| AFL-CIO leader bashes Trump’s ‘totally ineffective’ business council after leaving it Posted: 16 Aug 2017 08:09 AM PDT  President Trump's manufacturing council isn't getting much work done, AFL-CIO chief Richard Trumka said after leaving the council following Trump's highly criticized response to the deadly violence in Charlottesville, Va.
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| Barcelona attack: police shoot dead several terror suspects in Cambrils after van crashes into crowd at Las Ramblas, killing 13 Posted: 17 Aug 2017 05:27 PM PDT  'Several terrorists' shot dead in Cambrils Terror in Barcelona as van hits crowd in Las Ramblas 13 people killed and more than 100 people injured Driver on the run Islamic State claims responsibility Explosion at Alcanar house linked to Barcelona attack Two suspects arrested Another man shot dead at checkpoint - unclear if linked Driss Oubakir: who is the Barcelona suspect? Trump: 'we'll do whatever is necessary to help' Barcelona attack: Everything we know Who are the victims of the Las Ramblas terror attack? Terror returned to the streets of Europe on Thursday when a van ploughed into a crowd of people in Barcelona, killing at least 13 and injuring more than 100 others. Footage of the scene showed dozens of bodies sprawled across the pavement in Las Ramblas, a street popular with tourists. Two men, one Spanish and one Moroccan, were arrested but police said the driver of the van was still at large. On the early hours of Friday morning, in the town of Cambrils, 70 miles away, police said they were dealing with a "possible terrorist attack". Police later said they had killed four terror suspects. One suspect was injured. Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) claimed responsibility for the Barcelona attack as Joaquim Forn, Catalonia's police chief, warned: "Unfortunately the number of fatalities will likely rise." A handout photo made available by Spanish National Police shows Driss Oukabir, alleged to have rented the van which was used to crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas Credit: Spanish National Police/ HANDOUT On Thursday night it was confirmed that a three-year-old child was among the victims and 15 people people were in a critical condition. Liam Searle, 22, from Chichester, West Sussex, said he was skateboarding along the road at around 5.15pm with his headphones on when he heard "massive bangs and thuds" which he thought were gunshots. "I realised it was the van next to me hitting people." he said. "The van had stopped right next to me. That's when two men got out and I ran for my life." Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old of Moroccan origin, was suspected of having rented the van used in the assault. Spanish reports later said he had handed himself in to police, who were investigating whether his brother had stolen his documentation. Pictured: the van reportedly used in the attack Two explosions at a house in the town of Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, on Wednesday night were last night linked by police to the attack. Officers said the residents had been preparing explosives. At least one person died and more than 16 were injured in what was initially thought to be a gas explosion. Theresa May, the Prime Minister, condemned the "terrible" Las Ramblas assault and said Britain stood firmly with Spain against terrorism. Donald Trump, the US president, tweeted that the US "will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!." The Spanish royal family described the attackers as "assassins, criminals who won't terrorise us", while Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, said the attack was "jihadist terrorism" requiring a global response. In the aftermath of the attack, metro and train stations were closed amid reports that the attackers had entrenched themselves in a nearby Turkish restaurant. This was dismissed as false by Spanish police, who advised tourists to stay in hotels. British tourist Steve Garrett was at a nearby market. Barcelona terror attack, in pictures "A large number of people ran into the market, lots of screaming, lots of shouting," he said. "We ran into a bakery with four or five others and ran straight upstairs. An enormous wave of people went through the market." A man was shot dead after running over two police officers at a checkpoint on the outskirts of the city later in the evening. Police said last night it did not appear that the incident was linked to the van attack. This was the eighth terror attack using a vehicle in Europe in the past three years, following the Nice assault in July 2016 that killed 86 and attacks on Westminster Bridge and London Bridge earlier this year that left four and eight people dead. Spain has not been hit by a serious terrorist incident since 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800. But the country's reputation as a tourist hotspot has raised the terror risk. Mapped: Barcelona van attack Earlier this year, jihadists warned that they would be seeking to take their campaign of death and destruction to popular areas in the Mediterranean. The CIA warned Spanish police two months ago that Las Ramblas was a potential target, reports said. "The CIA had already warned the Mossos d'Esquadra [police] that Barcelona might be a terrorist target … They even put the focus on the Ramblas," El Periodico stated. 1:07AM Suspected attackers killed in Cambrils Spanish police have killed several people in a coastal town south of Barcelona in response to a terrorist attack. Reports of an operation by security services in Cambrils emerged shortly after 1am local time, some eight hours after a van driver killed 13 people and injured more than 100 in a terrorist attack in Barcelona. Bystanders could be seen running for cover and several gunshots heard in footage posted on social media that appeared to have been filmed on the town's beachfront promenade. We work with the hypothesis that the incident of #Cambrils respond to a terrorist attack. We have shot down the perpetrators— Mossos (@mossos) August 18, 2017 12:48AM 'Possible terror attack in Cambrils' Police say they are dealing with a "possible terror attack" in Cambrils. Local media report that three people have been killed in a police shootout. 12:26AM Operation underway in Cambrils A police operation is underway in the town of Cambrils, 70 miles south of Barcelona. The 112 Catalonia emergency service tweeted: "IF YOU'RE NOW IN £Cambrils avoid going out. Stay home, stay safe. Police operation ongoing." IF YOU'RE NOW IN #Cambrils avoid going out. Stay home, stay safe. Police operation ongoing— EmergènciesCatalunya (@emergenciescat) August 17, 2017 11:41PM Spanish PM says Barcelona van attack result of 'jihadist terrorism' Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the van attack in Barcelona that has killed at least 13 people was "jihadist terrorism" which required a global response. "Today the fight against terrorism is the principal priority for free and open societies like ours. It is a global threat and the response has to be global," Rajoy told a news conference in Barcelona. He said he would call on other Spanish political parties to reaffirm the country's anti-terrorism pact. 10:24PM Explosion on Wednesday in Alcanar linked to Las Ramblas attack Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that an explosion on Wednesday night in Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, is now believed to be connected to Thursday's attack. At the time police thought it was a gas explosion. The house was destroyed, with six people injured and one dead. Inside the house, which police believe was occupied for a few months, they found around 20 canisters of butane and propane gas. General view of the debris of a house after it completely collapsed after a gas leak explosion in a real state in the village of Alcanar, Catalonia, northeastern Spain, 17 August 2017 Credit: EPA/JAUME SELLART A woman was found dead inside and a man, discovered among the rubble, was taken to hospital in a critical condition. The explosion could be heard for several miles. 10:11PM Police: driver of van not among the two arrested suspects Police have said that neither of the two detained suspects was the driver. Josep Lluis Trapero, a senior police officer, said the two suspects in custody were directly linked to the attack, "but that doesn't mean that either were the author of the attack". The wereabouts of the driver was unclear last night. The two suspects in custody in the Barcelona van attack are a Spanish national from Melilla and a Moroccan. 9:55PM Theresa May full statement The Prime Minister has given a longer statement: I am sickened by the senseless loss of life in Barcelona today. The Foreign Office is working to establish if any British nationals were involved in this appalling incident and we are in close contact with the authorities in Spain, who have our full support. Following the attacks in Manchester and London, Spain stood alongside the British people. Tonight, Britain stands with Spain against the evil of terrorism. 9:53PM CIA 'warned Spanish authorities two months ago Las Ramblas was a terriortarget' The CIA warned Spanish police two months ago that Las Ramblas in particular was a terror target, reports said. 9:09PM Oukabir 'denies involvement in Las Ramblas attack' A local newspaper in Catalonia, El Nacional, reported that Oukabir told police in Ripoll that he had nothing to do with the Barcelona attack. He said that his documents had been stolen and used to hire the car, sources told the paper. Jordi Munell, mayor of Ripoll, confirmed that Oukabir had denied any involvement in the attack. The Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan police force, said they were looking into the report and not confirm or deny it. 8:34PM Man who drove at police officers at checkpoint shot dead The police force for Spain's Catalonia region says troopers have shot and killed a man who was in a car that hit two officers at a traffic blockade in Barcelona. The Mossos d'Esquadra force did not indicate if the incident was related to the van attack in the city's Las Ramblas . Local media reports say a white Ford Focus ran over the officers and then was intercepted by police 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) away. That's where troopers shot one man dead. 8:27PM Islamic State claims responsibility The Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the Barcelona attack, according to a statement from its Amaq "news agency". 8:20PM Death toll 12 - 80 people hospitalised Catalonia's regional president says 12 dead and 80 victims hospitalised in Barcelona van attack. 8:16PM Two arrests made after attack Catalonia's regional president says there have been two arrests after the Barcelona van attack. Separately local reports said a suspect had been shot dead by police. It remains unclear how many people were involved in the attack. 8:07PM Spain's royals condemn the 'assassins, simply criminals who will not terrorise us' Spain's royal palace has condemned the deadly van attack in Barcelona, calling the perpetrators "assassins, simply criminals who will not terrorise us." The royal palace's statement, which was posted on Twitter, also said that "All of Spain is Barcelona. Las Ramblas will once again be for all." 8:02PM Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy heads to Barcelona to coordinate security response Me traslado ya a Barcelona. Máxima coordinación para detener a los autores, reforzar la seguridad y atender a todos los afectados. Unidad MR— Mariano Rajoy Brey (@marianorajoy) August 17, 2017 Mr Rajoy said that "the terrorists will never destroy a united people who love liberty over barbarism. All of Spain is with the victims and families." 7:58PM Former Holby City star hid in restaurant freezer during attack Laila Rouass, the former Holby City actress and wife of snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan, hid in a restaurant freezer during the attack. In the middle of the attack. Hiding in a restaurant freezer. Happened so fast. Praying for the safety of everyone here x— Laila Rouass (@lailarouass) August 17, 2017 Gunshots just heard. Armed police running down thw street looking for someone— Laila Rouass (@lailarouass) August 17, 2017 Ronnie O'Sullivan receiving an O.B.E. in 2016 pictured with his mother Maria O'Sullivan (right) and partner Laila Rouass (left) Credit: JULIAN SIMMONDS 7:51PM 'Suspected attacker killed in shootout with police' -local media reports One of the suspected attackers involved in mowing down people in Barcelona has been killed in a shootout with police on the outskirts of the city, La Vanguardia newspaper reported. Police earlier confirmed they had arrested a man in connection with the attack. It was not immediately clear how many attackers were involved in the incident 7:44PM Angela Merkel condemns 'revolting attack' The office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday condemned the "revolting attack" in Barcelona. "We are thinking with profound sadness of the victims of the revolting attack in Barcelona - with solidarity and frienship alongside the Spanish people," tweeted spokesman Steffen Seibert. 7:42PM Macron vows solidarity with Spain French President Emmanuel Macron voiced solidarity with Spain. "We remain united and determined," Macron said on Twitter, describing it as a "tragic attack" and saying his thoughts were with the victims. 7:41PM Briton caught up in Barcelona attack talks of her 'unbridled fear' Susan Maclean, who is on holiday in Barcelona with her husband, said she was "very lucky" to have avoided the van as it ploughed through the crowds. She told Channel 4 News: "All of a sudden, there was this screaming and hordes of people, like a tidal wave of people, fear etched in their faces, running towards us, many of them yelling in Spanish. "We had no idea what was going on. My first thought was this is a terrorist attack." She said she felt "unbridled fear" during the incident where she was barricaded into a nearby shop for safety. Ms Maclean said: "It was very difficult to know what was going on. "People were shouting. We could hear the word 'shooting, shooting'. We weren't really sure whether that was shooting as in the English or a Spanish word so it was just unbridled fear." 7:29PM Theresa May: 'UK stands with Spain against terror' Britain "stands with Spain against terror", Prime Minister Theresa May said following the deadly attack. "My thoughts are with the victims of today's terrible attack in Barcelona and the emergency services responding to this ongoing incident. The UK stands with Spain against terror," the prime minister wrote on Twitter. 7:04PM Donald Trump: we'll do whatever is necessary to help The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017 7:01PM Melania Trump send her thoughts and prayers The US first lady tweeted: Thoughts and prayers to #Barcelona— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 17, 2017 7:00PM Suspect arrested Spanish public broadcaster RTVE says one suspect in the Barcelona van attack has been arrested. 6:43PM Passport 'found at scene' Barcelona's Tv3 reports that the Spanish passport of a person of Moroccan origin was found at the scene of the attack. 6:42PM Second van 'found by police' Reuters, citing local authorities, reports that a second van has been found by police in the town of Vic, north of Barcelona. 6:39PM Jeremy Corbyn tweets his support Terrible reports from Barcelona. My thoughts are with those killed and injured, and the emergency services working to save lives.— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) August 17, 2017 6:36PM London stands with Barcelona Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has tweeted: My thoughts are with the victims of this barbaric terrorist attack in the great city of Barcelona and with their brave emergency services.— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) August 17, 2017 6:16PM 'There was a mini stampede' Ethan Spibey, a charity director on holiday in the city, said he had taken shelter in a nearby church with several others after Thursday's van ramming. "All of a sudden it was real kind of chaos... people just started running screaming," he told Sky. "There was kind of a mini stampede. "It seems like a lot of people have taken refuge in shops and local cafes." A woman cries as she phones after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing one person and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona Credit: AFP/Getty Images A video circulating on social media showed at least 19 people lying injured on the pavement down the centre of Las Ramblas. Many victims can be seen bleeding, some heavily, while being tended to by passersby. Souvenirs are strewn across the path, having apparently been knocked over in the chaos. Armed police are visible in the background. 6:12PM One death confirmed by police A police official in Barcelona has said that one death has been confirmed, and 32 others have been injured in the van attack, ten of which are seriously injured. At least 56 people have been taken to hospitals across the city, according to local newspaper La Vanguardia. 6:08PM Van 'was going very fast, without caring about who was in its way' TV3 says it now has official confirmation that thirteen people are dead. It also says there are dozens of injured. Eyewitness Lourdes Porcar told TV3 television station that she saw the van running people over. "It was going very fast, without caring about who was in its way," she said. Police have set up roadblocks around the city amid reports that a second van was involved in the attack and fled the scene. Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain There are also reports that at least on attacker is holed up in a Turkish restaurant on Carrer Hospital, which leads off from the spot in which the van appears to have come to a halt. Television pictures show that a van came to a halt on top of a Joan Miro mosaic, half-way down Las Ramblas - meaning that it would have covered more than 500 metres. 5:59PM Las Ramblas potentially deadliest attack since 2004 bombing The deadliest recent attack in Spain was in March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800. 5:55PM Death toll 'could be as high as 13' Reuters reports that at least 13 people have been killed in the attack, citing local media. 5:52PM President has been informed, says White House The White House's chief of staff said it was keeping President Trump closely informed about the situation. 5:49PM 'Second van' linked to attack Police are looking for a second van that may have been involved in the attack, Sky News reports 5:49PM Tourists speak of shock Police stationed at the cordon a block away from Plaza Catalunya, on Passeig de Gracia, say they have no information what is happening inside. Confused tourists, shoppers and business owners gathered at its edges, awaiting some word or direction as to what to do. Ines Prauka, a 49 year old tourist from Berlin arrived with her 14 year old daughter Adel for a one week holiday just an hour or two before the attack. Injured people are treated by emergency services at the scene They had just checked in to an apartment at the top of the Ramblas and come out in search of a supermarket to find pandemonium on the street. "Everybody was running and panicking and crying," she said. Ambulances arrived and police told them to run away, but they did not understand as the orders came in Spanish, she said, and had to ask. Ms Prauka was clearly in shock and struggled to speak at times. "It's unbelievable. Two hours in Barcelona and this. We are shocked. Policemen accompany an elderly woman near a cordoned off area Credit: PAU BARRENA "It's the first time we've been in a situation of everyone crying and panicking around us, we didn't know if it was terrorism, a bomb." Berlin had been touched by terrorism but they had never experienced it personally, she said, adding that she did not know where to take her daughter now. "A one week summer holiday in Barcelona and that was the start," she said. 5:45PM Barcelona police to hold press conference Local police are expected to begin a press conference in around ten minutes. Stay with us for the latest updates. 5:39PM 'There was panic everywhere," says eyewitness Daksha Dixit, a 28 year old tourist visiting from Mumbai with family, said they had been on a tourist bus which had just dropped them off one block from Plaza Cataluña when they heard the news. "We got off and people were panicking, no one knew what was going on. There was panic everywhere." An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain Credit: Oriol Duran/AP The family arrived just yesterday for a one week trip and their hotel is on the Ramblas inside the cordon. They were unclear as to what exactly was unfolding, with Miss Dixit adding: "I don't know what to do". 5:32PM Attacker used rented van Catalan police say they are treating the crash as a suspected terrorist attack but cannot yet confirm the motive. It has also been reported that the attack vehicle was a rented van. That would suggest, if this is confirmed as a terrorist attack, that same terrorists are imitating the perpetrators of the London Bridge attack, where a rented van was also used. Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, 5:26PM 'We heard gunshots...there was screaming and shouting' Steve Garrett was in a nearby market and sheltered in a bakery with several others after streams of people ran inside. One member of the group, who took refuge with him, said she had heard gunshots after the incident. Armed police officers patrol an empty street after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona Credit: REUTERS Mr Garrett told the BBC: "A very large number of people ran into the market area in a big kind of way, lots of screaming, lots of shouting. "The security guards immediately responded. We ran into the bakery with four or five other people and ran straight upstairs and hunkered down whilst an enormous wave of people went through the market. An armed policeman arrives in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla "Obviously coming from England it was reminding me a great deal of what happened in London, so we were very concerned about what might be going on next. Police speak to an injured person at the scene. Local media report the van driver ran away "The lady that was with us said she heard some gunshots." Mr Garrett said a "second wave" of people then entered the market, followed by armed police. Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas He said: "They seemed to sweep through the market area. They seemed to be looking for someone. They were going very carefully, very cautiously, stall to stall." Jordi Lino was on a bus going down the Ramblas when he saw the attack: "First I saw people running and then the van. There were injured people in the middle of the Ramblas." 5:20PM Footage appears to show crash vehicle Footage appears to show damaged vehicle in cordoned-off Barcelona street 00:31 5:16PM Confusion and panic in Las Ramblas Telegraph reporter Hannah Strange has arrived at Las Ramblas, where she says there is a very heavy police presence, confusion, and helicopters flying overhead. Local media is reporting is that several people have died. The Spanish newspaper El Pais quoted unnamed police sources as saying the perpetrators of the crash were holed up in a bar in Tallers Street. There was no immediate police confirmation of the report. Inside the glossy stores of Passeig de Gracia, shoppers and staff sheltered behind glass windows. Many streamed away from the cordon but others stayed on the street in an eerie limbo, the ambulances racing past the only clue as to the status of the situation. 5:14PM Armed police pictured at scene Omg �� #barcelonapic.twitter.com/p0jZd25oxx— sommermädchen (@_corazondelsol) August 17, 2017 5:12PM Restaurant hostage situation is ongoing Two armed men have entrenched themselves in a Turkish bar and restaurant in Barcelona's city centre after a van mowed down dozens of people, El Periodico newspaper reported on Wednesday. El Periodico reported gunfire in the area of La Boqueria Market, although it did not cite the source of the information. It was not immediately clear that the men were the drivers of the van. 5:06PM Several bodies lay in street in aftermath of attack In a photograph shown by public broadcaster RTVE, three people were lying on the ground in the street of the northern Spanish city Thursday afternoon, apparently being helped by police and others. Videos of the scene recorded people screaming as they fled. A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain Police cordoned off the broad, popular street, ordering stores and nearby Metro and train stations to close. They asked people to stay away from the area so as not to get in the way of emergency services. A helicopter hovered over the scene. 5:02PM 'It was chaos...everyone was in panic mode' Aamer Anwar was walking down Las Ramblas at the time, which he said was "jam-packed" with tourists. He told Sky News: "All of a sudden, I just sort of heard a crashing noise and the whole street just started to run, screaming. I saw a woman right next to me screaming for her kids. "Police were very, very quickly there, police officers with guns, batons, everywhere. Then the whole street started getting pushed back." Panicked onlookers at the scene of the attack Mr Anwar described the scene as "chaos", with everyone in "panic mode". He added: "Police officers who got there just started screaming at people to move back, move back. "One of the shopkeepers tried to speak to him. He said he saw five or six people seriously injured on the ground, a van had driven into people. "And literally within probably 30 seconds, police vans, ambulances, police officers with guns, were piling out and we were being sectioned off and then being pushed rapidly back down Ramblas." 4:51PM Eyewitness: It was terriyfying One witness told Sky News: "It was quite terrifying. All of a sudden scores of people ran towards us, hysterical, children hysterical... first of all they said someone had been shot. ��Atropello múltiple en las #Ramblas. Se solicita a los ciudadanos no transitar por la zona de Plaza Catalunya. +info @emergenciescat— Policía Nacional (@policia) August 17, 2017 "All of a sudden a second wave of people came down the street, we just ran, I lost my husband in the melee. The shops went into lockdown mode." She added: "We really had no idea what was going on other than that we needed to get ourselves out of there very quickly... there was just hundreds of people running away very quickly." Police at the scene of the crash Another said: "We were just told to run, it must have been quite close because... there was an immediate stampede to run away. We were just a minute away from it." 4:50PM Local media: Armed men have entered a restaurant Spanish media is now reporting that armed men entered a restaurant shortly after the attack took place. 4:48PM Emergency services - close nearby train and metro stations Catalan emergency services have asked that nearby metro stations be closed. Here are some images of the scene. A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons 4:43PM Suspected driver 'fled on foot' The suspected driver has fled the vehicle, according to local police. It remains unclear whether the crash is terror-related. 4:41PM Reports suggest the crash happened outside a Kosher restaurant After seeing photos, does appear that the van hit people outside Barcelona's Kosher restaurant, Maccabi, but also in a much wider area.— Arieh Kovler (@ariehkovler) August 17, 2017 4:39PM Several victims treated on the ground In a photograph shown by public broadcaster RTVE, three people were lying on the ground in the street and were apparently being helped by police and others. Police cordoned off the broad street and shut down its stores 4:38PM The scene in La Rambla The scene in La Rambla 4:35PM Las Ramblas Las Ramblas is an iconic avenue in the centre of Barcelona, visited by millions of tourists every year 4:31PM Area evacuated The local police force was said to be evacuating the area including the nearby main square the Plaza de Catalunya. Shops have put up their shutters with shoppers inside, newspaper La Vanguardia reported.
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| In wake of rally, Richmond's mayor reconsiders monuments Posted: 16 Aug 2017 07:33 PM PDT  RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — In the wake of a deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Richmond's mayor said Wednesday that Virginia's capital city will consider removing or relocating its prominent Confederate statues.
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| American Airlines Accused Of Destroying Woman's Wedding Dress Posted: 17 Aug 2017 12:10 AM PDT  The court papers claimed Yewande Oteh of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, decided to sue the airline after it failed to prevent or investigate the incident.
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| None Of The 10 Best Cities To Live In The World Are In The U.S. Posted: 16 Aug 2017 01:49 PM PDT  Donald Trump's policies are partly the reason that none of the 10 most liveable cities in the world are in the U.S., according to a new report from The Economist Intelligence Unit.
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| Southern anger: Nazis, KKK 'hijacking' Confederate debate Posted: 17 Aug 2017 02:42 PM PDT ![Southern anger: Nazis, KKK 'hijacking' Confederate debate]( "Southern anger: Nazis, KKK 'hijacking' Confederate debate") CHULAFINNEE, Ala. (AP) — White Southerners who equate Old South symbols with regional pride rather than hate are even more on the defensive since neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klansmen and other extremists became the face of the fight over Confederate monuments.
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| Thirty-seven inmates killed in government raid on Venezuelan prison Posted: 16 Aug 2017 06:03 PM PDT  By Maria Ramirez PUERTO ORDAZ, Venezuela (Reuters) - Thirty-seven inmates were killed during an overnight raid by government security forces on a prison in Venezuela's southern jungle state of Amazonas, the governor said on Wednesday. The government seeks to reassert control over understaffed prison facilities by sending in special forces from time to time, but deadly confrontations often ensue. "There was a massacre," tweeted Liborio Guarulla, the Amazonas governor, who said 37 prisoners had been killed.
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| 911 Call Reveals Harrowing Escape of Woman Cops Call 'James Bond' After She Jumped Out of Car Posted: 17 Aug 2017 01:49 PM PDT  Jordan Dinsmore's suspected attackers have been arrested.
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| Roy Moore, Luther Strange advance to runoff in Alabama Senate election Posted: 15 Aug 2017 07:32 PM PDT  Luther Strange, the GOP Senate candidate favored by Trump and McConnell, faces a tough battle from the controversial judge Roy Moore in Alabama's runoff.
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| Grace Mugabe 'banned from leaving South Africa' as pressure mounts over assault allegations Posted: 17 Aug 2017 07:59 AM PDT  South African police have issued a "red alert" to border posts to prevent Grace Mugabe, the first lady of Zimbabwe, from leaving the country amid claims that she offered cash to her alleged victim to drop accusations of assault. Gerrie Nel, the lawyer who is providing pro-bono representation for Gabriella Engels, said on Thursday that his client would launch a private prosecution against Mrs Mugabe if South African police did not bring a case. "From our point of view, we would expect at least a trial, or action within three months," Mr Nel, who previously led the prosecution of convicted murderer and blade runner Oscar Pristorius, at a press conference in Pretoria. Gabriella Engels, who claims to have been assaulted by Grace Mugabe, arrives for a news conference in Pretoria Credit: SIPHIWE SIBEKO/REUTERS He said a private prosecution could result in the "exact same sentences" as in a trial brought by the state. "Any sentence is possible. Also jail time." He added that the family had rejected an offer, allegedly made via a third party, to drop the case in exchange for cash. Miss Engels, a twenty year old model and nightclub hostess, has accused the Zimbabwean first lady of assaulting her with an extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel where Mrs Mugabe's sons rent flats. Advocate Gerrie Nel is representing Gabriella Engels Credit: SIPHIWE SIBEKO/Reuters The alleged assault on Sunday night spiraled into a diplomatic and political scandal earlier this week after police accused Mrs Mugabe of failing to honour an agreement to hand herself in for questioning. Instead she appears to have taken refuge in a rented mansion in a Johannesburg suburb and police have said she is seeking diplomatic immunity. The case took a further twist on Thursday when Mrs Engels family announced they had accepted pro-bono legal assistance from AfriForum, a controversial Afrikaner-rights group. At a press conference announcing their intentions to bring suit, Gabriella Engels sat silently, a fresh bandage covering the wound she says was caused by Mugabe's assault with an extension cord. Gerrie Nel told a press conference that Miss Engels will launch a private prosecution if police do not take action Credit: PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP She refused to speak and stared forlornly at the table as her legal team answered questions for her. Earlier Fikile Mbalula, South Africa's Minister of Police said all borders have been notified to prevent Grace Mugabe from leaving the country before the matter is resolved. "The SAPS (South Africa Police Service) have already put tabs in the borders in relation to her (Mugabe) leaving the country so there is no question about that. The red alert has been put," Mr Mbalula told reporters. However, a police spokesman later said no arrest warrant had been prepared and that they they will wait for a decision about Mrs Mugabe's application for diplomatic immunity for taking a decision on further action. Robert Mugabe, the 93 year dol president of Zimbabwe flew into Pretoria on Thursday evening Credit: KOPANO TLAPE / HANDOUT/GCIS Mrs Engels's legal team dismissed the retroactive request because, they said, Mrs Mugabe was in the country shopping and for medical reasons, but conceded that it might well be granted. The negotiations over diplomatic immunity are "most probably done at the highest levels of government," said Willie Spies, an attorney affiliated with AfriForum, indicating that Jacob Zuma, the South African president, and Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe, were handling the affair. The moment diplomatic immunity is granted, Spies said, "she'll probably leave the country." Mr Mugabe, 93, arrived in South Africa on Thursday to attend a regional leaders' summit in Pretoria. Neither Mrs Mugabe nor the Zimbabwean government have commented on the case.
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| Barack Obama responds to Barcelona terror attack: 'Un abrazo' Posted: 17 Aug 2017 02:08 PM PDT  Barack Obama and the former First Lady Michelle have sent a message of support - and a hug - to the people of Barcelona and Spain after a terror attack that killed at least 13 people and injured scores more. "Michelle and I are thinking of the victims and their families in Barcelona. Americans will always stand with our Spanish friends," he wrote.
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| Shocking Video Shows Bear Biting Off Man's Arm After He Provokes It Posted: 17 Aug 2017 02:21 AM PDT  The man ignored warning signs outside the cage and climbed over the fence to feed the bears milk.
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| World's Saddest Right-Wing Protest Draws 7 People To Seattle's Lenin Statue Posted: 17 Aug 2017 05:22 AM PDT  Far-right "Pizzagate" conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec tweeted videos and photos Wednesday showing him leading a group of people protesting a Vladimir Lenin statue in Seattle. Video shows Posobiec leading the group in a chant of "tear it down, tear it down" as the protesters — wearing "Make America Great Again" caps and holding placards bearing phrases like "Lenin is Hitler" and "Alt Left Hate" — marched around the statue.It appears that about 7 people, including Posobiec, attended the demonstration. Trump Supporters Demand Marxist Statue of Lenin Must Be Torn Down pic.twitter. ...
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| Man charged with spraying manure on US Border Protection car Posted: 16 Aug 2017 03:11 PM PDT  MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — A man who says his livelihood in agriculture has been nearly ruined by people who entered the country illegally to work on local farms is facing charges he sprayed liquid manure on a marked U.S. Customs and Border Protection car after confronting an agent about immigration enforcement.
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| 911 Call Released in Death of Boy, 3, Who Cops Say Was Left in Day Care Van Posted: 17 Aug 2017 10:53 AM PDT  Myles Hill was found dead in Orlando on Aug. 7.
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| ‘Pathetic’: GOP React to Trump’s Charlottesville Comments Posted: 16 Aug 2017 04:31 AM PDT  Republican members of Congress and the Senate, such as John Kasich and Lindsey Graham, are responding to Donald Trump's comments on the violence in Charlottesville.
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| Two Kids Got Locked In A Grocery Store And Did Exactly What You'd Expect Posted: 16 Aug 2017 03:10 PM PDT  It's right out of a TV show.
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| When White Nationalists Get DNA Tests That Reveal African Ancestry Posted: 17 Aug 2017 01:30 AM PDT ![When White Nationalists Get DNA Tests That Reveal African Ancestry]( "When White Nationalists Get DNA Tests That Reveal African Ancestry") The white-nationalist forum Stormfront hosts discussions on a wide range of topics, from politics to guns to The Lord of the Rings. And of particular and enduring interest: genetic ancestry tests. For white nationalists, DNA tests are a way to prove their racial purity. Of course, their results don't always come back that way. And how white nationalists try to explain away non-European ancestry is rather illuminating of their beliefs.
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| Muslim-baiter Hanson wears burka in Australia's Senate Posted: 17 Aug 2017 01:23 AM PDT  Australian anti-immigration politician Pauline Hanson caused a furore Thursday when she entered the Senate wearing a full burqa, earning a blistering rebuke from the country's top lawyer for the "appalling" stunt. "Will you work to ban the burqa in Australia in light of what is happening with national security?" she said after whipping off the garment to question Attorney-General George Brandis. Brandis said his conservative government had no such plans, warning Hanson she risked offending the Muslim community by wearing a burka when she was not a follower of Islam.
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| 9-Foot Alligator Attacks And Kills 75 Pound Dog In Florida Posted: 17 Aug 2017 11:34 AM PDT  Authorities are now warning residents about keeping their pets leashed.
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| Christian School Reportedly Told 12-Year-Old His Alleged Rape Was ‘Boys Being Boys’ Posted: 16 Aug 2017 12:31 PM PDT  A prestigious Christian school in Tennessee is under fire for allegedly doing nothing after a male student reported that he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by four older classmates.
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| Ex-NY governor hopeful who insulted Obamas kicked off board Posted: 17 Aug 2017 03:45 PM PDT  BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — One-time Republican candidate for New York governor Carl Paladino, whose published insults of former President Barack Obama provoked a public uproar, was removed from Buffalo's school board Thursday for improperly discussing teacher contract negotiations.
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| Woman Arrested for Running Raffle Ticket Scam Using Image, Name of Boy Who Died of Cancer Posted: 16 Aug 2017 01:02 PM PDT  Tracey Jacqueline Weir is accused of selling phony raffle tickets to support children's cancer research in the name of 4-year-old Nolan Scully.
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| Steve Bannon gives rare blistering interview as he attempts to cling on to White House power Posted: 17 Aug 2017 02:39 AM PDT  Steve Bannon has described the far right as a "collection of clowns" and said he would "crush the Democrats" as he attempts to cling on to his position at the White House. Donald Trump's chief strategist made a series of controversial remarks to American Prospect, a left-wing political magazine, in which he discussed the on-going issues and feuds within the Trump administration, the violence in Charlottesville, US-China trade policy and possibly military intervention in North Korea. There have been renewed calls from both the left and right for Mr Bannon, the former editor of Breitbart News and the man who many feel is the mastermind of Mr Trump's nationalist agenda, to be removed from his post.
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| Canada sees 'unsustainable' spike in asylum seekers at U.S. border Posted: 17 Aug 2017 03:02 PM PDT  TORONTO/MONTREAL (Reuters) - The number of asylum seekers who illegally crossed the U.S. border into Canada more than tripled last month, according to Canadian government data released on Thursday, as migrants worried about the U.S. administration's immigration crackdown head north. More than 3,100 people walked across the border illegally in July to file refugee claims and were arrested, up from 884 in June, the federal government said. Ninety-six percent of them went to Quebec, where an influx of asylum seekers, primarily Haitians, is sparking a backlash from opposition politicians and anti-immigrant groups in the primarily French-speaking province.
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| 'Bloodiest 24 hours' of Philippines drugs war, as 32 shot dead by Duterte's police Posted: 16 Aug 2017 10:25 AM PDT  Thirty two suspected drug dealers were killed in police shootouts in the Philippines on Tuesday night, during the bloodiest 24 hours so far of a state war on drugs that has killed over 7,000 people in the last year. The police conducted 49 "buy-bust" operations, using undercover officers to attempt to buy drugs from suspected dealers, and 14 raids, in the province of Bucalan, just north of the capital, Manila, said police superintendent Romeo Caramat. Filipino students stage a protest rally against the war on drugs in Manila Credit: EPA Describing his forces' actions as "one time, big time", he said that 25 of these operations had "resulted in armed encounter" during which 32 were killed and 107 were arrested. Officers also confiscated over 200 grams of methamphetamine, 786g of marijuana, and firearms. Mr Caramat told reporters that while the police tried to avoid casualties during their operations, that "we do not have control of the situation." He repeated a common line issued by the Philippine authorities, that the suspects were killed because they fought back. "The subjects are notorious drug pushers and we all know that they are called notorious because they will refuse to be caught alive," he said, according to local news-site, Rappler. More than 3,200 alleged drug offenders have been killed in gunbattles with law enforcers since President Rodrigo Duterte unleashed a brutal war on drugs after coming to power last year. #Philippines mandatory student drug testing may create a "school-to-cemetery track" for kids testing positive @hrwhttps://t.co/OC0MQMce3upic.twitter.com/Jpysuh1pTs— Phelim Kine 林海 (@PhelimKine) August 14, 2017 Human rights groups have accused the police of acting with impunity and deliberately staging shoot-outs to kill suspects without giving them the right to a trial. They report that at least 7,000 alleged drugs dealers and users in total have been killed, with the majority being gunned down by vigilante assassins accused of having links to the authorities. Critics of Duterte have demanded an investigation into his possible role in the violence. Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Philippines researcher at Amnesty International said it was "extremely worrying" that the killings had picked up pace in recent weeks. "This is another horrific milestone in President Duterte's bloody 'war on drugs'," she said of Tuesday night's death toll. "This shows clearly the urgent need to establish an international-led investigation into the carnage taking place every night." Phelime Kine, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, added his voice to calls for an independent inquiry, urging the United Nations to investigate Duterte's drugs war "slaughter." "Duterte's consistent cheerleading for an unlawful killing campaign that killed at least 7,000 – and perhaps as many as 12,000 – of the country's most poverty-stricken citizens makes him complicit in the incitement and instigation of mass killings" he said. In quotes | Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines Meanwhile, HRW has warned that the safety of Philippine high school and college students could be endangered by government plans to introduce random mandatory drugs tests on campus. The ministry of education has approved a proposal to introduce drugs tests at the start of the school year to deter and determine the prevalence of drug abuse among students. "Imposing mandatory drug testing of students when Philippine police are committing rampant summary killings of alleged drug users puts countless children in danger for failing a drug test," said Mr Kine. "Education officials should be protecting students, not putting them in harm's way through mandatory drugs tests."
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| Starbucks' Howard Schultz Compared What's Going On In The U.S. Today To Nazi Germany Posted: 17 Aug 2017 11:17 AM PDT  "I know we are better than this."
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| Yes, A Big Victory In Texas On The Trans Bathroom Bill, But The Battle Is Far From Over Posted: 17 Aug 2017 07:39 AM PDT  Celebration is in order in Texas and around the country, as an attempt to pass a transgender "bathroom" bill went down in flames in a special session.
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| Deadly van attack in Barcelona claimed by ISIS Posted: 17 Aug 2017 08:58 AM PDT ![Deadly van attack in Barcelona claimed by ISIS]( "Deadly van attack in Barcelona claimed by ISIS") A manhunt is underway for the driver of a van that mowed through crowds of tourists on Barcelona's most famous avenue on Thursday, killing at least 13 people in an attack that was claimed by Islamic State. Police said they arrested two men, a Moroccan and a man from Spain's north African enclave of Melilla, though neither was the driver. Also on Thursday, hours beforehand, a person was killed in an explosion in a house about 100 km (62 miles) southwest of Barcelona, in an incident linked to the attack, police added.
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| Endangered 2-Headed Turtle Spotted on Beach Posted: 17 Aug 2017 02:27 PM PDT  The team of biologists spotted another two-headed loggerhead turtle hatching last year.
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| The Latest: VA secretary defends Trump remarks Posted: 16 Aug 2017 03:03 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on Republican reaction to President Donald Trump's comments about the weekend's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia (all times EDT):
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| Canada wants to curb surge in walk-in asylum seekers from US Posted: 17 Aug 2017 10:42 AM PDT  Canadian officials warned Thursday against entering the country unchecked through backwoods in an effort to curb a surge in asylum seekers coming on foot from the United States. Landing in Canada "is not an automatic ticket to being accepted here as a refugee," Transportation Minister Marc Garneau told a press conference in the Quebec border town Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, about 60 kilometers (38 miles) south of Montreal. The town has witnessed a recent dramatic spike in walk-in asylum seekers.
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| 35 Hearty Soups That'll Feed A Hungry Crowd Posted: 16 Aug 2017 09:46 AM PDT |
| Rise of animals 650 million years ago sparked by boom of sea algae after 'Snowball Earth' melted Posted: 16 Aug 2017 10:30 AM PDT  The mystery of how animals evolved on Earth has been uncovered by scientists who found that crumbling mountains fed the seas with nutrients, sparking a surge of complex life. Although simple life on our planet existed for billions of years, before 650 million years ago it was largely just viruses, bacteria and early multi-cellular jelly-like creatures. Now scientists at the Australian National University have discovered that freezing conditions which turned Earth in a giant snowball at around 700 million years ago also pulverised mountain ranges. When the glaciers finally melted 50 million years later, the rich mountain 'dust' was mixed into the newly formed seas and oceans where it allowed blue algae to thrive, and set in motion an evolutionary process which would eventually lead to animals and humans. Mountains pulverized by glaciers in Snowball Earth fed algae in the sea allowing them to take over from bacteria Credit: DAVID BREASHEARS / GLACIERWORKS The team made the discovery after looking at rocks in Central Australia dating back to 650 million years ago, which were found to be full of molecules from ancient algae. Lead researcher Associate Professor Jochen Brock said: "Before all of this happened, there was a dramatic event 50 million years earlier called Snowball Earth. "The Earth was frozen over for 50 million years. Huge glaciers ground entire mountain ranges to powder that released nutrients, and when the snow melted during an extreme global heating event rivers washed torrents of nutrients into the ocean." Dr Brocks said the extremely high levels of nutrients in the ocean, and cooling of global temperatures to more hospitable levels, created the perfect conditions for the rapid spread of algae. It was the transition from oceans being dominated by bacteria to a world inhabited by more complex life, he said. "These large and nutritious organisms at the base of the food web provided the burst of energy required for the evolution of complex ecosystems, where increasingly large and complex animals, including humans, could thrive on Earth," Dr Brocks said. When Snowball Earth melted life really got going Credit: Nasa The research is published in Nature, and the findings will be presented at the Goldschmidt Conference in Paris, France, this week. Co-lead researcher Dr Amber Jarrett of ANU, who studied the ancient sedimentary rocks from just after the melting of Snowball Earth said: "In these rocks we discovered striking signals of molecular fossils. "We immediately knew that we had made a ground-breaking discovery that snowball Earth was directly involved in the evolution of large and complex life."
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| Twitter Points Out Other Times When 'Both Sides' Were Clearly Incomparable Posted: 16 Aug 2017 01:33 PM PDT  On Tuesday, many Americans were left reeling after recent remarks made by President Donald Trump in the aftermath of violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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| U.S. Navy to remove senior leaders of warship after deadly June crash Posted: 17 Aug 2017 04:54 PM PDT  By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy will relieve the two senior officers and the senior enlisted sailor on a U.S. warship that collided with a Philippine container ship in June off the coast of Japan, the Navy said on Thursday, A separate official report released on Thursday contained dramatic accounts of what happened when the freighter hit the USS Fitzgerald, killing seven Navy sailors. Admiral Bill Moran, deputy chief of naval operations, told reporters that the USS Fitzgerald's commander, executive officer and master chief petty officer would be removed. Multiple U.S. and Japanese investigations are still under way into how the Fitzgerald, a guided missile destroyer, and the much larger ACX Crystal container ship collided in clear weather south of Tokyo Bay in the early hours of June 17.
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| Where Is Natalee Holloway Suspect Joran Van Der Sloot Now? Posted: 17 Aug 2017 09:17 AM PDT  Twelve years after Holloway's disappearance, van der Sloot remains the primary suspect.
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| Man Whose Heart Was Pierced by 3-Inch Nail Drives Himself 12 Miles to Hospital Posted: 16 Aug 2017 01:47 PM PDT  Doug Bergeson says common sense told him not to pull the nail out.
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| Donald Trump praises 'very wise and reasoned' Kim Jong-un decision Posted: 16 Aug 2017 05:50 AM PDT  Donald Trump says that North Korea has made a "very wise and well reasoned decision". In an apparent reference to Kim Jong-un's suggestion that he could delay a decision to send a nuclear strike towards Guam, the President praised the North Korean leader for his actions. The tweet appears to suggest that the President may be calming down his threats to destroy North Korea using the might of the US military.
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| Anti-Muslim Australian senator wears burqa in Parliament Posted: 17 Aug 2017 07:53 AM PDT  CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Australian senator provoked an angry backlash from lawmakers by wearing a burqa in Parliament on Thursday as part of her campaign for a national ban on Islamic face covers.
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| Mexico's prickly pear cactus: energy source of the future? Posted: 17 Aug 2017 07:14 AM PDT  The prickly pear cactus is such a powerful symbol in Mexico that they put it smack in the middle of the national flag. Now scientists have come up with a new use for the bright green plant: producing renewable energy. Instantly recognizable with its jumble of spiny discs -- its bright red fruit protruding like fat fingers from each one -- the prickly pear cactus is farmed on a massive scale in Mexico.
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| Why You Need To Be Adding Peanut Butter To Your Burger Posted: 17 Aug 2017 07:16 AM PDT  Talk about next level.
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