| Limos, vodka and nukes: How a sanctions' sleuth traces North Korea's illicit transactions Posted: 01 Jul 2019 06:38 AM PDT  Expert say if North Korea's Kim Jong Un can get a limo in spite of sanctions, he also has access to items for his ballistic and nuclear programs.
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| How America's F-22s (Now Near Iran) Could Strike If War Breaks Out Posted: 30 Jun 2019 08:00 AM PDT  Taken on Jun. 27, 2019 the pictures in this post show U.S. Air Force (USAF) F-22 Raptors arriving at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The Raptors are deployed to Qatar for the first time in order to defend American forces and interests in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.The USAF did not give the total number of F-22s deployed, but a handout picture showed at least five the warplanes over the base.The F-22 movement comes a week after an Iranian surface-to-air missile (SAM) shot down a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton drone over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said the drone was in its airspace, but Washington claims it was over international waters.
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| Antifa attack conservative blogger Andy Ngo amid violence at Portland Proud Boys protest Posted: 30 Jun 2019 04:51 AM PDT  A conservative writer has been attacked by antifascists amid violence at clashing demonstrations in Portland.Andy Ngo was surrounded and beaten by protesters wearing black with their faces concealed, while being covered in a milkshake, eggs and spray on Saturday.He was taken to hospital for treatment after posting a video showing bruises and cuts to his face and neck."I just got beat up by the crowd," Mr Ngo said. "I was in the middle of the street and they stole my GoPro and punched me several times in my face and my head. I'm bleeding."He had been covering protests against the male chauvinist Proud Boys group, which is known for street fighting, in the Oregon city.Three people have so far been arrested for offences including assault on a public safety officer, harassment and disorderly conduct. Police said five protesters and three police officers were treated by medics for injuries during the protests, and three people were taken to hospital after being attacked with weapons.One counter-demonstration had been organised by Rose City Antifa, which accused the Proud Boys of "planning to invade downtown Portland, looking for targets for violent attacks".They called for people to "defend our city" in an online blog that accused Mr Ngo of Islamophobia and promoting the Proud Boys.Mr Ngo is an editor at online magazine Quilette but opponents characterise him as a far-right campaigner and criticised him over a Wall Street Journal article published last year entitled: "A visit to Islamic England." His lawyer, Harmeet K Dhillon, said doctors were monitoring Mr Ngo's head injuries in hospital.Supporters have already donated more than $70,000 (£55,000) to a crowdfunding page called the Protect Andy Ngo Fund.Local media reported that only 30 people turned up for the original protest – a "patriot prayer" rally – in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square on Saturday afternoon.Police attempted to keep them apart from a larger counter-demonstration in Lownsdale Square, where the Portland Mercury observed organisers giving out "milkshakes" in antifascist-branded cups.The Portland Police Bureau said it later received reports of individuals throwing "milkshakes" with a substance mixed in that was similar to a quick-drying cement, adding: "One subject was arrested for throwing a substance during the incident."The trend of "milkshaking" right-wing figures started in the UK last month, when the British anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson was targeted, and has since spread to the US.Disorder broke out when a group of antifascist protesters left their designated area and marched towards the Proud Boys rally, repeatedly trying to get around police blockades.One banner read "f*** Nazis and fascists", while some protesters waved a banner for the Satanic Portland Antifascists and chanted: "Not hate, no fear, Proud Boys are not welcome here."Footage showed scuffles between opposing protesters, while several antifascists were wearing face coverings or helmets, and carrying homemade shields, bats and weapons. The Portland Police Bureau said two protests from Chapman Square and Lownsdale Park Square merged and started an unpermitted march towards Pioneer Square that stopped traffic."There were multiple assaults reported, as well as projectiles thrown at demonstrators and officers," a statement added. "There were also reports of pepper spray and bear spray being used by people in the crowd. Officers deployed pepper spray during the incident."Two officers were pepper sprayed, another was punched and a colleague was hit in the head with a projectile during what police labelled a "civil disturbance".After issuing a dispersal order, three people were arrested. A 23-year-old man was charged with second-degree assault and assault of a police officer, a 21-year-old man was charged with harassment and a 23-year-old woman with disorderly conduct and harassment.Assistant police chief Chris Davis said: "There are hundreds of peaceful free speech events in the city in a given year that do not result in violence. Unfortunately, today some community members and officers were injured. "We are actively investigating these incidents to hold those responsible accountable." Police are appealing anyone who witnessed or filmed violence to contact crimetips@portlandoregon.gov.
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| Hunt for pet-eating python as 9ft snake goes on the loose in Cambridge Posted: 30 Jun 2019 10:04 AM PDT  Rabbit and chicken owners in Cambridge have been warned to be vigilant following the escape of a nine-foot reticulated python. The non-venomous snake is unlikely to pose a threat to human life but could make small animals like rabbits and chickens its prey. Police in Cambridgeshire received reports that a snake had been spotted near Lovell Road in Cambridge. In the early hours of Sunday morning officers attended the area but failed to spot the animal. The snake's owners have been located and provided police with details on the animal. Steve Allain, chairman of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Amphibian and Reptile Group said the escaped reptile poses a threat to rabbits, chickens and potentially dogs and cats but added that the latter two pets are more like to be able to defend themselves if attacked. Mr Allain said the threat posed depends on when the animal last ate. "We don't when it last fed or how hungry it is or how determined it is to find a meal," Mr Allain said. Mr Allain said the "snake could be anywhere" and would be easier to locate during the colder winter months when it would seek warmth. "With the hot weather this weekend, it will be comfortable in most places. During the winter, the first place you would look would be in and around cars where they seek the warmth of the engine." An Indonesian woman was swallowed by a 23-foot reticulated python last year but Mr Allain said this smaller creature does not pose a similar threat. The RSPCA advised anyone that encounters the creature not to approach it. "If anyone finds a snake they believe is non-native the RSPCA's advice is to keep a safe distance, monitor the snake and call the charity's helpline on 0300 1234 999," a spokeswoman said. Reticulated pythons are the world's longest snake, native to south-east Asia and can grow up to 31.5 feet, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica. They are not venomous. In May, Cambridgeshire Constabulary found a large orange and black striped corn snake out and about. "Road policing officers got a bit of a shock this morning when they came across thissss snake in the grass on Arbury Road in Cambridge," police said on Twitter. The snake was taken to a wildlife centre in Stretham. Anyone who sees the latest snake is asked to notify police on 101.
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| How to Display the American Flag Correctly on Your Car or Motorcycle Posted: 01 Jul 2019 11:00 AM PDT |
| Judge: Rep. Duncan Hunter's trial can detail alleged affairs Posted: 01 Jul 2019 05:40 PM PDT  Jurors can hear evidence of U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter's alleged extramarital affairs when they consider charges the California Republican looted campaign cash to finance vacations, golf outings and other personal expenses, a judge said Monday. Prosecutors revealed salacious details about the married congressman's lifestyle in court filings last week, saying he used campaign money to illegally finance a string of romantic relationships with lobbyists and congressional aides. U.S. District Judge Thomas Whelan said the allegations were relevant to whether campaign money was spent illegally and spoke to motive and intent.
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| Buttigieg Raises $24.8 Million in Quarter, Continuing 2020 Surge Posted: 01 Jul 2019 05:52 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Pete Buttigieg continued his surge as a 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful, raising $24.8 million in the second quarter and cementing his status as a top-tier candidate."Thank you to the over 400,000 of you who have invested in this campaign, and who helped us raise over $24,800,000 this quarter alone. You inspire us every step of the way, and we're just getting started," the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, tweeted Monday.The fundraising haul more than tripled the amount he raised in the first-quarter in which he reported $7 million in campaign donations. At that time, Buttigieg trailed several candidates in the money race, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who raised $18.2 million; California Senator Kamala Harris with $12 million and former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke, who raised $9.4 million.Former Vice President Joe Biden didn't enter the race until the last week of April. His campaign said it brought in $6.3 million on the day he announced his candidacy, tops among Democratic contenders. President Donald Trump's campaign raised $24.8 million in less than 24 hours when he officially launched his re-election campaign with a rally in Orlando, Florida on June 18, according to the Republican National Committee, though that amount included money raised for the party as well as his campaign.Candidates are due to officially report second-quarter totals to the Federal Election Commission on July 15. Some campaigns voluntarily announce the amount they raised ahead of the deadline, often to show the depth and breadth of their support.For Buttigieg, it's the second time he's been first out of the gate with his numbers. His campaign announced its totals for the opening months of the campaign on April 1.Buttigieg ended June with $22.6 million in the bank, his campaign said in an email. There were more than 294,000 donors who have contributed to his campaign in the second quarter, including 230,000 new donors in the second quarter. Overall, 400,000 individuals have contributed since Buttigieg launched his exploratory committee in February.The average donation size was $47.42, the email said. In the first quarter, Buttigieg raised $4.5 million from small-dollar donors, those who contributed $200 or less. He also received support from top Democratic fundraisers, including hedge-fund manager Orin Kramer, who raised more than $500,000 for Barack Obama's campaign in 2008, and Steve Elmendorf, a lobbyist who represents the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Facebook Inc.In April, Buttigieg's campaign announced it would no longer accept money from registered lobbyists or allow them to raise money for it. It also announced that it would not accept money from corporate political action committees. Most of the leading Democratic candidates, including Biden, Sanders and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, have taken the same pledge.Buttigieg's $24.8 million total is impressive for a candidate in a field of 24 who began the race with little name recognition, but not record-setting. Hillary Clinton raised $47.5 million for her campaign in the same period in 2015, though at the time she faced only three opponents. In a more crowded field, Obama raised $33.1 million in the second quarter of 2007, the most among contenders in that period.(Updates with additional detail starting in fourth paragraph.)To contact the reporter on this story: Bill Allison in Washington at ballison14@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Michael Shepard at mshepard7@bloomberg.net, Elizabeth Wasserman, Kathleen HunterFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| The American Medical Association Is Taking a More Aggressive Approach on Abortion Legislation Posted: 01 Jul 2019 04:00 AM PDT  The doctors' group, is taking an assertive stance arguing that North Dakota's laws interfere with doctor-patient relationships.
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| Civil Rights Watchdogs Say Facebook Is Still Failing on White Supremacy Posted: 01 Jul 2019 11:48 AM PDT  David McNew/Getty ImagesSome civil rights watchdogs say Facebook's "Civil Rights Audit," which recommends a crackdown on white nationalism and related ideologies, is a step in the right direction but doesn't go far enough.On Sunday, Facebook released a progress report about its ongoing internal investigation into how the company handles civil rights issues on the platform. With contributions from more than 90 civil liberties organizations, the report suggests a blueprint for how Facebook can fix its spotty record on racism, discrimination, and voter intimidation. The progress report also addresses Facebook's current policy on white nationalist content, which civil rights leaders have criticized as insufficient. If Facebook wants to clean up the site, it will have to take on the report's recommendations and more, those experts say."I think they've been trying to play in this gray area for far too long and that's come back to haunt them," Henry Fernandez, member of the digital civil rights coalition Change the Terms, told The Daily Beast. Fernandez was referring to Facebook's often-inconsistent approach to racist content.A 2018 Motherboard investigation found that while Facebook prohibited discussion of "white supremacy," it allowed discussion of "white nationalism" and "white separatism," both of which are racist ideologies stemming from white supremacy.This year, after a broad backlash about its insufficient policy, Facebook banned explicit discussion of white nationalism and white separatism. Still, the company declined to take immediate action on white nationalist posts that didn't explicitly use the term. (Facebook said the coded language was too difficult to detect and remove.)The half-step against white nationalism meant that prominent white nationalists could continue posting. A week after Facebook announced its ban on white nationalism, it refused to pull a white nationalist video by Canadian hate-monger Faith Goldy. At the time, a Facebook spokesperson told HuffPost that the video did not promote white nationalism but was merely a discussion about ethnicity. (Facebook banned Goldy and several neo-Nazis the following week.)Facebook's frequent reversals have led some civil rights groups to accuse it of making up its policies on the fly."The burden still remains on victimized community members to report content and hope that the company will address the problem," Muslim Advocates, a civil rights group said in a statement on Facebook's civil rights audit. "Facebook's piecemeal approach to these issues will not result in long-term solutions, and the time has come for the company to honor its commitment to fix these problems."Fernandez said he suspected Facebook hadn't studied its subject matter closely enough."I think the teams they put together lacked the expertise and the diversity to understand and articulate why there is no distinction between white nationalism, white separatism, and white supremacy," he said.He pointed to revelations this week that Customs and Border Patrol agents had used Facebook groups to disparage immigrants and Latina congresswomen. The new civil rights audit called Facebook's definition of white nationalism "too narrow" and suggested Facebook take action against all white nationalist content, even if it doesn't use the term explicitly.The audit also announced the creation of an internal Civil Rights Task Force, comprised of senior Facebook execs, which will meet monthly. But if the task force is to make real changes, it needs more than monthly meetings of C-suite executives, Fernandez said."The problem is, what they're saying they'll now have—a committee chaired by Sheryl Sandberg and then a couple outside consultants meeting monthly—seems pretty thin compared to the scale of problems they have," he said. "I think they need to figure out how they're going to embed that civil rights structure much more deeply in the organization." 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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| #UnwantedIvanka edits first daughter into historic events, photos after G-20 conversations Posted: 01 Jul 2019 01:31 PM PDT  President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump faced sharp criticism from some for her role the G-20 summit last week in Osaka, Japan.
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| Sad: Iran's Kowsar Jet Is Just an Old Copy of an F-5F Posted: 01 Jul 2019 07:06 AM PDT  Iran is currently under economic and diplomatic pressure from a raft of sanctions reimposed by the U.S. earlier this month, and the unveiling could be seen as a bid to show self-sufficiency and military might in the face of that pressure.Iran says its new Kowsar fighter jet has flown. President Hassan Rouhani was on scene to see the jet – which is a carbon copy of the American F-5F – undergoing flight trials.Test flights of the Kowsar, took place on Aug. 21, 2018 on the eve of the National Day of the Defense Industry, according to semi-official Mehr News Agency. It was unclear whether the jet's first public display flight has yet taken place.The Kowsar can be used for "short aerial support missions" and is equipped with systems that "promote precision targeting," according to state media.Rouhani called on the Iranian military to strengthen their readiness in the face of enemy threats in a speech during Tuesday's defense show."When we say we are ready for defense, it means that we seek the establishment of sustainable peace," Rouhani said.
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| Freak hailstorm hits Guadalajara, Mexico, swallowing buildings and cars Posted: 01 Jul 2019 06:56 AM PDT  People woke up Sunday morning to more than three feet of ice after a heavy hailstorm swept through the region.
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| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says migrant women told to 'drink out of toilets' and subjected to 'psychological warfare', after detention centre visit Posted: 01 Jul 2019 11:52 AM PDT  Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has described the living conditions inside a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detention centre in Texas, saying migrants are "drinking out of toilets" and describing officers using "psychological warfare" to intimidate and torture detainees.Ms Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive New York congresswoman, has repeatedly railed on US immigration detention programmes that she compares to concentration camps within the United States.In a series of tweets, Ms Ocasio-Cortez described the living conditions she saw, and said that officers were "physically & sexually threatening" towards her during her visit."Officers were keeping women in cells [with] no water & had told them to drink out of toilets," Ms Ocasio-Cortez said."This was them on their GOOD behaviour in front of members of Congress," she added.She continued, saying that she had to force her way into one of the cells to speak with migrant women."After I forced myself into a cell [with] women & began speaking to them, one of them described their treatment at the hands of officers as 'psychological warfare' — waking them at odd hours for no reason, calling them wh*res, etc. Tell me what about that is due to a 'lack of funding?'"She is now headed to Clint, Texas, one of the child detention centres that has become notorious in recent weeks for denying children toothpaste and soap."This has been horrifying so far," Ms Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "It is hard to understate the enormity of the problem. We're talking systemic cruelty [with] a dehumanizing culture that treats them like animals."A request or comment from The Independent was not immediately returned by CBP.
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| Japan restricts exports to South Korea over wartime labour row Posted: 01 Jul 2019 01:31 AM PDT  Japan on Monday imposed restrictions on exports used by South Korea's chip and smartphone companies, ramping up long-simmering tensions between the US allies over the use of forced labour during World War Two. Seoul quickly hit back, saying the measures violated international law and threatening to raise the issue at the World Trade Organisation. The move raises the stakes in a protracted dispute over South Korean court rulings requiring Japanese firms to compensate victims of a wartime forced labour policy.
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| Errant missile from Syria-Israel clash lands on Cyprus Posted: 30 Jun 2019 07:10 PM PDT  An errant missile struck Cyprus early on Monday, skimming the densely populated capital Nicosia and crashing on a mountainside in what authorities described as a spillover from strikes between Israel and Syria. The explosion occurred around 1 a.m. (2200 GMT Sunday) in the region of Tashkent, also known as Vouno, some 20 kms (12 miles) northeast of Nicosia, with the impact starting a fire and heard for miles around. An Israeli air strike was underway against Syria at the time.
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| Booker says Biden is 'causing a lot of frustration and even pain with his words' Posted: 30 Jun 2019 07:53 AM PDT  Sen. Cory Booker criticized 2020 presidential rival Joe Biden, saying the former vice president was doing a poor job at healing racial divisions in the country.
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| Russia's Killer Su-57 Stealth Fighter and S-400 Headed to a NATO Member? Posted: 29 Jun 2019 09:30 PM PDT  On May 18 2019, Erdogan stated that not only was the S-400 purchase a "done deal"—but that Turkey would engage in "joint production of the S-500 after." The S-500 is an even more advanced Russian SAM system.Amongst a host of factors behind the downward spiraling relations between Turkey and its NATO allies, one of increasing consequence is Turkey's contravention of U.S. sanctions on Russia when it signed in 2017 a $2.5 billion deal to purchase advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile systems.Turkish president Recep Erdogan has stood by the deal, even as U.S. lawmakers are threatening to ban the delivery of the 120 advanced F-35 stealth jets Turkey has ordered, and expel Turkish companies from the program entirely.(This first appeared earlier in June 2019.)Currently, the S-400s are due to arrive in July 2019 and become operational in September. Meanwhile, the U.S. has frozen F-35-related shipments to Turkey since April.
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| Right-wing protesters, 'antifa' clashes bring chaos to streets of Portland, Oregon Posted: 30 Jun 2019 12:49 PM PDT ![Right-wing protesters, 'antifa' clashes bring chaos to streets of Portland, Oregon]( "Right-wing protesters, 'antifa' clashes bring chaos to streets of Portland, Oregon") Order was restored to the streets of Portland, Oregon, after protests that clogged streets, crippled public transit and left at least 8 people hurt.
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| The 2021 Ram Dakota Mid-Size Pickup Could Be the Jeep Gladiator's Cheaper Cousin Posted: 01 Jul 2019 05:00 AM PDT  Ram already confirmed that a mid-size truck is in the works, and this is what we know about it so far.
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| Millions celebrate LGBTQ pride in New York amid global fight for equality: organizers Posted: 30 Jun 2019 11:06 AM PDT  Millions lined the streets of New York on Sunday to wave rainbow flags, celebrate the movement toward LGBTQ equality and renew calls for action in what organizers billed as the largest gay pride celebration in history. Event organizers and city officials said 150,000 parade marchers and up to 4 million visitors commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising that triggered the modern LGBTQ movement, with corporate sponsorship and police protection that would have been unthinkable half a century ago. Similar parades were being held around the world, with celebratory events in liberal democracies and growing fights for equality in other places.
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| Outrage as Venezuelan navy captain dies under 'torture' after arrest over alleged coup plot Posted: 01 Jul 2019 01:53 AM PDT  The United States and Venezuela's opposition on Sunday condemned the death under "torture" of a naval officer detained for alleged trying to oust President Nicolas Maduro. Washington blamed Maduro for the death of Rafael Acosta Arevalo, which came amid a standoff between Venezuela's opposition chief Juan Guaido and the president that's stretched for more than five months. "The United States condemns the killing and torture of" Acosta, the State Department said in a statement. The officer "died while in the custody of Maduro's thugs and their Cuban advisers," it added. National Assembly leader Mr Guaido, recognized as interim president by the United States and about 50 countries, said on Saturday evening that Acosta died "after being tortured." Acosta was part of a group of 13 people arrested for alleged involvement in a failed "coup d'etat" against Mr Maduro, which the government has tied to Guaido. Mr Maduro's government has claimed the coup was to have taken place on June 23 and 24 and involved the assassination of the president and several other senior officials. The Lima Group, made up of a dozen Latin American countries and Canada, condemned the "assassination" of Acosta and called for the intervention of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet. Ms Bachelet, a former Chilean president, visited Caracas last week and called for the "release" of imprisoned political opponents in the country, which NGO Foro Penal says number close to 800. Tamara Suju, a Venezuelan lawyer and human rights activist exiled in the Czech Republic, tweeted that Acosta appeared in court on Friday in a "wheelchair with severe signs of torture." Venezuela's defence ministry confirmed in a statement that Acosta had "fainted" during the court hearing and that the judge ordered him transferred to a hospital, "where he died." Former intelligence chief Manuel Christopher, who joined a failed April 30 uprising against Maduro and later fled the country, in a letter on Sunday called on military commanders to "join the side of those in need and stop crossing your arms while our people and our soldiers are killed and tortured." Without referring to the mistreatment allegations, Attorney General Tarek William Saab, who is close to Mr Maduro, announced an "objective, independent and impartial investigation" following the officer's death. The National Assembly made a series of demands following Acosta's death, including an investigation by the UN rights chief, an autopsy of Acosta by an "independent international forensic team" and a "verification of the state of health" of military personnel held on accusations of "conspiracy." But the National Assembly's resolutions and laws are considered null and void by Venezuela's Supreme Court and the Constituent Assembly, both of which are controlled by Maduro loyalists. The death of Acosta comes amid heightened tensions between Maduro's government and the opposition following two rounds of unsuccessful talks held in Norway. However Mr Maduro recently said "dialogue will continue," without specifying a schedule or agenda. On top of the fraught political situation, Venezuela is also grappling with its most-severe economic crisis in recent history, with the country in the grip of power cuts and shortages of basic goods and medicines. According to the United Nations, more than seven million Venezuelans - a quarter of the country's population - need emergency humanitarian aid.
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| With Kavanaugh in Place, Supreme Court Takes Bumpy Right Turn Posted: 01 Jul 2019 01:00 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- The arrivals of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court stoked liberal fears that bedrock precedents on divisive issues including abortion and federal regulatory power were in danger.That may still be true. But the term that ended last week showed that the road to fulfilling long-held conservative goals will feature some speed bumps.In the first term since Kavanaugh succeeded swing vote Anthony Kennedy, conservatives won a major ruling that shielded partisan gerrymanders from constitutional challenges. They also triumphed on property rights and the death penalty.Those victories were offset by a decision that, for now, stopped the Trump administration from asking about citizenship on the 2020 census. Another ruling preserved some of the power of federal agencies, and the court has refused so far to take up an abortion case.The court is undoubtedly more conservative with President Donald Trump's two appointees on the bench. As the nation moves into a long and contentious election season, the court's move to the right will give Trump fuel to fire up his base and Democrats fodder for making the court a major campaign issue of their own.Conservative WinsBut the just-finished term underscores the limits to that shift, or at least to its speed."There were major leaps -- for example, blessing partisan gerrymandering in federal court," said Tom Goldstein, a Washington lawyer who founded scotusblog.com, which tracks the court. "But in other cases, the conservatives were content to just advance the law methodically."In a term in which 21 rulings were decided by a single vote -- representing almost a third of the docket -- the conservatives formed a 5-4 majority only seven times.Some of those rulings were big ones, though, particularly the decision last week that said the Constitution doesn't let judges throw out voting maps for being too partisan. That ruling gave state lawmakers a new license to draw maps aimed at maximizing their own political advantage. It could bolster Republicans in the 2020 elections.Precedents OverturnedThe conservatives -- Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Chief Justice John Roberts, and Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito -- also ruled that people could go directly to federal court to claim that a government regulation unconstitutionally took private property without compensation.That was one of two decisions that explicitly overturned a precedent. A 1985 ruling had required property owners to press their claims first in state court, a potentially less hospitable forum.Dissenting Justice Elena Kagan said the ruling "smashes a hundred-plus years of legal rulings to smithereens," a contention Roberts disputed in his majority opinion.The five conservatives were also in the majority in a 5-4 ruling that let Missouri give a lethal injection to a convicted murderer who said his rare medical condition means he would probably choke on his own blood.Let's Stick TogetherConservatives got a bigger majority, 7-2, for a ruling that let a 40-foot cross remain as a World War I memorial in a Maryland intersection. Alito's opinion for the court was narrow, noting that the monument is almost a century old and leaving open the possibility that newer religious displays might be judged differently.Disagreements among the conservatives tempered their ability to shift the law. Each of the five joined the liberal wing -- Justices Kagan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor -- at least once in a 5-4 or 5-3 ruling. The liberals won 10 cases in which they stuck together and were joined by a single conservative justice.Some of those rulings were narrow, better characterized as fending off conservative victories than pushing the law to the left. The liberals joined with Roberts to reaffirm a 1997 ruling that often requires judges to defer to an agency on the meaning of ambiguous regulations.That opinion limited the circumstances in which courts should yield to agencies -- so much so that Gorsuch said in dissent that the 1997 precedent had become a "paper tiger" and predicted it would eventually be overturned.Citizenship QuestionThe liberals also aligned with Roberts to put on hold the Trump administration's effort to add a citizenship question to the decennial census. Although Roberts agreed with the administration and his fellow conservatives on a number of points, he diverged enough to put in the plan in doubt.Roberts and the liberals said the administration's explanation for the move was "contrived." The Commerce Department now has a chance to provide better justification but will be racing the clock. The administration previously said the questionnaire needed to be finalized by June 30."This term showed that it is not impossible to secure progressive victories in this court," said Elizabeth Wydra, president of the progressive Constitutional Accountability Center. "But make no mistake, the Roberts court is deeply conservative and we saw several seeds planted" that she said "could bear fruit for an extreme conservative agenda in terms to come."Libertarian GorsuchGorsuch joined the liberals four times, twice in criminal cases. He wrote the majority opinion striking down a provision that increased sentences for some people convicted of carrying a firearm during a violent crime, saying it was unconstitutionally vague.The ruling drew a sharp dissent from Kavanaugh, who called it a "serious mistake." He said it "will make it harder to prosecute violent gun crimes in the future."Gorsuch has inherited the role of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, whom he succeeded, as the court's civil libertarian in criminal cases, said Josh Blackman, a constitutional law professor at South Texas College of Law in Houston."Like Scalia, Gorsuch's opinions are not driven by empathy for those who break the law," Blackman said. "Rather, he is generally skeptical of the federal government's powers to deprive people of life, liberty and property."Antitrust CaseThe firearms case wasn't the only one that divided the two Trump appointees. Kavanaugh joined the liberals in an antitrust decision forcing Apple Inc. to defend against claims that it artificially inflated prices at its App Store. Gorsuch dissented with his fellow conservatives.The two Trump appointees agreed 70% of the time, identical to Kavanaugh's agreement level with Breyer and Kagan, according to statistics compiled by scotusblog.com.But both "flexed their conservative bona fides" this term, said Leah Litman, a constitutional law professor at the University of Michigan.. They "willingly agreed to overturn several longstanding precedents in areas ranging from constitutional rights to administrative law."That left Roberts controlling the court on its most important decisions."This is now, truly, the Roberts court," said Kannon Shanmugam, an appellate lawyer at Paul Weiss in Washington. "While the court's general direction was not consistent, the chief justice played a pivotal role in the most important decisions."To contact the reporter on this story: Greg Stohr in Washington at gstohr@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Joe Sobczyk at jsobczyk@bloomberg.net, Laurie Asséo, Ros KrasnyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| 43-year-old El Salvador migrant dies in US border custody Posted: 29 Jun 2019 06:39 PM PDT  A 43-year-old El Salvadoran man who crossed into the U.S. with his daughter collapsed at a border station and later died at a hospital, officials said Saturday. The man had been held about a week at the Rio Grande Valley central processing center in McAllen, Texas, according to a law enforcement official. The daughter was still in U.S. Border Patrol custody, but officials had requested an expedited transfer to a shelter run by the agency that manages children who cross the border alone, the official said.
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| Top Selling Cars From Barrett-Jackson Northeast Auction Posted: 01 Jul 2019 11:18 AM PDT  It was a big weekend for Barrett-Jackson!As we reported on Friday, the last front engine, C7 Chevrolet Corvette crossed the auction block at Barrett-Jackson and received a staggering $2.7 million bid, but it wasn't the only car in Mohegan Sun in Connecticut worth watching. The docket represented a diverse group of cars, and six of the ten sold set new auction records for the company. "We're so appreciative of all our guests, sponsors and exhibitors who contributed to this auction and made it such an extraordinary event," said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. "Thanks to everyone's participation and efforts, we hit incredible milestones as we wrote new pages in automotive history. Chief among those was a new charity auction record set by the last-built C7 Corvette. This special moment closed an era for Corvette and also raised critical support for our nation's heroes. We built so much momentum this year in Scottsdale, Palm Beach and the Northeast that we can't wait to top it off in Las Vegas this October."Overall, 545 vehicles were sold for a total of $21.8 million, with an almost unheard of 100-percent sell through rate. In addition, 470 pieces of automobila sold, bringing the total sales up to over $24 million. The top 10 from the Northeast Auction are:Last-Built 2019 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (Lot 3001) - $2.7 million (charity vehicle) 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster (Lot 671) - $280,500 2019 Chevrolet Corvette Yenko/SC Stage II Convertible Serial 1 (Lot 663) - $258,500* 1954 Buick Special Custom Coupe "G54" (Lot 694) - $220,000* 1969 Ford Bronco Custom SUV (Lot 669) - $203,500* 1967 Ford Mustang Eleanor Tribute Edition (Lot 665) - $187,000 2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Custom 6X6 (Lot 654) - $181,500* 1997 Toyota Supra Anniversary Edition (Lot 711) - $176,000* 2017 Dodge Viper GTC ACR (Lot 664) - $172,700 2014 Ferrari California Convertible (Lot 673) - $170,500* 1971 Plymouth 'Cuda Resto-Mod (Lot 685) - $165,000 1967 Ford Shelby GT500 (Lot 667) - $165,000 *An asterisk represents a Barrett-Jackson auction record. "Collector cars are the heart and soul of everything we do," said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. "But we've gone a step further to create an immersive lifestyle experience around the auction that's unmatched in this great hobby. We offered terrific symposiums led by top automotive experts and hands-on exhibits. For the first time since its introduction, Ford offered select rides to the public in the adrenaline-pumping Ford GT supercar. Only at Barrett-Jackson can you drive home the car of your dreams, rub shoulders with industry legends and make memories that will last a lifetime." Read More... Barrett-Jackson Consigns the Vault Portfolio For Northeast Auction David Maxwell Collection At Barrett-Jackson's Northeast Auction
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| After high arsenic reports, Keurig Dr Pepper pulls bottled water sold at Target, Walmart Posted: 30 Jun 2019 02:19 PM PDT  All bottles of unflavored Peñafiel mineral spring water are part of a voluntary withdrawal, Keurig Dr Pepper said in a statement Friday.
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| These Flavorful 4th of July Cupcakes Are Better Than Fireworks Posted: 01 Jul 2019 10:23 AM PDT |
| Civilians among 15 dead in Israeli strikes in Syria: monitor Posted: 01 Jul 2019 01:20 AM PDT  Israeli air strikes in Syria left nine mostly foreign pro-regime fighters and six civilians including three children dead, a Britain-based war monitor said Monday. The raids near Damascus and in Homs province late Sunday killed the fighters, but it was not immediately clear exactly how the civilians died -- whether in the strikes or in the aftermath, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. It said the strikes hit several Iranian positions near Damascus and targeted a research centre and a military airport west of the city of Homs where the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah and Iranians are deployed.
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| Man freed after 17 years in prison when newly examined fingerprints prove his innocence Posted: 01 Jul 2019 03:04 AM PDT  A man who spent 17 years behind bars for an armed robbery he did not commit has finally been freed after new fingerprint evidence proved his innocence.Royal Clark Jr walked out of a Louisiana jail last week the day after his 41st birthday. He was convicted of the crime on his 25th birthday, back in 2002."I don't know what to say," a tearful Mr Clark told reporters and crowds of well-wishers.There were times he had abandoned any hope he might be released from his 49-year sentence, he admitted."I'm not going to sit here and lie and tell you I didn't," he said, when asked if he given up. "[But] I can't let anger direct me. I can't let my past be my future."Mr Clark was arrested after an armed robbery at a Burger King in 2001. The only evidence against him was an employee of the restaurant, who incorrectly identified Mr Clark as the robber.But a team of lawyers at the Innocence Project New Orleans pressed the courts to re-examine fingerprints found at the scene, which when run through a state database proved to belong to another man, Jessie Perry, who had already been convicted of other robberies."As district attorney, my obligation to seek justice does not end upon conviction," the local district attorney Paul Connick said in a statement."When the evidence reveals an individual was wrongfully convicted, my office will take action to correct that injustice."Outside the jail Mr Clark's son, also called Royal, spoke about the absence of his father from his life.Royal Clark III was only a baby when his father was locked up. "My mama couldn't always be there for me. She had to work," he said, his father's arm draped over his shoulder.Tears streamed down his father's face. "He was supposed to be there to teach me."Kia Hall Hayes, from the Innocence Project, said the miscarriage of justice showed how unreliable eyewitness testimony could be."His case serves as another example of the unreliability of eyewitness identification evidence, the importance of judges allowing juries all the tools they need to assess the evidence accurately, and the danger of relying exclusively on such evidence to take away someone's liberty," she said.Mr Clark is the second person to be exonerated in Louisiana based on fingerprint evidence this year.In March, Archie Williams was freed after serving 36 years for a rape once the authorities had finally agreed to run fingerprint evidence through an updated state database.The Innocence Project said the state should now create a legal right for prisoners to access such databases where it could clear their names.But in Mr Clark's case, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said they were only able to re-test the fingerprint evidence from the Burger King holdup because of new techniques, which were not available back in 2002.
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| A New North Korea in the Era of 'Trumplomacy' Posted: 01 Jul 2019 10:10 AM PDT  Conventional wisdom holds that long negotiations must always precede summits between heads of state or government. Working-level teams hash out agreements in details for weeks, months, and sometimes even years before the summits where country leaders provide little more than their blessing to already-concluded texts. But we don't live in conventional times and President Donald Trump isn't a conventional leader. After walking to the brink of war with North Korea, Trump in the context of an emerging inter-Korean dialogue Trump agreed to meet Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader. The Trump-Kim summit-level meeting, which took place in Singapore in June 2018, was intended to jump-start talks to eliminate North Korea's increasingly sophisticated nuclear-weapons program. The summit did not lead to any breakthrough, however, and a follow-up summit in Hanoi in February 2019 between the two leaders also failed, leaving Pyongyang free to continue to expand and perfect its nuclear arsenal. Worryingly, in recent weeks signs of mounting tensions also began to flare up again: North Korea, for instance, conducted tests of short-range missiles. So, when Trump decided to reach out to Kim last week to offer a short meeting at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the margins of his official visit to South Korea, the criticisms poured in. Why would the president seek yet another meeting with Kim? What could this possibly accomplish, except the further legitimization of Kim's rule and of his country's nuclear-armed status, a concession that no U.S. president before Trump had chosen to make? Trump's decision to cross over the border into North Korea with Kim further infuriated his critics, who pointed out (rightly) that the president had nothing but praise for the North Korean dictator.
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| Israel will be destroyed in half an hour if America attacks Iran: senior Iranian MP Posted: 01 Jul 2019 05:41 AM PDT  Israel will be destroyed in half an hour if the United States attacks Iran, a senior Iranian parliamentarian said on Monday, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency. Weeks of tensions culminated last month in U.S. President Donald Trump's last-minute decision to call off planned strikes on Iran after Tehran downed a U.S. drone. Washington also accused Iran of being behind attacks on ships in the Gulf, which Tehran denies.
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| Flash flooding in parts of West Virginia from severe storms Posted: 30 Jun 2019 04:50 PM PDT  Severe weekend thunderstorms caused flash flooding that knocked homes off their foundations and washed out roads in several mountainous counties of West Virginia, prompting Gov. Jim Justice to announce plans Sunday to declare a state of emergency in the region. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for portions of northern and eastern West Virginia after several inches of rain fell rapidly on Saturday night. The statement said the governor also authorized the state Department of Homeland Security and the West Virginia emergency management director to speed state resources to those in need.
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| The Wildest, Craziest Paint Jobs Available in 2019 Posted: 01 Jul 2019 04:32 PM PDT |
| How, where to get free food and discounts in June Posted: 30 Jun 2019 06:44 AM PDT  Get a free Wendy's half-size Berry Burst Salad through July 14 with any purchase and the Wendy's app. Plus, find other deals and freebies.
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| This sneaky kitten is a terrible and adorable little stalker Posted: 30 Jun 2019 01:48 PM PDT  Cats are natural predators. They can't help but hunt and stalk. This one just happens to be exceedingly bad at it.The 8-week-old kitten in question belongs to Twitter user @_TakivaBreanna. Her baby cat has developed a habit of hiding just behind a wall whenever she knows her human is approaching and then leaping out at just the right moment to surprise her much larger prey.That's the apparent intent, anyway. The execution... could be better. See for yourself.> My 8 week old kitten started doing this thing to where she will know i'm about to come in the room and she will hide by the bathroom door and jump out to scare me when i'm walking up. just thought I'd share this cuteness pic.twitter.com/SOz1ckGGpr> > -- BAE (@_TakivaBreanna) June 30, 2019Listen, Tiny Cat. You have to be smarter about this. When your human sees you peering out from behind the wall, that means she knows you're lying in wait. Your efforts to scurry into position at the last minute don't really help, given that you've already been spotted.Let's also talk about that pounce. What the eff, my little feline friend? You didn't jump forward at your prey; you jumped sideways, swinging your paws pointlessly through empty air. You shouldn't be hunting your person, let's be clear. But you're never going to catch any prey at all if you think that pounce is effective.What I'm saying is: cat better, little kitty. And don't hunt your person! You'll learn. You have a mama who loves you. She's already turned you into an internet star. We can't wait to see what you'll do next. WATCH: Your cat can achieve ultimate chill with this portable hammock
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| Which Employers Offer Student Loan Repayment? Posted: 01 Jul 2019 06:46 AM PDT ![Which Employers Offer Student Loan Repayment?]( "Which Employers Offer Student Loan Repayment?") Student loan debt can make it difficult for graduates to achieve their financial goals. In some cases, young professionals may be forced to choose between paying off student debt or saving for retirement at a time when it's essential to start doing the latter. Some employers provide student loan repayment assistance as an employee benefit.
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| Giant Beijing airport set to open on eve of China's 70th birthday Posted: 29 Jun 2019 10:40 PM PDT  Beijing is set to open an eye-catching multi-billion dollar airport resembling a massive shining starfish, to accommodate soaring air traffic in China and celebrate the Communist government's 70th anniversary in power. Work on the Beijing Daxing International Airport officially ended on schedule Sunday, ready for a September 30 inauguration -- on the eve of the anniversary of the foundation of the People's Republic on October 1, 1949 by Mao Zedong. Celebrations of that event will see President Xi Jinping reviewing a huge military parade through the centre of Beijing, with the opening of the futuristic hub a fitting embodiment of the "Chinese dream" he has offered his fellow citizens.
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| ‘Her ambition got it wrong about Joe’: Harris faces debate backlash Posted: 30 Jun 2019 03:33 PM PDT !['Her ambition got it wrong about Joe': Harris faces debate backlash]( "'Her ambition got it wrong about Joe': Harris faces debate backlash") Biden supporters lash out against Kamala Harris.
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| North Korea hails Trump-Kim meeting at DMZ as 'historic' and 'amazing' Posted: 30 Jun 2019 07:03 PM PDT  North Korea on Monday described Sunday's meeting between its leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) as "historic" and "amazing". The two leaders agreed to "resume and push forward productive dialogues for making a new breakthrough in the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula", the official Korean Central News Agency said. After a Twitter invitation by the US president on Saturday, the two men met a day later in the strip of land that has divided the peninsula for 66 years since the end of the Korean War, when their countries and their allies fought each other to a standstill. Mr Kim and Mr Trump shook hands over the concrete blocks dividing North and South before the US president walked a few paces into Pyongyang's territory - the first American leader ever to set foot on North Korean soil. "The top leaders of the DPRK and the US exchanging historic handshakes at Panmunjom" was an "amazing event", KCNA said, describing the truce village as a "place that had been known as the symbol of division". Mr Trump became the first sitting US president to step into North Korea Credit: KCNA via KNS/AFP The meeting took place "at the suggestion of Trump", it added. The impromptu meeting in the DMZ was full of symbolism. Mr Trump's border-crossing - which he said was uncertain until the last moment - was an extraordinary sequel to the scene at Kim's first summit with Moon Jae-in last year, when the young leader invited the South Korean president to walk over the Military Demarcation Line, as the border is officially known. "It was an honour that you asked me to step over that line, and I was proud to step over the line," Mr Trump told Kim. KCNA described it as a "historic moment", marking the "first time in history" a sitting US President set foot on North Korean soil. Analysts have been divided on Sunday's events, some saying they spurred new momentum into deadlocked nuclear talks, while others described them as "reality show theatrics". The trilateral greeting between the South and North Korean leaders and the US president was also unprecedented Credit: HOGP/AP The first Trump-Kim summit took place in a blaze of publicity in Singapore last year but produced only a vaguely worded pledge about denuclearisation. A second meeting in Vietnam in February collapsed after the pair failed to reach an agreement over sanctions relief and what the North was willing to give in return. Contact between the two sides has since been minimal - with Pyongyang issuing frequent criticisms of the US position - but the two leaders exchanged a series of letters before Mr Trump issued his offer to meet at the DMZ. Mr Trump said after Sunday's meeting that they had agreed working-level talks on the North's weapons programme would take place within weeks. The US and North Korean leaders met privately for close to an hour on the south side of the border Credit: KCNA via KNS/AFP He also floated the idea of sanctions relief - repeatedly demanded by Pyongyang - and said he invited the North Korean leader to the White House. Such a trip would have to come "at the right time", Mr Trump added. KCNA said Kim and Mr Trump discussed "issues of mutual concern and interest which become a stumbling block in solving those issues". The two leaders "agreed to keep in close touch in the future", it added. KCNA cited Kim lauding their "good personal relations," saying they would "produce good results unpredictable by others and work as a mysterious force overcoming manifold difficulties and obstacles in the future, too". It also said Kim had exchanged "warm greetings" with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who met the two men as they returned to his side of the border. KCNA accorded Moon his formal title despite Pyongyang denouncing the South's authorities only last week, saying they "have nothing to meddle in the dialogue"
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| Two killed in accident at Shell Auger platform in Gulf of Mexico Posted: 01 Jul 2019 05:53 AM PDT ![Two killed in accident at Shell Auger platform in Gulf of Mexico]( "Two killed in accident at Shell Auger platform in Gulf of Mexico") "One other non-life-threatening injury was sustained and that individual is being treated at a nearby hospital," Shell said in an emailed statement. A Shell employee and a contractor with Danos Inc, an oilfield services provider, were killed during a routine test of a lifeboat launch and retrieval capabilities at the platform located 214 miles south of New Orleans, the statement said. The platform remains in operation, Shell said.
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| Two men dead in apparent murder-suicide after argument during double date Posted: 01 Jul 2019 08:32 AM PDT  Two men are dead after an apparent murder-suicide in northeast Harris County.
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| Group say conditions dire for asylum seekers stuck in Mexico Posted: 01 Jul 2019 03:01 PM PDT  Asylum seekers forced to wait in Mexico are increasingly facing violence and dire conditions, stranded in purgatory with no means to survive, according to an upcoming report from Human Rights Watch. The international rights group called on the Trump administration to end the practice of preventing asylum seekers from living in the United States while their cases are being considered. As of last week, Mexico reported 15,079 people, mostly from Central America, had been sent back to Mexico after reaching the U.S. That number includes 4,780 children and at least 13 pregnant women, according to the report, which was obtained by The Associated Press and will be released Tuesday.
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| The 25 Highest-Paying Jobs Without a Degree Requirement Posted: 01 Jul 2019 06:00 AM PDT ![The 25 Highest-Paying Jobs Without a Degree Requirement]( "The 25 Highest-Paying Jobs Without a Degree Requirement") You don't need a four-year degree to score these jobs.
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