| Final battle to liberate last Islamic State village begins after civilians evacuated Posted: 01 Mar 2019 10:50 AM PST  Western-backed forces say they plan to crush the Islamic State terror group within two days after launching an operation to clear out the group's final stronghold. The Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish-led group that has been the US-led coalition's main ally against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) in Syria, commenced their final assault on the village of Baghuz just after sunset on Friday night. "After evacuation of thousands of civilians and our comrades who were held hostage in Baghouz, the operation to clear the last remaining pocket of Isil started at 18:00 this evening," Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the SDF said. Mr Bali told The Daily Telegraph that said the operation is expected to last two days, but may take a week to complete as hardened jihadists fight back with heavy weapons and suicide car bombs. Isil, which once ruled over eight million people in a proto-state covering large swathes of Syria and Iraq, now controls a patch of land about 700 metres across on the banks of the Euphrates river. The demise of ISIL in Syria and Iraq The operation follows three weeks of evacuations of civilians from the tiny pocket. About 17,000 people, mostly women and children, have left in the past 16 days. SDF commanders estimate there are around 1,000 Isil fighters remaining in the pocket, along with an unknown number of non-combatants. They may include John Cantlie, a British journalist who was kidnapped in 2012. Ben Wallace, the UK Security Minister, said last month that there was reason to believe Mr Cantlie is still alive. Photo Dispatch: Syria's fight against ISIL Although the fall of Baghuz would mark the end of the group's pretensions to a caliphate, SDF officials have warned it will continue to present a security threat. Sleeper cells using guerrilla tactics continue to carry out drive-by shootings and suicide bombings in liberated areas. Some fighters still hold some desolate territory in a remote area west of the Euphrates River. "All the remaining fighters are experienced and professional. They the true radicals and jihadist fighters. Therefore they will fight to the end," Mr Bali said. "We do not expect any to surrender."
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| U.S. top diplomat urges ratcheting down of India, Pakistan tensions Posted: 28 Feb 2019 05:20 AM PST ![U.S. top diplomat urges ratcheting down of India, Pakistan tensions]( "U.S. top diplomat urges ratcheting down of India, Pakistan tensions") MANILA (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday that he has spoken with the leaders of India and Pakistan amid tensions between the two countries and has urged them to avoid "any action that would escalate and greatly increase risk." India and Pakistan have struck each other with retaliatory airstrikes following a suicide car bombing that killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police officers in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Feb. 14. Pompeo was speaking to reporters on his plane as he flew from Vietnam to the Philippines. ...
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| Canada launches extradition of top Chinese executive to US Posted: 01 Mar 2019 05:31 PM PST  Canada on Friday launched the extradition of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou to the United States -- the latest move in a case that has roiled relations between the North American neighbors and China. The 47-year-old businesswoman was changing planes in Vancouver in December when she was detained at Washington's request on suspicion of violating US sanctions on Iran -- sparking arrests of Canadians in China that were seen as retaliatory. "Today, Department of Justice Canada officials issued an Authority to Proceed, formally commencing an extradition process in the case of Ms. Meng Wanzhou," the government said in a statement.
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| Sanders tries to convince wary Democrats he's one of them Posted: 28 Feb 2019 11:03 AM PST  Over nearly three decades on Capitol Hill, Sen. Bernie Sanders has refused to formally identify as a Democrat. His 2016 primary challenge against Hillary Clinton exposed deep divisions among Democrats and fundamentally reshaped the party.
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| In U.S. charm offensive, China's Huawei launches ad to combat dark image Posted: 28 Feb 2019 01:10 PM PST  Huawei Technologies ran a full page ad in major U.S. newspapers on Thursday urging readers not to believe "everything you hear," about the Chinese tech firm, as it defends itself against government accusations its equipment can be used to spy. The world's largest telecommunications equipment maker, which has been charged with bank fraud related to U.S. sanctions against Iran, touted its relief efforts in disaster-torn countries like Chile and Indonesia, and its work to connect the undeserved around the world. The advertisement ran in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Politico, USA Today and the Los Angeles Times, said Huawei spokesman Chase Skinner.
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| Southwest Airlines wing scrapes runway during aborted landing in Hartford Posted: 27 Feb 2019 05:56 PM PST  A Southwest flight from Orlando to Hartford, Connecticut, ended up diverting to Rhode Island after trying to land three times in high winds.
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| Pelosi: Kim Jong Un the 'big winner' of summit with Trump Posted: 28 Feb 2019 09:52 AM PST  The House speaker was keeping score on the summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, and said that the North Korean dictator had scored a victory simply by sitting down with the leader of the "most powerful person in the world."
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| Pakistan returns Indian pilot downed over Kashmir Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:04 AM PST  A pilot shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani aircraft returned to India on Friday, after being freed in what Islamabad called a "peace gesture" following the biggest standoff between the two countries in years. But fresh violence raged in Kashmir, with seven people killed in the Indian-administered part of the tinder-box territory, suggesting that the crisis may not be over yet. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, shot down on Wednesday over Kashmir - divided between the nuclear-armed rivals since 1947 - crossed into India at the famed Wagah crossing point, sporting a black eye from his ordeal. Thousands of Indians, waving flags, singing and dancing with patriotic fervour, had gathered at the crossing point on Friday afternoon but the crowd dwindled after his release was delayed inexplicably by hours. In New Delhi the announcement of the experienced pilot's release was seen as a diplomatic victory, but India warned that its military remained on "heightened" alert. On Thursday and Friday both countries continued to fire barrages across the Line of Control (LoC), the de-facto border dividing Kashmir, leaving at least one person dead. Gun battles on the Indian side left two militants and four members of the Indian security services dead, while a civilian was killed in later protests, police told AFP. "Influence of terrorists and terrorism has been curtailed and it is going to be curtailed even more. This is a New India," Prime Minister Narendra Modi, facing a tough election due by May, said Friday. "This is an India that will return the damage done by terrorists with interest," he said. India's junior foreign minister and former army chief, Vijay Kumar Singh, tweeted that the "welcome" release of the pilot was "the first of many steps that Pakistan must take to reinforce their commitment to peace". Pulwama suicide attack - Map Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule. Both claim it in full and have fought two wars over the Himalayan territory. India has half a million troops in the part it administers, with militants - backed by Islamabad, according to New Delhi - fighting for independence or a merger with Pakistan. Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died since a revolt that broke out in 1989. Last year was the deadliest in a decade with almost 600 killed, monitors say. Matters escalated alarmingly after a massive suicide bombing killed 40 Indian troops on February 14, with the attack claimed by a Pakistan-based militant group. Twelve days later Indian warplanes launched a strike inside undisputed Pakistani territory, claiming to have hit a militant camp. An infuriated Islamabad denied casualties or damage, but a day later launched its own incursion across the LoC. That sparked the dogfight which ended in both countries claiming they had shot down each other's warplanes, and Abhinandan's capture. Prime Minister Imran Khan unexpectedly announced Thursday that he would be released in the first sign of a potential thaw. Khan alluded to the catastrophic consequences of nuclear war and called for talks - even as he warned India should not take the announcement as a sign of weakness. Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan has become a national hero in India, with his parents receiving a standing ovation as they boarded a flight to welcome their son. Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi meanwhile said he was boycotting a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Abu Dhabi, as India had been invited. The tensions prompted Pakistan to close down its airspace, disrupting major routes between Europe and South Asia and grounding thousands of travellers worldwide. Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said Friday that flights could land and depart from its main airports from 1300 GMT, and that others would be opened "gradually". The parents of handlebar-moustached Abhinandan were given a standing ovation by fellow passengers as they boarded a flight to Amritsar near Wagah to welcome their son. He has become a national hero after purported footage that went viral showed him being beaten by locals after being shot down before Pakistani soldiers intervened, with social media abuzz with GivebackAbhinandan and Abhinandanmyhero hashtags. His subsequent polite refusal to proffer more details than necessary - "I am sorry major, I am not supposed to tell you this" - won him particular sympathy in India. His father, a retired air force officer, told the Times of India newspaper, "Just look at the way he talked so bravely... a true soldier... we are proud of him."
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| 10 Tax Write-Offs You Shouldn't Overlook Posted: 28 Feb 2019 06:53 AM PST ![10 Tax Write-Offs You Shouldn't Overlook]( "10 Tax Write-Offs You Shouldn't Overlook") If you want to save money at tax time, you'll want to take advantage of as many tax deductions as possible. While the term write-off often refers to a deduction, many taxpayers use it to describe a tax credit as well. "A deduction is a deduction from (taxable) income, and a credit is a deduction from tax (owed)," explains Mark Luscombe, principal analyst for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting, a provider of software and information services for tax, accounting and audit workers.
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| Q&A: What's at stake as India-Pakistan tensions rise? Posted: 27 Feb 2019 08:45 PM PST  ISLAMABAD (AP) — Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan face their worst tension in years over the disputed region of Kashmir, with Islamabad saying they shot down two Indian warplanes Wednesday and captured a pilot. Pakistan, which previously said it captured two pilots, immediately shut down its civilian airspace in response.
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| The Best New Products from KBIS 2019 Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:43 AM PST |
| US slaps new sanctions on Venezuela regime as Russia ups support Posted: 01 Mar 2019 03:25 PM PST  The United States and Russia clashed Friday over how to assist ailing Venezuela, with Moscow pledging new relief channeled through President Nicolas Maduro and Washington slapping sanctions over the blocking of US aid it tried to force through the border. A day after Russia and China vetoed a US and European resolution at the UN Security Council that called for unimpeded aid deliveries, Washington said it was targeting six Venezuelan military officers for stopping last weekend's US-led convoy. Four people were killed in the melee as Maduro's forces prevented the 178 metric tonnes of rice, beans and other food from crossing, with the leftist strongman seeing the aid as a pretext for a US-led invasion.
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| Swiss may let 5,000 people use marijuana legally for studies Posted: 28 Feb 2019 01:36 AM PST  The cabinet proposed limited pilot projects that may lead to changes in laws banning cannabis that date back to 1951. The plan will be put out for public comment until mid-year, the Federal Health Office said. Switzerland already allows cannabis products of less than 1 percent THC, the chemical that makes people high.
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| Democrats Bet on Mueller Delivering the Goods. What If He Doesn't? Posted: 28 Feb 2019 10:00 AM PST  Or the public never sees his report?
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| Tesla Gives Up on Factory Stores, Will Only Sell Cars Online Posted: 28 Feb 2019 06:10 PM PST  If you'd like to buy a Tesla in a few months, you'll need an internet connection.
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| 'Help! Help! Help!' 911 calls released in 131-vehicle pileup that killed teacher, injured 71 others Posted: 28 Feb 2019 07:28 PM PST  "I'm not getting out of my car now because I'm afraid I'm going to get hit," one caller told dispatchers as vehicles hit each other.
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| Rival Pakistan-India standoff latest in long Kashmir dispute Posted: 28 Feb 2019 11:40 AM PST  SRINIGAR, India (AP) — This week's standoff between India and Pakistan is their latest in a long dispute over the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir, dating back to their independence in 1947.
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| Trump and his family could be forced to testify after explosive Cohen hearing: 'They will hear from the committee' Posted: 28 Feb 2019 11:29 AM PST  Donald Trump and several of his family members could soon find themselves testifying before Congress about the president's alleged lies and criminal conduct, if the Democratic-controlled House Oversight Committee gets its way. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the committee tasked with investigating Mr Trump's financial dealings, ties to Russia and a slate of other scandals plaguing the White House since his 2016 election, warned the first family and others close to the president they "can expect" to hear from Congress about details revealed in Michael Cohen's explosive public testimony on Wednesday.
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| From harmful fetishes to sex trafficking, Robert Kraft case highlights risks facing Asian women Posted: 01 Mar 2019 10:46 AM PST  Robert Kraft was charged with soliciting prostitution at Orchids of Asia Day Spa but it's estimated it's one of 9,000 such illicit massage parlors.
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| Amazon testing self-serve tool to let brands nix counterfeit products online Posted: 28 Feb 2019 05:56 AM PST ![Amazon testing self-serve tool to let brands nix counterfeit products online]( "Amazon testing self-serve tool to let brands nix counterfeit products online") Online retailing giant Amazon is giving brands a self-service tool to remove counterfeit versions of their products from Amazon's website.
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| UN to vote on dueling US, Russia drafts on Venezuela Posted: 27 Feb 2019 08:52 PM PST  The UN Security Council will vote Thursday on two rival draft resolutions from the United States and Russia aimed at confronting the crisis in Venezuela, but both are expected to fail, according to diplomats. Battered by an economic meltdown, Venezuela descended into a major political crisis when opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president in January and asserted that President Nicolas Maduro was no longer legitimate. On Wednesday, the United States put forward a measure that would call for presidential elections to end the political standoff and unimpeded deliveries of aid to ease shortages of food and medicine in Venezuela.
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| Google, Facebook, Twitter fail to live up to fake news pledge Posted: 28 Feb 2019 05:17 AM PST  Google, Facebook and Twitter have fallen short of their pledges to combat fake news, three months before key European elections, the European Commission said on Thursday. The tech companies and trade bodies representing the advertising industry signed up to a voluntary code of conduct in October to tackle the spread of fake news, aiming to stave off more heavy-handed legislation. Brussels is keen to address the threat of fake news or foreign interference during campaigning for the European Parliament elections in May and also for national elections in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine in the coming months.
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| 2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS vs. 2019 Ford Edge Titanium in Photos Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:24 AM PST |
| Citigroup Says ‘More Bad News’ in Mexico Warrants Trader Caution Posted: 01 Mar 2019 06:48 AM PST  The bank said it's becoming increasingly cautious on Latin America's second-largest economy as prospects for a further slowdown in activity hampers the outlook for corporate profits. Fourth-quarter earnings were 26 percent below estimates, implying that forecasts for 2019 might be too high, Citigroup Research strategist Julio Zamora wrote in a note to clients. It's "more bad news," New York-based Zamora said, reiterating a market-weight recommendation for the country's equities.
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| Allen Weisselberg: Why Trump’s 'eyes and ears' money man could be next in the line of fire Posted: 01 Mar 2019 10:15 AM PST  In testimony before Congress this week, Michael Cohen cast himself as a central figure in schemes that could threaten the presidency of Donald Trump. The revelations are set to intensify the scrutiny on Weisselberg, Trump's unassuming 71-year-old chief financial officer, who already is a focus for federal prosecutors in New York. On Wednesday, Cohen specifically identified Weisselberg as helping mastermind a strategy to mask reimbursements to Cohen for his payment to Stormy Daniels, the pornographic film actress who said she had an affair with Trump.
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| Mexican president urges reason in wage demands Posted: 28 Feb 2019 12:01 PM PST  MEXICO CITY (AP) — President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador tried Thursday to close the Pandora's box of wage demands he helped unleash when he doubled the minimum wage along Mexico's northern border.
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| Stuck on a plane: American, Delta fined for lengthy tarmac delays Posted: 28 Feb 2019 03:07 PM PST  American was fined $1 million, Delta $750,000 for exceeding the time limits on tarmac delays.
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| Venezuela's Guaido to visit Brazil in bid to keep pressure on Maduro Posted: 27 Feb 2019 06:31 PM PST ![Venezuela's Guaido to visit Brazil in bid to keep pressure on Maduro]( "Venezuela's Guaido to visit Brazil in bid to keep pressure on Maduro") Guaido last month invoked constitutional provisions to assume an interim presidency, arguing Maduro's re-election was fraudulent. The congress chief has organized nationwide protests over the past month while the United States has imposed crippling sanctions on Venezuela's key oil industry and government officials. Guaido will travel to Brasilia for a two-day visit from Bogota, where he attended a meeting with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and the regional Lima group about how to resolve the political and economic crisis in Venezuela.
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| Southwest Airlines gets FAA approval for Hawaii flights Posted: 28 Feb 2019 02:09 PM PST ![Southwest Airlines gets FAA approval for Hawaii flights]( "Southwest Airlines gets FAA approval for Hawaii flights") The airline says it will announce details on ticket sales and inaugural flights in the "coming days''
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| Chris Watts Provides New Information on Murders of Pregnant Wife, Daughters Posted: 01 Mar 2019 12:48 PM PST  Chris Watts has provided additional details about the murders of his wife, Shanann, and daughters Bella and Celeste, according to investigators in Colorado. The information will be made public next week.
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| People are throwing cheese on their children now, and it's kinda great Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:01 AM PST  Throwing cheese on your dog was good, but throwing cheese on a small child might be ... better?Yes, improving upon the dog cheese challenge -- the only good internet challenge I've ever seen -- seems impossible. But people have been throwing cheese on their toddlers and there's a Twitter thread and it's all so delightful. Have you ever seen a crying kid stop crying once there is cheese stuck to their face? It's a testament to the power of dairy products and also the power of surprise.SEE ALSO: 10 weird food combinations people swear byPlease enjoy this perfect series of videos, and may the small child in your life have some cheese on their face soon. Unless the small child in your life wouldn't like that. Then don't do it. These kids, however, seem to really enjoy it. > Thankfully he likes cheese pic.twitter.com/5cE4SrgaR3> > -- shelbyjane (@shelbslord) February 28, 2019> pic.twitter.com/5mcn2oe9Zv> > -- Ruth Ortiz (@Ruthortiz_) February 28, 2019> Ham. pic.twitter.com/Nwb9NwPVUZ> > -- Eddie Bowley (@Eddache_) March 1, 2019> :( pic.twitter.com/PJ09LH9raU> > -- ørlandø (@Orlandonava1204) February 28, 2019> Cheesed my cousin. pic.twitter.com/79Yv1p0bMS> > -- Beef Gyro (@TEJAX001) February 28, 2019 WATCH: YouTube bans dangerous pranks
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| Pakistan returns Indian pilot as violence rages in Kashmir Posted: 01 Mar 2019 10:55 AM PST  A pilot shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani aircraft returned to India on Friday, after being freed in what Islamabad called a "peace gesture" following the biggest standoff between the two countries in years. Pakistan's foreign ministry said he was "treated with dignity and in line with international law", and that his release was "aimed at de-escalating rising tensions with India". The parents of handlebar-moustached Abhinandan were given a standing ovation by fellow passengers as they boarded a flight to Amritsar near Wagah to welcome their son.
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| 'I Take Him at His Word.' Trump Defends Kim Over Otto Warmbier's Mistreatment and Death Posted: 28 Feb 2019 01:02 AM PST  "He tells me he didn't know about it and I will take him at his word."
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| The Latest: Challenger calls on Israeli PM to step down Posted: 28 Feb 2019 11:08 AM PST  JERUSALEM (AP) — The Latest on decision to indict Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges (all times local):
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