| News of John McCain’s illness broke during meeting to save GOP health care plan Posted: 19 Jul 2017 07:40 PM PDT  Republican senators attempting to save their stalled effort to repeal and replace Obamacare in a late-night meeting Wednesday were interrupted with news of Sen. John McCain's brain cancer diagnosis. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told reporters that the senators learned of McCain's brain cancer diagnosis during the meeting and asked Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., to say a prayer for McCain. "It was very emotional, almost kind of stunned disbelief for a minute, then we asked James Lankford to lead us in prayer," Hoeven said.
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| Democrats rolling out 2018 midterms message next week Posted: 19 Jul 2017 12:15 PM PDT  Democrats will begin rolling out their message for the 2018 midterm elections next week, Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., the No. 4 House Democrat, told reporters.
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| Canada's Governor General touches Queen in breach of royal protocol 'to ensure she didn't slip' Posted: 19 Jul 2017 11:36 PM PDT  It is simply not the done thing. Or to put it another way, you can look but you can't touch. So much so that Canada's Governor General has felt the need to explained why he decided to breach royal protocol and touch the Queen, saying that he wanted to make sure she did not slip during an official engagement. David Johnston was spotted supporting the 91-year-old by gently touching her elbow as she climbed the steps at Canada House in Trafalgar Square, on Wednesday. The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (C-L) attended a function at Canada House Credit: EPA/WILL OLIVER He did the same thing as she left the building, which she visited with the Duke of Edinburgh in honour of the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Speaking afterwards he told Canadian broadcaster CBC News: "Well I'm certainly conscious of the protocol. I just was anxious to be sure that there was no stumbling on the steps." Mr Johnston, who as a student inspired a character in the bestselling 1970 novel Love Story, added: "It's a little bit awkward, that descent from Canada House to Trafalgar Square, and there was a carpet that was a little slippy, and so I thought perhaps it was appropriate to breach protocol just to be sure that there was no stumble." Queen Elizabeth is welcomed to Canada House by Canada Governor General David Johnston Credit: REUTERS/Stefan Rousseau/Pool In its advice on how to greet a member of the Royal family Buckingham Palace's website reminds people that there are "no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting the Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms". While touching the Monarch, beyond a handshake, is not explicitly mentioned it is generally accepted that members of the public do not do so. Not that Mr Johnson is the first to beach royal etiquette with displays of friendship. In 2009 Michelle Obama took the unusual step of putting her arm round the Queen, in response to the Monarch placing her hand on her back, while she attended a glittering reception at Buckingham Palace with her husband, ahead of the G20 summit. Buckingham Palace described it at the time as a "mutual and spontaneous display of affection and appreciation". Queen given tour of Canada House to mark country's 150th birthday 01:31 In 1992 the then Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating placed his arm around the Queen while introducing her to subjects during her visit in 1992, earning himself the nickname 'The Lizard of Oz'. And in 2014 the basketball star LeBron James put his arm around the Duchess of Cambridge while presenting her with a jersey after a game in New York. Buckingham Palace said it had no concern over the Governor's General decision to lend the Queen his hand in support. An aide said: "There's no issue here. It was a simple human gesture"
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| Cop accidentally frames himself planting drugs on body camera footage Posted: 19 Jul 2017 04:06 PM PDT 
Baltimore news outlets have published body cam video from a supposed drug bust back in January. The video appears to show a cop planting drugs in a trash pile, before going back to the road, activating his body camera, and "finding" the drugs that supposedly belonged to a suspect. The cop was using a model of body cam that constantly captures and buffers footage, so that when you press the record button, it saves the previous 30 seconds of footage.
https://twitter.com/justin_fenton/status/887504546074939393 Presumably unaware of this feature, the cop accidentally films himself placing a baggie of pills in an empty can in a yard filled with trash. The officer then goes back out to the sidewalk with two other cops, presses record on the body cam, and is then heard saying "Hey, let's check over here." The officer is seen "discovering" the bag of pills in record time, before coming back out to the road and turning the camera off. The drugs -- and the officer's testimony of finding them -- were to be used in a case against a suspect. After reviewing the video, a public defender brought up the apparent planting of evidence to the prosecutor in the case. Charges were subsequently dropped, and some kind of investigation is ongoing, although the Baltimore Police Department has refused further comment. Body cams have become more and more prevalent among cops in recent years, although policies around when they should be recorded and how evidence should be disclosed are still working out. Cases like this show how some police officers appear to be manipulating the cameras (however badly!) to try and manipulate evidence, showing that they're far from the perfect solution that some have hoped for.
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| Philippine police arrest 43 foreigners for kidnap of Singapore woman Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:51 AM PDT  By Karen Lema MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine police said on Thursday they had arrested 43 foreigners for kidnapping a Singaporean woman at a casino resort in the capital, highlighting security concerns that have scared high-stakes gamblers away from Manila. Police said the gang, including people from China and Southeast Asia, was believed to be a loan-shark syndicate targeting foreign high-rollers, with 11 similar cases reported since 2015. The Philippines is one of the fastest-growing casino hubs in Asia, after Macau and Singapore, with the opening of several resorts over the past two years.
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| 22 Outrageous Poke Cakes Posted: 19 Jul 2017 09:58 AM PDT |
| MH370 search reveals hidden undersea world Posted: 19 Jul 2017 10:42 PM PDT  The painstaking search for missing flight MH370 has uncovered a previously unknown undersea world of volcanoes, deep valleys and soaring ridges, according to detailed maps released by Australia. Although no trace of the Malaysia Airlines plane was found during the search in the southern Indian Ocean -- the most expensive ever of its kind -- large volumes of data showing a detailed picture of the sea floor had to be collected to guide the probe. "It is estimated that only 10 to 15 percent of the world's oceans have been surveyed with the kind of technology used in the search for MH370," Geoscience Australia's environmental geoscience chief Stuart Minchin said late Wednesday.
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| Cameroon 'torturing people accused of supporting Boko Haram' Posted: 19 Jul 2017 05:01 PM PDT  Cameroon's security forces have been accused in an Amnesty International report of torturing hundreds of people in secret chambers. Dozens of testimonies, as well as satellite imagery, photographs and videos add up to a pattern of terrible violence against people accused of supporting the Islamist group Boko Haram, which Amnesty says amounts to war crimes.
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| India ready for talks with China on border standoff Posted: 20 Jul 2017 08:57 AM PDT  India said Thursday it is ready to hold talks with China if both sides pull back their forces to end a standoff along a disputed territory high in the Himalayan mountains.
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| Trump accuses states of hiding ‘something’ as voter fraud panel convenes Posted: 19 Jul 2017 10:31 AM PDT  As the White House's controversial voter fraud panel gathered for its first meeting, President Trump accused states that didn't turn over data of hiding "something."
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| Remains found likely is 10th victim of Arizona flash flood Posted: 19 Jul 2017 07:05 PM PDT  PHOENIX (AP) — Remains found Wednesday in a water- and debris-filled canyon in central Arizona are believed to be those of a missing 27-year-old man who's the 10th and final victim of last weekend's flash flood, authorities said.
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| This New Hot Sauce Is 20 Times Hotter Than Tabasco Posted: 19 Jul 2017 02:33 PM PDT  Yes, you read that correctly: it's 20 times hotter than Tabasco. If you're the type to vehemently shake the Tabasco bottle in hopes of upping its mild spiciness to something a bit more eye-watering, this brand new pepper sauce is probably up your alley. Tabasco recently released its hottest hot sauce yet—intimidatingly dubbed Tabasco Scorpion Hot Sauce—and it's nearly 20 times hotter than the Original Red Sauce!
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| Australian government demands answers on Minneapolis police shooting Posted: 19 Jul 2017 08:49 AM PDT ![Australian government demands answers on Minneapolis police shooting]( "Australian government demands answers on Minneapolis police shooting") (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called the fatal shooting of an Australian woman by a Minneapolis police officer over the weekend "shocking" and "inexplicable" and said his diplomats were seeking answers from U.S. authorities. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Tuesday confirmed details of the shooting of Sydney native Justine Damond that have been reported in media accounts and also confirmed the identities of the two police officers involved in the incident. Damond died of a single gunshot wound to the abdomen, fired through an open window of the patrol car, after two police officers responded to a call she made of a possible assault in her neighborhood, the agency said.
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| The Latest: British American Tobacco buying Reynolds OKd Posted: 19 Jul 2017 09:20 AM PDT ![The Latest: British American Tobacco buying Reynolds OKd]( "The Latest: British American Tobacco buying Reynolds OKd") RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Latest on London-based British American Tobacco's purchase of Reynolds American Inc., the second-largest U.S. cigarette company (all times local):
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| William, Kate take Brexit 'charm offensive' to Germany Posted: 19 Jul 2017 02:49 PM PDT  Prince William and his wife Kate began Wednesday a three-day visit to Germany billed as a "charm offensive" by local media as Britain begins thorny Brexit talks in earnest. Under brilliant summer sunshine, William, who is second in line to the British throne, and Kate touched down in Berlin from Poland accompanied by their young children George and Charlotte.
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| Swimming Robot Captures Underwater Images of Damaged Fukushima Nuclear Reactor Posted: 19 Jul 2017 11:23 AM PDT  The reactor was destroyed by a massive March 2011 earthquake and tsunami
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| Fruit With Huge Health Benefits Posted: 19 Jul 2017 10:01 AM PDT |
| John McCain diagnosed with brain cancer as Trump and Obama lead outpouring of support for US senator Posted: 19 Jul 2017 06:30 PM PDT  Senator John McCain has been diagnosed with a brain tumour after doctors removed a blood clot above his left eye last week, his office said on Wednesday. The news was met with shock in Washington and triggered an outpouring of support for the much-respected Republican lawmaker. "Senator John McCain has always been a fighter," President Donald Trump said. "Melania and I send our thoughts and prayers to Senator McCain, Cindy, and their entire family. Get well soon." The 80-year-old Republican has glioblastoma, an aggressive cancer, according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. The senator and his family are reviewing further treatment, including a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. "On Friday, July 14, Sen. John McCain underwent a procedure to remove a blood clot from above his left eye at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix. Subsequent tissue pathology revealed that a primary brain tumor known as a glioblastoma was associated with the blood clot," his office said in a statement. His daughter Meghan McCain said the family were in "shock" at the news as she released a touching tribute to her father. Statement regarding my father @SenJohnMcCain: pic.twitter.com/SMte9Hkwkq— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) July 20, 2017 "It won't surprise you to learn that in all this, the one of us who is most confident and calm in my father," she said. "He is the toughest person I know. The cruelest enemy could not break him. The aggressions of political life could not bend him. So he is meeting this challenge as he has every other. Cancer may afflict him in many ways: but it will not make him surrender. Nothing ever has. "He is a warrior at dusk, one of the greatest Americans of our age, and the worthy heir to his father's and grandfather's name. But to me he is something more. He is my strength, my example, my refuge, my confidante, my teacher, my rock, my hero - my Dad." The Arizona senator and chairman of the Armed Services Committee had been recovering at his Arizona home. His absence had forced Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to delay action on health care legislation. Profile | John McCain In a statement, Mr McConnell said: "John McCain is a hero to our Conference and a hero to our country. He has never shied from a fight and I know that he will face this challenge with the same extraordinary courage that has characterised his life. "The entire Senate family's prayers are with John, Cindy and his family, his staff, and the people of Arizona he represents so well." John McCain is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I've ever known. Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John.— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 20, 2017 Mr Obama hailed Mr McCain as an "American hero & one of the bravest fighters I've ever known". "Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John," the former president tweeted. Sarah Palin, his running mate in the 2008 presidential election, described Mr McMain as "one tough fighter". About 20,000 people in the US each year are diagnosed with a glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive type of brain tumor. The American Cancer Society puts the five-year survival rate for patients over 55 at about 4 percent. The tumor digs tentacle-like roots into normal brain tissue. Patients fare best when surgeons can cut out all the visible tumor, which happened with McCain's tumor, according to his office. That isn't a cure; cancerous cells that aren't visible still tend to lurk, the reason McCain's doctors are considering further treatment including chemotherapy and radiation. Doctors say Mr McCain is recovering from his surgery amazingly well and his underlying health is excellent, according to the statement. John McCain diagnosed with brain cancer, @DrSanjayGupta reports. "Truly sad and shocking news" --@AndersonCooperhttps://t.co/XjPImziHbf— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 20, 2017 With his irascible grin and fighter-pilot moxie, Mr McCain was elected to the Senate from Arizona six times, but twice thwarted in seeking the presidency. An upstart presidential bid in 2000 didn't last long. Eight years later, he fought back from the brink of defeat to win the GOP nomination, only to be overpowered by Mr Obama. Mr McCain chose a little-known Alaska governor as his running mate in that race, and helped turn Mrs Palin into a national political figure. After losing to Mr Obama in an electoral landslide, Mr McCain returned to the Senate, determined not to be defined by a failed presidential campaign. And when Republicans took control of the Senate in 2015, McCain embraced his new job as chairman of the powerful Armed Services Committee, eager to play a big role "in defeating the forces of radical Islam that want to destroy America." McCain: No desire to re-open wounds of Vietnam 01:23 Throughout his long tenure in Congress, Mr McCain has played his role with trademark verve, at one hearing dismissing a protester by calling out, "Get out of here, you low-life scum." Mr McCain stuck by the party's 2016 presidential nominee, Mr Trump, at times seemingly through gritted teeth – until the release a month before the election of a lewd audio in which Mr Trump said he could kiss and grab women. Declaring that the breaking point, McCain withdrew his support and said he would write in "some good conservative Republican who's qualified to be president." He had largely held his tongue earlier in the campaign when Mr Trump questioned his status as a war hero by saying: "He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured." Mr McCain said that was offensive to veterans, but "the best thing to do is put it behind us and move forward."
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| U.S. should move bases away if it pursues sanctions -Iran guards Posted: 19 Jul 2017 04:13 PM PDT ![U.S. should move bases away if it pursues sanctions -Iran guards]( "U.S. should move bases away if it pursues sanctions -Iran guards") The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday Washington should move its bases and avoid "miscalculations" over new sanctions against Tehran, Iranian agencies reported. The Trump administration imposed the new sanctions on Tuesday over Iran's ballistic missile program and said Tehran's "malign activities" in the Middle East undercut any positive contributions coming from the 2015 nuclear accord.
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| Brothers, 5 and 2, crash mom's car on way to see grandfather Posted: 19 Jul 2017 08:30 AM PDT ![Brothers, 5 and 2, crash mom's car on way to see grandfather]( "Brothers, 5 and 2, crash mom's car on way to see grandfather") RED HOUSE, W.Va. (AP) — Authorities in West Virginia say a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old who wanted to visit their grandfather took their mother's car for a 3-mile (5 kilometers) ride on a curvy, winding road before crashing it and escaping unharmed.
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| Saudi woman in miniskirt video arrested after public outcry Posted: 19 Jul 2017 08:04 AM PDT  A Saudi woman has been arrested for defying the kingdom's strict dress code by walking around in a miniskirt and crop top in a video that sparked public outrage.
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| US police may have feared ambush in shooting Australian: lawyer Posted: 19 Jul 2017 04:19 PM PDT  The lawyer for one of two Minneapolis police officers involved in the shooting death of an unarmed Australian woman said Wednesday that they may have feared an ambush. Justine Damond was killed Saturday night when approaching a police car, after she had placed an emergency call reporting a possible rape taking place near her home in Minnesota. One of the responding officers, Matthew Harrity, told investigators he had been startled by a loud noise just before the 40-year-old woman approached the car and his partner Mohamed Noor fired the deadly shot, authorities said.
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| Al Gore: There's Still Time To Solve Climate Change Crisis Posted: 19 Jul 2017 03:02 PM PDT  Vice President Al Gore thinks there's still time to stop some of the catastrophes climate change might cause.
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| President Trump Says He Wouldn't Have Hired Jeff Sessions If He Had Known About Russia Recusal Posted: 19 Jul 2017 05:25 PM PDT  The President also fired shots at James Comey and Special Counsel Robert Mueller
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| Mother Gives Birth in Restaurant Bathroom, Grandma Helps Stash Baby in Trash: Cops Posted: 19 Jul 2017 03:35 PM PDT  A mother and daughter have been charged in the death of a newborn.
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| 'No more woe is me': Senator McCain vows quick return to Washington Posted: 20 Jul 2017 04:27 PM PDT  By Richard Cowan and David Schwartz WASHINGTON/PHOENIX, Ariz. (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John McCain promised on Thursday he would return rapidly to Washington despite his newly diagnosed brain cancer, flashing the fighting spirit that has defined him since he was held in captivity as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War. McCain, a veteran senator and former Republican presidential candidate known as a strong and sometimes fiercely independent voice on defense and security issues, was found to have an aggressive form of brain tumor, glioblastoma, after surgery last week for a blood clot above his left eye. The news, issued by his office late on Wednesday, drew a wave of support from across the political spectrum, and raised questions about how long McCain would be absent from the Senate, where Republicans have a narrow majority and are eager to notch up some legislative successes for President Donald Trump.
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| Afghan team among medal winners at global robotics event Posted: 19 Jul 2017 12:26 AM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — An international robotics competition in Washington attracted teams of teenagers from more than 150 nations. The team that drew the most attention at the FIRST Global Challenge, which ended Tuesday, was a squad of girls from Afghanistan who were twice rejected for U.S. visas before President Donald Trump intervened. But there were even more stories than there were teams. Here are a few:
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| India's ageing trains get green makeover with solar panels Posted: 19 Jul 2017 08:19 AM PDT  India has added solar panels to the roof of a train in a national first as it tries to reduce its massive carbon footprint and modernise its vast colonial-era rail network. The lighting, fans and information displays inside the train -- once powered by diesel -- will run off the sun's energy after the panels were fitted to the carriage. The train has begun journeys around the capital New Delhi, helping move just some of the 23 million passengers who use India's rail network every day.
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| Unilever first half profits soar 22.4 percent Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:44 AM PDT  Food and consumer products giant Unilever said on Thursday profits soared in the first half of 2017, raking in 3.3 billion euros after the Anglo-Dutch firm spurned a takeover bid by US rival Kraft Heinz. The 22.4 percent hike in the first six months compared to the same period last year showed "a substantial step-up in profitability despite the persisting volatile global trading environment," chief executive Paul Polman said. "The transformation of Unilever into a more resilient, more competitive and more profitable business is accelerating," he added in a statement.
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| Fishermen find an 18-foot-long sea giant in their nets and, no, we're not freaking out Posted: 19 Jul 2017 04:44 AM PDT  Lightning struck twice for the crew of the trawler ship Cú na Mara. On Tuesday, they caught their second rare giant squid in the waters off the Dingle coast in Ireland, two months after their first. SEE ALSO: Researchers found the body of a 25-foot-long shark, and it's grim but strangely beautiful The Cú na Mara had been trawling the area where they had found their first giant squid when they landed their surprise second. The sea monster was 18 feet from top to longest tentacle— 2 feet shorter than the first squid the crew caught in May. "When we opened the net we couldn't believe it, that it was another one," said the captain of the Cú na Mara, Patrick Flannery, in an interview with RTE. "The lads were very excited. What are the chances of two in the one year?" Another Giant Squid landed in Dingle. Only 7th recorded in Ireland in 350 years. Amazingly 4 have been caught by Flannery family! @rtenews pic.twitter.com/1gWBYZr045 — Seán Mac an tSíthigh (@Buailtin) July 18, 2017 The crew's giant squid landing in May was the first in Dingle in 22 years. "Only seven have been recorded [in Dingle] since records began almost 350 years ago," said Marine Biologist Dr. Kevin Flannery. "The very first giant squid recorded in Ireland was also landed in Dingle, when fishermen brought one ashore in 1673." Legends told of a sea creature that sunk ships and drowned fishermen.Image: wikimedia commons/Mary Evans Picture Library/AlamyThe elusive giant squid has been the subject of sea lore throughout history. The ancient Norse legend of a sea monster called the Kraken told of a tentacled beast with the power to capsize ships and drag fishermen to their water graves. It's now widely accepted that the tales originated from sightings of humongous giant squids. Like many myths, the gory details of these accounts are likely to be untrue. However, it's difficult to know how these giant sea monsters live and behave. Sightings of this deep-ocean dwelling animal are extremely rare. The largest giant squid on record was 59 feet in length and weighed almost a ton. The Cú na Mara's latest catch is an exciting achievement as each giant squid landing presents a scientists with the opportunity to learn more about this mysterious creature of the deep. WATCH: Algae emitting eerie blue glow makes this beach look otherworldy
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| Dealer Selling Brand-New 2006 Lancer Evo IX MR Posted: 19 Jul 2017 10:09 AM PDT  At the time of writing, bidding on eBay is approaching $100,000.
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| 32 Summer-Inspired Chicken Ideas Posted: 19 Jul 2017 09:59 AM PDT ![32 Summer-Inspired Chicken Ideas]( "32 Summer-Inspired Chicken Ideas") We know what we're eating this summer. From Delish
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| Just 'dessert'? Second Trump-Putin chat defied the norms Posted: 19 Jul 2017 02:25 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — When is an impromptu, after-dinner chat more than just "dessert"? When you're President Donald Trump, and your confection companion is Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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| Married teacher jailed for sex with student on day of his 16th birthday Posted: 19 Jul 2017 07:10 AM PDT  A former Nebraska teacher has been sentenced to 90 days in jail for having sex with a student on his 16th birthday. Emily Lofing, 27, was charged with debauching a minor as the boy was 16 years old, the age of consent in Nebraska. The married former teacher was working in Weeping Water at the time of the offence.
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| Mueller expands probe to Trump business transactions Posted: 20 Jul 2017 09:06 AM PDT  Special counsel Robert Mueller and his team are now investigating President Trump's business transactions. Trump told the New York Times that he thinks that's a violation, even though many of his businesses have involved Russians for years.
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| U.S. Justice Department expected to drop $3 million Harley-Davidson emissions penalty: sources Posted: 19 Jul 2017 09:28 AM PDT  By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department is expected to announce this week it is dropping a requirement that Harley-Davidson Inc spend $3 million to reduce air pollution as part of a settlement the Obama administration announced in August, sources briefed on the matter said. Last year, the Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker agreed to pay a $12 million civil fine and stop selling illegal after-market devices that cause its vehicles to emit too much pollution as part of a federal court consent decree. It also agreed to spend about $3 million and enter into an agreement with the American Lung Association of the Northeast to retrofit or replace wood-burning appliances with cleaner stoves.
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| Iran's president threatens response to new US sanctions Posted: 19 Jul 2017 08:51 AM PDT  Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that Tehran would "respond appropriately" to new US sanctions but that Iran remained committed to its nuclear deal with world powers. "The Islamic Republic of Iran will always stick to its international commitments," Rouhani said in a televised cabinet meeting.
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| 2018 Buick Regal GS: Gorgeous Sport Posted: 19 Jul 2017 08:45 AM PDT  V-6 power and torque-vectoring AWD make the GS an enticing hot hatch.
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| This App Will Give You A Starbucks Gift Card Just For Using It Posted: 19 Jul 2017 10:05 AM PDT  You aren't dreaming.
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| Australians see woman's shooting by police as US nightmare Posted: 18 Jul 2017 06:30 PM PDT  SYDNEY (AP) — Half a world from where an Australian woman was shot dead by a Minneapolis police officer, a front-page headline in her hometown Sydney newspaper summarized Australia's reaction in blunt terms: "AMERICAN NIGHTMARE."
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