| The Latest: Kim boards train at the end of Vietnam visit Posted: 02 Mar 2019 03:11 AM PST  DONG DANG, Vietnam (AP) — The Latest on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's departure from Vietnam (all times local):
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| 17 Palestinians hurt in border clashes with Israel: Gaza ministry Posted: 01 Mar 2019 10:23 AM PST  Israeli troops on Friday shot and wounded 17 Palestinians during a protest on the Gaza-Israel border, where rallies have been held for nearly a year, the enclave's health ministry said. A ministry statement reported "17 injuries by the Israeli occupation forces with live ammunition", without giving details on the condition of those shot. It said that three paramedics and one journalist were hurt by tear gas grenades.
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| EU ready to give Britain more guarantees 'backstop' is temporary: Barnier Posted: 01 Mar 2019 02:07 PM PST  The European Union is ready to give Britain more guarantees that the Irish "backstop" is only intended to be temporary, the bloc's chief Brexit negotiator said on Friday. "We know that there are misgivings in Britain that the backstop could keep Britain forever connected to the EU," Michel Barnier said in an interview with Germany's Die Welt newspaper to be published on Saturday.
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| Bribery Probe Could Cost Netanyahu Israel's Election, Polls Show Posted: 02 Mar 2019 05:54 AM PST  Polls released Friday night showed the Blue & White bloc led by ex-military chief of staff Benny Gantz and former Finance Minister Yair Lapid positioned to form a center-left government after April's vote with 61 seats in parliament, compared with 59 likely to back a right-wing government led by Netanyahu's Likud party. Before Attorney General Avihai Mandelblit's announcement Thursday evening, polls had projected Netanyahu would form the next government atop a 61-seat bloc.
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| Teen arrested after shots fired on busy Bronx street in front of kids Posted: 01 Mar 2019 01:58 PM PST  An arrest has been made after a suspect was caught on video opening fire in front of children on a busy street in the Bronx.
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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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| Meadows and Tlaib hug and make up on House floor after ‘racist’ charges Posted: 28 Feb 2019 11:34 AM PST  Mark Meadows and Rashida Tlaib reconciled on the House floor. Meadows attempting to discredit testimony by Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, that the president was a "racist." Meadows expressed outrage and asked for Tlaib's comments to be stricken from the record.
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| PG&E: Company equipment 'probable' cause of California fire Posted: 28 Feb 2019 03:42 PM PST  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. inched closer to taking responsibility for the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century, saying Thursday it is "probable" that one of its transmission lines sparked the blaze last year that killed 86 people and destroyed most of the city of Paradise.
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| Syria force launches assault on last IS pocket: spokesman Posted: 01 Mar 2019 09:41 AM PST  Kurdish-led forces launched a final assault Friday on the last pocket held by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, their spokesman said. The Syrian Democratic Forces have been closing in on the holdout jihadists since September last year and a few hundred surviving IS members are now boxed into an area of around less than half a square kilometre. The "operation to clear the last remaining pocket of ISIS has just started", SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali, said in a statement using another acronym for the jihadist group.
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| Easter Islanders seek outside help for iconic statues 'leprosy' Posted: 01 Mar 2019 10:45 AM PST  The giant heads, carved centuries ago by the island's inhabitants, represent the living ancestors of Easter Island's Polynesian people - the Rapa Nui - and have brought it UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Dozens of giant "Moai" statues dominate the hillsides surrounding the island's Rano Raraku wetland, but they are facing the threat of what locals describe as a kind of leprosy, white spots that are appearing on their iconic facades. The statues must also contend with coastal erosion, rising sea levels, high winds and damage from freely roaming livestock.
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| The Best New Products from KBIS 2019 Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:43 AM PST |
| 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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| There are red flags common in human trafficking cases. Here's how the Florida spas compare Posted: 28 Feb 2019 02:31 PM PST  The red flags present in Florida that human trafficking possibly occurred are similar to those experts describe in a variety of other cases.
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| EU ready to give UK more guarantees on Brexit: Barnier Posted: 02 Mar 2019 06:57 AM PST  The European Union is prepared to give Britain further Brexit guarantees to help a divorce deal through the British parliament, the bloc's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said in an interview published Saturday. "We can find guarantees to confirm, clarify, guarantee the goodwill and good faith of the Europeans with commitments which would have real legal force," Barnier said in comments published in several European newspapers including Die Welt in Germany and Les Echos in France. Barnier also suggested European leaders would be amenable to a short "technical" delay in Britain's departure from the EU, scheduled for March 29, to give the British parliament time to formally ratify a final divorce deal.
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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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| Trump’s Fatal Attraction Posted: 01 Mar 2019 03:30 AM PST  The good news is that the Trump/Kim summit in Hanoi did not result in a deal -- because any deal would be nothing but a scam perpetrated by Kim Jong Un. Selling this rug repeatedly is a North Korean specialty. The Kim dynasty inked agreements to denuclearize in 1985, 1992, 1994, 2005, 2007, and 2012. You've seen the results. Pyongyang violated every one and marched inexorably toward nuclear weapons and ballistic-missile technology. It's bad enough to confront the prospect of a nuclear-armed North Korea. It would be worse to, in effect, subsidize it, which is all that was on offer.Why would Kim give up his nukes? To get American aid to improve his economy? Fantasy. He runs a prison state that actually exports slaves to countries like China, Kuwait, and Qatar. His goal is not to develop the economy but to remain firmly in power and to conquer South Korea. He saw what happened to Moammar Qaddafi when he gave up his nuclear program and to Saddam Hussein who only pretended to be working on one.That much must be obvious to Trump's advisers, if not to Mr. Trump himself, who seemed so eager for a deal that he announced before the Hanoi summit that the U.S. was dropping the demand for a full accounting of North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic-missile programs. If that sounds precisely like what President Obama did vis-a-vis Iran, it should.For now, Trump has sidestepped the trap Kim prepared. While he may have avoided one bad outcome, his behavior was so bizarre and sycophantic toward Kim personally that he still departs Hanoi trailing a stench of shame.There is just no mistaking it; our president gets excited in the presence of dictators. Appearing with Kim at a press conference, the president warned reporters -- as he never has regarding the leaders of democracies -- to show respect to Kim. "Don't raise your voice, please. This isn't like dealing with Trump." Trump himself went way beyond diplomatic niceties, contrasting Kim favorably with other "rich kids" who didn't turn out so well.Even if Mr. Trump could overlook the millions who have been persecuted (it's a crime to visit a South Korean website), starved, tortured, and worked to death in the Hermit Kingdom, it's beyond appalling that he would offer a pass about the torture and murder of a young American, Otto Warmbier. Recall that in 2017, Trump had said, "Otto's fate deepens my administration's determination to prevent such tragedies from befalling innocent people at the hands of regimes that do not respect the rule of law or basic human decency." But off teleprompter, Trump demonstrated his characteristic sympathy for dictators caught behaving badly. "He [Kim] tells me that he didn't know about it, and I will take him at his word. . . . I don't believe he knew about it."Nor did he believe Mohammad bin Salman knew about Jamal Khashoggi's murder. And he took Vladimir Putin's word over the judgment of the U.S. intelligence agencies about Russian interference in the 2016 election.Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has launched a vicious program of state-sanctioned murders of suspected drug addicts and dealers. According to the Philippine National Police, the state has killed more than 5,000 people since Duterte's election in 2016. Others estimate that the true number is closer to 20,000. Amazingly, Duterte does not dispute this. "What is my sin? Did I steal even one peso? . . . My sin is extra-judicial killings." On another occasion he said, "Hitler killed 3 million Jews. Now there are 3 million drug addicts. I'd be happy to slaughter them all."The world is full of misery, and American leaders sometimes have to deal with unsavory characters. But nothing required President Trump to pick up the phone in 2017 and say to Duterte, "You are a good man . . . . You are doing an unbelievable job on the drug problem. Many countries have the problem, we have the problem, but what a great job you are doing, and I just wanted to call and tell you that."Explaining the need for a wall on the southern border, Trump offered this odd report from a conversation with China's Xi Jinping, who apparently told the president that China has no drug problem because they employ the death penalty. He found this exhilarating. "If we want to get smart, we can get smart," Trump said. "You can end the drug problem, can end it a lot faster than you think."It would be less disturbing if Mr. Trump's chief weakness were for porn stars and money. Alas, his attraction to thugs seems even stronger.© 2018 creators.com
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| Las Vegas Sands said in 'good hands' as CEO battles cancer Posted: 01 Mar 2019 04:55 PM PST  LAS VEGAS (AP) — Casino magnate and major GOP donor Sheldon Adelson is battling cancer, but industry analysts and his Las Vegas Sands Corp. on Friday said the gambling empire he founded and helms has the personnel to guide it through the health crisis.
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| Russia, China Veto UN Resolution Seeking Venezuela Elections Posted: 28 Feb 2019 12:34 PM PST  Nine council members voted in favor, while South Africa joined Russia and China in voting no, and three abstained. To pass, a resolution needs nine votes in support and no vetoes by the five permanent members, which include Russia and China.
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| Iran condemns Britain for listing ally Hezbollah as 'terrorist' group Posted: 02 Mar 2019 02:41 AM PST ![Iran condemns Britain for listing ally Hezbollah as 'terrorist' group]( "Iran condemns Britain for listing ally Hezbollah as 'terrorist' group") Iran criticized Britain for its decision to list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, saying on Saturday it ignored both the will of a large portion of the Lebanese people and the Tehran-backed group's role in fighting Islamic State. Britain said on Monday it planned to ban all wings of Hezbollah, which is deemed a terrorist organization by Washington, due to its destabilizing influence in the Middle East, having previously proscribed its external security unit and its military wing. "This British measure signifies deliberately ignoring a large part of the Lebanese people and the legitimacy and the legal position of Hezbollah in Lebanon's administrative and political structure," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.
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| Kips Bay Decorator Show House Announces 2019 Location Posted: 28 Feb 2019 12:26 PM PST  The annual show house returns to the Upper East Side with some of the city's top decorators
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| New 2021 Polestar 2 to Compete With Tesla's Model 3 Posted: 28 Feb 2019 11:32 AM PST  Volvo unveiled the 2021 Polestar 2 all-electric vehicle at the automaker's headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, ahead of its public introduction at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show next week. This is th...
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| 2 arrests, officer on desk duty after wild NYC highway chase Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:29 PM PST ![2 arrests, officer on desk duty after wild NYC highway chase]( "2 arrests, officer on desk duty after wild NYC highway chase") NEW YORK (AP) — A police officer has been placed on desk duty after shooting at a car during a wild four-mile chase onto a Manhattan highway.
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| Joe Biden Backtracks After Calling Vice President Pence 'a Decent Guy' Posted: 01 Mar 2019 12:00 AM PST  Former Vice President Joe Biden's tendency to talk about his good relationships with Republicans landed him in trouble Thursday when he called his successor, Mike Pence, a "decent guy."
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| 2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS vs. 2019 Ford Edge Titanium in Photos Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:24 AM PST |
| Robert Kraft, charged with soliciting prostitution, has given away a fortune – including to groups fighting sex trafficking Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:04 AM PST  He gave money to a nonprofit that helps survivors of sex trafficking. He funded a professor who studies the history of forced sex labor.
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| Trump, Cohen and the paradox of believing proven liars Posted: 01 Mar 2019 01:05 PM PST  Republicans go after Michael Cohen's portrayal of the president on the grounds that he is a "pathological liar."
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| Explainer: In Trump-Russia probe, when does collusion become a crime? Posted: 02 Mar 2019 04:02 AM PST  U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia used a scheme of hacking and propaganda to cause discord in the United States and harm Trump's Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Mueller's probe, with several Trump campaign figures already pleading guilty or being convicted, has documented numerous contacts between Russians and people close to the president. Mueller, who has sought to determine whether Trump's campaign coordinated with Moscow, is preparing to submit a report on his investigation to U.S. Attorney General William Barr.
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| Victoria's Secret says it is shuttering 53 more stores Posted: 28 Feb 2019 06:39 PM PST ![Victoria's Secret says it is shuttering 53 more stores]( "Victoria's Secret says it is shuttering 53 more stores") Thursday was a tough day for retail. Victoria's Secret is closing 53 more stores, J.C. Penney 24 stores and Gap is closing about 230 locations.
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| 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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| Venezuela’s Oil Shipments Drop 40 Percent After U.S. Sanctions Posted: 28 Feb 2019 04:19 PM PST  Venezuela's oil industry took a major hit after the U.S. slapped energy sanctions on the country's exports last month, causing them to plummet 40 percent.Exports are down to 920,000 barrels per day of crude and fuel, a significant drop from between 1.47 million and 1.66 million barrels per day Venezuela exported in the three months before the Trump administration's January 28 sanctions, according to a Reuters analysis and data from the country's state-owned oil company, PDVSA.About 70 percent of the country's oil shipments during the past month went to Asia, with the largest amount going to India, then Singapore and China. U.S. deliveries and payments related to oil from Venezuela will be allowed to be completed through April."PDVSA [and] the whole nation has been under a brutal attack by the U.S. government to impact the company's finances and operations," Venezuelan Oil Minister Manuel Quevedo said Thursday in Saudi Arabia.The State Department initiated the sanctions as part of the U.S. effort to topple the government of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro in favor of opposition leader Juan Guaidó."Maduro and his cronies have used state-owned PDVSA to control, manipulate, and steal from the Venezuelan people for too long, destroying it in the process," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement when the sanctions were announced. "Today's action will prevent Maduro and other corrupt actors from further enriching themselves at the expense of the long-suffering Venezuelan people."Earlier this week, Vice President Mike Pence called on world leaders to help put pressure on Maduro to give up control of the government."To leaders around the world: It's time. There can be no bystanders in Venezuela's struggle for freedom," Pence said Monday in Bogota, Colombia. "The day is coming soon when Venezuela's long nightmare will end and Venezuela will once more be free."
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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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| 2020 Vision: Beto and Biden on the verge; Inslee takes the plunge Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:07 AM PST  An already crowded Democratic field is about to get a bit bigger.
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| Walmart phase-out of store greeters threatens disabled staff Posted: 01 Mar 2019 09:42 AM PST  Walmart is in damage-control mode over a plan to phase out store greeters, a shift that closes off an employment niche that had frequently been taken by disabled workers. Supporters of Jay Melton, a Walmart greeter in Marion, North Carolina, who has cerebral palsy, took to the Internet to protest the change. The new role requires "the ability to stand for long periods of time, lift 25-pound parcels, check receipts, write reports and help with product loss investigations," said an online petition.
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| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reportedly issues warning to moderate Democrats Posted: 28 Feb 2019 09:53 PM PST  New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reportedly warns Democrats their names will be added to a list of primary targets if they vote with Republicans; reaction from Georgia Congressman Doug Collins, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee.
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| Factbox: India and Pakistan - nuclear arsenals and strategies Posted: 01 Mar 2019 05:42 AM PST ![Factbox: India and Pakistan - nuclear arsenals and strategies]( "Factbox: India and Pakistan - nuclear arsenals and strategies") Below is a look at their nuclear capabilities: COMPARABLE ARSENALS India has much stronger conventional armed forces than Pakistan, but both countries have comparable nuclear arsenals. Pakistan has 140-150 nuclear warheads compared to India's 130-140 warheads, according to a 2018 report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). India's nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine "INS Arihant" became operational last year, giving the country a "nuclear triad" – the ability to launch nuclear strikes by land, air and sea.
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| JetBlue asks flyers to wipe their Instagram accounts for chance to win unlimited flights Posted: 01 Mar 2019 08:39 AM PST ![JetBlue asks flyers to wipe their Instagram accounts for chance to win unlimited flights]( "JetBlue asks flyers to wipe their Instagram accounts for chance to win unlimited flights") JetBlue is giving three flyers the chance to win unlimited flights for a whole year − if they delete or archive their Instagram posts.
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| Mars lander starts digging on red planet, hits snags Posted: 01 Mar 2019 05:00 PM PST  NASA's newest Mars lander has started digging into the red planet, but hit a few snags, scientists said Friday.
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| Cohen testimony: Trump's former lawyer will return to give further evidence - 'I will be back' Posted: 28 Feb 2019 11:01 AM PST  Michael Cohen says he is committed to the truth and will return to Capitol Hill in March with further evidence, after three days in Washington that has captivated the country. "I am committed to telling the truth and I will be back on March 6th to finish up," Cohen said after that closed door meeting.
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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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| North Korea contradicts Trump's account of negotiations. State Dept. official says NK is 'parsing words' Posted: 01 Mar 2019 03:40 AM PST  North Korea says it offered far more, and asked for less, than how Trump described the proposal. A State Dept. official said NK is "parsing words."
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| Why the Mueller Report Might Disappoint Almost Everybody Posted: 01 Mar 2019 07:00 AM PST  What to know if you're expecting evidence of collusion
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| Business leaders, lawmakers to Amazon: please come back to NY Posted: 28 Feb 2019 06:15 PM PST  Top business leaders, lawmakers and others are urging Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos to reconsider his decision not to move forward with plans for a new headquarters in New York, to build an "exciting future" for the city. In mid-February, Amazon abandoned its plans for a new headquarters in New York, to be located in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, blaming opposition from community leaders angry at the huge subsidies on offer. "New York attracts the best, most diverse talent from across the globe.
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| Dr. Bronner's is the only good brand on Twitter Posted: 28 Feb 2019 02:28 PM PST  Whether it's Lil Debbie shilling out relationship advice or Sunny D igniting a conversation about depression, contemporary brand Twitter can be a depressing and dark place. Nothing feels more cynical than when a brand appropriates the standardized millennial voice -- ironic, detached, dejected -- and uses it to hock their emulsified meat products and drinkable corn syrups. There's no commitment to justice here, there's just marketing. So I'd love to call for a mass ban of corporations from Twitter, with one exception: Dr. Bronner's, one of the country's most popular organic, fair trade soap producers.I don't trust any multimillion dollar corporation on Twitter. I do, however, place a reasonable amount of faith in this social justice soap. SEE ALSO: Brand Twitter, please stay away from the 2020 electionDr. Bronner's is best known for their all-purpose soaps (used for anything from washing your face to killing your dog's fleas, and cleaning your bong) and long-winded labels, which feature references to world religion and calls to end the war on drugs. The main ingredients in the brand's products are both organic and fair trade. Dr. Bronner's commitment to social justice has been present since the brand's inception, and the company now dedicates approximately one-third of its profits to various social causes.> "Earth's soils contain more than 3x more carbon than is stored in the atmosphere, and 4x more than the amount in all living plants & animals."https://t.co/kxGgbEWlsI> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 28, 2019All of this is reflected in the brand's social voice on Twitter. Unlike brands like Sunny D which capitalize on the millennial mental health crisis without doing anything to abate it, Dr. Bronner's shares stories written by real journalists of real value to millennials. > "Some small studies suggest that psilocybin can alleviate obsessive-compulsive disorder, treatment-resistant depression, end-of-life anxiety, addiction, cluster headaches, and, yes, relieve pain." @WIRED https://t.co/sabO1YDThg> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 20, 2019They're loud advocates for a fair living wage, having donated over $500,000 to minimum wage campaigns in 2016 and paying above the living wage in their own company. There isn't much to be cynical about here -- the brand tweets what they practice, and what they practice is good.> RAISE THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE.> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 22, 2019> 21 states have a minimumwage at or below the federal minimum of $7.25. Many others aren't that much above it. @MinimumWageBiz https://t.co/czD9MPLCNI> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 26, 2019> Constructive Capitalism at Dr. Bronners: > > • 5-to-1 cap on executive salaries > • $18.71 minimum wage for full-time permanent employees > • Free health care for staff & their families > • Free daily organic vegan lunches > • Up to 25% of salary as annual bonushttps://t.co/HduUkftsEF> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 26, 2019Even though soap has no direct connection to cannabis, Dr. Bronner's frequently shares stories and posts tweets in support of legalization.> It's time to end the outdated, racist policy of cannabis prohibition that shreds productive citizens' lives and families for no good reason, and disproportionately affects people of color, while resources are diverted away from real crimes.> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 5, 2019> "Marijuana legalization advocates came into 2019 expecting it to be a huge year for cannabis, and lawmakers around the country are not disappointing them so far."https://t.co/phaijFd3Hp> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 27, 2019And while caps lock should be banned from Twitter, I'll make an exception for the random tweets Dr. Bronner's routinely posts about ending the war on drugs.> END THE WAR ON DRUGS.> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 12, 2019Outside of social causes, I particularly love the brand's tweets that are just basic tenets of human morality. The tweets don't have any cunning wordplay or cynical references to pop culture. Dr. Bronner's sometimes shares moral principles that, simply stated, likely drive down their Twitter engagement.There's absolutely nothing viral about tweets like these ones -- hence, I love 'em. > We can only truly prosper if we contribute to the prosperity of all!> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 25, 2019> Whatever unites us is greater than whatever divides us!> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 14, 2019> What's one way to enjoy the weekend without creating waste?> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 22, 2019There's nothing shareable about death, and yet somehow this tweet exists:> To reach that unreachable star, > no matter how hopeless, no matter how far! > To fight for the Right without question or pause, > to be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause. > For I know if I follow this glorious quest, > my heart will lay peaceful & calm when I'm laid to rest!> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 20, 2019And who else would fill out this Twitter poll besides your radical aunt and your high school creative writing teacher a *little too obsessed* with recycling? Nothing about this tweet would make it viral. That's exactly what makes it good.> Have you ever spent your free time picking up litter?> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 22, 2019The retweets, my friends, are also incredible.> Peggy now has a chair that helps her eat and drink comfortably. She loves it! She still hops around the yard and sleeps on her bed, but this makes meal time easier. Having a house chicken is so fun! @EllieLaks animallover animalrescue chickens gentlebarn pic.twitter.com/9yg5dyLcjX> > -- The Gentle Barn (@TheGentleBarn) February 5, 2019I don't want to get y'all too high on soap: At the end of the day, Dr. Bronner's is still a brand. They're on Twitter to advocate for causes and to sell their social justice soap. They have a hand sanitizer coming out that will soon be sold at Urban Outfitters. They talk about constructive capitalism.> Dr. Bronner's is launching a NEW Organic Hand Sanitizer on March 8, 2019. > Can you guess the scent? > > Photo by Urban Outfitters pic.twitter.com/uA1ZmfUvTl> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 25, 2019The brand posts plenty of tweets marketing their products, but there's nothing particularly malicious about them. Dr. Bronner's doesn't play on the 2020 election as Pop-Tarts recently did when they announced they were considering a presidential run. Their marketing-based tweets are plain and simple and limited to soap. > Besides diluting, how do you make a bottle of Dr. Bronner's last longer?> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 12, 2019> Based on your week, what scent are you showering with this weekend?> > -- Dr. Bronner's (@DrBronner) February 7, 2019Dr. Bronner's is a soap with a soapbox. They just it do better than anyone else out there on this brutal, cynical hellscape of a brandscape. WATCH: Snapchat celebrates Black History Month with virtual museum
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| U.S. stocks edge downward as Wall Street takes a pause Posted: 28 Feb 2019 01:40 PM PST  Also on Thursday, President Donald Trump said he had walked out of his Vietnam summit with Kim Jong Un because of demands from the North Korean leader to lift U.S.-led sanctions. Wall Street analysts now expect first-quarter earnings to fall 1.1 percent compared with Jan. 1 estimates for 5.3 percent growth, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Fourth quarter earnings is coming to a quick close and there's been no news on the U.S.-China trade negotiations.
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