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Showing posts from May, 2019

Cardi B due in court in New York City after rejecting plea in strip club melee

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Cardi B is accused of throwing bottles and chairs at two bartenders at a New York City strip club after accusing them of having sex with her husband. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2Z2DFVh

Louisiana abortion law: Fury as Democratic governor says he will sign bill banning terminations into law

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Louisiana lawmakers have passed a strict new abortion ban which will stop some women from having the procedure before they even know they are pregnant.In a 79-23 vote on Wednesday, the Louisiana House gave final passage to a bill barring abortion once there is a detectable fetal heartbeat, as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.The state joins Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio, which have all passed similar “heartbeat” bills this year.Missouri politicians also approved an eight-week ban on abortion and Alabama has gone even further, outlawing virtually all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest. None of the bans have taken effect, and all are expected to face legal challenges.Louisiana Democratic governor John Bel Edwards supports the ban and intends to sign it into law despite opposition from national party leaders who say such laws are attacks on women.He said in a statement after the ban’s passage: “I know there are many who feel just as strongly as I do on abortion and d...

Pork Producers, Corn Growers Urge Trump to Drop Mexico Tariffs

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The president said Thursday that 5% duties could be placed on all imports from Mexico on June 10, rising in increments to 25% in October unless Mexico halts the flow of immigrants heading to the U.S. border. “We appeal to President Trump to reconsider plans to open a new trade dispute with Mexico,” David Herring, president of the National Pork Producers Council and a hog farmer from Lillington, North Carolina, said Friday in an emailed statement. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2HP5kDI

Trump Tariffs on Mexico Irk Key Republican Allies in Congress

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The president’s announcement Thursday surprised many Republicans who hoped to focus on passing a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada known as the USMCA. Trump said he will impose a 5% tariff on all imports from Mexico -- ramping up 5 percentage points every month until hitting 25% in October -- unless Mexico takes "decisive measures" to stem migrants entering the U.S. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/3104Xxl

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez returns to bartending to promote fair wages

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U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took lunch orders, served pizza and rocked the cocktail shaker on Friday to promote increased wages for restaurant servers and other tipped workers. from Reuters: U.S. https://reut.rs/2XiXffJ via IFTTT

Trump would be 'in handcuffs' if not president, says Democrat Warren

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Democratic White House hopeful Elizabeth Warren said Thursday that if Donald Trump were not protected by his presidential status, he would be "in handcuffs and indicted" for obstructing the investigation into Russia's 2016 election interference. The progressive US senator from Massachusetts, one of the leading Democrats for the party's 2020 nomination, was the first presidential candidate to speak out in favor of launching impeachment proceedings against Trump. Warren had called for an impeachment inquiry the day after the April 18 publication of special counsel Robert Mueller's 448-page report on Moscow's election interference. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2EK7cf1

New Mexico town gets death threats after halting crowd-funded border wall

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A New Mexico mayor on Thursday said he and his staff received multiple death threats after they briefly halted construction of a crowd-funded, private border wall by a group that then urged supporters to tell the city to "stop playing games," and alleged it was tied to drug cartels. The Florida-based group has raised $23 million via crowd-funding site GoFundMe.com to build private border walls to halt smuggling and a surge in undocumented migrants, after funding for President Donald Trump's promised wall was blocked. Perea described the tactics of We Build the Wall as a "cheap blow," and the American Civil Liberties Union accused it of pursuing a "white Nationalist" agenda. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2ELc5UX

Man charged after Nassau County police find woman, 2 boys with autism, 1 teen in car with 'CALL 911' sign

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A man was charged after police say a woman holding a "CALL 911" sign and her three children were found inside his car on Long Island. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2HKmGRS

Escalating Iran crisis looks a lot like the path US took to Iraq war

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The U.S. went to war in Iraq in 2003 based on flawed intelligence supported by hawkish policy makers. Is it doomed to repeat the error with Iran? from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2QC9DFe

Disney says it won't make any more films in Georgia if draconian abortion laws come into force in the US state

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Disney's chief executive has warned Georgia that the company's film and TV productions are likely to abandon the state if its controversial abortion bill becomes law. Bob Iger said it would be "very difficult" for the entertainment giant to continue working in the state if the so-called "heartbeat bill", which outlaws terminations from as early as six weeks, comes into force. The Walt Disney Company has shot some of its biggest films in the US state, including Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame. Speaking to Reuters, Iger said: "If it becomes law, it'll be very difficult. "I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. "Right now we are watching it very carefully." Sen John Milkovich speaks outside the State Capitol in Louisiana where the House passed Milkovich's 'fetal heartbeat' bill Georgia has been dubbed the "Hollywood of the South" afte...

Florida Gov. DeSantis meets with Netanyahu in Israel

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JERUSALEM (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met with Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, calling the embattled Israeli prime minister a "strong leader" on the governor's final day of a trade mission to Israel. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2HN8VCc

US national spelling bee crowns eight co-champions after running out of challenging words

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A superhuman group of adolescents broke the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, with eight contestants crowned co-champions after the competition said it was running out of challenging words.It was a stunning result, coming just after midnight, for the 92nd annual event, which has had six two-way ties but had never experienced such a logjam at the top.After the 17th round, Jacques Bailly, the event’s pronouncer, announced that any of the eight remaining contestants who made it through three more words would share in the prize.“We do have plenty of words remaining in our list, but we’ll soon run out of words that will challenge you,” Mr Bailly told the contestants at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Centre in National Harbour, Maryland.He added: “We’re throwing the dictionary at you. And so far, you are showing this dictionary who is boss.”None of the contestants faltered. They each got their own moment of triumph as they correctly spelled their words in the 20th round, t...

How the 2016 Debates Are Still Haunting Democrats

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Democrats are trying to avoid the missteps of the 2016 primary debates — a goal that has proven elusive as more candidates have announced. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2Xln5jg

Stone Was Like ‘Uncle Roger,’ Miller Testifies to Grand Jury

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Prosecutors focused their examination on Miller’s relationship with Stone and Stone’s connection to WikiLeaks founder Assange, Miller’s attorney Paul Kamenar told reporters after the proceeding. Stone was indicted by the grand jury in January on charges of lying to Congress about communications with Assange, obstruction and witness tampering. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2KgPhQI

Auto industry dented by latest Trump tariffs

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President Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs on Mexico will affect myriad industries, but few are as exposed as automakers. Shares of several major automakers and auto suppliers dived five percent or more following Trump's announcement Thursday night that the United States would impose a five percent tariff on all Mexican imports on June 10, explicitly linking the trade action to a demand that Mexico crack down on illegal immigration. The White House intends to gradually raise the tariff level until it hits 25 percent on October 1, a levy that "could cripple the industry and cause major uncertainty," said a note from Deutsche Bank. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2EN8W75

Jussie Smollett: Possible deal was in the works a month before charges dropped, documents show

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New documents on the Jussie Smollett case show that prosecutors told Chicago police detectives that a possible deal with the actor was in the works a month before charges against him were dropped.Smollett was charged in March with 16 counts alleging he lied to police when reporting he'd been the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack in January. Police contend the black and openly gay actor allegedly staged the attack because he was unhappy with his salary and wanted publicity.Prosecutors dropped charges on 26 March without Smollett admitting guilt. Then Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and police Superintendent Eddie Johnson expressed outrage over the prosecutors' decision. Smollett has maintained his innocence. The approximately 460 pages of new documents show that detectives investigating Smollett's allegations were told by Cook County prosecutors a deal with the Empire actor could include a $10,000 fine and community service. The detectives did not pass the information to superi...

Judge considering Missouri abortion clinic license case

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — A judge is deciding whether to ensure Missouri's only abortion clinic can keep its license past Friday, the latest development in a decades-long push by abortion opponents to get states to enact strict rules on the procedure. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2wvzR2O

Barr: Counter-intelligence Probe of Trump Campaign Crossed ‘Serious Red Line’

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Attorney General William Barr said Friday that the FBI's counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign "crossed" a "serious red line" and should be "carefully looked at.""The use of foreign intelligence capabilities and counterintelligence capabilities against an American political campaign to me is unprecedented and it's a serious red line that's been crossed," Barr said in an interview with CBS.The attorney general is currently investigating the origins of the probe to determine whether the U.S. intelligence community's surveillance of the Trump campaign was warranted. He has expressed skepticism about the explanations for some of the investigative actions taken.During testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee last month, Barr stated that "spying did occur" on the Trump campaign, angering Democratic lawmakers."I guess it's become a dirty word somehow," Barr told CBS. "I think ther...

Riyadh rallies allies against Tehran at Mecca summits

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Gulf and Arab allies rallied around Saudi Arabia Friday as it ratcheted up tensions with regional rival Iran after a series of attacks, drawing accusations from Tehran of "sowing division". Tehran, which has strongly denied involvement in any of the attacks, expressed disappointment that Riyadh plans to level the same "baseless accusations" at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) early on Saturday. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2ENQGuu

9 Cool Things We Learned Driving the Spectre Land Rover Defender

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2YZK43H

Police confirm missing Utah girl's body has been found

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A body found after a five-day search is that of a 5-year-old girl taken from her home and killed by her uncle, Utah police confirmed on Thursday. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2QBNbM6

Showdown over Missouri abortion clinic postponed as governor weighs in

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Gov. Mike Parson said court intervention in the fight over whether to renew the license of Missouri's lone abortion provider would be "reckless." from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/30UIsKd

Amit Shah: Modi's enforcer emerges from behind India's throne

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As the battle-hardened drill sergeant for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah has long been considered India's second most-powerful person, and his appointment Friday as home minister elevates his position to leader-in-waiting. While Modi is the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party's people person, firing up rallies and mastering Twitter, Shah has for years made sure that Modi's orders are carried out to the letter while turning the world's biggest political party into the undisputed force across the nation of 1.3 billion people. Shah's piercing stare and strongarm tactics have made him a feared and respected figure in the Hindu nationalist party -- opposition parties and critics call him "ruthless" -- a status only increased by his role masterminding the BJP's second straight landslide election victory this month as the party president. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2HOzgQj

Tankers almost certainly damaged by Iranian naval mines, John Bolton says

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John Bolton, the US national security advisor, has publicly accused Iranian forces armed with naval mines of carrying out an attack on oil tankers earlier this month.  Speaking in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mr Bolton said Iran “almost certainly” used mines in the sabotage attack which damaged two oil tankers and two smaller ships at the Emirati port of Fujairah.   “There is no doubt in anybody’s mind in Washington who is responsible for this and I think it’s important that the leadership in Iran know that we know,” he said.  But Mr Bolton also adopted a softer tone than in the past, saying the US was not planning military action in response to the Fujairah attack.  However, he warned and Iran its proxy groups that “that these kind of activities risk a very strong response from the Americans.” Mr Bolton also said Iran had unsuccessfully tried to carry out an attack at the Saudi port of Yanbu but gave no further details.  Pe...

Showdown over Missouri abortion clinic postponed as governor weighs in

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Gov. Mike Parson said court intervention in the fight over whether to renew the license of Missouri's lone abortion provider would be "reckless." from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/30UIsKd

SpaceX's Starlink Satellites Put on a Celestial Show Over the Netherlands

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But stargazers worry more satellites could hinder our views of the night sky. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2I6RCLd

Trump says he 'can’t imagine the courts allowing' him to be impeached

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President Trump renewed his assertion that Robert Mueller’s report exonerated him of wrongdoing, claiming that the special counsel "would have brought charges" if he could, and adding that he “can’t imagine the courts allowing” him to be impeached. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2W2BWxi

Is the Syrian regime about to retake Idlib?

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Syria's regime has increased its deadly bombardment of Idlib in recent weeks, but analysts say that is unlikely to signal an all-out offensive on the jihadist bastion. Eight years into Syria's civil war, the government has notched up a series of victories against rebels and jihadists, and controls around 60 percent of the country. Two regions largely remain beyond its control: a Kurdish-held swathe of the northeast and a northwestern region controlled by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2EAwagL

'America First is a fallacy,' Mexico's president responds to Trump tariff

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"America First is a fallacy," Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told U.S. President Donald Trump in a letter on Thursday, responding to a White House announcement it was imposing a blanket 5% tariff on all goods from Mexico from June 10. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2Ke8imJ

Tour boat sinking revives memories of SKorea ferry disaster

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The sinking of a boat carrying South Korean tourists in Hungary is touching a nerve in South Korea, where many are still traumatized over a 2014 ferry sinking that killed more than 300 people, mostly students. The grief is compounded by claims by some South Korean tour agents and travelers that there were past safety issues on the Danube River where the accident happened. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2W17DHq

Mexico central bank board member says this is 'game changer' after U.S. tariff threat

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Mexican central bank board member Jonathan Heath said on Twitter Thursday night "this is a game changer," after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to impose a tariff on all goods coming from Mexico if the flow of illegal immigrants across the southern border is not stopped. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2WxYA4Z

Iran rejects 'baseless' Arab summit accusations: state media

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Iran on Friday rejected what it called "baseless" accusations made at an Arab summit, saying Saudi had joined the United States and Israel in a "hopeless" effort to mobilize regional opinion against Tehran, state media reported. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2Kg3nSf

Exclusive: India to see 'big-bang' reforms in Modi's second term, says government think tank

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In the first 100 days of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second term, a slew of 'big-bang' economic reforms that should please foreign investors are likely to be pursued, according to a top official at the government's main think tank. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2wsjW5g

Russia's Putin, Japan's Abe to hold summit meet on June 29

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will hold a summit meeting on June 29, when Putin visits Japan for a meeting of leaders of the Group of 20 nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2YYRFPU