) — The Latest on talks about Britain's departure from the European Union (all times local):
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| Trump condemned for budget cutting welfare while boosting spending for border wall and military: ‘This is for the billionaire class’ Posted: 11 Mar 2019 01:57 PM PDT  Donald Trump has been accused of proposing a budget for the "military industrial complex and the billionaire class", after the White House released details of a plan that would cut spending on welfare and education while boosting money for the military and a border wall. The $4.7 trillion (£3.5 trillion) budget proposal, which is all but certain to be rejected by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and once again put the president on a collision course with congress over his demand for a border fence, called for an overhaul of Medicare, Medicaid and other expensive social programmes. It was a similar demand – rejected by Democrats – that recently led to a five-week government shutdown after the president refused to agree a spending plan that did not include such a measure.
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| Talk to Pakistan, former Modi ally urges India amid Kashmir tension Posted: 11 Mar 2019 11:06 AM PDT  Mehbooba Mufti, who was chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir from early 2014 to June last year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party withdrew support for her regional party, said an ongoing crackdown on militants and those supporting secession could further alienate the people. India has vowed to kill all the militants in the country's only Muslim-majority state if they do not give up arms, after a 20-year-old local man killed 40 paramilitary troopers in a suicide attack last month. Indian security forces have killed 18 militants in Kashmir since then, the army said on Monday.
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| Malaysia court frees woman in North Korea murder case Posted: 11 Mar 2019 06:07 AM PDT  An Indonesian woman accused of assassinating the North Korean leader's half-brother was freed Monday after Malaysian prosecutors dropped a murder charge against her, in a shock decision that delighted her friends and family. Siti Aisyah smiled as she was ushered into a car outside the court, where she had been on trial for a year and a half alongside a Vietnamese woman for the 2017 murder of Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur airport. Indonesian officials mounted a major diplomatic effort to free Aisyah, which included pressure from the president.
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