| American woman kidnapped in Uganda; $500K ransom demanded Posted: 04 Apr 2019 01:38 AM PDT  An American tourist and a local guide were ambushed and kidnapped by four armed men who demanded a $500,000 ransom, Ugandan police said.
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| UPDATE 7-Ethiopian crash report highlights sensors, software, leaves questions Posted: 04 Apr 2019 01:36 AM PDT ![UPDATE 7-Ethiopian crash report highlights sensors, software, leaves questions]( "UPDATE 7-Ethiopian crash report highlights sensors, software, leaves questions") ADDIS ABABA/SEATTLE, April 4 (Reuters) - Faulty sensor readings and multiple automatic commands to push down the nose of a Boeing plane contributed to last month's fatal crash in Ethiopia, leaving the crew struggling to regain control, according to a preliminary accident report. The first substantial account of the last minutes of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 from Addis Ababa to Nairobi on March 10 described how the captain three times called out: "Pull up" and was acknowledged by the first officer, but to no avail. Boeing's top-selling aircraft, the 787 MAX, has been grounded worldwide since the March 10 disaster, which killed 157 people and came just five months after a Lion Air crash in Indonesia that killed 189 in a plane of the same model.
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| Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido stripped of parliamentary immunity, allowing potential arrest Posted: 03 Apr 2019 06:02 AM PDT  A pro-government lawmaking body installed by President Nicolas Maduro voted on Tuesday to strip the opposition leader Juan Guaido of parliamentary immunity, paving the way for his potential arrest.The move by the Constituent Assembly represents the government's latest effort to raise the pressure on Guaido, who declared himself interim president in January in the biggest challenge that Maduro has faced in six years in office.In recent weeks, the government has barred Guaido from travelling, frozen his bank accounts, begun investigating him on terrorism accusations, and prohibited him from running for office.But thus far the government has stopped short of detaining Guaido. The United States has repeatedly said that any attack on Guaido would draw a severe reaction.Guaido has brushed off legal challenges from the government in the past, going so far as touring South American capitals despite the travel ban.The opposition does not recognise the Constituent Assembly, a sort of parallel congress created by Maduro two years ago as a means of circumventing the opposition-controlled National Assembly."The regime believes that by attacking me, they will stop us," Guaido told supporters outside his house Tuesday night. "There's no way back in this process."Venezuela's intensifying political battle is unfolding amid an electrical crisis that has led to almost daily blackouts in most major cities since early March.Lights went off in parts of the capital, Caracas, minutes after the Constituent Assembly's vote.On Tuesday the government announced that it would introduce national power rationing in peak hours until further notice.The New York Times
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| Jussie Smollett update: Deadline arrives for 'Empire' actor to pay Chicago $130K Posted: 04 Apr 2019 01:26 PM PDT  Thursday is the deadline for "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett to pay the city of Chicago more than $130,000.
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| From Soup to Salmon: Slow-Cooker Recipes for a Fast and Healthy Dinner Posted: 03 Apr 2019 01:04 PM PDT |
| Teen Found Wandering Around Kentucky Is Not Missing Boy Timmothy Pitzen. He’s Actually a 23-Year-Old Man. Posted: 04 Apr 2019 01:58 PM PDT  Photo Illustration The Daily Beast/ReutersThe person who claimed to be Timmothy Pitzen after he was found wandering in Kentucky is not the Illinois boy who vanished in 2011, but a 23-year-old man, the FBI confirmed through DNA testing on Thursday.The young man, who was found battered and alone in Newport, Kentucky, on Wednesday, told police he was the 6-year-old boy who went missing seven years ago after his mother picked him up at his Aurora, Illinois, elementary school for a road trip. In 2011, police found Pitzen's mother dead by suicide alongside a note saying her son was with people who "would care for him and love him." "You will never find him," the note added. Investigators confirmed the person claiming to be Pitzen was not the missing teen after a 24-hour DNA test. Furthermore, Newport police said, the boy was no boy at all: He is a 23-year-old man named Brian Michael Rini from Medina, Ohio."We know that you are out there somewhere, Tim, and we will never stop looking for you, praying for you and loving you," Pitzen's aunt, Kara Jacobs, said in a press conference after the DNA results were released.The FBI said in a tweet that a local investigation continues "into this person's true identity.""To be clear, law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family. Unfortunately, that day will not be today," the agency said.Pitzen's grandmother, Alana Anderson, said the family has been on "tenterhooks," hopeful that their Timmothy was coming home."I feel so sorry for the young man who's obviously had a horrible time and felt the need to say he was someone else in hope that they can find his family," Anderson said.On Wednesday, Rini told Campbell County police that he escaped two male kidnappers while they were staying at a Cincinnati Red Roof Inn and ran across a bridge just over the Ohio River before knocking on a car window to ask for help, authorities said."He walked up to my car and he went, 'Can you help me? I just want to get home. Can you just please help me?' And I asked him what was going on and he told me he's been kidnapped," a good Samaritan who called police told WCPO.The Campbell County Sheriff's Office immediately contacted other nearby law-enforcement agencies, including the FBI field office, and searched all of the Red Roof Inns in its jurisdiction, according to the police report. Rini described his alleged captors as having "bodybuilder-type build" and were last seen in a "newer" Ford SUV with Wisconsin plates. Police were unable to find the described men. According to the police report, one of the men allegedly wearing Mountain Dew shirt and jeans was described as having "black curly hair...and a spider web tattoo on his neck," while the other "is short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms."Newport Police confirmed they are looking into Rini's claim of being kidnapped and acknowledged that he has given false statements in the past 24 hours when he claimed to be a kidnapped teenager. His motive is still unknown, and it's unclear whether he'll be charged with a crime.The 23-year-old man has reportedly been arrested three times, once in 2015 for allegedly making false reports that involved an Ohio law-enforcement agency, according to the Medina Post. Along with three other men, Rini was also arrested in 2017 for allegedly hosting a party in Medina, Ohio, and causing over $1,250 of damage in a model home, according to The Medina Gazette."Although we are disappointed that this turned out to be a hoax, we remain diligent in our search for Timmothy, as our missing person's case remains unsolved," Aurora police spokesman Sgt. Bill Rowley said in a press conference Thursday, adding that they will be investigating "this hoax."The FBI tested genetic material belonging to the man claiming to be Pitzen and compared them to a DNA sample from the missing teen, a spokesperson told The Daily Beast, adding that the results were "top priority.""We still have no confirmation of the identity of the person located, but hope to have something later this afternoon or early this evening," an Aurora Police spokesperson told The Daily Beast. "Unless or until his identity is confirmed, we have no official statement to mark, and nothing of substance to add."On May 11, 2011, 43-year-old Amy Fry-Pitzen checked her 6-year-old son out of his elementary school for a three-day vacation, which included a trip to a local zoo and a waterpark. She did not inform the boy's father of her intentions. The pair were last seen at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisc., according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.Three days later, Fry-Pitzen was found dead inside a motel room and her son missing. Aurora police told The Daily Beast on Thursday that the mother who openly struggled with depression suggested in her note that she might have "dropped her son off with a friend.""We never forgot, never stopped thinking about him everyday, stayed in touch with the police," Anderson, told NBC Chicago on Wednesday when she heard the news. "It just went cold and I just prayed that when he was old enough that he would remember us and contact us—that was kind of the best I could hope for for a long time."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here
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| Will Moisturizers With SPF Protect Your Skin? Posted: 03 Apr 2019 12:08 PM PDT  If your morning beauty routine involves applying both sunscreen and moisturizer, you may have decided to simplify things by using a moisturizer with SPF instead. That's a fine move, assuming you ...
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| Crazy deal slashes a popular wireless charger to just $7 Posted: 03 Apr 2019 04:54 AM PDT  If you need a new wireless charger, there's really only one model you should even consider buying right now. It's the CHOETECH Wireless Charger, and it's somehow on sale right now for just $7.31. Seriously, that's not a typo! This excellent wireless charging pad has more than 3,400 5-star ratings on Amazon and it normally sells for $12, which is a terrific price. But if you clip the 5% coupon on the Amazon page and use the special coupon code VYARO3T3 at checkout, the price drops to just $7.31. This deal will almost certainly sell out, so definitely grab one while you still can!Here's more info from the product page: * 【About Brand CHOETECH】As the expert in wireless charging industry for more than 6 years, CHOETECH has already shared 70% of the international market, attracted more than 3,000,000 loyal users around the world. All these are obtained on the strength of our extremely premium products and fully considerate services all the time. * 【Safer Charging】Using highly efficient components and an advanced chipset, charging intelligently, Qi & ETL Certified, integrated smart chip inside it that resist the wireless charging pad from over-heating, over-voltage and short circuit. * 【Case Friendly】Our wireless charger is suitable for phone case which is within 4mm/0.16inch. But for more efficient charging, we still recommend you to remove the case before charging. (As metal attachments or credit cards may damage your phone.) * 【Universal Compatibility】This qi charger works with fully Qi-enabled devices like iPhone X, XS, XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 8/8 Plus,New AirPods, Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, S10E, Note 9, S9, S9 Plus, Note 8, S8, S8 Plus, S7, S7 Edge, S6, S6 Edge, Google Pixel 3/3xl, Nokia 9, Nexus 4, 5, Lumia 920 and other Qi-Enabled devices. * 【Ultra Slim & Anti-Slip】 0.3 inches thickness, through countless data analysis, we have designed the most suitable size charging pad, which is perfect for small places but it's also big enough to put phone anywhere on it to charge., with anti-slip rubber to keep it stays in place.(CHOETECH Qi Wireless Charger comes with 18-months free warranty and friendly customer service)
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| I Worked With Joe Biden. Here’s What to Know About the Frontrunner Myth Growing Around Him Posted: 04 Apr 2019 02:52 AM PDT  Former White House communications director Jennifer Palmieri writes about the growing frontrunner myth around Joe Biden.
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| Uganda hunt for kidnapped US tourist enters third day Posted: 04 Apr 2019 04:46 AM PDT  Ugandan security forces scoured dense bush on Thursday in the hunt for a US tourist and her safari guide who were kidnapped by gunmen in a national park. "The operation to rescue the tourist is still ongoing," Uganda's tourism minister, Godfrey Kiwanda, told AFP on Thursday. Four kidnappers stopped a group of tourists at gunpoint around dusk on Tuesday as they drove through the Queen Elizabeth National Park on safari to see wild animals.
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| Trump news: Congress votes to subpoena full Mueller report from attorney-general, as senior Republicans turn on president's 'catastrophic' border closure plan Posted: 03 Apr 2019 01:39 PM PDT  The House Judiciary Committee approved subpoenas Wednesday for special counsel Robert Mueller's full Russia report as Democrats pressure the Justice Department to release the document without redactions.The committee voted 24-17 to give Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler permission to issue subpoenas to the Justice Department for the final report, its exhibits and any underlying evidence or materials prepared for the investigation. Mr Nadler has not yet said if he'll send the subpoenas, which would be the first step in a potentially long fight with the Justice Department over the materials.The Judiciary panel also voted Wednesday to authorise subpoenas related to five of Donald Trump's former top advisers, stepping up a separate, wide-ranging investigation into Trump and his personal and political dealings.The vote further escalates the Democrats' battle with the Justice Department over how much of the report they will be able to see, a fight that could eventually head to court if the two sides can't settle their differences through negotiation. Democrats have said they will not accept redactions and want to see the evidence unfiltered by Mr Barr.In the letter last week, Mr Barr said he is scrubbing the report to avoid disclosing any grand jury information or classified material, in addition to portions of the report that pertain to ongoing investigations or that "would unduly infringe on the personal privacy and reputational interests of peripheral third parties."Democrats say they want access to all of that information, even if some of it can't be disclosed to the public. Nadler said he will give Mr Barr time to change his mind on redactions, but if they cannot reach an agreement they will issue the subpoenas "in very short order." He also said he is prepared to go to court to get the grand jury information.Mr Trump is meanwhile being urged not to follow through on his threat to close the US border with Mexico as senior Republicans warn of the cost of prioritising security over trade and scramble for alternatives to tackling the illegal immigration "crisis"."Closing down the border would have potentially catastrophic economic impact on our country and I would hope we would not be doing that sort of thing," said Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday, a quote the president has since attacked The New York Times for publishing on Twitter.The Associated Press contributed to this report. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load.
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| Hundreds gather for funeral of Samantha Josephson, student killed after getting into wrong car Posted: 04 Apr 2019 09:03 AM PDT  Family and friends gathered to mourn the death of the New Jersey woman killed after getting into a car she thought was her Uber.
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| BB&T, Wells Fargo Get Failing Grades From Gun-Control Group Posted: 04 Apr 2019 11:59 AM PDT ![BB&T, Wells Fargo Get Failing Grades From Gun-Control Group]( "BB&T, Wells Fargo Get Failing Grades From Gun-Control Group") JPMorgan Chase & Co. also received an F, for providing $273 million in financing and failing to ban gun-company investments, while Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Bank of America Corp. received C grades. Citigroup Inc. got a B, the highest grade among the banks scored. Key InsightsThe scorecard comes as corporate America faces pressure to take stands on controversial political issues.
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| ‘It Was a Clusterf*ck’: How the Waco Biker Shooting Case Fell Apart Posted: 03 Apr 2019 10:23 AM PDT  Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via APKiller bikers could still be walking free in Waco, Texas, according to the county's top prosecutor.McLennan County District Attorney Barry Johnson on Tuesday dropped all remaining charges related to the biker shooting in 2015 that left nine men dead and another 20 injured. Johnson told The Daily Beast he dropped the charges against 24 people because he claims his predecessor botched the case. As a result, he said, some people who may be responsible for murder may never face justice.On May 17, 2015, a gun battle broke out between members of the Cossacks and Bandidos motorcycle clubs at a Twin Peaks restaurant at a quiet outdoor shopping mall. The bedlam ended in seconds, and—with bodies piled in the parking lot—then-District Attorney Abel Reyna arrived on the scene and began working with police to round up the more than 200 motorcyclists who were being held at gunpoint by officers.Most were arrested and sent to jail on identical charges of engaging in organized criminal activity. A grand jury indicted 155 of those people, but only one man, Bandidos Dallas County chapter president Jacob Carrizal, was tried. Carrizal's six-week trial ended in a mistrial in November 2017. Johnson said the trial that failed to convict Carrizal cost the county $1.5 million. After Carrizal's mistrial, Reyna dropped all but 24 of the bikers' charges."They were trying to get the whole group on a conspiracy theory," Johnson told The Daily Beast on Wednesday. "They spent a lot of resources trying to go that route. That's the train that they got on."Johnson listed several charges that may have been successfully pursued by Reyna, including aggravated assault, attempted murder, and felony with a deadly weapon. But the statutes of limitations on those charges have expired, he said. "In my opinion, had this action been taken in a timely manner, it would have, and should have, resulted in numerous convictions and prison sentences against many of those who participated in the Twin Peaks brawl," Johnson said in a statement on Tuesday. "Over the next three years the prior district attorney failed to take that action, for reasons that I do not know to this day."As it stands, some of the shooters may be walking free. Preliminary autopsy reports showed that four of the bikers were killed by three police officers. The Waco Police Department, Texas Rangers, and a McLennan County grand jury cleared the officers of any wrongdoing last year. Unfortunately, Johnson said authorities don't know exactly who killed the other five men. "There still may be some open murder cases that may develop down the road, but that's probably unlikely," Johnson acknowledged."We were not able to meet our burden by putting a gun in the hand of whoever it was that shot and killed those other five people," he said. "We just weren't able to meet our burden to prove a murder.""You just had 25 officers and over 200 combatants in basically a war zone when the police got there," he explained. "We watched those videos hundreds of times," Johnson continued. "It was just my opinion that it was going to end up being another two to three years worth of trials back to back and it was not the right decision to go down that road."Reyna declined to respond to specific questions but provided a statement to The Daily Beast on Wednesday: "I absolutely disagree with the overall result as well as several statements and accusations within Mr. Johnson's press release; however, it is solely his decision on how to proceed with any case in the District Attorney's Office. I respect the fact that the voters of McLennan County chose Mr. Johnson to make these types of decisions."Meanwhile, the bikers' defense attorneys threw their hands up in collective relief on Wednesday, pointing the blame squarely at Reyna for arresting innocent people and letting potential murderers go free."I don't think we can conclude who shot who," said San Antonio attorney Alfonso Cabanas, whose client's case was dismissed in May 2018. "I don't think we're ever going to find out.""The case was tainted the minute that Abel Reyna stuck himself into the process at the scene and started telling people what to do, arresting everyone," said Cabanas. "The only people who should have been arrested are the shooters themselves. Not just the people there drinking iced tea, like my clients."Houston lawyer Paul Looney claimed "the case was dead before Johnson ever got elected.""He just didn't have a chance," Looney added."We have 177 people whose lives were just utterly devastated," Looney continued. "There's no winner whenever the law is manipulated that badly."Dallas attorney Clint Broden, meanwhile, called the prosecution "a clusterfuck.""It fell apart because they charged too many people and tried to create a false narrative," said Broden, who at one point represented five defendants involved in the case. "When the false narrative—that bikers were out to get Waco residents—was exposed, it was too difficult to convince people that the prosecution was in good faith. You had a hard time sorting the guilty from the not guilty at that point.""A lot of people's lives were ruined because they were innocent, but a lot of people did die," said Broden. "There are victims and victims' families who are being denied closure. The mess that was created prevented anyone who was guilty from being prosecuted. There's enough injustice to go around on both sides of this."Seth Sutton, who was the first attorney hired after the shooting, said his client, Bandido and Marine veteran Jeffrey Lee Battey, was "vilified by the courts, by the prosecution.""And every biker here paid the price for the false narrative," said Sutton. "They were so treated like cardboard cutout monsters and villains." "The motorcycle culture is a tight-knit group; it's a family," Sutton added. "He's a real victim here at the hands of the state."More than 130 of the bikers have filed civil rights lawsuits against Reyna, the city of Waco, McLennan County, and officers who were involved in the arrests.Even Judge Ralph Strother, who presided over dozens of hearings on the case, told The Daily Beast on Wednesday that he was glad to be done with it."No matter what perspective you view this episode from, it leaves an unpleasant taste in your mouth," Strother said.Read more at The Daily Beast.
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| NATO approves measures to counter Russia amid internal rifts Posted: 04 Apr 2019 02:51 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — NATO foreign ministers approved a series of measures Thursday aimed at countering Russia in the Black Sea region, an agreement that comes amid public rifts between the United States and several of the other 28 members on security and trade issues.
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| Google’s $900 Pixel 3 XL is only $522 on Amazon if you get a refurb Posted: 04 Apr 2019 06:49 AM PDT  Before you go and blow $900 or more on a new Pixel 3 XL, there's a limited-time deal on Amazon that you'll definitely want to check out. Pixel Phone 3 XL Smartphones in Just Black with 64GB of storage are down to just $522 and change right now. Or, if you want white instead of black, you can snag one for $530. These awesome Pixel phones are factory unlocked and they come with US warranties. Hurry before they sell out!Here are the bullet points from the product page: * This Certified Refurbished product has been tested and certified to work and look like new, with minimal to no signs of wear, by a specialized third-party seller approved by Amazon. The product is backed by a minimum 90-day warranty and may arrive in a generic brown or white box. Accessories may be generic and not directly from the manufacturer. * Create, share and stay connected with this black or white Google Pixel 3 XL smartphone. Its 64GB of storage lets you save important files and apps, and the 12.2-megapixel rear camera has autofocus to take professional-looking photos easily. The 6.3-inch touch screen on this Google Pixel 3 XL smartphone is water-resistant and dust-resistant. * Google Pixel 3 XL (64GB, 6.3") Factory Unlocked US Warranty, Brand: Google, Model: Pixel 3 XL Factory Unlocked, GSM MPN: G013C, Operating System: Latest Android 9 Pie (3 years of OS and security updates), Cellular Band: Unlocked, Lock Status: Network Unlocked, Screen Size: Fullscreen 6.3 inches QHDplus OLED at 523ppi * Glass: Corning Gorilla Glass 5, Network: Unlocked World-wide network/carrier compatibility with GSM/EDGE: Quad-band (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) CDMA EVDO Rev A: BC0/BC1/BC10 WCDMA: W1/W2 Camera Resolution: 12.2MP HDR Support (UHDA certification), 4K Video Recording Rear Camera: 12.2MP dual pixel, f/1.8 aperture, Autofocus and dual pixel phase detection, Optical and electronic image stabilization, Spectral and flicker sensor Dual Front Cameras: 8MP wide angle and normal FoV cameras. * RAM: 4 GB, Storage Capacity: 64GB, Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2.5GHz plus 1.6GHz), 64Bit Octa Core Adreno 630 ,Battery: 3430 mAh battery, 18w fast charging, Qi wireless charging, 18w/2A USB Type C charger, Wireless and Location: Wi Fi 2.4GHz plus 5.0GHz 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0 LE Materials: Aluminum frame plus hybrid coating, Style: Bar
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| Joe Biden vows to be 'more mindful' on same day as three more women make accusations Posted: 04 Apr 2019 05:21 AM PDT  Former Vice President Joe Biden released a video on Twitter addressing the allegations of unwanted and inappropriate behavior.
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| Bezos ex-wife to surrender 75% of couple's Amazon shares Posted: 04 Apr 2019 11:09 AM PDT  MacKenzie Bezos, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced Thursday they had finalized their divorce, and that she would surrender 75 percent of the couple's shares in the tech giant. MacKenzie Bezos also said she would give all of her stake in The Washington Post and the space exploration firm Blue Origin to her ex-husband -- the world's richest man -- as well as voting control of her remaining Amazon shares. In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Amazon said MacKenzie Bezos now controls four percent of the company's outstanding common stock.
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| SDF says Syria's Raqqa hit by mine blast, not suicide attack Posted: 03 Apr 2019 08:32 AM PDT ![SDF says Syria's Raqqa hit by mine blast, not suicide attack]( "SDF says Syria's Raqqa hit by mine blast, not suicide attack") A blast in Syria's Raqqa on Wednesday that wounded people was caused by an unexploded mine left by Islamic State going off, not by suicide attacks, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said. The head of the SDF's media office Mustafa Bali told journalists in an online message that earlier information it provided about suicide bombings in the city, captured from IS in 2017, was wrong. A string of bombings have in recent months targeted the northeastern corner of Syria held by the SDF, even after its capture of the last Islamic State enclave in the area.
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| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Meet the Trump supporter trying to take her down through campaign finance complaints Posted: 03 Apr 2019 03:48 PM PDT  The man trying to bring down Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her staff for allegedly breaking campaign finance laws during the 2018 midterm elections, is a devout partisan and proud Donald Trump supporter, known for his distaste for the very campaign finance regulations he is using to try and stir up controversy.Dan Backer, a Virginia attorney, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Wednesday, alleging that Ms Ocasio-Cortez and her chief of staff Seikat Chakrabarti engaged in a "scheme" to undercut normal "market value" for campaign services for her and several other progressive candidates.It is a complaint that Mr Backer says shows Ms Ocasio-Cortez's "hypocrisy" as an advocate for campaign finance reform, even if he does not personally agree with the underlying law. And, it is Mr Backer's own duality on these issues that campaign finance experts say illustrates how easy it is for partisan complaints to be filed with the FEC and make news with little in-depth scrutiny."I think much of what they set out to do SHOULD be legal, and the provisions restricting people from engaging in robust political activity in this way are likely unconstitutional, but it's still the law," Mr Backer told The Independent in an email.He continued: "And it's self-aggrandising 'reformers' like [Ms Ocasio-Cortez] who seek to make the laws even more burdensome. I would be thrilled if the adjudication here resulted in overturning some of these restrictions, but until then it's still the law and a self-professed reformer ought to follow the laws."A request sent to Ms Ocasio-Cortez's office seeking comment on Mr Backer's allegations received no reply. She has previously claimed the campaign finance allegations against her originated from a "conspiracy machine".In the newest complaint, Mr Backer charges that Ms Ocasio-Cortez and Mr Chakrabarti controlled three overlapping entities — the Justice Democrats PAC, the Brand New Congress PAC and Brand New Congress LLC — with a goal to "subsidise cheap assistance for Ocasio-Cortez and other candidates at rates far below market value".The complaint details a string of allegations, with multiple different ways that Mr Backer says Ms Ocasio-Cortez may have violated campaign finance laws."Dan Backer is a longtime actor in this space who has scored some notable victories. He has won, but he also has a reputation for taking a kind of kitchen sink approach," said Daniel Weiner, the senior counsel for the Brennan Centre for Justice."He sues the FEC constantly and loses much more often than he wins, though he has won," Mr Weiner continued. "He's also, frankly, he's a very, very committed partisan. Not unlike many people in this bar. He's also a committed — one might even say ferocious — opponent of campaign finance regulation generally."Mr Backer's complaint was filed on Wednesday on behalf of the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, a conservative activist group that has challenged Ms Ocasio-Cortez for campaign finance violations on at least one other occasion.The foundation is run by Mr Backer and by Shaun McCutcheon, a Republican donor and delegate for Mr Trump who once challenged — and won with Mr Backer's help — the FEC over limits on aggregate campaign donations to federal candidates during a two year period.In addition to his complaints against Ms Ocasio-Cortez, Mr Backer has been active in Republican politics organising against former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.Mr Backer helped to establish the Stop Hillary PAC, for instance, which was highly critical of her handling of the 2012 attacks on US government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, where a US ambassador was killed. The PAC was later renamed following Mr Trump's election as the Committee to Defend the President.Mr Backer was also involved in a complaint accusing the Clinton campaign in 2016 of campaign violations related to payments to Fusion GPS – the company that helped produce the dossier compiled by ex-British spy Christopher Steele.With Mr Backer's signature behind it, the Committee to Defend the President and a separate pro-Trump PAC called Great America PAC have already begun spending big to support the president's re-election bid. By mid-February, for instance, those two groups had already spent $441,038 and $821,280, respectively, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics.
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| April freebies: Your monthly guide to food specials, meal deals and more Posted: 04 Apr 2019 03:00 AM PDT  April brings big freebie and deal days including National Burrito Day, National Beer Day, Tax Day and National Pretzel Day.
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| 4 arrested after video shows wild fight inside Atlantic City McDonald's Posted: 03 Apr 2019 04:05 AM PDT  Police said a 21-year-old and three 17-year-old girls are being charged for attacking McDonald's employees and using pepper spray.
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| Man arrested in reported sword attack over 'MAGA' hat spat Posted: 04 Apr 2019 05:31 PM PDT ![Man arrested in reported sword attack over 'MAGA' hat spat]( "Man arrested in reported sword attack over 'MAGA' hat spat") SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Officers arrested a man who slashed another man with a sword after the victim allegedly knocked his "Make America Great Again" hat from his head, San Francisco police said Thursday.
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| iPhone 5G release may be pushed back to 2021 Posted: 03 Apr 2019 01:32 PM PDT  In a new investor note from Timothy Arcuri (obtained via CNBC), the UBS analyst writes that supply challenges may force Apple to delay its 5G compatible iPhone until 2021. With Apple still entangled in a legal battle with Qualcomm, Arcuri articulates that Intel may not be able to supply 5G modems at the scale Apple needs. What's more, Arcuri writes that striking a deal with other 5G modem providers like MediaTek represents an "unlikely solution."Consequently, Arcuri believes that there is an "increasing potential that Apple may not be able to ship a 5G iPhone for 2020" as initially believed.If Arcuri's prediction pans out, this would prove to be a major blow for Apple. Especially with iPhone sales growth on the decline, a 5G enabled iPhone is just the thing Apple needs to inject a bit of life into its iPhone lineup. Further, once 5G coverage becomes more widespread, Android devices with 5G will be much more intriguing than iPhone models without 5G. Suffice it to say, Apple is likely doing everything in its power to roll out 5G capable iPhones by 2020.Of course, the problem is that it's not really in Apple's hands. Again, with Qualcomm off the table, Apple is essentially forced to strike a deal with Intel -- a partnership that presents its own challenges.To this point, Cown analyst Matthew Ramsay relayed the following just last month:> Apple's first option, Cowen wrote, is to "launch 18 months after 5G competition with an inferior modem from Intel likely without mmWave capabilities," referring to the band of spectrum that can be used for 5G's high-speed wireless communications.> > Another option would be to "source a 5G modem from chief competitor Samsung," Cowen wrote, though it added that would likely come only on "tough commercial terms." Using a 5G modem from Huawei is "off the table as an option," Cowen told clients, while "MediaTek's stack is too far behind in terms of timeline."There are, of course, rumors that Apple has been working on developing its own 5G modem, but there's no indication it would be even close to ready to ship in 2020.Apple of course has historically had no problem embracing new networking technologies late in the game. We saw this previously with Apple's somewhat slow adoption of 3G and 4G LTE. 5G, though, is different. The technological lead Apple had over Android back in the day has narrowed considerably. These days, Apple doesn't have the luxury to embrace new networking technologies significantly later than its Android counterparts. We can only hope that Intel manages to step up to the plate or that Apple, however unlikely, can reach some sort of settlement agreement with Qualcomm sooner rather than later.
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| How Joe Biden could make me start forgiving him for Anita Hill (first, stop touching) Posted: 04 Apr 2019 07:33 AM PDT  Maybe this outcry will teach Biden and a whole generation of entitled old white guys that uninvited touching is paternalistic and patronizing.
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| DHS Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen to Tucker Carlson: Getting Rid of Birthright Citizenship Is ‘on the Table’ Posted: 02 Apr 2019 07:27 PM PDT  Hours after President Trump declared he would "100 percent" close America's southern border if he can't make a deal with Congress on border security and immigration, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that eliminating birthright citizenship is "on the table" as a way to stop the flow of undocumented immigrants and asylum-seeking migrants.Nielsen, who recently requested additional resources from Congress as border officials aim to quadruple the number of deportations of asylum seekers, appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight Tuesday evening to discuss the influx of Central American migrants at the southern border, and Carlson immediately began grilling her about what the administration was doing to "fix this."At times, it even seemed as if the Fox News host might be gunning for Nielsen's job as he bombarded her with his own proposed solutions to the border crisis.What about punishing employers "who are setting the bait in this trap, who are encouraging illegal aliens to come into this country?" he asked. (Interestingly, the president's own businesses allegedly employed numerous undocumented workers—until they were caught by the press.)"That is part of the problem," Nielsen said, adding that steps are already being taken to address just that issue. "We're looking to do everything we can throughout the system to apply penalties where we can," she said. Carlson was not satisfied with that answer. "Well how bout this, why wouldn't your agency write an executive order, present it to the president, have him sign it and do it tomorrow?"Nielsen went on to argue that "there's a debate in Congress" regarding the executive branch on implementing an order like that, prompting Carlson to blast Congress while advocating for more direct executive actions."It looks like Congress is not going to act because one party has a vested interest in changing the population and the other party is, in effect, controlled by people who want illegal immigration," Carlson asserted. "So would there be a downside for the president to act unilaterally on that question or, for example, birthright citizenship? Would you be willing to draft an executive order eliminating birthright citizenship?"The Homeland Security chief responded that Trump has been clear that it is "all on the table" and he's serious about shutting down the border."Yes, everything is on the table," she reiterated.Carlson, after noting that "things seem less under control now" at the border than before Trump was elected, asked later in the interview if the administration would send the military to the border since "it's really a crisis of that magnitude." Nielsen said they "are looking into that" and have sent a request to the Department of Defense, causing Carlson to ask who is in charge and if it would be possible for the commander-in-chief to move "troops to the border tomorrow.""He has full authority to defend our country," Nielsen said of Trump. "That's what he is moving to do. His statements about closing the border are a perfect example. We will take all action to do this. It's on the table."One topic that did not get addressed in Carlson's interview with Nielsen, however, was Tuesday's scoop by the Daily Beast that DHS was disbanding its terror intelligence unit even though white supremacist terrorism is on the rise. Read more at The Daily Beast.
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| Ethiopian 737 pilots followed Boeing guidelines before crash: WSJ Posted: 02 Apr 2019 11:32 PM PDT  The pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX plane that crashed last month initially took the emergency steps outlined by the manufacturer but still could not regain control, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The airliner went down soon after taking off on March 10, killing 157 people in the second deadly crash of a 737 MAX aircraft in less than five months, forcing a worldwide grounding of the model. The first -- a Lion Air crash in Indonesia that killed 189 people in October -- led to Boeing issuing a bulletin reminding operators of emergency guidelines to override a specially developed anti-stall system on MAX planes.
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| Charmin's 'Forever' toilet paper rolls are gigantic and last a month Posted: 03 Apr 2019 10:54 AM PDT  Available in Charmin's ultra soft 2-ply sheets, the jumbo-sized rolls hold 850 sheets for a single-user roll and 1,700 sheets for a multi-user roll.
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| Best and Worst Agitator Top-Loaders Posted: 03 Apr 2019 02:10 PM PDT  Best and Worst Agitator Top-Loaders From Consumer Reports' Tests Agitator top-loaders aren't usually the most innovative appliances in the laundry aisle, but they remain a crowd favorite. This t...
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| What we know: DNA tests confirm the person found in Newport is not Timmothy Pitzen Posted: 04 Apr 2019 03:28 PM PDT  Timmothy Pitzen disappeared from the Chicago area in May 2011, when he was 6 years old.
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| This gorgeous iPhone 11 concept is probably much more exciting than the real thing Posted: 03 Apr 2019 06:26 AM PDT  This is going to be a very interesting year in the smartphone industry. Android phone makers typically take cues from Apple and follow the company's every move. Just look at all the shameless Android-powered iPhone X copycats that hit the market after Apple released the phone in 2017. In 2019, however, the smartphone landscape looks nothing like it did in late 2017 and throughout most of 2018. Instead, Android vendors have moved on to even better all-screen smartphone designs while Apple continues to use the same notched screen design it introduced on the iPhone X. And if you're an Apple fan, we have some more bad news: It looks like things are going to get worse before they get any better.According to reports from multiple sources including the most accurate Apple insider out there, the iPhone 11 series that launches later this year will sport a design that's almost identical to the iPhone X and iPhone XS. That's right, Apple apparently plans to use the same phone design three years in a row, just like it did with the iPhone 6, 6s, and 7. This year's iPhone 11 is expected to look just like last year's iPhone XS and 2017's iPhone X from the front, and the back will be the same apart from frosted glass instead of clear glass and a new camera array. Those minor design changes aren't exactly exciting, so one graphic designer decided to play with what we've seen so far and create an iPhone 11 concept that looks much better than what we've seen so far in leaks.For those who need a refresher, here's what we're expecting from the iPhone 11 when Apple unveils it this coming September:In a word, meh.Graphic designer Hasan Kaymak apparently finds the prospect of an iPhone 11 that looks the same as the iPhone X and iPhone XS other than a bulbous camera bump to be just as boring as we do. In an effort to spice things up, he decided to riff on it a bit. He created a series of renders that imagine what the iPhone 11 might look like if it used the same camera design, but also mixed in some retro flavor design trends from 2019.The result is a sleek iPhone 11 that has flat metal edges like the iPhone 5 and iPhone SE that everyone loves, but also a hole-punch display similar to the Galaxy S10. The resulting design isn't perfect, but it's certainly better than using the same design for a third consecutive year.First, we don't like the centrally located hole-punch cameras at all -- the hole looks much better in a corner. On top of that, Kaymak's design doesn't leave room for any of the other sensors that the TrueDepth camera system needs in order to function. Face ID isn't going anywhere, and the tech needed to hide the sensors under the screen isn't yet ready for mass production. As a result, this iPhone 11 concept design is completely unfeasible. The modernized iPhone SE look is fantastic though, and we definitely prefer it to Apple's current rounded edges. Maybe someday Apple will go back to basics and build an iPhone like this, but sadly it won't be in 2019.A video featuring Kaymak's design is embedded below.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YCK4ZZYips
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| Libya braced for war as Khalifa Haftar orders advance on Tripoli Posted: 04 Apr 2019 10:16 AM PDT  Libya was on the brink of all-out civil war on Thursday after the renegade general Khalifa Haftar defied the United Nations to order his forces to march on Tripoli and overthrow the country's internationally recognised government. In an audio address to his self-styled Libyan National Army on Thursday evening, General Haftar ordered a "victorious march" on the capital to "shake the lands under the feet of the unjust bunch." "Tripoli, we hear your call," he said in the address. "Whoever raises the white flag is safe." Fayez al-Serraj, the prime minister of the Tripoli-based government of national accord, had earlier ordered forces mobilised and authorised airstrikes if necessary to halt any assault on the capital. The powerful group of militias who control the Western city of Misrata said they were ready to fight Gen Haftar's forces and backed Mr Serraj. Gen Haftar's attempt to end Libya's long-simmering internal conflict by force came just hours after Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, arrived in Tripoli for talks with Mr Serraj ahead of a national reconciliation conference planned for the middle of this month. Khalifa Haftar ordered his troops to "advance" on Tripoli on Thursday April 4 Credit: ABDULLAH DOMA/AFP Mr Guterres called for de-escalation and reiterated his view that there is "no military solution" to the country's eight-year conflict. "There can be no national conference in these circumstances," he told reporters in the Libyan capital. Libya has been divided between rival armed groups since Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011. The main centres of power are Mr Serraj's internationally-recognised government based in Tripoli and a rival administration run by Gen Haftar based in the eastern city of Benghazi. Gen Haftar has recently consolidated control over large swathes of the south of the country. He enjoys strong backing from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, who see him as a potential secular leader who could restore order to the war-torn country and defeat Islamist insurgents there. His critics see him as a would-be dictator in the mold of Gaddafi. Russia and some Western countries, notably France, have also lent Gen Haftar support while simultaneously continuing to recognise and support Mr Serraj's government in Tripoli. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the U.N. Envoy for Libya Ghassan Salame speak during a news conference in Tripoli on Thursday Credit: REUTERS/ HANI AMARA Mr Serraj and Gen Haftar met in Abu Dhabi last month to discuss a power-sharing agreement and were expected to announce a deal paving the way to national elections at the Libyan National Conference organized by Ghassan Salame, the UN secretary general's special representative for Libya, on April 14-16. Skirmishes between the Gen Haftar's forces and and troops loyal to Mr Serraj's government broke out on Wednesday evening after the LNA said it had sent units westwards. On Thursday morning, LNA units said they had taken full control of the town of Gharyan, about 50 miles south of the capital Tripoli. The account was disputed by some witnesses who said LNA troops had bypassed the town rather than enter it. The LNA released a video on Wednesday that showed pick-up trucks mounted with heavy machine guns massing on an unidentified road. But analysts said it was still unclear whether Gen Haftar's forces would have the military capacity to seize western Libya by force. Although its troops saw intense fighting for control of the cities of Derna and Benghazi, most of the LNA's recent territorial gains in the south of the country have been achieved by cutting deals with local militia groups rather than fighting them. Western cities like Zintan and Misrata, which field formidable militias with heavy weapons, "would be a different type of resistance entirely. And they will fight" said Tim Eaton, a Libya expert at Chatham House. "It is difficult to see Haftar rolling into a place like Tripoli unless he has cut deals already."
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| Dalai Lama lauds New Zealand PM for handling mosque attacks Posted: 04 Apr 2019 04:17 AM PDT  NEW DELHI (AP) — The Dalai Lama on Thursday praised New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her compassionate handling of a recent attack on two mosques by a gunman that left 50 Muslim worshippers dead in Christchurch.
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| Trump takes shot at Biden over kiss complaint Posted: 02 Apr 2019 07:47 PM PDT  In a speech to a fundraising dinner for the National Republican Congressional Committee, Trump twice alluded to the allegations from two women that are hanging over Biden as he weighs whether to enter the contest to become the Democratic candidate in November 2020 presidential elections. A former Nevada state legislator last week accused Biden of kissing her on the back of the head at a 2014 event, and a Connecticut woman said Biden rubbed noses with her at a 2009 event. Biden has said he did not believe he ever acted inappropriately, and his defenders have said he is known for hugging and being physically affectionate.
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| AOC on Trump's claim his taxes are under audit: 'We didn't ask you' Posted: 03 Apr 2019 04:40 PM PDT  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sounds off on the president's claim that his taxes are "under audit."
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| Bankrupt California utility PG&E announces new CEO, board shakeup Posted: 04 Apr 2019 12:29 AM PDT  Troubled California utility PG&E on Tuesday named Bill Johnson as its new CEO, as it faces contentious bankruptcy proceedings and billions of dollars in potential liabilities over its role in a series of deadly wildfires. The largest utility in the most populous American state, Pacific Gas and Electric Company has been under intensifying scrutiny in the wake of the 2018 Camp Fire in northern California that left 86 people dead and destroyed some 18,000 buildings. PG&E could face massive liabilities if investigators find that its equipment was responsible for the fire.
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| The 2019 Audi e-tron Has an EPA-Rated Electric Range of 204 Miles Posted: 04 Apr 2019 10:00 AM PDT  Audi's first fully electric car is finally here, and U.S. deliveries will start in May.
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| New leak offers more details on Samsung’s mysterious second Galaxy Note 10 model Posted: 03 Apr 2019 05:17 AM PDT  Thanks to a report from South Korean media on Tuesday, we learned that Samsung is planning to do something with its 2019 Galaxy Note lineup that it has never done before. According to sources in Samsung's supply chain, the company intends to release not one Galaxy Note 10 flagship phone, but two. We've obviously grown accustomed to seeing Samsung launch multiple versions of its flagship phones, but so far only the Galaxy S series has offered variety. First Samsung would release different versions of its Galaxy S phones with flat and rounded displays. Then once Apple started releasing a normal iPhone and a "Plus" size iPhone, Samsung coincidentally decided to do the same. Oh, and then once Apple switched things up again in 2018 and added a third lower-cost model to its iPhone lineup, Samsung coincidentally decided to do the same thing yet again in 2019.When it comes to the company's Galaxy Note phones, however, there has always been one and only one new S-Pen equipped flagship phone released each summer. This year, Samsung reportedly plans to introduce a second new Galaxy Note 10 alongside the main model, and now a new report offers further details about this mysterious second Note 10 phone.Why is this supposed second Galaxy Note 10 model so mysterious? The idea of Samsung offering a smaller and more affordable Galaxy Note phone alongside its main flagship model is hardly outside the realm of possibility. After all, the company just did the same thing with the Galaxy S10e. What's so odd about the report we saw on Tuesday, however, is the fact that Samsung is apparently planning to release its smaller Note phone only in the European region. Samsung's Galaxy S10e is reportedly selling quite well all over the world, so why on Earth would Samsung confine its smaller Galaxy Note 10 only to one region?While you ponder that, Korean-language financial news site The Bell is back with another Galaxy Note 10 report on Wednesday morning. This time around, the site has some details about this supposed second Note 10 model apart from just the fact that it's expected to be smaller than the main Galaxy Note 10.We first learned last month that there will definitely be a 5G version of the Galaxy Note 10. But even before that, a report from back in February revealed that the Note 10 will feature a quad-lens camera on the back of the phone. Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S10 5G has a quad-lens setup that adds a 3D depth camera to the triple-lens array from the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. With that in mind, it's likely that the Note 10 will have the same configuration. However, according to The Bell's inside info, the smaller version of Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Note 10 will only have a triple-lens camera on the back.The report cites multiple sources in stating that the larger Note 10 will have four rear camera sensors while the smaller model will have three. It does note that the Note 10's specs have yet to be finalized, but says "this is the current situation." If this news does pan out, it seems like Samsung might be taking the same approach to the smaller Galaxy Note 10 that it took with the Galaxy S10e -- it's not only smaller, but also less expensive thanks to some pared down specs. If that indeed ends up being the case, it would sting even worse if Samsung decided to release the "Galaxy Note 10e" only in Europe and not in the rest of the world.
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| Teen says he is Illinois child missing for eight years Posted: 04 Apr 2019 04:46 AM PDT  Hopes were raised on Wednesday that an Illinois boy missing since 2011 may have been found in Kentucky, after local police agencies were asked to help track down a teen's claim that he is Timmothy Pitzen, who was last seen with his mother eight years ago. The police department in Sharonville, Ohio, was one of numerous agencies that received a request from authorities in Kentucky to help search local motels for men who the teen said had been holding him, Sharonville Police Chief Steve Vanover told Reuters. A police report filed by a Sharonville detective summarized a dramatic story of escape from kidnappers, which Vanover said was told to Sharonville police by officials in Campbell County, Kentucky.
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| Beats launches its new wireless Powerbeats Pro headphones Posted: 04 Apr 2019 09:28 AM PDT  The Powerbeats Pro are 23% smaller than current-gen Powerbeats and 17% lighter. The headphones automatically light up when taken out of the box, and switch off (and charge) when put back in. The headphones are of course also compatible with iOS and Android devices.
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| Chicago Makes History by Electing Its First Black, Female Mayor Posted: 03 Apr 2019 06:39 AM PDT  Lightfoot, who also will be the first openly gay leader of the nation's third-most-populous city, soundly defeated Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, 74 to 26 percent with nearly all precincts reporting, according to city election board returns. Lightfoot had never held elective office and will replace Rahm Emanuel, who chose not to run for a third term. The historic outcome of Tuesday's vote was assured after the two black women beat 12 rivals in the campaign's Feb. 26 first round, Chicago's most crowded mayoral ballot ever.
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| Restaurant Quality Lamb Recipes You Can Make at Home Posted: 03 Apr 2019 03:25 PM PDT |
| 'We cannot have perfection as a litmus test': Stacey Abrams defends Biden amid allegations Posted: 04 Apr 2019 02:56 PM PDT  Abrams said there was no truth to the reports that Biden approached her about entering the 2020 race as his vice presidential running mate.
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| Teen claims he is Illinois boy that has been missing since 2011 Posted: 04 Apr 2019 04:35 AM PDT  Police are reportedly waiting on DNA results to identify if the 14-year-old is Timmothy Pitzen, last seen with his mother at a Wisconsin waterpark 7 years ago.
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| Pence calls Germany stance in NATO 'unacceptable' Posted: 03 Apr 2019 11:43 AM PDT  Washington (AFP) - US Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday strongly criticized Germany at NATO's 70th anniversary gathering, saying the ally's level of defense spending and work with Russia on a gas pipeline were "simply unacceptable."
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