| New Trump communications chief Scaramucci apologizes ‘for the 50th time’ for past insults Posted: 21 Jul 2017 12:56 PM PDT  At Friday's press briefing, the White House's new communications chief apologized for his harsh statements about Trump during the campaign.
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| Ex-CIA Director Hayden: Russia election meddling was ‘most successful covert operation in history’ Posted: 21 Jul 2017 02:20 PM PDT  Michael Hayden, former head of the NSA and CIA, called Russia's interference in the 2016 election the "most successful covert influence operation in history."
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| Trump administration bans US travel to North Korea following the death of Otto Warmbier Posted: 21 Jul 2017 09:14 AM PDT  Americans hankering for a drink at the Pyongyang beer festival or to run the city marathon in October are set to be sorely disappointed by a proposed US government ban on tourism to North Korea. The ban, which is expected to come into force next Thursday, follows the death of US student Otto Warmbier, 22, who was arrested during a 2015 holiday in the pariah state, and who passed away in June after returning from his North Korean prison in a coma. News of the new restrictions was first confirmed on Friday by Young Pioneer Tours, the China-based company who arranged Warmbier's tour. Trump denounces North Korea 'brutality' as Otta Warmbier dies 00:38 "It is expected that the ban will come into force within 30 days of July 27th. After the 30 day grace period any US national that travels to North Korea will have their passport invalidated by their government," announced YPT in a short statement. The Koryo Group, another major travel company operating in North Korea followed suit. It said that the move was expected but still "something of a shock", apologising to customers who had planned a trip already. US officials later confirmed that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had decided to impose "geographic travel restriction" for North Korea, a rare ruling which has previously prevented US citizens from travelling to Lebanon, Sudan, Cuba and North Vietnam. American student Otto Warmbier speaks in Pyongyang, North Korea in 2016 Credit: Kim Kwang Hyon/AP Photo Koryo's Beijing-based general manager, Simon Cockerell, criticised the policy for turning back the clock on engagement. "It is unfortunate because we criticise North Korea for being isolationist and now we're helping isolate them," he said. "That's not what soft power is about." But while the restrictions will impact the business of tour groups, only 800-1000 Americans are likely to be affected. US Ambassador: We are prepared to use "considerable military forces" on North Korea 00:37 Michael Hurt, a Seoul-based American professor said that the announcement would kibosh his pre-approved academic trip to the autumn Pyongyang Fashion Festival, where he had hoped to connect with North Koreans on cultural issues. "I'm obviously very disappointed that real work, actual engagement done by people interested in going in a way not related to irresponsible, frat boy antics can't happen now," he said. "Because of the exceptionally stupid few, those doing real, decent work can't get their work done." However, the move is unlikely to meet much resistance in general from the American public. Following Warmbier's death, YPT faced accusations of drunken antics and being too cavalier about the risks of travelling to the ruthless regime, which currently holds three other Americans in custody. The company denied the accusations and defended its record as "one of the best in the industry." Professor Robert Kelly, from South Korea's Pusan University, said the ban was no surprise. "The number of abductions and hostage-takings seems to have gone up since Kim Jong-un took over," he said. "For the last several years I have counselled my western friends not to go. It's just too dangerous now."
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| Man Will Spend Life in Prison for Killing 5-Year-Old Stepdaughter After She Asked For Food Posted: 21 Jul 2017 09:47 AM PDT  Thomas McClellan was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree child abuse and first-degree arson in the killing of Luna Younger.
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| Ohio treasurer and Senate candidate takes on Anti-Defamation League over far-right ‘witch hunt’ Posted: 21 Jul 2017 01:25 PM PDT  Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, a candidate in next year's Republican Senate primary, sided Thursday with two prominent right-wing nationalist commentators over the Anti-Defamation League, which put them on a watch list of what it called "alt-lite" figures.
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| What Married Couples Need to Know About Social Security Posted: 21 Jul 2017 03:05 AM PDT ![What Married Couples Need to Know About Social Security]( "What Married Couples Need to Know About Social Security") Married couples have several Social Security claiming options that aren't available to single people. If you have worked and paid taxes into Social Security for at least 10 years and earned at least 40 credits, you will probably be eligible to receive benefits. You qualify for credits when you earn income and pay Social Security taxes.
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| Powerful earthquake hits Greece and Turkey Posted: 21 Jul 2017 10:17 AM PDT ![Powerful earthquake hits Greece and Turkey]( "Powerful earthquake hits Greece and Turkey") A deadly 6.7-magnitude undersea quake hit the Greek holiday island of Kos and the Turkish resort of Bodrum on Friday, injuring hundreds in areas abuzz with nightlife.
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| The Latest: California wildfire destroys 50 homes Posted: 20 Jul 2017 07:41 PM PDT  MARIPOSA, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on the wildfires burning in the west (all times local):
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| NY Times reporter criticized for penning 'attack on white women' in essay about racism Posted: 21 Jul 2017 10:35 AM PDT  An African-American New York Times reporter is being criticized for his essay about the potentially racist challenges he faces from white women while navigating the city's sidewalks, notes The Hill.
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| OJ Simpson wins parole after he tells hearing in Nevada: 'I've basically lived a conflict-free life' Posted: 20 Jul 2017 07:20 PM PDT  OJ Simpson, 70, granted parole Former NFL star expected to be free in October Simpson was convicted in 2008 of armed robbery He has served nine years of his 33 year sentence Tearful Simpson tells of missing family occasions "I thought I was a good guy who got along with anybody" Simpson's daughter Arnelle: "We just want him home Social media reacts to decision OJ Simpson last night shed tears of joy as he was granted parole by a panel in Nevada, having served almost nine years for armed robbery. Simpson, 70, struggled to compose himself as the four-person panel delivered their verdict, before looking up to smile at his daughter Arnelle and friend Bruce Fromong – who both spoke to defend the fallen sports star. He is set to walk free in October, cutting short the 33-year sentence imposed for the robbery at a Las Vegas hotel. He and five accomplices stormed a hotel room to seize memorabilia items which Simpson said belonged to him. He was convicted in 2008 exactly 13 years after he was cleared of killing Nicole Brown Simpson, his former wife and her friend Ron Goldman. At the hearing, which took place at the Lovelock Correctional Facility, a medium security prison in the Nevada desert he told the board he had basically lived a conflict-free life". Simpson appeared as inmate No. 1027820, dressed in blue jeans and a blue button-down shirt, in a stark hearing room. Displaying contrition, Simpson told the hearing: "I've done it as well and as respectfully as anybody can. I think if you talk to the wardens they'll tell you. Confident but emotional OJ Simpson testifies in bid for new trial 01:24 "I've not complained for nine years. All I've done is try to be helpful… and that's the life I've tried to live because I want to get back to my kids and family." Simpson's daughter, Arnelle, 48, pleaded with the board to release him. "We just want him home". Simpson's case was helped by Mr Fromong, one of the robbery victims, who pleaded on Simpson's behalf."I don't feel he is a threat to anyone out there. He is a good man. I know he does a lot for other people. I feel that nine and a half, to 33 years, is way too long. OJ Simpson, in Nevada "And I feel that it is time to give him a second chance. It's time for him to go home to his family and his friends. This is a good man who made a mistake." Mr Fromong turned to Simpson, sitting behind him in his denim prison shirt and jeans, wiping away tears. "I mean that, buddy," he added. Simpson told the panel he is planning to reunite with his two youngest children, Sydney and Justin, in Florida. "I could easily stay in Nevada but I don't think you guys want me here," he said, laughing. 9:58PM OJ Simpson "can never walk away from the popular belief that he's as guilty as Hell" The Telegraph's Tim Stanley believes that OJ will never escape the stigma surrounding the deaths of his former wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman. "It's hard to recall the hero worship of OJ Simpson in the Seventies or the way the trial transformed his reputation in the black community - for a brief moment, he had his own pivotal, if contested, role in the civil rights movement. But the glory faded. What is left is the brutal sense of justice deferred but won. OJ can never walk away from the popular belief that he was as guilty as Hell." Read more here 9:28PM Simpson faces huge financial claims Simpson is likely to remain shackled to a multimillion-dollar wrongful death civil judgment stemming from the 1994 killing of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman, Reuters reports Their families should be able to stake their claim to at least a portion of Simpson's future earnings, whether he writes a book, appears on a reality television show or sells autographs, legal experts said. Simpson was acquitted of the murders two decades ago during the so-called "trial of the century," though his reputation - built atop a Hall of Fame football career as well as years as a popular pitchman and actor - suffered permanent damage. Nicole Brown Simpson Despite the not guilty verdict, a civil court jury found him liable for the deaths and awarded $33.5 million in damages to the victims' families. That judgment, which was renewed in court two years ago for another decade and enlarged to about $58 million, remains largely unpaid. And David Cook, a longtime attorney for the Goldman family, said he would not abandon efforts to collect. "The good news for Mr. Simpson is he's probably going to get out on October 1," Mr Cook told Reuters before the parole decision. "And the bad news is I'm good for another 10 years ... ready to pick up where we last left off." In most states, creditors can seek wage garnishment to recoup some of what they are owed from a debtor's income. In Florida, the state where Simpson said he planned to live if granted parole, the garnishment is limited to 25 percent. 8:59PM Simpson going to Florida Simpson is planning to go to Florida, but he remains the responsibility of the Nevada department of parole, said Shawn Arruti, Nevada Division of Parole and Probation. Florida, which can undertake "courtesy supervision" is free to impose its conditions in addition to those already demanded by Nevada. 8:53PM Simpson will transfer to another institution before parole release Warden Isidro Baca, Nevade Department of Corrections, explains: "He will move to one of the other institutions which does releases. It would be for a short time. He would then transport out. Al the release planning is done at Lovelock." Simpson will know ahead of time when he will be released - but the date will not be made public. 8:06PM OJ due to walk free in October Despite being granted parole, OJ Simpson will remain in prison until October. He broke down in tears after the four strong Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners voted unanimously to free the former NFL star and actor. 7:58PM OJ gets parole "It was a serious crime, you deserved to be sent to prison'" says Nevada Parole Commissioner, Tony Corda. "You have complied with the rules of the prison and you have programmed in an acceptable manner. You are a low risk offender according to our guidelines and you have community support." The other three commissioners concur, 7:43PM OJ's conduct in court 'disgraceful and appalling' Jeffrey Toobin, CNN's legal analyst and author of "The Run of His Life: The People v OJ Simpson", is not convinced OJ's show of contrition. Even his apology, Toobin says, was a justification for what happened in the hotel room. He questions questions how he can reconcile his claim to have led a "conflict-free life" and being a wife beater. 7:33PM Jean Casarez CNN correspondent recalls evidence in the original case Ms Casarez says that OJ was in charge of events in the Las Vegas hotel room. He could see a gun was being pointed at Bruce Fromong. OJ was convicted of kidnapping, robbery and conspiracy. 7:23PM Parole Board has gone into recess Connie Bisbee, the board chairwoman says it will retire to consider its decision. 7:19PM Everybody makes mistakes, OJ made his Mr Fromong says he asked for a sentence of one to three years. The penalty was far too long. This is a good man, he made a mistake. If he called me tomorrow to say I am getting out would you pick me up. I would be there 7:14PM Bruce Fromong , robbery victim giving evidence I want to make this clear: OJ never pulled a gun on me. There was a coward in that room, a man named McClinton – he held a gun on me. Not OJ. After I had testified in court, OJ passed me in the corridor. I said I was sorry I did not take the opportunity to call him. And he said: 'Bruce, I cannot tell you how sorry I am.' He put his hand out, and I shook it. We all make mistakes. OJ made his. By all accounts he has been a model inmate. During the trial I recommended he serve one to three years. I have known OJ for a long time. I don't feel he is a threat to anyone out there. He is a good man. I know he does a lot for other people. I feel that nine and a half, to 33 years, is way too long. And I feel that it is time to give him a second chance. It's time for him to go home to his family and his friends. This is a good man who made a mistake. And if he called me tomorrow and said: 'Bruce, I'm getting out – will you pick me up?' I would be there. I mean that buddy. 7:11PM Bruce Fromong speaks Bruce Fromong, the victim of the robbery, is speaking. He describes himself as a friend of Simpson. He was misguided, by himself and Tom Riccio. He thought there would be thousands of photos. His wife's wedding ring. Thomas Riccio had never met me. He went down, got OJ, and I started to tell him that that wasn't there. But when OJ got there he was already worked up - he had people with him hollering and screaming. There were a lot of people in that small room. A lot of things happened very quickly. Unfortunately, if OJ said: 'We need to talk a minute' none of this would have happened. 7:08PM OJ summing up statements I'm not making excuses. I will honour what the jury said. I will be no problem. I've done my time. OJ Simpson in 1968, aged 32 I just want to get back to my family and friends - and believe it or not, I do have some real friends! I did my time and I want to get back to my family. I made my peace with Bryan many years ago. I am sorry it happened. I am sorry to Nevada. I thought it was worth it, but it wasn't worth it. 7:02PM Simpson's lawyer summing up Malcolm LaVergne is explaining the circumstances of the theft. Mr Simpson couldn't care less about some signed football. But these were intimate family photos that were taken from him - literally stolen. With his mother, with other celebrities. They probably have no value to other people. But they are valuable to Mr Simpson. 6:59PM Malcolm LaVergne reads out letter in support Mr LaVergne, Simpson's lawyer, reads out a letter in support of the former sports star. The letter is from a teacher. I want to tell you how much I enjoy teaching the inmates. OJ Simpson with his lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne Mr LaVergne says Simpson is "in a position of power" and used that for good. He uses that clout to obtain funding for books and education in this prison. Some of those men, as Mr Simpson said, really are going to get out and have a better life as a result of his efforts. Frankly if I was in his position, I'd use that clout to say: 'Get me out of jail'. But he doesn't do that. 6:52PM Arnelle Simpson tearful in court OJ's eldest daughter chokes back tears. As a family, we know he is not the perfect man. But the last nine years he has been the perfect inmate, and made the best of the situation, which is truly amazing to me. The choices he made nine years ago were clearly inappropriate. As a family, we were all together nine years ago to celebrate a wedding. My father took the wrong approach. He did not make the right decision that day, but his intentions were not.... He made the wrong decisions at the wrong time. As a family we stay strong, and I am grateful to God for giving us the strength to stay strong no matter what. And a lot of that is because of him. On behalf of my family: we just want him to come home. We really do. I know in my heart he is humbled by the situation. This has been hard, really hard. There is no right or wrong way to handle this. But I know he is remorseful. He is truly remorseful. We want him home so we can move forward as a family. 6:48PM OJ Simpson's daughter Arnelle to testify OJ Simpson's eldest daughter, Arnelle, 48, is now speaking on her father's behalf. As you know I am here on behalf of my family for the purpose of expressing what we believe is the true character of my father. No one really knows what we have been through in the last nine years. 6:42PM OJ: "I'm a pretty straight shooter" Simpson is asked if he can stand parole conditions. He replies, with perhaps not the best choice of phrase: "I'm a pretty straight shooter." OJ Simpson in Nevada on Thursday He says he has no concerns about dealing with the public, if free. 6:40PM OJ is asked why it is better to be in the community rather than prison I have four kids. My reputation has always been that I am open to the public; I'm open to everyone. I am at a time in my life that I want to be with my family. I have had countless media requests, but I am not interested. I have done my times as well and as respectfully as anyone here. I have not complained for nine years. All I have done is tried to be helpful, to tell people in here to bide their time and not do anything to aggravate their situation. 6:36PM OJ: "I was a pretty good guy" Simpson, 70, gets a touch tearful as he tells of missing family occasions, and says he thought of himself as "a good guy" - although he admits he had "fidelity issues". If I had made a better judgement back then none of this would have happened. I am not making excuses. But I should never have allowed these alleged security guys to get involved. 6:27PM OJ took "alternatives to violence" class OJ says he took a class in conflict resolution while in prison. I've been asked many times to mediate, to stop guys punching each other. A guy came to me and said: 'OJ, I understand you are a Baptist.' I am a better person. 6:25PM "I'm in jail for taking property which was legally declared mine" OJ is spelling out why he should be released. He says that the property which he was sentenced for stealing was legally declared his. I'm in jail for taking property which was legally declared mine. 6:24PM Going over what happened in 2008 OJ is currently explaining what happened in Vegas in 2008. A parole commissioner began by asking Simpson what he was thinking at the time of the robbery of sports memorabilia at a Las Vegas hotel. After the question Simpson took a deep breath and said it could be a lengthy response. He said he wasn't interested at first in memorabilia but saw that some of the items two collectors were selling belonged to him. 6:21PM OJ pictured in 2013 OJ Simpson in 2013 6:16PM "We have that you are 90 years old" Bisbee had Simpson's age wrong - but about two decades. We're happy to confirm The Juice is 70-years-old, not 90. That got the first laugh of the hearing. 6:14PM Just like 1995 Turned on the tv and thought it was 1995 all over again. #OJSimpsonParole— Brant Weems (@weembra) July 20, 2017 6:11PM And again... OJ Simpson 6:09PM Here he is... thinner and grayer than when he was last seen four years ago Simpson has just sat down for the video conference from the prison near Lovelock, Nevada. He's currently being questioned. The Juice laughed as the parole commissioner told him that he was getting the same hearing as anyone else would. He chuckled after the comment from Connie Bisbee, chairwoman of the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners, and said, "Thank you, ma'am." OJ Simpson at his parole hearing. 6:06PM Media frenzy Simpson's friends and family have entered a hearing room in the Nevada prison. There is heavy security around the prison, according to reporters. Authorities set up a checkpoint on a single road leading to Lovelock Correctional Center to screen vehicles. The parking lot is filled with network media satellite trucks and tents set up to shade reporters from intense sun. Dozens of reporters also have set up outside the parole board building in Carson City. 6:02PM It seems like the whole of the US will be watching RT if you're sitting by the TV watching the #OJSimpsonParole hearing like... pic.twitter.com/rdNhdwDlrH— GetNThaGame™ (@_GetNThaGame) July 20, 2017 5:52PM Who makes the final decision? Simpson needs four votes to win parole. If he's successful he'd be released from prison in October. A decision should come within 30 minutes unless the four members are not in unanimous agreement. In that case, two other parole board members will be asked to weigh in. Three votes would get him another hearing in six months. 5:50PM Will OJ speak during the hearing? Yes. The Juice will appear via video link where four parole board commissioners will question him and hear testimony from others via livestream from a hearing room in Carson City, Nevada. The hearing is expected to last 45 to 60 minutes. 5:47PM Life on the inside Nevada's Lovelock Correctional Center where OJ has been serving his sentence. Credit: AP 5:44PM What's happening at the moment? We're just minutes away from the parole hearing beginning. Simpson's supporters have apparently arrived at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada where the incarcerated former football star will ask a parole board for his freedom via video link. They include Simpson's attorney, Malcolm LaVergne, daughter Arnelle Simpson, sister Shirley Baker and close friend Tom Scotto. 5:39PM The moment The Juice was found not guilty of murder in 1995 The moment OJ Simpson was found not guilty of murder 01:27 5:37PM Civil action Brown's family never accepted the not guilty verdict and brought a case against Simpson for wrongful death. In 1997, he was found liable in civil court for the deaths and ordered to pay $33.5 million to survivors including his children and the Goldman family. The Goldmans believe Simpson got away with murder in Los Angeles and some legal observers said that the sentence handed down in Las Vegas was not simply about the robbery. A Goldman family spokesman said Ron Goldman's father and sister, Fred and Kim, will not be part of Simpson's parole hearing, but feel apprehensive about "how this will change their lives again should Simpson be released". 5:30PM Here's a reminder of the famous glove moment OJ Simpson looks at a new pair of Aris extra-large gloves that prosecutors had him put on during his double-murder trial in Los Angeles in 1995. Credit: AFP 5:27PM Trial of the century broadcast live on television Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman were found dead outside her home in 1994. They had been stabbed to death. Simpson was questioned and later ordered to turn himself into police. However, he fled and the ensuing low-speed police chase – during which a convoy of vehicles followed Simpson in a white Ford Bronco down Interstate 404 – was broadcast live on television. It set the scene for an extraordinary court case which gripped America. Some 100 million viewers were watching when a jury finally found Simpson not guilty of the killings at the end of an eight-month trial in October 1995. Although the prosecution had an overwhelming amount of DNA evidence, the defence was able to argue that mistakes made by investigators may have contaminated the crime scene. Simpson was also unable to fit his hand inside one glove found at the scene and another found near his home. 5:25PM From sporting star to claims of domestic violence Simpson was an American football star who broke records during his prime playing as a running back for the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers in the 1970s. That success meant he was in demand after retiring, becoming a familiar figure on television as well as acting in films. His sporting achievements saw him inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. By then he had met and married his second wife, Nicole Brown. They had two children together before she filed for divorce in 1992 after he was investigated a number of times for domestic violence. OJ Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson pictured in 1993. Credit: AP 5:21PM Why is he in prison? Simpson's final downfall came in 2008, 13 years to the day after he was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife. The star was convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and 10 other charges for assembling a gang of five men a year earlier for help seizing game balls, plaques and photos from a hotel and casino complex in Las Vegas. Simpson always insisted he was merely reclaiming mementos that had been stolen from him. He was sentenced to spend 33 years in prison with a possibility of parole after nine years – a stiff sentence his supporters said was payback for the not guilty verdict in the murder trial. 5:10PM Will he get parole? Stay tuned to find out. We will bring you all the action as it happens. By most accounts, Simpson has a clean prison record and a good chance of release. At today's hearing, he is expected to reiterate that he has stayed out of trouble, coaches in the prison gym where he works and counsels other inmates. 5:05PM Parole hearing of the century Simpson is serving his sentence at the Simpson Lovelock Correctional Centre in Nevada, where he is known as inmate 1027820. In 2013, his good behaviour in prison helped win him parole for the less serious convictions. That leaves the Nevada Parole Board of Commissioners to consider the more serious offences of assault with a deadly weapon and four weapons charges. All of this is happening in less than an hour's time. 5:03PM Here's a reminder of the key moments in OJ's life OJ timeline
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| How To Become A Navy SEAL: Brutal Military Program Gets First Female Applicants Posted: 21 Jul 2017 10:46 AM PDT  Women will have to complete the same strenuous training as male candidates.
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| Hungarian PM offers support to Poland in row with EU Posted: 22 Jul 2017 05:19 AM PDT  By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday that Budapest would defend Poland as the European Union threatens Warsaw with sanctions over its plans to extend government control over its courts. Poland is overhauling its supreme court despite street protests against the move and the threat of EU penalties. "The inquisition offensive against Poland can never succeed because Hungary will use all legal options in the European Union to show solidarity with the Poles," Orban said in an annual speech that was televised from Baile Tusnad, Romania, where he was attending a gathering of conservative leaders.
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| Audi voluntarily recalls up to 850,000 diesel vehicles Posted: 21 Jul 2017 04:08 AM PDT  German luxury carmaker Audi, a Volkswagen subsidiary, issued a voluntary recall of up to 850,000 diesel vehicles Friday, saying it would help reduce engine emissions. "Audi aims to maintain the future viability of diesel engines for its customers and to make a contribution towards improving air quality," the Bavaria-based manufacturer said in a statement. Vehicles with affected engines would receive a free software upgrade that "will further improve their emissions in real driving conditions beyond the current legal requirements," Audi added.
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| Shelter Seeks Owner of 31-Pound Stray Cat, Will Soon Hold Drawing For its Adoption Posted: 22 Jul 2017 11:41 AM PDT  They said it was clear the cat was being fed.
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| The many indignities of Sean Spicer Posted: 21 Jul 2017 01:49 PM PDT  White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigned his post Friday after six months and one half day on the job, surviving almost weekly predictions of his imminent departure at the hands of one or another of the president's aides and advisers. The final indignity appeared to be Trump's hiring of Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director, which became public shortly before.
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| Visa issues take spotlight after Burundi teens exit event Posted: 21 Jul 2017 03:08 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — The big controversy leading up to the FIRST Global international robotics competition in Washington was whether a team of girls from Afghanistan would be able to participate, after their initial visa applications were denied.
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| This Is The Best Happy Hour Spot In Your State Posted: 22 Jul 2017 12:48 PM PDT |
| Berlin reviews Turkish arms requests as crisis deepens Posted: 21 Jul 2017 10:04 AM PDT  By Orhan Coskun and Michelle Martin ANKARA/BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany said on Friday it was reviewing applications for arms projects from Turkey, accusing its NATO ally of ramping up covert operations as an attempt by a Turkish minister to calm a deepening bilateral crisis fell flat. While one minister in Berlin compared Ankara's behavior over the detention of six rights activists to the authoritarian former communist East Germany, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Germany to "pull itself together". Bilateral tensions were already high after bitter recriminations during a referendum in April on extending Erdogan's powers and a pullout of German troops from a Turkish air base that began this month.
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| After Woman’s Mysterious Death At Mexico Resort, Tourists Report Similar Incidents Posted: 21 Jul 2017 11:01 AM PDT  Twenty-year-old Abbey Conner died after drowning in chest-high water at a luxury Mexican resort this year.
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| Surreal! Salvador Dali's moustache remains intact, embalmer reveals after exhumation Posted: 21 Jul 2017 06:12 AM PDT  Salvador Dalí's famous moustache remains in a perfect state, witnesses to the surrealist artist's exhumation for DNA testing have revealed. Narcís Bardalet, Dalí's embalmer, said that upon opening his crypt, the body was found to be exactly as it was when it was interred 28 years ago. The handlebars of his moustache were still "marking (the time of) 10 past 10" as he wished, he said. Workers bring a casket to the Dali Theatre Museum Credit: Manu Fernandez/AP "His moustache remains intact, marking 10 past 10, as he desired," Mr Bardalet told local television. "It's a miracle. Dalí will be with us for a long time". The Spanish master was raised from his tomb in his hometown of Figueres late on Thursday night in a highly controversial operation to settle a paternity claim from a TV fortune teller that she is his secret lovechild. Pilar Abel poses for the media upon her arrival to the Toxicology National Institute to undergo a DNA test, in Madrid earlier this month Credit: EFE via EPA Pilar Abel, 61, also from Figueres, has for more than a decade been fighting to prove she is Dalí's daughter, claiming to have learned from her mother and grandmother at the age of eight that she was the product of an affair with the married artist. Despite being dismissed by many as a fraud, Ms Abel in June won a court order to exhume Dalí's body, a Madrid judge ruling there was no other way to settle the claim. Salvador Dalí's moustache was an iconic trademark of his appearance Credit: AFP/Getty The artist's two tibias have been extracted as well as nails and teeth, and will now be taken to Madrid for testing before being replaced to preserve the integrity of the body, Lluís Peñuelas, secretary of the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, said. Just 15 people were present at the exhumation Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty He stressed that the Foundation, which administers Dalí's estate, regards the exhumation as "completely inappropriate" and Ms Abel's claim as "baseless". The exhumation was far from simple. Cranes were installed to lift the one and a half ton tombstone from Dalí's crypt, which lies beneath the stage in the artist's self-designed Theatre-Museum. Workers take scaffolding inside the Theatre-Museum Dali to be used in the exhumation Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP The operation took place under the cover of night, with media banned and tarpaulins placed over the top of the building to prevent drones spying from overhead. Just 15 people were present and all phones and cameras were prohibited to prevent images leaking out. The exhumation took place at the Theatre-Museum Dali in Figueras Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Marta Felip, the mayor of Figueres, said it was "grotesque" that the fortune teller's claim had been taken so far. She said the results would be known in the first week of September, and said that if Ms Abel was found not to be the artist's daughter, the Foundation and the local government would be seeking to recover their considerable costs. Tourists visit the tomb of Salvador Dali at the Theatre-Museum Dali following the exhumation Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP But if Ms Abel is proved right, she could be entitled to a 25 percent share of Dalí's considerable estate. That will open up another legal battle with the Foundation and the Spanish state, to which he left his works. "The question of tracing any inheritance will be a difficult one," Michael Mylonas QC of London barristers' chambers Serjeants' Inn told The Telegraph, suggesting that the Foundation "must be feeling some heat". Ms Abel told the Telegraph that she was unconcerned by the criticisms, and dismissed the Dalí Foundation's questioning of the court order as "pathetic". "I am very happy because at last it's going to come to light, and this means a lot, it doesn't matter to me what the Foundation says," she said. She insisted that she was not motivated by any potential inheritance but by a desire to know who she was. "It's about my identity, and nothing else," said Ms Abel, adding that the first thing she would do if the test came out positive was change her name. But then, she acknowledged, "probably I am going to ask for what is mine". The fortune teller, who for eight years hosted a tarot card reading show on local television, claimed that the visionary Dalí was the source of her powers. "I have had this gift since I was little, and where else can it come from? It can't be from anyone else but him." Ms Abel said she believed the artist knew she was his child, relating an encounter told to her by her mother Antonia, who has given her blessing to the paternity suit. Her mother was pushing her in a pram when the pair ran into Dalí; he allegedly patted her head and remarked "So this is my daughter Pilar, eh?". Ms Abel had crossed paths with him again as a teenager, and the pair had exchanged "looks that were more than looks", she said. Shrugging off suggestions of an unseemly spectacle, the fortune teller said she was happy to have put Dalí back in the news. "It is what I wanted, to lift him up again. He deserves it. A great genius, a great person, and a great painter."
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| Donald Trump's immigration crackdown encapsulated in poignant images of father being deported Posted: 22 Jul 2017 07:27 AM PDT  A man said goodbye to his wife and four children as he was deported from the US to Mexico after 16 years. Campaigners, lawyers and politicians arrived at Cleveland airport to denounce Jesus Lara Lopez's removal as one of "the darkest times in our nation". Mr Lara Lopez comforted his children, who will now grow up without a father present.
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| 6 of the most notable discoveries that have been revealed by melting ice Posted: 22 Jul 2017 04:37 AM PDT  Two frozen bodies uncovered in the Swiss Alps this week are only the latest secret shrinking glaciers around the world have given up.
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| Sean Spicer resigns as White House press secretary Posted: 21 Jul 2017 09:11 AM PDT  WH press secretary Sean Spicer resigned on Friday amid changes to President Trump's communications shop. Anthony Scaramucci was named communications director.
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| A tenderloin gets an assist from dark brown sugar, paprika Posted: 21 Jul 2017 06:35 AM PDT  As its name implies, the tenderloin is one of the most tender cuts of pork, and comes from the full loin. It's mild in flavor and takes well to rubs, marinades and sauces. Tenderloins range in weight from 10 ounces to 1 1/2 pounds. I prefer the smaller 10-12 ounce tenderloins and look for those when I am shopping for meat.
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| Freshen up: the best water-based moisturizers for summer Posted: 21 Jul 2017 01:32 AM PDT  Along with warmer weather, summer brings with it the ideal opportunity to switch up your beauty regime. Trade in heavier creams and lotions for one of these innovative water- or gel-based formulas, which are designed to cool and soothe the skin while also providing long-lasting hydration. Having already sold out twice at Sephora since it launched in April this year, Tatcha's The Water Cream is one of the beauty emporium's best-selling moisturizers ever.
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| Minneapolis police chief resigns after Australian woman's shooting Posted: 21 Jul 2017 08:20 PM PDT ![Minneapolis police chief resigns after Australian woman's shooting]( "Minneapolis police chief resigns after Australian woman's shooting") Minneapolis police chief Janee Harteau resigned on Friday at the request of the city's mayor, who said that she and the community had lost confidence in Harteau following the fatal police shooting of an unarmed Australian woman. The death of Sydney native Justine Damond, 40, from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen fired through the open window of a police patrol car, has outraged her family members and the Australian public. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called it "shocking" and "inexplicable." Mayor Betsy Hodges said in a written statement that she and Harteau agreed on Friday that Harteau would step aside.
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| NASA's Next Great X-Plane Will Try to Revolutionize Electric Flight Posted: 21 Jul 2017 11:19 AM PDT  The X-57 Maxwell is a whole new way of thinking about efficient aviation.
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| Warren Buffet Blames ‘Stupidity’ For Not Investing In Amazon Posted: 21 Jul 2017 03:30 PM PDT  Here's what the famed billionaire had to say about the e-commerce giant.
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| Six months into America's nightmare, how likely is Trump's impeachment? | Richard Wolffe Posted: 21 Jul 2017 03:00 AM PDT  Donald Trump Jr is apparently feeling "miserable" and wants "these four years to be over", according to People magazine. We feel your pain, Don, we really do. At least that's one way President Trump has brought us closer together. President Trump started his term in office with approval ratings of 45% and equal disapproval ratings.
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| How to Peel and Devein Shrimp Posted: 22 Jul 2017 08:00 AM PDT  This article, How to Peel and Devein Shrimp, originally appeared on Chowhound.
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| Our Home Editor's Favorite Dorm Decor From Etsy Posted: 20 Jul 2017 06:21 PM PDT |
| Syrian army and Hezbollah launch attack near Lebanese border Posted: 21 Jul 2017 06:02 AM PDT  BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian army and members of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group launched a major ground offensive on Friday aimed at ending the yearslong presence of hundreds of militants in a border area between the two countries.
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| California parents trying to control kids can lose custody Posted: 21 Jul 2017 12:16 PM PDT  The state can take wayward children away from their parents even when they are doing their best to control their kids and the kids aren't delinquents, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
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| Radio station cancels Richard Dawkins appearance over Islam tweets Posted: 22 Jul 2017 07:42 AM PDT  A US radio station invited Richard Dawkins to speak about his latest book, and then cancelled the ticketed event over his tweets about Islam. The evolutionary biologist was due to discuss Science in the Soul: Collected Writings of a Passionate Rationalist at a benefit event for KPFA, a listener-funded station in Berkeley, California. Tickets were snapped up ahead of the anti-theist's planned talk on 9 August – but KPFA cancelled the event on Thursday, claiming it had recently discovered that his comments about Islam had upset people.
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| Ford’s newest police pursuit vehicle isn’t a car at all Posted: 21 Jul 2017 10:26 AM PDT 
Plenty of crooks have attempted to leave the police in their dust by ditching the pavement and going off-road, but Ford's latest police-only pursuit vehicle is ready to give them a run for their money. It's packed with power, durability, and enough upgrades to handle just about any type of terrain, and it's like no other police car you've ever seen — because it's not a car at all. The automotive company just revealed the F-150 Police Responder, and it's an absolute beast.
http://www.ford.com/campaignlibs/content/brand_ford/en_us/wired/f150policeresponder/jcr:content/par/introduction_1251521581.img.jpg/1500496635078.jpg To build a pickup truck worthy of being in a high-speed chase, Ford took its already impressive F-150 with the FX4 off-road upgrades and made it even better. The final product boasts a V6 engine, which might sound fairly weak for a high-powered highway machine, but that modest mill is equipped with not one, but two turbochargers. Rated at a healthy 375 horsepower, that gas-guzzling heart is mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission for smooth and rapid acceleration. The truck also gets upgraded suspension and brakes which have been "police-pursuit calibrated" to give it the edge in handling, as well as underbody skid plates for protection. Ford says it's the first pickup truck that qualifies as "pursuit-rated." The capabilities of the F-150 Police Responder will be tested this year by both the Michigan State Police and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's office, and is slated to formally launch early next year, when it will no doubt make its presence felt on back roads and snow-covered highways across the country.
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| South Sudan rebel Machar declines to renounce violence -mediator Posted: 21 Jul 2017 12:28 AM PDT  By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Exiled South Sudanese opposition figure Riek Machar declined to renounce violence or declare a unilateral ceasefire and instead demanded new peace talks outside the war-torn country, an international mediator told the United Nations on Thursday. South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 after President Salva Kiir fired Machar as his deputy, unleashing a conflict that has spawned armed factions often following ethnic lines. Former Botswana President Festus Mogae told the U.N. Security Council that he visited Machar, who fled to Democratic Republic of Congo a year ago after fierce fighting in South Sudan.
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| John McCain Denounces Trump’s Syrian, Afghanistan Policy Posted: 20 Jul 2017 11:18 PM PDT  Brain Tumour Diagnosis could not prevent John McCain from criticising the Trump administration Thursday over reports it has decided to end a CIA program to arm and train anti-Assad rebels in Syria.
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| Hundreds of sheep killed after bear chases them over cliff Posted: 22 Jul 2017 09:23 AM PDT  More than 200 sheep have died after they hurtled over the edge of a cliff in the Pyrenees mountains while being chased by a bear. Their deaths have reignited the bitter debate over the presence of bears in the mountain range that straddles the French-Spanish border, where they were reintroduced 20 years ago after disappearing in the early 1990s. The sheep belonged to a farmer in the Couflens area on the French side of the border, but their bodies were found last Sunday at the foot of a cliff just over the border in Spain. The rest of the large flock was missing after dispersing over the mountains while fleeing the attack. Local authorities sent experts to examine the scene during the week and they concluded that the sheep had been running away from a bear. The sheep's owner will be compensated for each of the 209 animals found dead, which is standard practice in such cases as part of the deal made between the government and farmers when brown bears from Slovenia were introduced in the late 1990s. Firefighters rescue Dolly the sheep from 15ft fall into rock crevice 00:47 But the deaths provoked an angry statement from the militant Confédération Paysanne (Farmers' Federation) which demanded immediate action to stop deadly attacks by bears on livestock. "Pastoralism, which is a guarantor of biodiversity and of a living and welcoming mountain region, is not compatible with the reintroduction of large predators," it said in a statement. "The state, which is responsible for the reintroduction of the bears, should remove the ones that are causing problems and should not reintroduce any more bears," it said. The verbal protest was the latest battle in the long-running war between livestock farmers and animal conservationists who believe bears have their rightful pace in the mountain range. Herd of bison sees off pack of wolves in incredible footage 01:22 A similar battle is going on over the growing presence of wolves in France. On Thursday the government gave the green light for the cull of dozens of wolves in mountain areas, mostly in the southeast, where they have killed around 8,000 farm animals, mostly sheep, over the past year. The cull of up to 40 wolves by July next year represents a little over 10 percent of France's total wolf population. Wolves were eradicated in France in the 1930s but began to arrive back from Italy in the 1990s.
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| Ina Garten's favorite kitchen tool costs less than $10 Posted: 21 Jul 2017 04:29 AM PDT  If you've binge-watched a Saturday-morning marathon of Barefoot Contessa, chances are you're probably gawking at Ina Garten's magnificent kitchen in the Hamptons just as much as you are learning how to roast the perfect chicken.
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| German runaway girl who converted to Islam is found in Iraq Posted: 22 Jul 2017 10:46 AM PDT  BERLIN (AP) — A German girl who ran away from home after converting to Islam has been found as Iraqi forces liberated the northern city of Mosul from Islamic State extremists, German and Iraqi officials said Saturday. She is reported to be in good health and will be interrogated next week by Iraqi officials.
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