| Suspect In Murder Of Student Blaze Bernstein Claims He Was Hitting On Him: Report Posted: 16 Jan 2018 03:14 PM PST  The man suspected of murdering Blaze Bernstein, a 19-year-old college student from Orange County, California, told police he believed the victim had been hitting on him, according to a court document obtained by a local newspaper.
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| Saudi Ritz Carlton to reopen after being used as luxury prison in corruption purge Posted: 15 Jan 2018 11:22 AM PST  The luxury Riyadh hotel used as a prison during Saudi Arabia's crackdown on corruption will reopen for business next month, suggesting authorities are close to settling the cases of many suspects. Dozens of princes, senior officials and top businessmen were detained and confined in the five-star Ritz-Carlton Riyadh as the government launched the purge in early November. The some 200 detainees occupied half the hotel's 492 rooms. The rest was closed to business. The hotel's website now accepts bookings from Feb. 14, quoting a nightly rate for its cheapest room of 2,439 riyals (£480). Saudi authorities have said they expect the vast majority of suspects to agree to financial settlements of charges against them, and that Riyadh hopes to recover about $100 billion of illicit funds. A small number are expected to be prosecuted. Construction giant Saudi Binladin Group said on Saturday that some of its shareholders might transfer part of their holdings to the state in a settlement with authorities. Chairman Bakr Bin Laden and several family members were detained in the crackdown. In late November, senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching a settlement with authorities that involved paying more than $1 billion, according to a Saudi official. Another top businessman who has been held at the Ritz-Carlton is billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, chairman and owner of global investment firm Kingdom Holding. A Saudi official said this week that he was negotiating a possible settlement but so far had not agreed on terms. It has been rumoured, Mr Talal, one of the world's richest men, could be forced to pay as much as $7bn. Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a massive political and economic shake-up, marked by the sudden appointment of Prince Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince in June. The 32-year-old son of the king has spearheaded the unprecedented crackdown on corruption among members of the government and royal family, as he consolidates his grip on power in the kingdom.
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| US withholds $65 million from Palestinian aid programs Posted: 16 Jan 2018 03:28 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Tuesday cut tens of millions of dollars in money for Palestinian refugees, demanding that the U.N. agency responsible for the programs undertake a "fundamental re-examination," the State Department said.
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| Philippine volcano 'fireworks' draw tourists as residents flee Posted: 16 Jan 2018 06:52 AM PST  Spectacular lava "fireworks" shooting from its crater are drawing tourists to the Philippines' most active volcano, authorities said Tuesday as scientists warned of a potential dangerous eruption within days. Lava spurting from Mayon volcano lit up the sky overnight Monday in what scientists said was a sign of increasing activity that prompted official calls for evacuation of areas under threat from a major eruption.
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| Japanese News Outlet Mistakenly Sends North Korean Missile Alert Posted: 16 Jan 2018 05:44 AM PST  A Japanese broadcaster on Tuesday erroneously sent a mobile app alert announcing that North Korea had launched a missile.
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| Elvis Impersonator Who Presided as David and Louise Turpin Renewed Their Vows Stunned by Arrest Posted: 16 Jan 2018 11:28 AM PST  The couple arrested in the alleged shackling and torture of their children had appeared before Kent Ripley three times to renew their vows.
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| Egypt says it does not want war as tension grows with Sudan Posted: 15 Jan 2018 08:07 AM PST ![Egypt says it does not want war as tension grows with Sudan]( "Egypt says it does not want war as tension grows with Sudan") President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Monday Egypt is not conspiring against its neighbors and has no intention to fight, a reference to growing tension with Sudan. Relations have deteriorated in recent weeks, including over a Sudan-Turkey naval agreement that angered Cairo and an ongoing dispute over a dam Ethiopia is building on the Nile river that runs through all three countries. In the latest move, Sudan recalled its ambassador to Egypt without saying when he might be back.
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| Flight from Denver to Hawaii Diverted After Toilet Troubles on Plane Posted: 16 Jan 2018 10:57 AM PST  Toilet troubles caused a United Airlines flight from Denver to Hawaii full of passengers to divert back to land when they were halfway over the Pacific Ocean.
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| Botched Photo Shoot Brings Viral Glory To Missouri Family Posted: 15 Jan 2018 06:53 PM PST  It's a fact of life: Nice family photos never go viral, as one family in St. Louis, Missouri recently discovered.
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| California Volunteers Share Food With The Homeless, Get Arrested By Police Posted: 16 Jan 2018 06:24 AM PST  Volunteers in a Southern California city near San Diego face misdemeanor charges for handing out food to the homeless.
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| Family laughs off epic Photoshop fail that left them looking like cartoon characters as sceptics cry fake Posted: 15 Jan 2018 03:50 PM PST  There have been any number of PhotoShop controversies over the years, from the almost routine retouching of images of models to photojournalists being caught doctoring their war footage. But this must be the most bizarre - if the pictures are to be believed. "Ok. This is NOT a joke. We paid a photographer, who claimed to be a professional, $2-250 for a family photo shoot," writes Pam and Dave Zaring in a Facebook post. "Please see these FOR REAL photos she delivered to us...." The finished product must have come as something of a shock. Far from beautiful portraits of her family, the photos came out looking like something from a horror show. The photographer said the shadows caused problems on such a sunny day Credit: Facebook Imagine the plain features of a Sims family... only covered over in paper. The Zarings said the photographer had a ready explanation. "She said the shadows were really bad on the beautiful, clear, sunny day and that her professor never taught her to retouch photos," they wrote. At least they could see the funny side to their family being portrayed as cartoonish figures. "I literally have not laughed this hard in YEARS!!!!! You can't make this stuff up," they added with a cheery invitation to share the pictures. The photographer said she had never been taught how to retouch images Credit: Facebook The images have now been shared almost 400,000 times, setting off a viral discussion about whether they are fakes or if they might actually be real. Plenty of people expressed scepticism in the comments section with some suggesting it was some kind of marketing ploy. "This is not real," wrote one. The couple insisted it was true and that they had a long battle to see the finished product. "This is not a joke. This is legitimately the final product I received in the mail yesterday," they wrote. "I passed my furious mark months ago when she wouldn't send us anything. I was fully prepared to be scammed, money gone, and no final product!" The family's local newspaper, The St Louis Post-Dispatch, said it contacted the photographer involved who declined to discuss the images. The buzz even inspired one photography expert to offer an online tutorial in retouching to get the same effect.
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| Turkey vows to 'drown' US-backed Syrian Kurdish force Posted: 15 Jan 2018 07:27 AM PST  BEIRUT (AP) — Turkey's president on Monday denounced U.S. plans to form a 30,000-strong Kurdish-led border security force in Syria, vowing to "drown this army of terror before it is born," as Russia and Syria also rejected the idea.
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| LeBron James Honors Martin Luther King Jr. By Calling Out Trump's Racism Posted: 15 Jan 2018 05:14 PM PST  LeBron James believes the best way to honor Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy is to continue fighting for racial equality.
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| What Bitcoin’s “80% Mined” Landmark Means for Cryptocurrency’s Price Posted: 15 Jan 2018 09:55 AM PST  The cryptocurrency has hit a major milestone.
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| 'The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains' arrives in Rome Posted: 16 Jan 2018 03:18 PM PST !['The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains' arrives in Rome]( "'The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains' arrives in Rome") "The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains" is an immersive, multisensory and theatrical journey through Pink Floyd's extraordinary world. A story of sound, design and performance, the exhibition chronicles the music, iconic visuals and staging of the band, from the underground psychedelic scene in 1960s London to the present day, illustrating their groundbreaking use of special effects, sonic experimentation, powerful imagery and social commentary.
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| Top U.S. general says 'not giving up' on Pakistan ties Posted: 15 Jan 2018 09:59 AM PST ![Top U.S. general says 'not giving up' on Pakistan ties]( "Top U.S. general says 'not giving up' on Pakistan ties") The top U.S. military officer, Marine General Joseph Dunford, said on Monday he was committed to the U.S.-Pakistan relationship, which has been strained in recent weeks as Washington piles pressure on Islamabad to crack down on militants. The United States has long blamed militant safe-havens in Pakistan for prolonging the war in neighboring Afghanistan, giving insurgents, including from the Haqqani network, a place to plot attacks and rebuild their forces.
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| Brit Party Leader Splits With Girlfriend After Her Shocking Remarks About Meghan Markle Posted: 15 Jan 2018 01:14 AM PST  #BREAKING: UKIP leader @_HenryBolton tells GMB he split up with Jo Marney last night over racist messages she sent about Meghan Markle and black people.
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| The Latest: Missing man found safe after California mudslide Posted: 15 Jan 2018 03:34 PM PST  MONTECITO, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on deadly California mudslides (all times local):
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| The 5 Vehicles That Stole the Show at CES Posted: 16 Jan 2018 01:39 PM PST |
| North and South Korea hold second talks in a week to discuss Winter Olympics Posted: 15 Jan 2018 01:07 AM PST  North and South Korea met on Monday to discuss the Winter Olympics for the second time in under a week, in a diplomatic thaw that has raised hopes of an eventual de-escalation of military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Officials from both sides gathered at the Panmunjom "truce village" which straddles their heavily fortified border to hammer out plans to host a North Korean entertainment troupe at the South's Pyeongchang Games in February, and decide whether to field a joint women's ice hockey team. To date only two North Korean athletes, figure skaters Ryom Tae-ok and Kim Ju-sik, have qualified for the Games, but Pyongyang is expected to send a delegation of hundreds after a diplomatic breakthrough early this year. The presence at the talks of Hyon Song-wol, lead singer of the Moranbong Band, fuelled speculation that the all-female group, known as North Korea's answer to the Spice Girls, could appear at the sports event. Seoul has made no secret of its hope that North Korea's participation in the Games could mark a turning point in relations after a year of sabre-rattling and growing fears of war over Pyongyang's ongoing nuclear and missiles programme. The head of North Korean delegation Ri Son-Gwon (C) crosses a border line to attend a meeting at the Panmunjom truce village last week Credit: Getty North Korea on Monday offered another olive branch to its neighbour, proposing a third round of high level talks on Wednesday, although the agenda was not immediately clear. The negotiations, although the first in over two years, are still baby steps in the overall picture of military tensions between two countries who have technically been at war since the 1950s. The new thaw appears to have done little to mute Pyongyang's animosity towards the United States. Speculation has risen that North Korea's all-female Moranbong Band may appear at the Games Credit: AFP The North has made clear that denuclearisation is not on the table, and it castigated South Korean President Moon Jae-in for thanking US President Donald Trump for helping to push both sides to negotiations. The US, despite agreeing to delay joint military exercises with Seoul until after the Olympics, is continuing to bolster its presence around the Korean Peninsula by deploying stealth bombers, at least one extra aircraft carrier and a new amphibious assault ship to the region. North Korea accused it of trying to put a chill on the renewed talks. "Such moves are an unpardonable military provocation chilling the atmosphere for improved inter-Korean relations," Kim Jong-un's party said in a commentary published over the weekend.
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| Embattled Israeli drugmaker Teva fined for foreign bribes Posted: 15 Jan 2018 02:59 AM PST  Israel's justice ministry said Monday it had fined pharmaceutical giant Teva $22 million for bribing foreign officials in a settlement that spares the company a potential criminal trial. The deal signed on Sunday comes a month after Teva announced plans to cut 14,000 jobs globally, triggering strikes in Israel and pressure from the government and the powerful Histadrut labour union. Israeli authorities had launched their own investigation "to examine the ramifications of the affair in Israel", the ministry said.
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| MLK's Daughter Says We Must Remember Her Mother's Legacy, Too Posted: 15 Jan 2018 11:22 AM PST  Bernice King says those honoring her father on Martin Luther King Jr. Day should also remember another incredibly important figure in the civil rights movement: her mother, Coretta Scott King.
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| We Thought We Were Going To Die, So We Fought Over A Tractor Posted: 15 Jan 2018 12:45 PM PST  A state employee accidentally pushed the wrong button during a routine shift change drill on Saturday, broadcasting an incoming missile alert to the people of Hawaii.
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| Heart-Stopping Video Shows NYPD Cop Dragged by Car in Dramatic Times Square Chase Posted: 15 Jan 2018 11:46 AM PST  After he's hit by the vehicle, NYPD Officer Ian Wallace gets up and pursues the suspect on foot.
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| Philippines' president made call on China's sea research - spokesman Posted: 15 Jan 2018 04:34 AM PST ![Philippines' president made call on China's sea research - spokesman]( "Philippines' president made call on China's sea research - spokesman") Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte personally made a decision to let China conduct scientific research off the Philippines' Pacific coast, his spokesman said on Monday, despite concern among critics about threats to maritime sovereignty. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that as chief architect of foreign policy, Duterte allowed China to work with the University of the Philippines in Benham Rise, an area roughly the size of Greece and believed by some scientists to be rich in biodiversity and tuna.
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| Trump Insists He's The 'Least Racist Person' Posted: 14 Jan 2018 06:02 PM PST  President Donald Trump insisted Sunday night that he was not a racist, after days of people pointing out that his recent comments on immigration were racist.
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| With charges dropped, man imprisoned for 23 years files suit Posted: 16 Jan 2018 02:47 PM PST  NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Almost a year after charges against him were formally dropped in a 1992 crime spree, a man who spent more than 20 years behind bars is seeking damages from the New Orleans district attorney's office.
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| Casino company: Boat that caught fire had no past problems Posted: 15 Jan 2018 08:52 PM PST  TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A casino company said Monday it never had a problem with the shuttle boat that burst into flames off Florida's Gulf Coast, leading to the death of a female passenger.
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| First price wars of 2018 include $69 airfares from US to Iceland, and $99 to Paris Posted: 16 Jan 2018 06:57 AM PST  Shopping for a travel deal for spring break or Easter? Iceland's ultra-low cost carrier WOW Air is back with a bargain basement deal that includes $69 flights from the US to Iceland, and $89 deals to Europe.
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| GM takes $7 bn charge due to US tax reform, sees solid 2018 Posted: 16 Jan 2018 07:08 AM PST  General Motors projected another solid year in 2018 as it ramps up investment in autonomous technology, in releasing its earnings report on Tuesday. The automaker also became the latest big company to announce a hefty charge due to the US tax reform. At a briefing with reporters, GM executives endorsed the US tax cut package enacted last month and said it expects to benefit the company in the long-term.
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| Senators who didn't recall Trump using vulgarity backtrack Posted: 15 Jan 2018 06:14 AM PST  Two Republican senators who had said they did not recall President Donald Trump using a vulgarity to describe African countries backtracked Sunday and challenged other senators' descriptions of the remark.
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| Officials Warned Jared Kushner About Friendship With Wendi Deng Murdoch: Report Posted: 15 Jan 2018 03:27 PM PST  U.S. officials warned Jared Kushner earlier this year that his friendship with Wendi Deng Murdoch could be used as a conduit by the Chinese government, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
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| Whale Rescued After Being Trapped in 285 Feet of Braided Line Posted: 15 Jan 2018 01:48 PM PST  The animal expected to survive.
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| Ericsson books Q4 goodwill impairment in digial and media arms Posted: 16 Jan 2018 01:46 AM PST ![Ericsson books Q4 goodwill impairment in digial and media arms]( "Ericsson books Q4 goodwill impairment in digial and media arms") Swedish mobile network gear maker Ericsson booked an impairment of 14.2 billion crowns ($1.8 billion) in the fourth quarter, related primarily to goodwill in its digital and media operations, hitting operating income but not cashflow. "The majority of goodwill originates from investments made 10 years ago or more, and has limited relevance for Ericsson's business going forward," Ericsson said in a statement. Once the world's biggest manufacturer of mobile network gear, Ericsson has been hit by competition from Huawei [HWT.UL] and Nokia , while telecom operator spending has slumped ahead of the roll-out of next-generation 5G technology.
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| Past Presidents Volunteered On MLK Day. Donald Trump Is Spending It At His Golf Club. Posted: 15 Jan 2018 09:00 AM PST  President Donald Trump is spending Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday meant to honor the United States' most iconic civil rights leader, at his golf club in Florida.
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| Several dead in operation to arrest rogue Venezuela pilot Óscar Pérez Posted: 15 Jan 2018 12:22 PM PST  Two police officers were killed outside Caracas as security forces closed in on a rogue pilot and former policeman who stole a helicopter and bombed government buildings in an audacious stunt that inspired protesters across Venezuela. Police traced Óscar Pérez to a run-down area near the capital on Monday after six months on the run following his air raid in June last year. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Justice, five members of the "terrorist cell" were arrested in a shootout that lasted several hours and left five injured. Mr Pérez raised the alarm in typically dramatic fashion with a series of posts on Instagram showing him with a bloody face as he claimed to be under siege from regime forces. He was cornered by special security forces in his hiding place in El Junquito, a poor area 25 km northwest of Caracas, according to Venezuelan authorities. "They are firing at us with grenade launchers, we said we were going to surrender and they don't want to let us surrender, they want to kill us" Mr Pérez said in one of the videos published online during the siege. Police vehicles seen lining a street during a shootout between security forces and rogue Venezuelan helicopter pilot Oscar Perez Credit: MARCO BELLO/ REUTERS Diosdado Cabello, President Nicolás Maduro's second in command, confirmed the gunfight on his Twitter account last night. "The terrorist Óscar Pérez and his band opened fire on the police, killing a policeman, wounding 10, three of them seriously" he wrote. State television also confirmed the arrests, although Mr Pérez's fate was last night unkonwn. Mr Pérez, a former police pilot, has been missing since last June when he hijacked a police helicopter and tossed grenades on the Interior Ministry and Supreme Court. There were no injuries or fatalities. He went into hiding immediately after the attack, but sent messages on social media calling for a rebellion against the government of President Maduro, whom he blames for the economic crisis that the country is facing. Members of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) patrol Caracas as an operation to capture Oscar Perez Credit: AFP/JUAN BARRETO The attack occurred in the midst of a wave of protests against Mr Maduro's as he dismantled the opposition-held legislative and replaced it with a puppet congress. The uprising left more than 100 dead last year. Accused of terrorism, for months Mr Pérez was the subject of "wanted" posters pasted across Venezuela as authorities attempted to calm simmering tensions. His group was also accused of breaking into a National Guard building on December 18 and stealing military weapons. Mr Pérez's last video was posted at around 10:30am, local time on Monday. Some local media outlets say he was killed during the operation but The Telegraph was unable to confirm the claims. Aside from the five of Mr Pérez's group who were arrested, authorities also said "criminals were killed", although the number of deaths was not confirmed.
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| Celebrities React To The Death Of Dolores O'Riordan, Lead Singer Of The Cranberries Posted: 15 Jan 2018 10:29 AM PST  Celebrities reacted with a mix of shock and sadness after the sudden death of Dolores O'Riordan, the lead singer of popular '90s band The Cranberries.
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| The Latest: Kosovo assures safety after Serb leader's death Posted: 16 Jan 2018 01:36 PM PST  MITROVICA, Kosovo (AP) — The Latest on the shooting of a Serb politician in Kosovo (all times local):
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| US pickups craze all about toughness, luxury Posted: 15 Jan 2018 08:21 PM PST  When it came time to revamp the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, designers at General Motors knew they needed to beef up the look of the vehicle. GM also added an inch of height and more curves throughout the vehicle to give it more muscle. The revamped Silverado -- a larger pickup typical of those geared almost exclusively to the US market - was just one of an army of pickups unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show this week as automakers race to meet runaway demand for the quintessentially American vehicles.
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| China races to tackle expanding oil spill after tanker sinks Posted: 15 Jan 2018 09:34 AM PST  Chinese ships scrambled Monday to clean up a massive and expanding oil spill after an Iranian tanker sank off China, raising fears of devastating damage to marine life. The Sanchi, carrying 136,000 tonnes of light crude oil from Iran, went under on Sunday after a new and massive fire erupted, sending a cloud of black smoke as high as one kilometre above the East China Sea. The search and rescue effort was cancelled and a clean-up operation began after a fire on the sea surface was finally extinguished on Monday, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
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| Pineapple Casserole, The Southern Dish That's A Paradox Of Flavors Posted: 16 Jan 2018 02:45 AM PST  When someone dies, we instinctively possess the urge to find that person's loved ones and fill their refrigerators with an absurd amount of food.
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| Russia will not support U.S. bid to change Iran nuclear deal: Lavrov Posted: 15 Jan 2018 03:31 AM PST ![Russia will not support U.S. bid to change Iran nuclear deal: Lavrov]( "Russia will not support U.S. bid to change Iran nuclear deal: Lavrov") Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday Moscow will not support attempts by Washington to modify the Iran nuclear deal, arguing such a move could also complicate diplomacy over North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Lavrov spoke days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would waive nuclear sanctions against Iran for the last time to give Washington and its European allies a chance to fix the "terrible flaws" of the 2015 nuclear deal.
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| Californians launch bid to create new state after accusing government of 'failing' the people Posted: 16 Jan 2018 02:53 PM PST  A group seeking to carve out a breakaway state called New California issued a declaration of independence that asserted California's existing government had "failed in their oath of office, obligations, and responsibilities as representatives of 'We the People' to provide a republican form of government". It accuses California politicians of "repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of a Tyranny over the Counties of New California". "After years of over taxation, regulation, and mono party politics the State of California and many of it's 58 Counties have become ungovernable," the group said in a press release.
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| Kim Kardashian Is Wearing A Grill Again To Bling In The New Year Posted: 15 Jan 2018 06:20 AM PST  Kim Kardashian is putting her money where her mouth is again.
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| 40 Next-Level Chicken Wing Recipes Posted: 16 Jan 2018 09:26 AM PST |
