| Trump's labor chief Acosta defends Epstein plea deal, calling him 'a sexual predator' Posted: 10 Jul 2019 08:00 AM PDT  U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta on Wednesday dismissed calls for his resignation and defended a controversial non-prosecution agreement he approved more than 10 years ago with financier Jeffrey Epstein, who has now been charged with sex trafficking in underage girls. Acosta, who was a U.S. prosecutor in Florida at the time, has been the target of criticism that his office approved a lenient deal for Epstein that has received renewed attention in the wake of new charges filed this week. Instead of prosecuting Epstein on a federal level, Acosta's office agreed to have the billionaire ink a plea deal with state prosecutors that resulted in a lax sentence.
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| Plan by Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez to declare climate emergency Posted: 09 Jul 2019 07:13 PM PDT  Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are teaming up on a measure that would designate climate change as an emergency, and they have won early support from one of Sanders' fellow Democratic presidential candidates. The legislation introduced Tuesday night in the House is designed to highlight Democrats' focus on global warming and push back on President Donald Trump, who has declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is competing with Sanders for the support of liberal voters in the presidential primary, plans to sign onto the resolution when it's introduced in the Senate, according to a spokeswoman.
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| Exclusive: The true origins of the Seth Rich conspiracy theory. A Yahoo News investigation. Posted: 09 Jul 2019 03:00 AM PDT  In the summer of 2016, Russian intelligence agents secretly planted a fake report claiming that Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich was gunned down by a squad of assassins working for Hillary Clinton, giving rise to a notorious conspiracy theory that captivated conservative activists and was later promoted from inside President Trump's White House, a Yahoo News investigation has found.
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| Hurricane watch issued in Louisiana as tropical system gains strength in Gulf of Mexico Posted: 10 Jul 2019 04:10 PM PDT  The second storm of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to form Wednesday or Thursday along the Gulf Coast.
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| Merkel says 'very well' despite third shaking spell Posted: 10 Jul 2019 08:07 AM PDT  German Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted she was "very well", despite suffering her third trembling spell in less than a month on Wednesday that has focused attention on her health. Merkel began shaking involuntarily as national anthems were being played at the reception of Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne. A source close to the government had said the cause of the repeat shaking was now psychological, with memories of the first incident provoking renewed trembling at events with similar settings.
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| Freshman Rep. Veronica Escobar reports death threats over asylum story Posted: 09 Jul 2019 05:19 PM PDT  Texas Democrat says federal authorities looking into threats against her, her family and aides
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| 3 Stabbed After 'Random Attack' in Downtown Seattle; Suspect Arrested Nude Posted: 09 Jul 2019 05:32 PM PDT  Police said three people were injured after reports of a stabbing outside Nordstrom's headquarters in downtown Seattle.
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| British capture of Iranian tanker won't go 'unanswered': officer Posted: 08 Jul 2019 10:46 PM PDT  Britain's seizure of an Iranian oil tanker off Gibraltar last week will not be "unanswered", Iran's armed forces chief of staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, said on Tuesday, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. "Capture of the Iranian oil tanker based on fabricated excuses ... will not be unanswered and when necessary Tehran will give appropriate answer," Bagheri said. British Royal Marines boarded the ship, Grace 1, off the coast of Gibraltar on Thursday and seized it over accusations it was breaking sanctions by taking oil to Syria.
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| Ivanka Trump's women's initiative announces $27M in grants Posted: 10 Jul 2019 03:24 PM PDT  A White House initiative spearheaded by Ivanka Trump to help women in developing countries get ahead economically announced its first batch of grants on Wednesday: $27 million for 14 projects in 22 countries, mostly in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. The Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative was launched in February with an initial investment of $50 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development. The 14 projects sharing the $27 million were chosen from over 120 entries, administration officials said Wednesday.
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| Tourist says she was raped, thrown off resort balcony in Dominican Republic Posted: 10 Jul 2019 08:21 AM PDT  A New York City woman claims she was raped and thrown off a second-floorbalcony in the Dominican Republic last month, according to WABC
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| McConnell cites Obama in reparations debate: 'We both are the descendants of slave owners' Posted: 09 Jul 2019 12:55 PM PDT  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell responds to reports that his great-great-grandfathers owned slaves.
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| $3.7 million in cash discovered in abandoned boat in Puerto Rico, Border Patrol says Posted: 09 Jul 2019 01:25 PM PDT  Authorities followed a boat to the island's coast and found five duffel bags containing $3.7 million in cash.
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| Iran, Russia pour scorn on US moves at UN nuclear watchdog Posted: 10 Jul 2019 11:13 AM PDT  Iran and Russia on Wednesday poured scorn on America's call for Tehran to adhere to limits in a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, at a special meeting of the UN's nuclear watchdog. The meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was requested by the US after it was confirmed last week that Iran had exceeded the stockpile of enriched uranium permitted under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The US Ambassador to International Organizations in Vienna Jackie Wolcott told the meeting that Iran was engaged in "nuclear extortion".
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| Jeffrey Epstein accuser asks court for help in identifying his alleged recruiter Posted: 10 Jul 2019 01:29 PM PDT  Jennifer Araoz, who accused the sex offender of 'forcefully' raping her, is hoping to find the woman who lured her to his homeThe Manhattan US attorney's office alleged that Jeffrey Epstein 'sexually exploited and abused dozens of minor girls'. Photograph: Uma Sanghvi/Associated PressJennifer Araoz, who in a recent interview accused the billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein of raping her when she was just 15, asked a New York City court on Wednesday for help identifying his alleged recruiter.Araoz's interview aired in the wake of Epstein's arrest on Saturday for alleged sex trafficking of minor girls, with prosecutors claiming that some of these victims were just 14 years old. She told NBC that Epstein "raped me, forcefully raped me … I was terrified and telling him to stop".The Manhattan US attorney's office alleged that Epstein "sexually exploited and abused dozens of minor girls" at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida from 2002 to 2005.Epstein pleaded not guilty on Monday to two counts: sex trafficking conspiracy and sex trafficking.Araoz alleged in papers filed with the Manhattan supreme court that she was a 14-year-old high school freshman when a woman approached her after school one day."The woman, who we shall refer to as 'the Recruiter', tried to befriend her," the court papers said. "The Recruiter approached Ms Araoz repeatedly over the course of a week or two, offering to take her for lunches close by the school and, during the meals, would continue to ask personal questions about her."At some point during this approximate two-week period, the Recruiter began to speak about defendant Epstein, almost as if he was her uncle or a family friend," court papers also stated. "The Recruiter said that Epstein was a 'nice guy', and that he takes care of her and her family."This Recruiter eventually made plans with Araoz to visit his house and meet him after school. On the first visit, during which the Recruiter was present, Epstein chatted with them and gave Araoz $300.While there was no sexual contact in this first visit, as well as several others over the course of a month with the Recruiter, Epstein's secretary then called to schedule Araoz to visit him alone, court papers alleged, where the sexual abuse began after Epstein asked her to strip and give him a massage.These "horribly abusive sexual assaults of a child, became more aggressive and escalated" over time. One day, when she was 15, Epstein "forcibly raped her", Araoz's documents alleged.Araoz on Wednesday asked thecourt to order Epstein's participation in a deposition, as well as the production of documents with the names of his past employees, in the hopes of identifying the woman who allegedly lured her to his home.Epstein's lawyers did not immediately to respond to requests for comment on Araoz's allegations.Epstein, who reportedly has connections to Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew, has been accused of sexually abusing minor girls for more than a decade.In 2007, Epstein and the Miami US attorney's office, helmed by Alexander Acosta, now the US labor secretary under Trump, brokered a deal that closed a federal investigation involving at least 40 teenage girls. Under the arrangement, Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges, serving a mere 13 months in jail and registering as a sex offender.The controversial deal has since become the subject of a US Department of Justice inquiry.
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| Qatar Is Getting New 6 F-15QAs Starting in March 2021 Posted: 09 Jul 2019 07:00 AM PDT  The F-15QA (Qatari Advanced) introduces a number of previously announced features, including an advanced cockpit system with a large format display, says Steve Parker, Boeing's vice-president of F-15 programmes.Qatar says it will take delivery of the first six F-15QAs from Boeing by March 2021. Another six will be delivered three months later.According to Brigadier General Issa al-Mahannadi the rest of the 24 jets will be delivered every three months in batches of four aircraft.As reported by Reuters, Qatar signed agreements to buy warplanes from the U.S. as well as Europe last year after a political dispute broke out between it and neighbors Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain."This is not a purchase, it is a strategic partnership with the U.S.," Mahannadi said.
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| Saudi princess tried in absentia for alleged Paris beating Posted: 09 Jul 2019 08:58 AM PDT  The only daughter of Saudi Arabia's King Salman was put on trial in absentia Tuesday in Paris for allegedly ordering her bodyguard to strike a plumber she suspected of taking photos and video at the Saudi royal family's apartment in the French capital. Prosecutors allege Princess Hessa bint Salman became enraged when she saw the plumber allegedly capturing her image, fearing the pictures could be used to harm her as the Saudi monarch's daughter due to her country's conservative traditions. The princess' lawyer said she was not present because correspondence was sent to the Paris address, not to the royal palace in Saudi Arabia.
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| Tucker Carlson: Ilhan Omar Is ‘Living Proof’ Our Immigration Laws Are ‘Dangerous’ Posted: 09 Jul 2019 07:11 PM PDT  Fox News host Tucker Carlson ended his primetime program on Tuesday night by taking aim at Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), claiming the Somalia-born congresswoman despises America and is "living proof" that America's immigration policies are "dangerous."Omar, one of the first two Muslim women in the House of Representatives, has long been targeted by Carlson, who has devoted numerous segments to calling the progressive lawmaker "ungrateful" and a "symbol of America's failed immigration policies."This time, however, the Fox News star took his anti-Omar stance even further."Ilhan Omar has an awful lot to be grateful for, but she isn't grateful, not at all," Carlson said. "After everything America has done for Omar and for her family, she hates this country more than ever."Referencing a recent Washington Post profile on the freshman representative, the conservative commentator said the piece showed that Omar was "enraged" by America and that she has "undisguised contempt for the United States and for its people.""That should worry you, and not just because Omar is now a sitting member of Congress," Carlson warned his viewers. "Ilhan Omar is living proof that the way we practice immigration has become dangerous to this country."The anti-immigration host went on to claim that the immigration system is now "undermining" the country because "some of the very people we try hardest to help have come to hate us passionately."Stating that it is possibly American citizens' fault for not having the self-confidence to "make them assimilate," Carlson then wondered if the "problem is deeper than that—maybe we are importing people from places whose values are simply antithetical to ours."After insisting that current immigration is "unsustainable" and that no country can "expect to survive" when it imports "large numbers of people who hate it," Carlson took one final parting shot at Omar."So, be grateful for Ilhan Omar, annoying as she is," he concluded. "She's a living fire alarm, a warning to the rest of us that we better change our immigration system immediately, or else."The Minnesota lawmaker, meanwhile, has been the at the receiving end of death threats almost since she first entered Congress, largely due to right-wing attacks that have then been amplified by members of Congress and the president.Shortly after the segment aired, Omar took to Twitter to fire back at the Fox News host."Not gonna lie, it's kinda fun watching a racist fool like this weeping about my presence in Congress," she wrote. "No lies will stamp out my love for this country or my resolve to make our union more perfect. They will just have to get used to calling me Congresswoman!"Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Guatemalan mother brings AOC to tears with account of harrowing conditions at border detention facilities Posted: 10 Jul 2019 03:56 PM PDT  A Guatemalan migrant recounts the death of her baby after entering the United States and being detained.
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| Death of man under vehicle believed due to California quake -officials Posted: 09 Jul 2019 11:43 PM PDT ![Death of man under vehicle believed due to California quake -officials]( "Death of man under vehicle believed due to California quake -officials") A Nevada man found dead and pinned underneath his Jeep is believed to have been a victim of one of the recent earthquakes in southern California that ranked among the most severe in two decades, sheriff's officials said on Wednesday. An earthquake of magnitude 7.1 shook the remote town of Ridgecrest in the Mojave desert on Friday, 1-1/2 days after one of 6.4 magnitude, both of which were felt as far as Los Angeles and Las Vegas. "This is what we believe is an earthquake-related death," said Sgt. Adam Tippetts of the Nye County Sheriff's office, but the man's name was not released, pending notification of his family.
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| Grandfather who dropped toddler from cruise ship may face charges Posted: 09 Jul 2019 05:50 PM PDT  A man from Indiana may face negligence charges after dropping his 18-month-old granddaughter from a cruise ship deck in Puerto Rico on Sunday, resulting in the child's death.
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| Woman caught on tape peeing into ice cream bucket, spitting on ice cream, police say Posted: 10 Jul 2019 11:29 AM PDT ![Woman caught on tape peeing into ice cream bucket, spitting on ice cream, police say]( "Woman caught on tape peeing into ice cream bucket, spitting on ice cream, police say") The tape also showed the suspect picking her nose and putting her hands in the ice cream.
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| China demands US cancel arms sale to Taiwan Posted: 09 Jul 2019 02:48 PM PDT  China demanded Tuesday that the United States "immediately cancel" a potential sale of $2.2 billion in arms to self-ruled Taiwan, including battle tanks and anti-aircraft missiles, adding fuel to tensions between the two powers. The US later shrugged off China's complaints, responding that the equipment would contribute to "peace and stability" in Asia. The sale would be the first transfer of big-ticket US military gear to the democratically-governed island in decades, and comes as ties between Washington and Beijing are already strained by their trade war.
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| Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam declares extradition bill 'dead' - but stops short of withdrawing it Posted: 08 Jul 2019 07:49 PM PDT  Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday the extradition bill that drew millions to the streets in protest was "dead," and admitted that the government's work on the proposal had been a "total failure", but stopped short of saying it was withdrawn entirely. Her remarks are unlikely to calm demonstrators who have called for the proposal to be scrapped completely over fears the government could table it again anytime, despite saying, "I reiterate here, there is no such plan – the bill is dead." Leading activist Joshua Wong, 22, called her remarks "another ridiculous lie," because "the bill still exists in the legislative programme until July next year." Hong Kong protests: riot police baton charge and fire tear gas to clear demonstrations at parliament, in pictures Ms Lam's "refusal to acknowledge the consequences of the fatal flaws of the extradition bill continues to inflame the situation in Hong Kong," said Man-kei Tam, director of Amnesty International Hong Kong, a rights group, describing the proposal "a real threat to human rights." The bill was met with massive outcry, as it could have sent anyone passing through Hong Kong, including foreign nationals on a layover at the airport, to mainland China to face trial where the ruling Communist Party controls the courts. Lawyers and rights groups have documented evidence of forced confessions, torture and arbitrary detention in China's murky legal and judicial systems – claims that Beijing denies. Over the last month, the former British colony has been roiled by huge protests that at times ended with police deploying rubber bullets and tear gas. Last Monday, a fringe group of protesters seized the parliament building in a dramatic escalation of the anti-government movement. Two weeks ago, Ms Lam gave similar remarks, saying work on the bill would be suspended and even offering an apology to the public. Hong Kong's controversial extradition bill | At a glance But to many residents, it was too little, too late – despite massive popular opposition from the beginning when the proposal was floated, Ms Lam kept to a hard line, saying it would be pushed through before the city's legislature recessed for the summer. That pushed even more waves of people to flood the streets with a growing list of demands: for her resignation; protection for protesters already arrested; an independent investigation into violent police actions during the demonstrations, and a call for political reform to allow for universal suffrage. But on Tuesday, Ms Lam said she would not step down from her post, and that she saw no need for an independent inquiry. Hong Kong was returned to China from Britain in 1997 with the promise of a high degree of autonomy under the Sino-British Joint Declaration. But changes in recent years have concerned many that the city's unique way of life is disappearing as Chinese leader Xi Jinping has consolidated his power while overseeing a massive crackdown on dissent. Outcry over the extradition bill is the biggest challenge Beijing has faced to its rule in the territory, and a public affront to Mr Xi's power. Protesters have vowed to continue taking to the streets, with more demonstrations planned this week after hundreds clashed with police late Sunday following a peaceful march in the afternoon. Authorities arrested six in connection with the demonstrations that day. Activists have also accused police of using excessive force against journalists covering the protests. Censors in China, which routinely restrict news and information, have restricted coverage of the Hong Kong protests. Instead, the official line – and what state media has carried – has largely focused on condemning protesters for resorting to violence. Beijing has also accused the UK last week for a "colonial mindset" and interfering in Chinese domestic affairs after Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt urged China to uphold its end of the Joint Declaration. China again on Monday blasted its critics over the protests when Hong Kong activist and pop star Denise Ho was interrupted twice by a Chinese diplomat in three minutes of remarks at United Nations. Ms Ho said that the extradition bill would "remove the firewall protecting Hong Kong from interference of the Chinese government," and accused Beijing of "preventing our democracy at all costs." Chinese diplomat Dai Demao interrupted to call her comments "unfounded allegations," and demanded she stop using such "abusive language."
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| The Limits of the Alliance Between China and Russia Posted: 10 Jul 2019 08:58 AM PDT  China's President Xi Jinping recently visited Russia to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), a Russian economic forum that hosts various important global economic players, to discuss "the key economic issues facing Russia, emerging markets and the world as a whole." He was also there to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the two countries' bilateral ties by holding talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin.Although it was Xi's first trip to Russia in 2019, the visit to Russia came at a time of tensions between China and the United States on multiple fronts. These include tensions over trade, technology, and freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. And, due to its tensions with Russia on some regional and strategic stability issues, the current U.S. administration has called both China and Russia "revisionist powers" that seek to challenge the preponderance of the United States. This comes at a time when China and Russia are closer to each other "than any time in the history of their relationship." Although it is not the determinant factor, the current U.S. posture towards both China and Russia could contribute to their rapidly growing partnership.
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| Judge who said teenager who filmed himself raping girl 'deserves leniency because he's from a good family’ gets death threats Posted: 10 Jul 2019 07:53 AM PDT  A New Jersey judge who said a teenage boy accused of rape should get leniency because he came from a "good family" has received threats amid a ferocious backlash against his ruling.James Troiano denied a request in 2018 for a 16-year-old boy accused of raping an intoxicated 16-year-old girl to be tried as an adult.The Monmouth County Superior Court Judge said the defendant "comes from a good family who put him into an excellent school where he was doing extremely well."The teenage boy was accused of recording himself sexually assaulting the 16-year-old girl and sending the video to friends with the caption "when your first time is rape." Mr Troiano's decision, which surfaced last week, sparked a fierce response and has been viewed as evidence the US legal system is two-tier and has different rules for those who are privileged. The 69-year-old, who has spent almost three decades on the bench, and his family are now receiving death threats and there have been a number of calls for him to resign, reports the New York Times.Mr Troiano and his family have received multiple threatening emails and calls, according to a source who spoke to the publication.One email reportedly told the judge that should be raped by a man "stronger than you".A Change.org petition calls for the NJ State Assembly to impeach the judge and a protest is scheduled to take place at Monmouth County Superior Court later this week.The threats come as politicians and members of the public call for Mr Troiano to be disbarred, including from Democratic presidential hopeful Cory Booker. The New Jersey senator said: "Not only should this judge no longer serve - as he is clearly incapable of properly fulfilling his duties - but across the country, we must call out bad actors in the system, exposing their biases, and show women and survivors that we will doggedly pursue justice on their behalf".The teenager is accused of raping a girl, who has been referred to under the alias of Mary in court documents, in a basement during a house party in 2017.Court documents say Mary was intoxicated, slurring her words and stumbling as she walked into the basement with the teenager. They say she suffered bruising and hand prints from others slapping her on her backside, which she told her mother about the next day.Court documents say the accused teen allegedly recorded the assault and shared it with friends – adding that the girl's bare torso is exposed and her head is repeatedly banged against a wall in the recording.Mary and her family chose to press charges months later when the defendant carried on sharing the clip, despite the girl asking him to stop. Family court proceedings are usually closed to the public but some of Mr Troiano's remarks - taken from a 65-page transcript of his sealed decision - were revealed when an appeals court decision surfaced.The Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court reversed Mr Troiano's decision in June - sending the case back down for further judgment.
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| View Photos of the 2019 Honda Civic Type R TCR Race Car Posted: 09 Jul 2019 05:00 AM PDT |
| Two active-duty Marines accused of smuggling migrants from Mexico 'for financial gain' Posted: 10 Jul 2019 12:59 PM PDT ![Two active-duty Marines accused of smuggling migrants from Mexico 'for financial gain']( "Two active-duty Marines accused of smuggling migrants from Mexico 'for financial gain'") Lance Cpls. Byron Darnell Law II and David Salazar-Quintero, both active-duty Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton, were arrested by Border Patrol agents.
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| Colorful self-made billionaire H. Ross Perot dies at 89 Posted: 09 Jul 2019 08:00 AM PDT  H. Ross Perot, the colorful, self-made Texas billionaire who rose from a childhood of Depression-era poverty and twice mounted outsider campaigns for president, has died. Perot, whose 19% of the vote in 1992 stands among the best showings by an independent candidate in the past century, died early Tuesday at his home in Dallas surrounded by his family, said the spokesman, James Fuller. As a boy in Texarkana, Texas, Perot delivered newspapers from the back of a pony.
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| New York City LGBT Bar Owner’s ‘Relief’ as Rainbow Flag Burning Suspect Is Caught Posted: 09 Jul 2019 03:51 PM PDT  Tim Teeman/The Daily BeastAlexi Minko, the owner of the Alibi Lounge, New York City's only black-owned LGBTQ bar, said it was "a huge relief" that the NYPD had arrested a suspect Tuesday night for the burning of the bar's rainbow flags.The NYPD's arrest in the much-publicized case followed the burning of three of the Alibi Lounge's rainbow flags outside its Harlem entrance—two on May 31 at the beginning of Pride month and one sometime between Sunday night and early Monday morning.Police arrested Tyresse Singleton, 20, of Manhattan, in connection with both incidents. He is charged with two counts each of criminal mischief as a hate crime and arson. It was not clear if an attorney had been assigned to his case. He was awaiting arraignment in Manhattan criminal court Tuesday night.Stonewall 50: Don't Forget the Black & Brown LGBTQ Struggle"It brings a sense of resolution," Minko told The Daily Beast of the arrest, "and serves as a cautionary tale to anyone thinking of doing something similar not only to us, but to anyone who thinks of targeting anyone else for reasons of gender, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. It is also a reminder that we live in a civilized world and more often than not you get the resolution you deserve. We're really relieved to put this behind us and just move forward." Dermot Shea, the NYPD's chief of detectives, announced via Twitter late Tuesday afternoon that cops had apprehended a suspect. The suspect had been apprehended thanks to a Crimestoppers tip. The NYPD had released footage of both incidents to encourage witnesses to come forward.On Monday evening, when The Daily Beast visited the Alibi Lounge, Minko had kept a beady eye on who was outside, and who was coming in past the rainbow flag flanking its entrance.Minko opened the bar just over three years ago (on June 24, 2016), and said he had experienced no homophobia during that time. The flag burnings shocked him—and made him determined to stay open "and stay proud." The incidents attracted considerable media coverage: on Monday night, news crews from NBC and ABC's New York stations stopped by for interviews. Governor Andrew Cuomo had directed the state police hate crimes unit to assist the NYPD in its investigation.Inside the bar on Monday night, Nina Kennedy and April Gibson, who just produced an 'It's World Pride' Club Mix, had come to the bar from the East Village to show their support. Kennedy told The Daily Beast, "I'm outraged. It's really shocking that this happened in Harlem, where black people are supposed to feel safe. We shouldn't have to deal with this crap up here."Gibson added: "We came to be bodies-in-the-chairs tonight, to show our support, and say, 'Yes, we are here.' It is important that there are LGBTQ spaces in all areas of the city, because we are everywhere and we need to be able to feel supported, loved, and welcome no matter where we are."Alibi Lounge's title of the only black-owned LGBTQ bar in New York City, "is one we unfortunately inherited after Club Langston closed last year," said Minko. Like the latter, Alibi serves a predominantly black LGBTQ clientele, although Minko emphasizes: "We are all inclusive. You can be purple as long as your credit card goes through."Other customers, who asked not to be named as they sipped their drinks, said they had been disgusted to hear about the flag burnings, and also wanted to come and show their support.Minko was at the bar when the first incident happened, and heard about the second from staff on duty on Sunday night.New York City Police Department"The first time it happened, my first feelings were around how surreal it looked," Minko told The Daily Beast. "It was raining that night. I first saw only one flag burning and thought it must be an accident involving lighting a cigarette. Then I saw the second flag burning, and the flames were crazy."The flags are a symbol of Pride, and for the first few minutes I wondered, was this for real? Was it an accident? Was it supposed to be a joke that someone found funny? Then I saw the footage the next day, and saw how malicious it was, how calculated. The person took his time to light both flags on fire. I got angry obviously, and a bit disappointed in humanity."Tim Teeman/The Daily BeastThe May 31 incident happened close to the anniversary of the Pulse mass shooting, Minko added. The act of seeing the arson had been traumatizing, and made Minko ask himself what would have stopped the perpetrator from coming into the bar itself.However, his anger lessened with the "level of support and love" he had received from the community. The NYPD had been "brilliant" too, and checked on the bar every night afterwards.Then it happened again. Barman Lucca Martini was shocked to see the flames. "I don't know why anyone would do such a thing," he said."It's absolutely surreal," said Minko. 'I just thought, 'Not again.' And so we have put another rainbow flag out there, to say 'We will not be intimidated, we will not give in.' Of course you start to worry. This has happened twice in five weeks. You have no idea what lies behind such things. Is it the same person or different people? Are they trying to send a message to you? Are they coming back? I feel responsible for every person who walks through that door. I feel a lot of emotions, and they're not good ones."Cole Knapper, LGBTQ chairperson for Al Sharpton's National Action Network, was also at the bar Monday night and "absolutely shocked" by the attacks. "This is such a great neighborhood—so warm and accepting. Alibi has been here, without incident, for three years. We need to send the message, 'This is not Harlem. This is not who we are, and it will absolutely not to be tolerated.' "Harlem keeps getting more diverse and better. If this turns out to be an act of homophobia, it would shock me, but would point to areas where we need improvement in the neighborhood and our cultural competency as a neighborhood. We'll learn and grow from this.""This sort of terrorism, because that is what it is, has to stop," Carmen Neely, president of Harlem Pride, and co-chair of the Black and Latino LGBTQ Coalition, told The Daily Beast. "Burning the flag itself is one thing, and it what it represents. For it to have happened a second time is absolutely untenable and egregious." The two incidents had bookended a successful Pride month, Neely noted, "and for this to happen in our neighborhood is absolutely ridiculous. We don't usually have any problems. I'm sure where this is coming from or who it could be or why. It's very much out of the blue."Harlem Pride and the Black and Latino LGBTQ Coalition plan to present Minko with new rainbow flags to put up.Minko said he was determined to focus his energy positively, rather than on the offender. "Whatever his problem is, it's between him or them and the justice system. People are coming to the bar to show support. The positive impact this nonsense has had is that it's woken up the community. It reminds people we are still vulnerable, and the way to be less vulnerable is to band together. "It's a heinous act, a criminal act, and it is not to be tolerated or excused. It has to be called out for what it is—a hate crime. I gave birth to this bar, it's like someone harming my child. I'm very defensive and protective of this place."A lawyer in his earlier professional life, it had been Minko's dream to own his own business. A bar seemed a good idea, "because I don't have many skills apart from getting people drunk and making sure people have a good time."The warm and witty Minko was determined to keep this philosophy uppermost."You've got to get back on the horse and keep going. We can't give into our fears, otherwise we LGBTQ people wouldn't be where we are today. We've got to move forward. Here at Alibi we stand proud, we stand tall, and we're not going anywhere. This bar is staying open." He laughed. "The rent needs to be paid before the end of the week. Right now there's no other option! Over the last few weeks I've seen the pride, happiness, joy, and love that we are receiving from the community, and I hope that we are sending it back into the community."Asked what he wanted to let the public know following the arrest of the suspect, Minko laughed again. "That we're open seven days a week from 5pm to 4am." The recommended cocktail at Alibi Lounge, he added, was the "Elegance Is an Attitude."If you have information, call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782); or via the CrimeStoppers website or on Twitter @NYPDTips.Additional reporting: Pervaiz ShallwaniRead more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Netanyahu warns Israel's jets 'can reach' Iran Posted: 09 Jul 2019 07:22 AM PDT  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tuesday that Israel's fighter jets "can reach anywhere in the Middle East, including Iran," in his latest comments directed at his country's arch-foe. While visiting an air force base where he inspected F-35 jets made by US firm Lockheed Martin, Netanyahu issued a video with one of the planes behind him. "Recently, Iran has been threatening the destruction of Israel," he said at the Nevatim air base in southern Israel.
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| Nevada authorities investigate what may be first death related to California earthquakes Posted: 10 Jul 2019 08:44 AM PDT  Authorities in Nevada are investigating a man's death which may be the first attributed to the earthquakes that hit Southern California last week.
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| Giuliani: Mueller should have never been appointed special counsel Posted: 09 Jul 2019 06:52 PM PDT  President Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani shares his thoughts on Robert Mueller's upcoming testimony on Capitol Hill on 'Hannity.'
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| 'A pompous fool': Trump trashes U.K. ambassador who disparaged his administration Posted: 09 Jul 2019 06:04 AM PDT  A day after declaring the United States would "no longer deal with" the British ambassador who disparaged his administration, President Trump lobbed several personal insults at him on Twitter.
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| Asian shares mostly higher ahead of Fed chief testimony Posted: 09 Jul 2019 08:34 PM PDT  Asian shares were mostly higher Wednesday in cautious trading ahead of closely watched congressional testimony by the U.S. Federal Reserve chairman. Investors have been mostly pausing ahead of the two days of congressional testimony from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Traders will be listening to the exchanges Powell has with lawmakers on Wednesday and Thursday for hints about the Fed's next move on interest rates.
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| Britain's PM hopefuls battle over Brexit in bad-tempered debate Posted: 09 Jul 2019 01:45 PM PDT  Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, rivals to become Britain's next prime minister, clashed over who could be most trusted on Brexit on Tuesday in a sometimes bad-natured television debate just two weeks before one will be crowned. With Johnson way out in front of the race to replace Prime Minister Theresa May, both were asked repeatedly to prove that they would take Britain out of the European Union on Oct. 31 and would protect business from a so-called no-deal Brexit. More than three years since Britain voted to leave the bloc, Brexit is dominating the race, with both candidates trying to point out the other's weaknesses.
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| The 2020 Mini Cooper SE Is the First Real Electric Mini Posted: 09 Jul 2019 06:45 AM PDT  Mini's first production electric car, based on the two-door Cooper Hardtop, is coming to the U.S. early next year.
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| US Dept of Homeland Security requests 1,000 soldiers to manage migrant crisis Posted: 08 Jul 2019 09:11 PM PDT  The US Department of Homeland Security requested 1,000 additional soldiers to help manage the migrant crisis in Texas, the Pentagon said Monday, amid growing outcry over conditions in migrant detention facilities. In a statement, the Pentagon said they had been asked to authorize the Texas National Guard to lend support to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, who say they are overwhelmed by the numbers of refugees crossing the southern US border.
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| Illinois mother accused of driving with kids on top of SUV in inflatable pool Posted: 10 Jul 2019 09:31 AM PDT ![Illinois mother accused of driving with kids on top of SUV in inflatable pool]( "Illinois mother accused of driving with kids on top of SUV in inflatable pool") An Illinois woman was arrested after authorities say she was spotted driving around with her kids sitting in an inflatable pool on top of her car.
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| Boycott the Oven With These Summer Slow Cooker Recipes Posted: 10 Jul 2019 10:28 AM PDT |
| Israel's Forgotten Battle Against North Korean MiG-21s Posted: 09 Jul 2019 10:00 PM PDT  The North Korean MiG-21 squadron was based at Bir Arida to defend Egypt's south. During the Yom Kippur War the Israeli Air Force (IAF) actually faced an Arab coalition, rather than the Egyptian Air Force in the south and the Syrian Air Force in the north. Fighter squadrons from Algeria, Iraq, Libya, and North Korea deployed to Egypt prior to October 1973. The North Korean MiG-21 squadron was based at Bir Arida to defend Egypt's south. The North Korean MiG-21 pilots did not engage Israeli aircraft until Dec. 6, 1973.(This first appeared earlier in 2019.)That day two Kurnass pairs from two squadrons, 69 and 119, were scrambled to the Gulf of Suez sector. The pairs were teamed together, with the 69 pair (Shadmi-Gur, Shpitzer-Ofer) leading the 119 pair. Meir Gur recalls in Shlomo Aloni & Zvi Avidror book Hammers Israel's Long-Range Heavy Bomber Arm: The Story of 69 Squadron:
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| Lindsey Graham blames press after Donald Trump causes UK ambassador’s resignation Posted: 10 Jul 2019 11:18 AM PDT  Lindsey Graham blamed the press for Kim Darroch's sudden resignation as the UK ambassador to the US shortly after Donald Trump angrily announced he would no longer work with the foreign official.Mr Darroch announced his resignation from the post on Wednesday morning after the president called him "pompous" and "stupid" in a series of tweets.The president's Twitter attacks followed leaked memos that Mr Darroch sent to the US about Mr Trump, in which the UK ambassador described his administration as "uniquely dysfunctional" and "inept."Announcing his resignation on Wednesday, Mr Darroch said it had become "impossible" to remain in the ambassador position after his public row with Mr Trump. Reports indicated that decision also had to do with Boris Johnson — the likely successor to Prime Minister Theresa May — and his failure to defend the ambassador amid his confrontation with the president. Mr Graham's statement on the developments made no mention of the president's quarrel with Mr Darroch, however. Rather, the Republican senator appeared to attack the press for covering the context within the leaked memos, describing the news cycle as "a good example of selective media coverage of an issue.""Kim Darroch did an outstanding job as ambassador and sorry to see he has resigned his post," Mr Graham tweeted on Wednesday."He got a raw deal from press," the senator added. Mr Graham then posted a screenshot of a reported leaked memo in which Mr Darroch seemingly wrote about the president's shot at re-election: "Trump may emerge from the flames, battered but intact, like Schwarzenegger in the final scenes of the Terminator." > Kim Darroch did an outstanding job as Ambassador and sorry to see he has resigned his post. > > He got a raw deal from press.> > — Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) > > July 10, 2019The ambassador "always understood the strength of President Trump," he added, saying Mr Darroch "referred to [Trump] as the 'Terminator' who is indestructible and will most likely re-elected."The president lambasted Mr Darroch after the leaks were published in global news outlets, telling reporters on Sunday: "The ambassador has not served the UK well, I can tell you that.""We are not big fans of that man and he has not served the UK well," he continued. "So I can understand it, and I can say things about him but I won't bother."Mr Trump then called the ambassador "wacky," a "very stupid guy" and "a pompous fool" in a series of tweets."Tell him the USA now has the best Economy & Military anywhere in the World, by far and they are both only getting bigger, better and stronger," he wrote, adding, "Thank you, Mr. President!"
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| The Latest: Iran says US sanctions are 'warfare' Posted: 10 Jul 2019 08:46 AM PDT  Iran has recently breached the deal's limits on uranium enrichment, in an attempt to pressure European partners to find a way around sanctions imposed by the U.S. after it withdrew unilaterally from the pact last year. Iran's representative to international organizations in Vienna, Kazem Gharib Abadi, told a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency Wednesday U.S. actions were "neither legitimate nor legal" and should not be accepted by the international community.
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| Drugmakers Boost Prices Up to 909%, Defying Political Pressure Posted: 09 Jul 2019 01:03 PM PDT ![Drugmakers Boost Prices Up to 909%, Defying Political Pressure]( "Drugmakers Boost Prices Up to 909%, Defying Political Pressure") (Bloomberg) -- Bipartisan efforts to lower drug prices in Washington have not prevented drugmakers from going about their business and raising drug prices, according to Wells Fargo & Co.In fact, analysts at the firm found that pharmaceutical companies are getting aggressive in their price hikes again. Wells Fargo's analysis of Wolters Kluwer PriceRx data found that companies have raised medicine costs by 27% on average last month, with a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd hiking the price for a generic anti-diuretic by 909%. Closely held Epic Pharma LLC came second on the list of top increases, jacking up prices on two versions of its drug by 399%. Merck & Co., Fresenius SE, Novartis AG's Sandoz, and Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc. were also on the list.Wells Fargo found there were more price increases in June overall compared with the previous month. Drug companies have raised the cost of 106 medicines compared to 101 in May, analyst David Maris said in a note."To us it appears now that the criticism from politicians and the President has quieted down, companies are more aggressively and broadly pursuing drug price increases again," he said. "We are not so confident that the lull in criticism will continue and could foresee more negative headlines in the coming months."Maris notes that wholesaler acquisition cost prices do not reflect rebates or discounts.\--With assistance from Michelle Fay Cortez.To contact the reporter on this story: Tatiana Darie in New York at tdarie1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Catherine Larkin at clarkin4@bloomberg.net, Jeremy R. CookeFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| The first all-electric Mini will be available in September, starting at around €35,000 Posted: 10 Jul 2019 02:09 AM PDT  Mini has unveiled its very first all-electric series model, the Cooper SE, a few weeks before its public debut at the International Motor Show in Germany, which will take place in Frankfurt from September 12 to 22, 2019. The Mini Cooper SE, guaranteed CO2 emission-free, was derived from the concept-car of the same name, which was shown in Frankfurt in 2017. The Mini Cooper SE features the same engine as the BMW i3S: an electric motor with 135 kW (181 hp).
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