| The Latest: Harris says she is fully committed to Iowa Posted: 09 Jun 2019 03:40 PM PDT  Amid questions from Iowa activists about whether her campaign is taking Iowa seriously, California Sen. Kamala Harris told reporters she is "fully committed" to the state and that it will be "a very important part" of winning the nomination. Harris said that her visits to Iowa had been helpful to her campaign, by giving her insight into issues affecting voters not just in Iowa but nationwide.
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| Emerging Markets Caught Between Rate-Cut Euphoria and Trade Woes Posted: 09 Jun 2019 10:33 PM PDT  While Mexico averted the start of new tariffs, Washington's campaign to shake up trade agreements worldwide is still wreaking havoc on global economies. "Broadly we remain constructive on emerging-market debt," said Paul Greer, a London-based money manager at Fidelity International, whose emerging-market debt fund has outperformed 97% of peers this year after reducing risk in the first quarter. Rate DecisionsRussia's central bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina said policy makers may reduce interest rates for the first time in a year at their meeting on FridayTraders have boosted wagers for rate cuts to the highest in more than a yearThe Turkish central bank is due to set rates on Wednesday.
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| Iran FM sends warning over US sanctions, 'economic war' Posted: 09 Jun 2019 05:49 PM PDT  Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned Monday that those waging "economic war" against Tehran through US sanctions could not expect to "remain safe". "One cannot expect an economic war to continue against the Iranian people and that those waging this war and those supporting it remain safe," he said at a Tehran news conference with his visiting German counterpart Heiko Maas. "The only way to decrease tensions in the region is to stop the economic war," he said, adding that Germany and the EU had an "important role" in such efforts.
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| Opioid manufacturer Insys files for bankruptcy after kickback probe Posted: 10 Jun 2019 03:22 AM PDT  The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing marked a first for a drugmaker accused in lawsuits of helping fuel the deadly U.S. opioid endemic and came just days after Insys struck a $225 million settlement with the Justice Department. The department is now Insys' largest unsecured creditor due to Wednesday's accord, which resulted in a subsidiary pleading guilty to fraud charges and the company entering into a deferred prosecution agreement. The bankruptcy filing came after a federal jury in Boston in May found Insys founder John Kapoor and four other former executives guilty of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy centered on its fentanyl spray, Subsys.
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| Toyota Details Six New EV Models Launching for 2020–2025 Posted: 10 Jun 2019 09:17 AM PDT  The automaker is pushing its electric-car rollout up a few years in response to global demand.
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| House Judiciary Committee Allowed to Take Notes on Evidence From Mueller Probe Posted: 10 Jun 2019 04:38 PM PDT  Chip Somodevilla/GettyMembers of the House Judiciary Committee will be able to take notes on Mueller investigation evidence, and keep those notes after viewing the closely held documents, The Daily Beast has learned. There may be a hiccup, however: A source familiar with the situation cautioned that the White House will likely have access to any evidence that could implicate its equities and executive privilege, and may try to step in and block members of Congress from seeing material it deems privileged. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler start the arm-wrestle with the Justice Department after Special Counsel Robert Mueller released his report on Russian election meddling in April, demanding the full unredacted report and its underlying evidence. The fight grew tense, with members of his committee threatening to subpoena Attorney General Bill Barr. Then, on Monday afternoon, Nadler announced he and the Justice Department had made a deal, and that his committee would not try to use contempt proceedings to force the DOJ to cough up Mueller documents. Nadler's announcement said staff and members of the committee would get access to "key evidence" Mueller gathered on obstruction of justice. A source familiar with the deal told The Daily Beast that the materials in question will stay at DOJ headquarters, nine blocks from the Capitol building. Members will have to hoof it over there to review the docs. Mueller Report Rollout Won't Have MuellerA Democratic committee source then shared a detail on Nadler's deal regarding the notes and access to them. Members of the committee—both Democrats and Republicans—will be able to take notes on Mueller's evidence and will be able to keep those notes after they leave DOJ headquarters, per the source and a second person familiar with the deal. Committee staff who see the documents will be able to take notes as well, a second source familiar with the deal confirmed. A DOJ official said the deal requires that members and staff store those notes in a secure committee facility and only show them to people authorized to see them.That official also told The Daily Beast that the outlines of the deal Nadler announced today are very similar to those outlined in a May 7 proposal the DOJ made to the chairman. That proposal wasn't accepted, and House Judiciary members voted on May 8 to take the first step toward holding Attorney General Bill Barr in contempt of Congress.The May 7 proposal, per the DOJ source, would have let committee members and staff view a minimally redacted version of Mueller's report, with the promise that there would be another negotiating session after they read it regarding its underlying evidence––in other words, 'Read the report, then we'll talk.' Viewing the underlying evidence wasn't off the table, but it wasn't exactly on the table, either. That offer didn't fly. The new agreement gives Nadler, all 41 committee members, and multiple staffers access to some of the report's tightly held underlying evidence. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Sporting Rifles: The 5 Best That Can Fire a Bullet (Who Made the List?) Posted: 09 Jun 2019 10:00 PM PDT  Introduced to the American civilian market in 2007, the MR556 is the civilian version of the Heckler and Koch 416 assault rifle. Like the 416, the MR556 uses the gas-piston operating system, a significant break from the direct impingement system used in the AR-15. In fact, the system is similar to that used in the Mini-14. The result is a rifle that releases dirty gases instead of using them to cycle the rifle, making the weapon cleaner running and less prone to overheating. The MR556 is identical to the 416, lacking only the ability to fire burst or fully automatic fire. The U.S. Marine Corps new standard infantry weapon, the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle, is based upon the 416.(This first appeared last year.)The field of modern sporting rifles—semiautomatic rifles with detachable magazines—has exploded in popularity over the past decade. The expiration of the Federal 1994–2004 Assault Weapons Ban and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan fueled an interest in these weapons. Innovation, in part due to research and development into military small arms, introduced new and interesting rifle designs. Here are the top five modern sporting rifle designs.AR-15
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| Trump lashes out after New York Times casts doubt on his Mexico tariff deal Posted: 09 Jun 2019 09:03 AM PDT  President Trump ripped into the New York Times after the newspaper questioned his new deal with Mexico to avoid the tariffs he threatened to impose in retaliation to illegal immigration.
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| 70 Super Simple Healthy Seafood Recipes Posted: 10 Jun 2019 11:04 AM PDT |
| Police detail man's threat behind panic at DC LGBTQ parade Posted: 09 Jun 2019 07:18 PM PDT  A man threatened another person with a BB gun during an LGBTQ pride parade in the nation's capital and set off a panic that sent hundreds of people, who mistakenly believed gunshots were fired, running in fear, police said Sunday. Aftabjit Singh, 38, was arrested on weapons possession and disorderly conduct charges after Saturday evening's incident in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., where thousands of people packed the streets to celebrate in the city's annual pride parade. Although no gunshots were fired, hundreds of people ran from the area, knocking down metal police barricades and running into stores, fearing that a gunman had opened fire on the crowd of revelers.
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| US embassies defy Trump administration orders not to fly LGBT+ flags Posted: 10 Jun 2019 02:23 AM PDT  Since the US State Department began rejecting all embassy requests to hoist rainbow flags outside the mission buildings during LGBT+ Pride Month this year, some diplomats have been finding ways to defy, or at least get around, the new policy.The facades of the US missions in Seoul and Chennai, India, are partially hidden behind large rainbow flags, while the embassy in New Delhi is aglow in rainbow-coloured lights.The website for the embassy in Santiago, Chile, shows a video of the chief diplomat raising a rainbow flag last month for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.The Vienna Embassy's website features a photo of a rainbow flag flying below Old Glory on a mast jutting from the building, a statement by Diplomats for Equality and a story about a professor lecturing on the visibility and growth of LGBT\+ rights.US diplomats in Jerusalem joined a March for Pride and Tolerance, and several ambassadors have tweeted photos of themselves in local Pride parades or standing outside the embassies surrounded by employees holding up letters spelling "PRIDE"."This is a category one insurrection," said one diplomat, who like others interviewed about the sentiment over the rejections, which were not made in writing, spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of being fired.A practice routinely approved for most of the decade at many embassies now requires top-level approval from the State Department. But this year, as first reported by NBC News, all requests were nixed.The flap over the flags started when the State Department did not send out an official cable this year with guidelines for marking Pride Month, as it has in years past.In 2011, the Obama administration directed agencies involved with foreign policy to promote LGBT+ rights, a striking policy for an agency that, up to the early 1990s, considered homosexuality a security risk and cause for termination.The Obama administration's Pride Month guidelines included rules for flying rainbow flags from poles outside embassies – they had to be smaller than the American flag and fly beneath it.But permission was granted with no fuss. By 2016, approvals were left up to each ambassador or chief of mission.That process changed last year, after Mike Pompeo became secretary of state.An evangelical Christian who believes marriage should be defined as between a man and woman, Mr Pompeo has said gay employees will be respected and treated like everyone else.But he has downplayed some symbols of LGBT+ rights, while introducing several new panels and envoys specialising in religious freedom issues.The advisory cable that came out last year said diplomats are required to obtain top-level approval from the State Department's Office of Management to fly a rainbow flag.The State Department declined to answer questions about the Pride Month advisory and rainbow flag ban. But two diplomats familiar with the events said all requests last year were approved.This year, there was a shift.Embassies in Israel, Germany, Brazil and Latvia, plus a handful of other posts, asked to fly rainbow flags. All were denied, said a person at the State Department who was familiar with what happened.Although most embassies seem to be towing the line, the policy shift appears to have sparked something of a revolt among diplomats.Foreign Service officers have complained on a private Facebook page that nobody should have asked for permission anyway.Some embassies that have flown the flag in previous years opted this year to commemorate the month by posting on their websites president Donald Trump's statement affirming LGBT+ rights and inviting nations to join a global campaign to decriminalise homosexuality.The initiative was the idea of Richard Grenell, the US ambassador to Germany, who is gay.Some embassies got playful with the display of Mr Trump's statement.In Brasilia, for example, the statement is topped by a photo of two hands holding six Play-Doh letters in rainbow colours: LGBTQ.But some did not mention Mr Trump's statement at all, an absence made more glaring by the juxtaposition with statements by ambassadors and secretaries of states left over from previous years.Some gay employees in the foreign and civil service say the ban on flying the rainbow flag is just the tip of an iceberg of slights.Mr Pompeo has not issued a statement for Pride Month, as he did last year.He did not attend the State Department's annual Pride Day event for two years running as his predecessors usually did, though he was travelling in Europe this year.Instead, he dispatched deputy secretary of state John Sullivan, a veteran diplomat who promised that the State Department will advocate for gay diplomats and their families."Day by day, a death by a thousand cuts, our rights as LGBT+ Americans are being eroded with the removal of a guidance here, the rewriting of a policy there, or just the quiet disappearance of a web site," Robyn McCutcheon, a transgender woman who has served in several posts abroad, wrote in her blog "Transgender at State", lamenting what she has observed throughout the government in the past two years."It should come as no surprise that this erosion would happen also at the US Department of State."Some acknowledge that their worst fears have not been borne out.The administration has appointed several gay ambassadors.Mr Trump became the first Republican president to make a statement celebrating Pride Month. No one has been fired for sexual orientation, but some said they have felt more vulnerable after Mr Trump tried to ban transgender people from the military.Better, they said, to not even discuss LGBT+ issues publicly and risk the consequences of drawing attention to themselves."We fly below the radar," one employee said. "We survive because they don't realise we're here."Washington Post
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| Biden gambles on high-risk primary strategy Posted: 10 Jun 2019 02:04 AM PDT  If it seems like the former veep is running for the nomination of a different party than the rest of his rivals, that's because he is.
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| NYC helicopter crash: 'When I hear an explosion like this, it makes me think of that day. You don’t forget' Posted: 10 Jun 2019 03:46 PM PDT  A helicopter crashed on a Manhattan high-rise, killing one Monday near Rockefeller Center and Times Square, according to New York City Fire Dept.
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| How to Find and Cancel Recurring Credit Card Charges Posted: 10 Jun 2019 06:24 AM PDT ![How to Find and Cancel Recurring Credit Card Charges]( "How to Find and Cancel Recurring Credit Card Charges") Checking your credit card statements regularly can help you weed out recurring charges that are costing you money. Recurring charges to your credit card can add up quickly, even if they're small amounts. Knowing how to spot these charges -- and eliminate them -- can help you sidestep an overinflated credit card bill.
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| Up to two million Syrians could flee to Turkey if clashes worsen: U.N. Posted: 10 Jun 2019 03:16 AM PDT  Up to 2 million refugees could flee to Turkey if fighting intensifies in northwestern Syria as aid funds run dangerously low, the United Nations said on Monday. Syria's Russian-backed military has been pressing an assault on rebels in their last major stronghold with air attacks and ground battles that have already forced tens of thousands to leave their homes. "Our fear is if this continues, and if the numbers continue soaring, and if the conflict intensifies, that we could see really hundreds of thousands, a million, two, heading toward the borders with Turkey," the U.N. Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, Panos Moumtzis, said.
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| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hints at sharp divisions within the Supreme Court Posted: 09 Jun 2019 09:36 PM PDT  Ginsburg warns of more 5-4 decisions ahead; reaction from Fox News senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano.
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| Father's Day 2019: Paganism, roses and how the campaign to celebrate dads was won Posted: 10 Jun 2019 01:04 AM PDT  Father's Day, the official calendar date to honour our wonderful dads and celebrate fatherhood, is fast approaching. Recognised each June, the day sees children around the world present their dads with cards and gifts as a thank you for all they do. But when did the first observance of Father's Day take place and who helped establish the annual celebration of paternal figures? From the history behind the celebration, to the more recent commercialisation, here is everything you need to know about Father's Day. When is Father's Day 2019? Father's Day is held every year on the third Sunday of June; this year Father's Day falls on Sunday, June 16 in the UK. Typically, fathers are showered with cards and presents on Father's Day, with some families celebrating together by going on days out. Younger children also tend to make handmade gifts for their fathers at school and extracurricular clubs, including drawings, paintings or cards. As society and family structures have changed, some people now celebrate their stepfathers on Father's Day. In recent years there have been calls for a Stepfather's Day, however no such day has been officially discussed or introduced. Father's Day falls on June 16 this year Credit: E+ The history of Father's Day The first events in recognition of fatherhood took place in the US and followed Anna Jarvis' first celebration of Mother's Day in 1908, as well as the earlier observations of Mothering Sunday in the UK. Grace Golden Clayton, from Fairmont, West Virginia, was the woman behind the first event to celebrate fathers in 1908. Just over a year prior to this event, the Monongah Mining Disaster took place in December 1907, with the explosion killing 361 men. Of these fatalities, 250 were fathers. In honour of the one thousand children who lost their fathers, Clayton encouraged her pastor, Rev. Robert Thomas Webb, to hold a service at the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South. Clayton missed her own father terribly, after he passed away in 1896, so she chose to honour the lives lost on July 5, 1908, the closest date to his birthday. While Clayton was responsible for the first recognition of fatherhood and the paternal bond, her work didn't directly encourage the creation of Father's Day. The memorial service was never promoted outside the town of Fairmont and the service was overshadowed by the significant Independence Day celebrations held a day beforehand. Yet the idea was also picked up on in the following year, when Sonora Smart Dodd started her quest to honour fathers in the same way as mothers. Dodd, born in Arkansas in 1882, was one of six children and at the age of seven, she moved to Washington with her family. When she was 16 years old, her mother, Ellen Victoria Cheek Smart, died after giving birth to her sixth child, leaving her father, William Jackson Smart, a farmer and Civil War veteran, as a single parent. After listening to a Mother's Day sermon at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church in 1909, Dodd felt that fathers deserved equal recognition. With the local YMCA and the Ministerial Association of Spokane, Dodd began a campaign to have the day officially recognised. The first such 'Father's Day' was held at the YMCA in Spokane on June 19, 1910, with a number of towns and cities across America later following suit. Support for Father's Day quickly increased throughout the US and in 1924 President Calvin Coolidge pressured state governments to mark the celebration. President Lyndon Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honouring fathers in 1966, making the third Sunday in June Father's Day. Six years later President Richard Nixon signed it into law, establishing the day as a national holiday – though in the UK it does not enjoy this status. The move came after a campaign by a number of public figures, including Senator Margaret Chase Smith, who in 1957 wrote to Congress: "Either we honour both our parents, mother and father, or let us desist from honouring either one. "But to single out just one of our two parents and omit the other is the most grievous insult imaginable." Dodd's message later spread to other countries across the globe and it is thought that Britain began celebrating Father's Day after World War II. Today, the celebration of fathers has become an important commercial event for high street shops and online retailers, with promotions for the best gifts and cards appearing in the build up to the day each year. Father's Day around the world While in the UK fathers can expect, at best, breakfast in bed and handmade card and, at worst, the day to be completely ignored, elsewhere the festival is done a little differently. In Germany, Father's Day is called Vatertag with it also being referred to as Männertag, which means men's day. The celebration falls on the Thursday 40 days after Easter. In certain regions it is traditional for groups of men to go into the woods with a wagon of beer, wines and meats. Heavy drinking is common and, according to official statistics, traffic-related accidents spike on this day. In Australia, Father's Day falls on the first Sunday of September, which is their first Sunday of Spring, while in Croatia, they observe Roman Catholic tradition and celebrate fathers on March 19, Saint Joseph's Day. In China, Father's Day used to be celebrated on August 8 as the Chinese for eight is "ba", while a colloquial word for father is "ba-ba" – so the eighth day of the eighth month sounds similar to "daddy". The day has since been moved to the third Sunday of June, in line with the UK and US. In France, the day was introduced in 1949 for commercial reasons by lighter manufacturer Flaminaire. Inspired by the US' day of celebration, they created a new advert with the slogan 'Nos papas nous l'ont dit, pour la fête des pères, ils désirent tous un Flaminaire' ('Our fathers told us, for father's day, they all want a Flaminaire'). Three years later an official decree was made to recognise the day. Most countries celebrate Father's Day on the third Sunday in June including the UK, USA, Mexico, Ireland, France, Greece, China and Japan. However not all countries celebrate it then. In Brazil, Father's Day falls on the second Sunday of August and this day was chosen in honour of Saint Joachim, the patron saint of fathers. According to Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox traditions, Joachim was the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The ultimate films on fatherhood Father's Day tales and traditions Some pagans suggest that Father's Day is closely linked to the Pagan Sun worship, because the sun is thought to be the father of the universe and the celebration of dads falls closely to the summer solstice. Roses are the official flower of Father's Day, with people previously wearing them to church on this date. While this tradition is rarely seen today, sons and daughters used to wear either a red rose in admiration of a living father or a white rose in memory of a deceased father. Sonora Smart Dodd, the founder of Father's Day, selected this flower and it is said that during the early celebrations, she handed out roses to home-bound fathers, while on a horse-drawn carriage ride around the city. Father's Day gifts and presents From cutesy cards, socks and ties to luxurious watches and fantastic car experiences, Britons present their paternal figures with an array of unique gifts on Father's Day. But, demand for the perfect Father's Day present has led to the increasing commercialisation of the day, with retailers competing to offer the best gifts and consumers heading to their high street shops and online retailers. According to MuchNeeded, Father's Day is a popular shopping day in both the UK and US, with 75 per cent of men expected to celebrate the occasion this year. While Britons and Americans spend a significant amount on Father's Day each year, on average it only accounts for half the spending around Mother's Day. Is it Father's Day, Fathers' Day or Fathers Day? Ah, the age old question. The answer? Many say Father's Day is the correct version. Mother's Day (which has the apostrophe before the 's') set the precedent while Father's Day was still gaining popularity. Anna Jarvis trademarked the term 'Mother's Day' – with the apostrophe before the 's' – in 1912, saying the word should 'be a singular possessive, for each family to honour its own mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world'. President Woodrow Wilson used this spelling when he formalised Mother's Day in 1914; this means the correct version of the word is spelled with the apostrophe before the 's'. Father's Day has followed suit, with cards on both sides of the pond including the apostrophe in the same place.
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| Detroit chief says neo-Nazis sought gay pride event violence Posted: 10 Jun 2019 04:31 PM PDT ![Detroit chief says neo-Nazis sought gay pride event violence]( "Detroit chief says neo-Nazis sought gay pride event violence") Detroit police officers prevented violence by a neo-Nazi group that wanted to spark "Charlottesville No. 2" during a gay pride festival over the weekend, the city's police chief said Monday. Chief James Craig said five people among about 15 white supremacists were openly carrying firearms — which is allowed under Michigan law — while they traded barbs with 15-20 counterprotesters during the Motor City Pride festival in downtown Detroit. Officers worked to keep the two groups separate after getting word that the neo-Nazi group wanted to spark violence similar to the deadly 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, Craig said.
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| Chris Christie: Trump’s Staff ‘Served Him Poorly’ With Ingraham Interview at D-Day Cemetery Posted: 09 Jun 2019 09:45 AM PDT  Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie took some shots at the White House on Sunday morning when he claimed President Trump's staff did not serve him well by allowing him to sit down with pro-Trump Fox News host Laura Ingraham for an interview that featured him blasting his political rivals with the Normandy D-Day cemetery as a backdrop.During a panel discussion on ABC's This Week, Christie—who served as a Trump surrogate in the 2016 election and was briefly part of the Trump transition team—generally praised the president on his recent overseas visit. The conversation then pivoted into the debate over Trump lashing out at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the Ingraham interview, with Christie noting that the president was reacting to Pelosi reportedly telling Democrats she wanted to see Trump in prison.After saying Pelosi "earned" Trump's wrath due to her comments and claiming there was no excuse for her to say she wanted to see the president jailed, the one-time GOP presidential candidate tossed some criticism the White House's way."I also think that the president's press staff served him poorly in two instances in Europe," Christie declared. "Putting him in front of Piers Morgan and putting him in that interview at that site with Laura Ingraham. That doesn't serve the president well."The former governor said that interviews of that nature place the president in trouble because he's given too much time to speak his mind, and added that it's the staff's job "not to put the principal in a situation where you put him at greater risk of harm than greater risk of benefit.""I'd argue that when [White House Press Secretary] Sarah Sanders, or whoever made those decisions to put him in those positions--put him there, they ill-served him," he concluded.Christie isn't the only conservative pundit who has taken issue with the optics of Trump slamming his political opponents with the grave markers of World War II soldiers serving as a backdrop. CNN's Amanda Carpenter went off on Trump and Fox News last week, saying she saw "a draft-dodging president" who sat down with a host who "espouses white supremacist talking points while using the graves of World War soldiers who saved the world from Nazis as a prop."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Boy, 12, seriously wounded in Roseland shooting Posted: 08 Jun 2019 08:27 PM PDT  A 12-year-old boy is in serious condition after being shot Saturday afternoon in Roseland on the Far South Side.
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| 39 Ice Cream Sandwiches You Need In Your Life ASAP Posted: 10 Jun 2019 12:48 PM PDT |
| US axes non-essential services for kids at migrant shelters Posted: 08 Jun 2019 06:30 PM PDT  When reporters toured a shelter for immigrant children in February, authorities showed off classrooms, soccer fields and art studios to prove the kids were being treated well. This week President Donald Trump's administration cancelled all that special care, citing a lack of funding. Some 13,200 children and teens, most of them Central American, are being held in 168 shelters for minors in 23 states across the United States.
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| Meet the Russian Army's New PL-15 Pistol: Better Than a Glock or Sig Sauer? Posted: 08 Jun 2019 10:00 PM PDT  The PL-15 is hyped up by Kalashnikov Concern to be one of the best pistols in the world. Said to be light, accurate, and soft-shooting, Kalashnikov Concern plans to start producing the gun in 2019. However, the Russian military has not yet expressed official interest in procuring the gun. But should they? Does the PL-15 represent a large step up from existing sidearms?The short answer is, yes. The Russian military still predominantly uses the 9x18mm Makarov pistol, a single stack design from the 1950s. The PL-15 represents a quantum leap ahead of this ancient design, being a modern, striker-fired pistol. However, the Makarov is likely to soldier on for much longer in wide service.The story of the PL-15 begins in 2014, when Dmitri Lebedev, the pistol's namesake and primary designer, was recruited by Kalashnikov Concern to work on a new pistol. Lebedev had worked in small arms for many years prior, being an armorer and competitor for various Russian competition shooting teams.He began work in a new pistol, called the PL-14 that would amalgamate the features of most successful foreign pistols into a domestic design. The pistol featured a low bore axis and long beavertail similar to Glock, Steyr M, and Caracal pistols, an internal double-action trigger similar to the original FN Five-seven, and low profile recessed controls suitable for duty use.
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| Supreme Court to hear Comcast appeal in Byron Allen racial bias suit Posted: 10 Jun 2019 06:52 AM PDT  The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear cable television operator Comcast Corp's bid to throw out comedian and producer Byron Allen's racial bias lawsuit accusing the company of discriminating against black-owned channels. The justices will review a decision by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that cleared the way for a $20 billion civil rights lawsuit against Comcast to proceed. At issue in the litigation is the refusal by Comcast to carry channels operated by Entertainment Studios Networks, owned by Byron Allen, who is black.
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| Kroger recalls some of its frozen berries after FDA warns about possible Hepatitis A contamination Posted: 09 Jun 2019 12:00 PM PDT ![Kroger recalls some of its frozen berries after FDA warns about possible Hepatitis A contamination]( "Kroger recalls some of its frozen berries after FDA warns about possible Hepatitis A contamination") Kroger said Friday it's recalling three varieties of Private Selection frozen berries due to possible Hepatitis A contamination.
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| What Catholic bishops must do to prevent sexual abuse and hold clergy accountable Posted: 10 Jun 2019 09:10 AM PDT  The Roman Catholic Church has been plagued by sexual abuse scandals for years. Here's what it can do to clean up now and to prevent future abuse.
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| Case opened: Democrats begin public airing of Mueller report Posted: 09 Jun 2019 10:01 AM PDT  President Donald Trump says it's "case closed ." But Democrats are just getting started with Robert Mueller . House Democrats have scheduled a series of hearings this coming week on the special counsel's report as they intensify their focus on the Russia probe and pick up the pace on an investigative "path" — in the words of Speaker Nancy Pelosi — that some of them hope leads to impeachment of the president. In doing so, they are trying to draw the public's attention on the allegations that Trump sought to obstruct a federal investigation and they want to highlight his campaign's contacts with Russia in the 2016 election.
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| Japan says human error likely cause of F-35A jet crash Posted: 09 Jun 2019 11:42 PM PDT  Human error was the likely cause of an F-35A fighter jet crash in April, Japan's defence ministry said Monday, and flights of the stealth jet will resume after new training measures. The jet crashed into the sea in April after the 41-year-old pilot suffered "spatial disorientation", in which a person loses their sense of balance, the ministry concluded. "The crash was likely caused by spatial disorientation of the pilot, not technical problems with the aircraft," a ministry official told AFP.
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| Hong Kong's Leader Says Extradition Bill to Go Ahead Prompting Calls for Fresh Protests Posted: 10 Jun 2019 12:54 AM PDT  Opponents called for fresh protests after a massive march Sunday
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| The iPhone XR and XS screens scratch way too easily, so you need these $2 screen protectors Posted: 10 Jun 2019 11:09 AM PDT  Apple didn't announce anything official with regard to the oleophobic coating on its latest iPhone models, the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. But there's no question whatsoever that the company made some big changes to the oil-resistant layer on top of its newest iPhone displays. As a result, there are two big changes that everyone notices. First, the new iPhones resist oil much better than earlier models, and the oleophobic coating lasts much longer before wearing off. Second, it is ridiculously easy to scratch. You can be the safest person in the world and you're still going to get find scratches all over your iPhone screen -- that is, unless you pick up a high-quality screen protector like the TETHYS Glass Screen Protector. You can snag a 3-pack right now on Amazon for as little as $5.59 (that's $1.86 per screen protector!), so definitely grab a pack while they're discounted.Here's some additional info from the product page: * Tethys' Tempered glass screen protector provides edge-to-edge protection for your Device against scratches, bumps and minor drops. Enjoy your phone's clear display with no worries! * Ultra clear - transparent screen protection; it's like you have nothing there! The screen protector is made with 9H screen hardness, offering maximum coverage for your screen including the front sensor. (Note: fits with most cases except cases with hefty raised edges such as battery cases.) * Easy Installation - it's super easy to install! Comes with an installation guidance frame to assist with the application process. * Touchscreen accessible - receive full access to all buttons, 3D touch, touch ID, facial recognition and other functions on your phone. Box content includes 3X glass screen protector, guidance frame, wet/dry wipes, user guide, dust Removal/guide stickers. * Warranty - Tethys is proud to provide a lifetime warranty for the protection of your phone screen.
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| Could Driverless Cars Damage Demand for Air Travel? Posted: 10 Jun 2019 06:15 AM PDT  As driverless cars become more capable and more common, they will change people's travel habits not only around their own communities but across much larger distances. Our research has revealed just how much people's travel preferences could shift, and found a new potential challenge to the airline industry.Imagine someone who lives in Atlanta and needs to travel to Washington, D.C., for business. This is about a 10-hour drive. A flight takes about two hours, assuming no delays. Add to that the drive to the airport, checking in, the security line and waiting at the gate. Upon arrival in D.C., it may take another 30 minutes to pick up any checked bags and find a rental car – and even more time to drive to the specific destination. The average person would estimate a total travel time of four to five fours. Most people would choose to fly instead of driving themselves.
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| How Does the Chevrolet Silverado's New Duramax Turbo-Diesel Engine Compare against Ford and Ram? Posted: 10 Jun 2019 11:48 AM PDT  We look at the numbers: It's a dog-eat-dog truck world out there, and Chevrolet just took a big bite.
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| Renault warns Nissan it will block governance reshuffle Posted: 10 Jun 2019 12:14 AM PDT  In a statement, the Japanese firm said it had received a letter from Renault "indicating intention to abstain from voting", a move that would mean the proposed changes fall short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass. "Nissan finds Renault's stance on this matter most regrettable, as such a stance runs counter to the company's efforts to improve its corporate governance," CEO Hiroto Saikawa said in a statement. Renault's decision, first reported by the Financial Times, was taken over fears the proposed governance changes could reduce its influence, the paper said.
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| Senators hope to force vote on arms sales to Saudi Arabia Posted: 09 Jun 2019 02:20 PM PDT ![Senators hope to force vote on arms sales to Saudi Arabia]( "Senators hope to force vote on arms sales to Saudi Arabia") Opposition to President Donald Trump's Saudi Arabia policy and use of executive power is building in Congress, where senators have introduced more legislation aimed at blocking the sale of weapons to the kingdom. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a Democrat, and Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, a Republican, said in a statement Sunday they hope to force a vote on U.S. security assistance to Saudi Arabia, including arms sales, after a review of the kingdom's human rights record. Anger has been mounting in Congress for months over the Trump administration's close ties to the Saudis, fueled by high civilian casualties in the Saudi-led war in Yemen — a military campaign the U.S. is assisting — and the killing of U.S.-based columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents.
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| Google Maps could alert passengers when their taxi goes off route Posted: 10 Jun 2019 07:15 AM PDT  According to a media report, Google Maps is testing a new feature that would send users an alert if their taxi strays 500 meters off route. Later this summer, Maps will also send you an alert if your route could be affected by a crisis and will likewise reroute the path to avoid any dangers. Adding alerts for route deviations is just another way Google is working to keep users safe.
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| California to become first state to give free healthcare to undocumented immigrants Posted: 10 Jun 2019 09:33 AM PDT  California is set to become the first state to extend health care coverage to young, undocumented immigrants with a $98 million plan that would help some 100,000 low-income people in the state.The policy is being considered by the state's legislature, and would expand coverage for the state's Medicaid program — known as Medi-Cal — to those undocumented immigrants between the ages of 19 and 25.The deal is a bit less ambitious than a previous plan approved in the state Senate to include coverage for immigrants 65 and older. Governor Gavin Newsom has signalled support for expanding coverage for younger immigrants in California, but said the expansion for older undocumented immigrants would be too expensive."We will continue to pursue steps towards the Governor's & Legislature's shared goal of getting to universal coverage in the next few years," wrote Anthony Wright, the executive director of the advocacy group Health Access, in a statement posted on Twitter. Californian politicians are wrestling with how to extend health insurance coverage to everyone in the state, in an effort that could lead to a sweeping expansion to coverage in one of America's most populous and progressive states.The health insurance expansion would also make the state the first to subsidize insurance for middle-income families. That subsidy would make families of four in the state making as much as six times the federal poverty level eligible for $100 a month in help from the government to pay for insurance.State senator Holly Mitchell, a Democrat who led the budget negotiations, said that she and her colleagues believe that health care should be available to all Californians."California believes that health is a fundamental right," Ms Mitchell said.In order to pay for the programme, the state would begin taxing those who are uninsured. The approach is similar to a portion of Barack Obama's health care law, which was eliminated in 2017 by a tax code overhaul.The Associated Press contributed to this report
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| Apple releases iOS 12.3.2 for iPhone with a fix for an annoying bug Posted: 10 Jun 2019 10:00 AM PDT  We're all anxious for iOS 13 following Apple's big reveal at WWDC last week, but the iPhone maker still isn't finished with iOS 12 quite yet. On Monday, Apple rolled out iOS 12.3.2, which appears to be little more than a bug fix for select iPhone 8 Plus users that have been experiencing issues with Portrait mode depth effects.With just a few months to go until iOS 13 launches this fall, it seems likely that iOS 12.4 (and any subsequent 12.4 releases) will be the end of the line for iOS 12. Several betas have already rolled for iOS 12.4, and other than support for the Apple Card, there don't appear to be many significant changes to the operating system.Here's what Apple provided in terms of details about the iOS 12.3.2 update, which is available now:> iOS 12.3.2 resolves an issue that could cause Camera to capture Portrait mode photos without depth effect on some iPhone 8 Plus devices.As for device compatibility, iOS 12.3.1 is only available for the iPhone 8 Plus. Other devices will find that iOS 12.3.1 is the latest available version, and it's compatible with the following devices: * iPhone XS * iPhone XS Max * iPhone XR * iPhone X * iPhone 8 * iPhone 8 Plus (iOS 12.3.2) * iPhone 7 * iPhone 7 Plus * iPhone 6s * iPhone 6s Plus * iPhone 6 * iPhone 6 Plus * iPhone SE * iPhone 5s * 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation * 12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st generation * 10.5-inch iPad Pro * 9.7-inch iPad Pro * iPad Air 2 * iPad Air * iPad 5th generation * iPad mini 4 * iPad mini 3 * iPad mini 2 * iPod touch 6th generationIf you want to update your device to iOS 12.3.2 now, you can do so by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update on your device and tapping "Download and Install" at the bottom of the page. You can also apply the update through iTunes by connecting your iOS device to a computer.
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| Gutfeld celebrates the fourth anniversary of his show Posted: 08 Jun 2019 07:22 PM PDT  Greg Gutfeld thanks D-Day veterans and weighs in on President Trump's visit to the U.K.
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| The 2019 Ford Ranger XL SuperCab Is Cheap and Quick Posted: 10 Jun 2019 11:05 AM PDT  At less than $30,000, Ford's base Ranger is a solid, largely vice-free workhorse.
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| Civil disobedience campaign empties streets of Sudan's capital Posted: 09 Jun 2019 04:06 AM PDT  A campaign of civil disobedience to demand civilian rule left the streets of Sudan's capital Khartoum largely deserted as the working week began on Sunday, while a 20-year-old man was shot dead in Omdurman, witnesses and opposition medics said. Opposition and protest groups had called for workers to stay at home after security forces stormed a protest camp on Monday, killing dozens and dealing a blow to hopes of a peaceful transition after the overthrow of president Omar Hassan al-Bashir in April. Transitional Military Council (TMC) spokesman Shams El Din Kabbashi said the council was willing to listen to the opposition's demands and restart negotiations, which it halted after the attack on the camp.
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| US business leaders express support for abortion rights Posted: 10 Jun 2019 01:14 PM PDT  Nearly 200 business leaders on Monday endorsed an open letter on abortion rights, saying conservative efforts to restrict "comprehensive reproductive care" would be bad for both employees and customers. "Restricting access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion, threatens the health, independence and economic stability of our employees and customers," said the open letter that appeared as an ad in the New York Times. Several prominent tech executives were among those who signed the letter, including Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey, Jeremy Stoppelman of Yelp and Stewart Butterfield of Slack.
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| Trump delivers hard line on new China tariffs threat Posted: 10 Jun 2019 08:37 AM PDT  President Donald Trump warned Monday he will slap huge new tariffs on China if his counterpart Xi Jinping doesn't show up for a planned face-to-face meeting later this month and insisted the Chinese economy will never overtake the United States. Trump delivered his hardline message ahead of the G20 summit on June 28-29 in Osaka, Japan, which could mark a turning point in the trade dispute between the world's two biggest economies. Trump said the meeting was "scheduled" and that he expects Xi to attend.
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| Scouted: Prime Day 2019 Will Be a Whirlwind of Deals So Here’s How To Get the Most Out of It Posted: 10 Jun 2019 09:00 AM PDT  The Second Tuesday in July (or maybe the Third, who knows!) is coming. Prime Day 2019 is on the horizon and Scouted is here to surface the best deals so you don't get lost in the chaos. As of now, we're still in the dark about what, when, and how Prime Day will appear in July 2019, but we do know a few things: First, there are gonna be deals and a hell of a lot of 'em. We'll be here sifting through them all and finding the best ones. Second, there are some things you can do now to prepare, and we've outlined them below. Prime Day, In General:Prime Day started in 2015 (on a Wednesday) as 24 hours of discounts and has grown exponentially ever since. In previous years, Prime Day has occasionally spanned multiple days, with deals popping up at different times over the course of those days. Some were available until they sold out, and others were only available for a limited time, aka a Lightning Deal. Deals pop up all the time, so your best bet at getting a great deal on something you're looking for is to check in as early as possible and keep coming back as the day goes on. We'll be here to help cut through the crazy, but only you know what you're willing to purchase. How to Prepare: GET YOUR PRIME MEMBERSHIP HERE >First and foremost, Prime Day is only reserved for Prime Members. A Prime Membership gets you access to free two-day shipping on select products, access to Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video, and more. Plus, you can sign up for a free trial that will last you through Prime Day and then you can cancel it PPD (post-Prime Day) without having to pay the annual fee. APPLY FOR THE PRIME CREDIT CARD >If you want even more savings, you can sign up for the Amazon Prime Credit Card. This gets you an automatic 5% back on any purchase you make on Amazon, which can then be used towards future purchases. That means if you plan on shopping on Prime Day and also have a knack for finding your favorite things on the site, this may be a good option to get even more money back in your wallet. Other perks include a $70 credit upon approval, which will easily pay for some of your Prime Day purchases, 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores, and 1% back on everything else. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER >On Twitter, we'll be sharing deals as quickly as we find them. You'll be able to click into post for more information about the deal or be sent direct to the product pages (which means you'll want to buy ASAP). SIGN UP FOR THE SCOUTED NEWSLETTER >We'll be divulging our favorite deals throughout the day and the Newsletter is a great way to find the best of the best. We'll be sending a handful throughout the day, so you can stay on top of things. What Deals to Expect: Deals will be all over the place on Prime Day, but there are a couple that tend to be common: * TVs * Amazon Devices (Echo, Kindle, Fire, etc.) * Mattresses * Kitchen Gadgets (Sous Vide, Instant Pot, blenders) * Amazon Brand Clothing * Headphones * Vacuums Where Else to Shop:While Prime Day is, obviously, an Amazon-focused holiday, in the last few years, other retailers have gotten in on the wave of people looking for deals in early July. Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and more will most likely have similar discounts before, during, and after Prime Day.Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| 19 Democratic Presidential Candidates Took the Stage Sunday. No One Stood Out Posted: 09 Jun 2019 07:22 PM PDT  Nineteen of the 24 Democratic presidential candidates took the stage in Iowa on Sunday at the largest cattle-call yet.
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| Samsung says it will announce new Galaxy Fold launch timing ‘in the coming weeks’ Posted: 10 Jun 2019 02:07 PM PDT  Samsung is still giving somewhat vague signals about when it will actually move forward with the release of what was supposed to have been one of the marquee consumer electronics launches of 2019 -- the company's much-hyped foldable smartphone. Now, some 45 days after the phone's April 26 launch was scuttled in the wake of a slew of malfunctioning and broken devices, it seems at least a new launch announcement is imminent.In an email to CNET, a Samsung spokesman confirmed a new announcement window for the Galaxy Fold relaunch: "We will announce timing in the coming weeks."Just a few days ago, we told you about a report that claimed Samsung's first foldable will finally hit the market in July and possibly beat the Mate X to launch. Per Korean-language site NewsTomato, the South Korea-based tech giant will purportedly begin selling the Fold in July. This means we're likely to see a press conference sometime this month during which the company would likely walk through what went wrong with the fragile first iteration of the device and how Samsung has worked to ensure the problems that cropped up the first time around won't show up again.The device already arguably had a high bar to cross on the road to mainstream acceptance of a nearly $2,000 handset with an unusual form factor beset by early problems like debris that could get inside the phone through gaps in the hinge mechanism. Complicating matters further, Best Buy recently canceled its Fold preorder sales, which means that anyone who still is desperate to get their hands on one of these devices will have to start the preorder process all over again once Samsung finally gets around to sharing a new launch date.Still, it will be at least a somewhat interesting moment for the smartphone market once the Fold finally arrives, given that Huawei's Mate X won't be available stateside as a result of the US government's current ban on Huawei. That means Samsung's Galaxy Fold will earn the title of the first foldable smartphone to arrive in the US once it finally hits store shelves.
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