| On the streets of Barcelona, a sweet dream of independence gone wrong Posted: 28 Oct 2017 01:10 PM PDT  SUMMARY: The drawn-out drama over independence for Catalonia, Spain's prosperous, tourist-friendly northeast, took an ominous turn as the regional parliament voted to secede—and Madrid responded by taking control of the provincial government.
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| Why Nazis And White Supremacists Are Putting The Fear In Middle Tennessee This Weekend Posted: 28 Oct 2017 07:06 AM PDT  ― In post-Charlottesville America, any large gathering of racists and fascists becomes both spectacle and specter.
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| Full Portman Interview: 'The Party is in Good Shape' Posted: 28 Oct 2017 11:23 PM PDT  In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) joins Chuck Todd to talk about infighting within the Republican Party and the president's tax plans.
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| Trump Assails 'Phony Witch Hunt' Ahead Of Possible Indictment In Russia Probe Posted: 29 Oct 2017 09:03 AM PDT  WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump on Sunday lashed out against what he called a "phony" investigation into whether his campaign colluded with Russia last year, criticizing Democrats for conducting a "witch hunt" and saying that they ― including Hillary Clinton ― are the guilty ones.
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| Barack Obama Plans To Serve America Again, This Time In The Courthouse Posted: 28 Oct 2017 07:28 AM PDT  Former President Barack Obama reportedly plans to show up for jury duty next month after being called to serve in Cook County, Illinois.
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| Funeral for late Thai king Bhumibol draws to a close Posted: 28 Oct 2017 05:59 PM PDT  A year of official mourning for Thailand's late King Bhumibol Adulyadej was to end Sunday after a lavish five-day funeral full of pageantry and religious ritual. Bhumibol, a beloved monarch who died last October aged 88, was cremated on Thursday after a day charged with emotion that brought the nation to a standstill. At his death he was the world's longest-serving monarch, spanning seven decades of Thailand's turbulent modern history to become its leading symbol of unity.
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| George Washington's church to remove plaque honouring first US president as monuments row takes twist Posted: 29 Oct 2017 10:23 AM PDT  The church where George Washington worshipped is removing a plaque honouring the memory of America's first president in the latest example of the way historic monuments are influencing contemporary politics. Officers at Christ Church, in Alexandria, Virginia, said it was removing the plaque for the slave-owning president along with one for a second parishioner, General Robert Lee, who rose to the head of the Confederate army during the Civil War. "The Vestry has unanimously decided that the plaques create a distraction in our worship space and may create an obstacle to our identity as a welcoming church, and an impediment to our growth and to full community with our neighbours," church officers said in a letter to the congregation following a month-long consultation period. Washington was one of the congregation's founding members in 1773, paying for pew number five, while General Lee's daughter left the church $10,000 in her will. The two plaques have hung on either side of the altar since 1870, soon after Lee's death, paid for by city residents. Workers in New Orleans prepare to remove a statue of General Robert Lee in May Credit: AP But local authorities across the US have removed a string of Confederate statues and memorials from public places in recent years. Critics say there is no place in modern America for symbols associated with racism and slavery. The issue is highly charged. One person died in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August when counter-protesters clashed with white nationalists protesting against the removal of a General Lee Statue. All are welcome. (Except George Washington.) pic.twitter.com/xy6cct4C8k— Matt Lewis (@mattklewis) October 28, 2017 The controversies prompted Donald Trump to ponder whether Washington would be targeted next. In its letter, first reported by the Republican Standard website, church officers said that times had changed. "We understand that both Washington and Lee lived in times much different than our own, and that each man, in addition to his public persona, was a complicated human being, and like all of us, a child of God," they wrote. The plaques are due to be relocated by next summer as the church decides how better to commemorate its famous worshippers.
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| Bill O'Reilly Sues Ex-Politician Who Dated One of His Accusers Posted: 28 Oct 2017 09:32 AM PDT  O'Reilly is asking for at least $5 million in damages
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| High winds sweep Central Europe, leave 5 dead, others hurt Posted: 29 Oct 2017 02:19 PM PDT  BERLIN (AP) — High winds knocked down trees and caused widespread travel chaos across much of Central Europe on Sunday, leaving five people dead and several injured.
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| World War III: This is How the U.S. Military Would Have Invaded Cuba in 1962 Posted: 27 Oct 2017 06:22 PM PDT  Attention, people of Cuba: Obey the orders of the U.S. Army, or suffer the consequences. This is what the Cubans would have been told, had the United States invaded the island during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. "Resistance to the United States armed forces will be forcefully stamped out.
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| The Lack Of Women Leaders Is A National Emergency Posted: 28 Oct 2017 02:45 AM PDT  There have been so many horrifying stories about male predatory behavior since the Harvey Weinstein story broke earlier this month, but one quote has truly stood out.
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| Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City honored quake victims Posted: 29 Oct 2017 12:01 PM PDT ![Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City honored quake victims]( "Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City honored quake victims") A raised fist made of helmets, pick axes and broken rubble rolled ahead of hundreds of walking skeletons, costumed dancers and flowery floats Saturday in Mexico City's Day of the Dead parade, which this year honored the 228 capital residents killed by a Sept. 19 earthquake.
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| Robert Mueller to Serve First Indictment In Russia Probe Posted: 28 Oct 2017 02:46 AM PDT  NBC News has confirmed that special prosecutor Robert Mueller will serve up the first indictment in the Russia probe on Monday. It is still unknown who will be charged in the investigation.
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| Huge Bearded Seal Blocks Airport Runway In Alaska Posted: 29 Oct 2017 06:18 AM PDT  When airport foreman Scott Babcock went out onto the runway at Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport in Utqiagvik, Alaska, on Monday to clear some snow, he was surprised to find a visitor waiting for him on the asphalt: a 450-pound bearded seal chilling in the milky sunshine.
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| The Ivy League Has An Unexpected Friend In Donald Trump Posted: 29 Oct 2017 04:00 AM PDT  At first glance, Yale University doesn't seem like a school with much love for the current president.
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| British Navy fires nine from nuclear submarine over failed drugs tests Posted: 28 Oct 2017 07:28 AM PDT  Nine British sailors assigned to a nuclear submarine have been discharged from the Royal Navy after failing compulsory drug tests, Britain's ministry of defence has confirmed. The service personnel, stationed aboard HMS Vigilant -- one of four Royal Navy submarines equipped with nuclear missiles -- were dismissed after all tested positive for an illegal substance. "We do not tolerate drugs misuse by service personnel," a Royal Navy spokesperson said.
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| Cops: Idaho woman intentionally drove off cliff with 3 kids Posted: 29 Oct 2017 07:28 AM PDT  An Idaho woman who drove her sport utility vehicle off a cliff and into a reservoir in a crash last year that killed her and her three young children did so deliberately, officials said Friday.
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| Death Toll Rises to 23 in Hotel Attack in Somalia's Capital Posted: 28 Oct 2017 08:17 AM PDT  A suicide truck bomb exploded outside a popular hotel
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| The Latest: Doomed sailboat had communications failures Posted: 27 Oct 2017 07:53 PM PDT  HONOLULU (AP) — The Latest on the rescue of two women lost at sea since May (all times local):
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| Iraq orders 24-hour truce in standoff with Kurds over Kirkuk takeover by Iraqi forces Posted: 28 Oct 2017 11:11 AM PDT ![Iraq orders 24-hour truce in standoff with Kurds over Kirkuk takeover by Iraqi forces]( "Iraq orders 24-hour truce in standoff with Kurds over Kirkuk takeover by Iraqi forces") Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi forces agree to a 24-hour truce after fighting broke out Oct. 16 when Iraqi forces took control of Kirkuk.
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| Florida Police Release Eerie New Surveillance Video In Hunt For Suspected Serial Killer Posted: 28 Oct 2017 09:27 AM PDT  Florida police have released a new surveillance video of a "person of interest" wearing a long jacket with a hood and repeatedly flipping open a cell phone in investigators' hunt for a suspected serial killer in a Tampa neighborhood.
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| In 1942, Japan Ordered 2 Battleships to Be Built with Huge 20-Inch Guns Posted: 27 Oct 2017 06:13 PM PDT  In January 1936 Japan announced its intention to withdraw from the London Naval Treaty, accusing both the United States and the United Kingdom of negotiating in bad faith. In the wake of this withdrawal, Japanese battleship architects threw themselves into the design of new vessels. The first class to emerge were the 18.1-inch-gun-carrying Yamatos, the largest battleships ever constructed.
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| Top GOP Lawmaker: 'I Wish Democrats Would Help' Look Into Russian Election Meddling Posted: 29 Oct 2017 12:05 PM PDT  Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) is accusing Democrats of not doing enough to help investigate Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, which would likely come as news to many of them.
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| These 'Fun Size' Salads May Be The Scariest Trick This Halloween Posted: 29 Oct 2017 08:19 AM PDT  What could be scarier than getting an apple or raisins this Halloween?
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| Lions, chimps, sharks get added protection under UN convention Posted: 28 Oct 2017 07:22 AM PDT  Lions, chimpanzees, giraffes, leopards and a wide variety of sharks received added protection at a UN wildlife conference in the Philippines, organisers said Saturday. Some 34 endangered species were selected to receive heightened conservation efforts at the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) conference that just concluded in Manila. Protecting migratory species poses particular difficulties since they cross borders, including possibly moving to countries with less stringent wildlife protection systems, said Bradnee Chambers, CMS executive secretary.
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| Gruesome Discoveries at Funeral Homes Put Spotlight on Spotty Regulations Posted: 28 Oct 2017 08:15 AM PDT  Maggots wriggled along the garage floor near cardboard-boxed corpses stacked
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| Amazon Stock Surge Makes Jeff Bezos Richest Man On Earth Posted: 27 Oct 2017 09:09 PM PDT  Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is now the richest person on the planet after a bounce in company stock value floated his net worth to a massive $93.8 billion by the end of business on Friday.
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| Pentagon chief says North Korea engages in 'outlaw' behavior Posted: 28 Oct 2017 12:04 PM PDT  The threat of nuclear missile attack by North Korea is accelerating, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday, accusing the North of illegal and unnecessary missile and nuclear programs and pledging to repel any strike.
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| New York police officers 'charged with raping handcuffed teenager in their van' Posted: 28 Oct 2017 03:47 AM PDT  Two New York police officers have been charged with allegedly raping a handcuffed teenage girl in their van. Officers Eddie Martins and Richard Halls are accused of having sex with the 18-year-old after arresting her in south Brooklyn. Both men have been indicted on first-degree rape charges after a week-long hearing which culminated with a grand jury vote on Friday, The New York Post reported.
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| Poland wants strong euro zone before mulling membership - finance minister Posted: 29 Oct 2017 04:21 AM PDT  Poland wants the euro zone to become stronger before making a decision whether to join the single currency, Finance Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said. "We are holding our fingers crossed for the euro zone to survive, to overcome its imminent problems ... Surely, the convergence is not happening as the authors wished it, Morawiecki, who is also deputy prime minister, told journalists. "We would like the euro area to be strong and then in a few years will see how it copes with everything." The statement suggests a softening towards the euro zone membership by the eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party that came to power two years ago.
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| ‘One Way We Push Back Against Evil Is Through the Leaders We Elect’ Posted: 28 Oct 2017 03:00 AM PDT !['One Way We Push Back Against Evil Is Through the Leaders We Elect']( "'One Way We Push Back Against Evil Is Through the Leaders We Elect'") Last Friday, President Donald Trump tweeted out an endorsement of a "great book" by "a wonderful man": A Place Called Heaven, a new work on the afterlife by Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist church in Dallas. Jeffress is a member of Trump's informal council of evangelical advisors and has backed many of the president's controversial decisions, including war of words with North Korea. "God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un," Jeffress said in August.
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| They Were Homeless In California. Then The Fires Came. Posted: 28 Oct 2017 04:00 AM PDT  It's 2:00 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon and Fernando Gomez doesn't know where he and his one-year-old daughter will sleep tonight.
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| IAEA says Iran implementing its nuclear deal commitments Posted: 28 Oct 2017 05:42 PM PDT  The head of the United Nations atomic agency on Sunday said Iran was carrying out its commitments made under a landmark nuclear deal with world powers. "As of today, I can state that the nuclear-related commitments made by Iran under the JCPOA (nuclear deal) are being implemented," Yukiya Amano said at a press conference in Tehran broadcast by state television. The 2015 accord, signed by the Islamic republic as well as Germany, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, saw economic sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for it curbing its nuclear activities.
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| Bali volcano's alert status lowered after decreased activity Posted: 29 Oct 2017 06:51 AM PDT  JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian authorities lowered the alert status of Bali's Mount Agung volcano from the highest level on Sunday, following a significant decrease in activity in recent days.
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| Why Russia's New 'Stealth' Submarines Have a Big Problem Posted: 28 Oct 2017 05:50 PM PDT  Moscow failed to develop key AIP propulsion technology for its "new" diesel submarines. Russian media has been trumpeting plans to launch two additional Lada-class diesel-electric submarines, two decades after the hull of the lead boat, the St. Petersburg, was laid down. Left delicately unstated in some of the press releases is that these new boats will lack the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems that were intended to be the class's defining feature.
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| Why one major 'Stranger Things' star was missing at the Season 2 premiere this week Posted: 28 Oct 2017 10:11 AM PDT  One Stranger Things star was notably absent from Thursday's Season 2 premiere in Los Angeles. British actor Charlie Heaton, who plays creepy photo stalker man Jonathan Byers in the Netflix series, was barred entry to the U.S. last Saturday. SEE ALSO: Netflix is making a 'Stranger Things' after-show to feed the obsession The reason? A drug-sniffing dog reportedly picked up on something that prompted a search of Heaton's luggage, at which point authorities discovered "a small amount of cocaine," according to the Associated Press. Heaton was neither arrested nor charged, but he was barred from entering the U.S. and promptly sent back to London. It's worth noting here that the AP's report comes via an anonymous source — an official who "couldn't discuss the matter publicly." A Friday night report from People contains the same information, via an unnamed law enforcement source. That story also includes a vague statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection which lays out the federal agency's rules for handling foreign nationals in violation of controlled substance laws. It read: "A violation, conspiracy to violate or simply an attempt to violate any U.S. State, federal or any foreign government controlled substance violation renders a foreign national inadmissible to the United States." Heaton hasn't yet made any public statements on the matter, though this would explain his absence from Thursday's premiere. WATCH: Alicia Silverstone served us that '90s nostalgia by resurrecting her Cher costume
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| Astros Player Banned From 5 Games For Racist 'Slant-Eye' Gesture Posted: 28 Oct 2017 12:59 PM PDT  Houston Astros' first baseman Yuli Gurriel has apologized for making a racist gesture in the dugout during Friday night's Game 3 of the World Series.
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| Elon Musk Shares New Photo of the Boring Co. Tunnel Under LA Posted: 28 Oct 2017 03:00 PM PDT  The sci-fi mass transit tunnel in California is becoming a reality.
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| Tricky legal questions around Kenya's repeat poll Posted: 28 Oct 2017 10:44 AM PDT  Kenya's repeated presidential election, held after an August 8 vote was annulled, has still not been completed after violence prevented voting Thursday in flashpoint opposition strongholds. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is still busy processing and verifying results and has not said when the final numbers will be announced. The main problem is that voting did not take place in four of Kenya's 47 counties, all of them in the west: Homa Bay, Kisumu, Migori and Siaya.
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| Donald Trump Concedes He's 'Not At All Presidential' As He Slams Michael Moore Play Posted: 29 Oct 2017 05:17 AM PDT  President Donald Trump has assumed the role of theater critic, slamming filmmaker Michael Moore's "sloppy" Broadway play and terming it a "total bomb" in a Saturday night tweet.
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| Indonesia detains owner after deadly fireworks factory blaze Posted: 28 Oct 2017 12:14 AM PDT  Indonesian authorities have detained a fireworks factory owner and a manager on suspicion of negligence after explosions and fire ripped through a warehouse on the outskirts of Jakarta, killing 48 workers and injuring dozens, police said on Saturday. The blaze in the manufacturing hub of Tangerang was one of the worst industrial disasters to hit Southeast Asia's biggest economy, where safety standards are often weakly enforced. Police said the fire started when sparks from a welding operation lit a stack of raw materials used for making fireworks, causing at least two explosions that could be heard miles away.
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| Iran says to continue developing ballistic missiles Posted: 29 Oct 2017 04:58 AM PDT  Iran's president on Sunday said his country would continue building weapons including developing missiles as the United States prepares new sanctions over its ballistic missile programme. "To defend our nation and territorial integrity, we will build all the weapons we will need," Hassan Rouhani told parliament in statements broadcast on state television. Recent Iranian missile launches have triggered US sanctions and accusations they violate the spirit of a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers.
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| State police: Quash grand jury on trooper shooting policy Posted: 29 Oct 2017 09:51 AM PDT ![State police: Quash grand jury on trooper shooting policy]( "State police: Quash grand jury on trooper shooting policy") EASTON, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's state police agency, facing pushback over its practice of investigating line-of-duty shootings by its own troopers, is trying to shut down a grand jury looking into the propriety of the policy.
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| Cooking with fire and a dip in the outdoors at the new Thames Lido Posted: 27 Oct 2017 10:00 PM PDT  'When the air is heavy, the scent of fresh bread reaches the pool, and swimmers can smell the scallops, too.' Chef Freddy Bird is describing the scallops he roasts with sweet herbs and garlic butter in his wood-fired oven, and the sourdough loaves baked on site every day for his restaurant at Bristol Lido. While plates of charred black figs with burrata drenched in date molasses, spiced flatbreads and whole roast hake are served to lunchtime tables dappled in autumn sunlight, swimmers in bright caps make gentle laps around the pool outside. Later, a group of them come in for afternoon tea, wearing warm towelling robes and slippers. 'This is a place to relax in,' says Bird. 'People quickly fall into the Lido way of life. It's infectious.' The place in question – Clifton's renovated Victorian baths, where one can swim, sauna, eat tapas and sip a glass of fino sherry, not necessarily in that order – was saved from demolition by developer Arne Ringner in 2006, but not before a wrecking ball had gone through one of its walls. I sit by the pool when the cover is taken off at 6.45am and have a coffee. It's blissChef Freddy Bird In 1850, a swim and the use of two towels cost one shilling; in the 1930s people gathered there to exercise and exchange gossip. By the time Ringner began the £2.3 million renovation project, it had been abandoned for almost 20 years, with locals campaigning against the land being turned into flats. A post shared by Lido Spa & Restaurant (@lidobristol) on Sep 6, 2017 at 4:39am PDT Now, with Bird in charge of the kitchen and general manager Mark Thwaites overseeing the spa, the Grade II*-listed building has been back in operation for nearly a decade. And this week the team celebrate the opening of their new project, Thames Lido in Reading, where the 24-degree water shimmers above the same cobalt-blue Italian tiles as Bristol's and the kitchen has at its heart another element – fire. Thames Lido has a raised, heated pool that enables diners and swimmers to be on the same level Credit: Andy Sewell At the restored King's Meadow baths, Bird coaxes perfectly roasted grouse from the ferociously hot, domed wood ovens, and chars sweetcorn on a bespoke grill whose shelves can be moved around to allow cooking over or directly on hot coals. He has been a private chef, catered for films on location, and worked at Bristol's Bordeaux Quay and at The Square in London. But it was at Moro, the restaurant run by Sam and Sam Clark, that Bird developed his passion for fire and a cuisine that draws on the dishes of Spain, north Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. Chef Freddy Bird in the kitchen of the new Thames Lido Credit: Andy Sewell 'We were encouraged to eat and try everything,' he explains. 'You become more intuitive when cooking over flames and you learn not to hide the distinct flavour it brings.' Bird's menus at both lidos major on earthy Moroccan spices, fresh herbs and fire-licked vegetables, not to mention the meat he learnt to cook growing up in Bristol. 'Dad had a big vegetable garden, and kept ducks and chickens. Our snacks in front of the telly were chicken livers and fried parsnips held in newspaper.' Having helped to deliver his neighbour's lamb aged nine, Bird received his reward in the form of lamb chops. 'I built a barbecue and cooked them all straight off. I was into it from day one.' Mushrooms are foraged just hours before being cooked at the Lido Credit: Andy Sewell What Bird is not into, as it happens, is swimming. 'I love water and like surfing and sailing, but lengths and laps not so much!' Which is rather fitting since fast-paced lane swimming and tumble turns are not encouraged at the lidos. Both pools are raised above ground level – a design decision made, explains Ringner, to put those dining and having a dip on the same plane. Both have been projects of preservation. Anything worth stealing or damaging had duly been so in the 40 years the Thames Lido had been left unused, but the structure of the 1902 ladies' swimming baths was intact and Ringner has restored nearly everything, including the decorative but weatherbeaten bargeboards. 'Like many Victorian buildings, the beauty is all above eye level,' he says. Throughout the build many observers told him the pool tiles should be turquoise ('or, in the modern fashion, black') and assumed the vibrant ice-cream shades of the building's colour scheme 'must be an undercoat', but Ringner has persevered with a building that is beautiful to be inside. Opposite the barrel changing rooms with their curtains in deck-chair stripes, the restaurant's glass walls can open fully on warm days. 'I like to sit by the pool when the cover is taken off at 6.45am and have a cup of coffee,' says Bird. 'It's bliss.' With the water dulling the sounds of the city and a skyline of trees the only sign of the world outside, it's a unique experience only enhanced by the smell of just-baked bread. Thames Lido, Napier Road, Reading, RG1 8FR (0118 207 0640) Charcoal-grilled black figs, burrata, date molasses and za'atar flatbread Credit: Andy Sewell You can buy very good za'atar from Middle Eastern shops, but the difference in picking your own thyme from the garden is well worth the effort. Make as much as you like – any leftovers are great for dipping with bread and oil or sprinkled over fresh cheese at breakfast. SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS For the flatbread 25g dried yeast 375-400ml lukewarm water 600g strong white bread flour For the za'atar ratio of two-thirds dried thyme (use a dehydrator if you have one or alternatively dry in a very low oven) to one-third sumac warm, toasted sesame seeds (not to exceed a quarter of the total mix) For the figs and burrata good-quality olive oil (we use Arbequina at the restaurant), for drizzling 6-8 black figs, ideally so ripe the skins are almost desperate to burst 2 burrata 2 generous dstspn date molasses 1 tbsp chopped pistachios a pinch of pul biber (Turkish pepper flakes) METHOD Get a barbecue ready with white-hot coals – you can use a griddle pan at a stretch, but you won't get the charcoal flavour. To prepare the flatbread, sprinkle the yeast over the water and leave to bloom for 5 minutes. Then combine with the flour and salt in a food mixer on a medium speed for around 5 minutes. Set the dough aside to prove in a warm place for an hour. Combine the dried thyme and sumac for the za'atar. While the sesame seeds are still warm and have released their oil, toss with the thyme and sumac, then season with fine sea salt. Brush the grill bars of the barbecue or hot griddle pan with a little oil and char the whole figs, turning regularly until they collapse. Set aside under foil to keep warm. Divide the flatbread dough into four and roll out to about ½cm thick. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with za'atar and place the flatbread directly on the grill bars over a fierce heat, or in a dry griddle pan. As the bread starts to bubble, turn it over and cook on the other side. It will probably need no more than 45 seconds each side, depending on how hot the coals or griddle are. To serve, rip open the burrata on a platter to reveal their creamy middles and then tear over the figs. Season with fine sea salt. Drizzle with the date molasses, a little more olive oil, chopped pistachios, a touch more za'atar and a pinch of pepper flakes. Serve with the warm flatbread. Ox cheeks slow-cooked in Pedro Ximénez, with mashed potato Credit: Andy Sewell SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 2 ox cheeks, cut in half oil, for cooking 2 carrots, roughly diced 1 stick celery, roughly diced 1 large onion, roughly diced 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 sprig rosemary 1 star anise 300ml Pedro Ximénez 2 litres good-quality fresh chicken stock (ideally made with a bonus pig's trotter or two) 4 Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and evenly sliced 100-150g butter cream, to loosen finely chopped chives METHOD Lightly season the ox cheeks and brown them all over with a little oil in a casserole dish. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour a little more oil into the dish and add the vegetables. Cook over a low-medium heat for about 15 minutes until soft and caramelised, then add the garlic, rosemary and star anise. After a couple more minutes, pour in the Pedro Ximénez. Make sure the ox cheeks and vegetables haven't 'caught' on the bottom while cooking – if they do, transfer everything to a new pan. Cook to reduce the Pedro Ximénez by three-quarters, then add the stock and let this reduce over a medium heat until you are left with about a third of the liquid. Check the seasoning. Pass the mixture through a sieve. Discard the vegetables, rosemary and star anise, and reserve the liquid. Preheat the oven to 150C/gas mark 2. Return the ox cheeks to the casserole dish and cover with the strained sauce. Place a circle of parchment on top and put the lid on. Cook in the oven for 2½-3 hours.The cheeks should be tender and ready to fall apart and the sauce beautifully glossy. If it isn't, very carefully remove the cheeks, reduce the sauce to a glossy consistency on the hob, then return the cheeks to the pan. For the mash, boil the potatoes until tender, drain and allow to steam dry in the pan. Press them through a potato ricer and stir in seriously unhealthy amounts of butter and cream. Serve the ox cheeks on top of the mash with a giant pool of sauce. Sprinkle with finely chopped chives. Roast hake, wild mushrooms, fino, parsley, garlic and jamón Credit: Andy Sewell I have a fantastic forager who picks wild mushrooms hours before we serve them in the restaurant. If you are wary of picking the wrong type, try to buy when they are in season in the UK. I use a mix of chanterelles, ceps, deceivers and parasols. SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS oil, for cooking approx 800g hake fillets (180-200g per person) 4 very large handfuls mixed wild mushrooms splash extra-virgin olive oil big knob of butter 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 spring onions, sliced 150ml fino sherry, plus a little to finish the dish (drink the rest as you cook) 100ml fresh chicken stock 2 tsp chopped chives 2 tsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 1 small handful jamón (serrano ham or pata negra), finely chopped METHOD Preheat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7. Heat a little oil in an ovenproof pan and, when hot, add the fish skin-side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes – don't be tempted to move the fish – then transfer the pan to the oven. It needs a further 6(ish) minutes. Meanwhile, in a very hot, large pan, fry the mushrooms in a little extra-virgin olive oil. You want the mushrooms to fry and colour, not stew. If necessary, cook in batches. Once coloured all over, season well with salt and black pepper, and add a little butter and the garlic. Next, add the spring onions and deglaze with the fino, cooking to reduce the liquid by two-thirds. Add the stock and reduce the liquid by about a third. Drop in a good knob of butter and agitate the pan until it has emulsified in the sauce. Throw in the chives, parsley and the jamón with a splash of fino. Serve in a shallow bowl with the fish on top.
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| Ranking The Best TV Shows You Can Stream Online Right Now Posted: 28 Oct 2017 05:47 AM PDT  You've got free time to kill, and you want to spend these rare moments with a TV show, but you've got a ton of options on a handful of streaming platforms.
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| Carmelo Anthony posted a photo of the Oklahoma City Thunder's damaged charter plane Posted: 28 Oct 2017 12:00 PM PDT  This looks worse than it really was. But damn it looks bad, right? Members of the Oklahoma City Thunder were greeted by a surprising sight when their charter plane landed in Chicago in the early hours of Saturday morning: a giant, ugly dent in the plane's nose. SEE ALSO: NAACP issues travel advisory for American Airlines Carmelo Anthony shared a look at the damage on Instagram, along with a completely fair question: WTF? What possibly could we have hit in the SKY at this time of night? Everyone is Safe, Though. "All Praise Due" #ThunderStrong A post shared by Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) on Oct 27, 2017 at 11:12pm PDT The aircraft, which landed safely when all was said and done, "likely encountered a bird," according to a Delta Airlines statement shared with ESPN. A happy ending for the team, but not so much for that poor bird. With a dent of that size, you'd think it was a rough ride for the Thunder. Not so, according to a team official. The flight was "a little rough," according to ESPN, but not in a way that left everyone aboard alarmed. MID-AIR SCARE: Oklahoma City Thunder's plane believed to have hit a bird during flight to Chicago; no injures reported. pic.twitter.com/vmUENYnodR — ABC News (@ABC) October 28, 2017 While the damage looks significant, the nose of most passenger-bearing jets is not as sturdy as you might think. In truth, the weatherproof enclosure — called a "radome" (a portamanteau of "radar" and "dome") — holds the plane's radar antenna. And clearly, it's easily damaged when some poor bird collides with it in midair. Still, what a jarring thing to see as you're exiting a plane. WATCH: This futuristic organizer will replace your basic toiletry kit
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| Questions surround first charges in Muller probe Posted: 29 Oct 2017 09:17 AM PDT  ABC News' Cecilia Vega, Pierre Thomas, and Dan Abrams report the latest details on the Russia investigation on "This Week."
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