| Biden entry sparks a sharper edge to Democratic race Posted: 27 Apr 2019 03:29 AM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — As she campaigned through Iowa this week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts didn't hesitate to jab the newest contender in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary: Joe Biden.
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| She Went Through Hell: The Amazing Story of the Navy Aircraft Carrier USS Franklin Posted: 26 Apr 2019 06:00 PM PDT  The USS Franklin was not a lucky ship.In March 1945, off the Japanese mainland, the Essex-class aircraft carrier was hit by two 550-pound bombs that struck her flight deck and penetrated into the hangar deck. Less than six months earlier, a kamikaze had hit her off Leyte in the Philippines, killing or wounding 120 members of her crew.The second attack ignited the fuel tanks of 31 armed and fueled aircraft awaiting launch, as well as "Tiny Tim" air-to-surface rockets and other ordnance aboard the ship. Fires raged. Rockets whistled across the deck, and machine-gun ammunition clattered. In minutes, the Franklin was dead in the water with massive casualties, a 13-degree starboard list, and without any radio communications. Many of her damage control team members were dead and some of her water lines, needed to fight the fires, were severed. Flaming and wreathed in choking smoke, she was 52 miles from the Japanese mainland and drifting closer.The Franklin Would Endure"I saw guys flying through the air [and] saw men running around on fire, just flaming torches," a seaman on a nearby destroyer reported. Like most of the men who could see the Franklin, he though she was doomed.
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| NRA President Oliver North Ousted, Will Not Be Renominated for Post Posted: 27 Apr 2019 07:36 AM PDT  REUTERSINDIANAPOLIS—In a surprising move, Oliver North announced that he has been ousted as president of the National Rifle Association, going on the offensive to warn that the powerful gun rights group is in "clear crisis."In a letter read by the group's vice president Saturday morning to kick off the second day of the group's annual meeting, North said that he will not be renominated to serve as NRA president as infighting and controversy have taken hold at the gun rights group's annual meeting."Please know I hoped to be with you today as NRA president endorsed for reelection. I'm now informed that that will not happen," he wrote.North, who has been in the job six months, went on to attack the NRA law firm that filed a lawsuit against its leading ad firm. "There is a clear crisis" at the NRA regarding financial allegations, he wrote.The announcement comes as The Daily Beast exclusively reported on Saturday that longtime NRA lawyer, Steve Hart, has been suspended. The dual departures of long-time high profile NRA insiders with knowledge of the organization's legal troubles come just days after the gun-gun group took shots North in the days leading up to its much-watched national meeting keynoted by President Donald Trump—the first sign of a internal shake up.In a sign that something was afoot, Wayne LaPierre, the NRA's longtime CEO and leader, received a standing ovation at the beginning of the members meeting. He was seated next to Oliver North's empty chair and placard.North's opening remarks were essentially a rebuke of his ouster, read by First Vice President Richard Childress to the thousands of members who had packed Lucas Oil Stadium, an NFL football arena in downtown Indianapolis for the popular event.Childress said that he only learned that he would be reading the letter around 7 p.m. Friday night and asked the audience to bare with him."After resuming office as NRA president in September of 2018, I was confronted by NRA members and board members who expressed concern about the amount of money the NRA was paying to the Brewer law firm," North wrote in his letter. "There is a clear crisis and it needs to be dealt with immediately and responsibly so the NRA can continue to focus on protecting our Second Amendment."In an updated version of a civil complaint filed April 24 in Virginia state court, the NRA made new allegations regarding North, a former Marine Corps lieutenant colonel perhaps best known for his role in the Iran-contra affair, and his relationship the company that runs NRATV. The updated complaint alleges that not only did North not deliver on all of the material promised for NRATV but he allegedly garnered a salary from both the gun rights group and Ackerman McQueen, the advertising form that has worked with the advocacy group for three decades, at the same time.On Thursday, LaPierre claimed in a letter published in the Wall Street Journal that North was trying to "oust him" in an alleged extortion attempt and would not comply with the threat. "Delivered by a member of our Board on behalf of his employer, the exhortation was simple: resign or there will be destructive allegations made against me and the NRA," LaPierre, who is also the group's executive vice president, wrote in the letter. In response, North wrote his own letter to the board on Thursday, defending his actions that were "for the good of the NRA." North, once a political commentator and Fox News host, also served as a staff member of the National Security Council during the Regan administration. He was later convicted on three felony accounts stemming from the affair involving an arms-for-hostages deal with Iran in which the proceeds were used to secretly arm a Contras rebel group in Nicaragua. The conviction was later overturned.On May 7, 2018, the NRA announced that North would become the organization's next president after years of serving as a board member and appearing at the national conventions in 2007 and 2008. "I've been on the NRA board for more than two decades. It was a great privilege to serve as your president this past year, an honor second to only serving our country as a U.S. Marine in combat," he wrote in the Saturday letter. On Saturday, New York Attorney General Letitia James also confirmed her office has launched an investigation into the NRA regarding the group's finances, a spokesperson confirmed to NPR. "The Office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James has launched an investigation related to the National Rifle Association (NRA). As part of this investigation, the Attorney General has issued subpoenas," the spokesperson said. According to NPR, the group received a document preservation notice in connection with the AG's investigation.In response, an outside lawyer for the NRA told the news organization that the group is " fully cooperat[ing] with any inquiry into its finances." "The NRA is prepared for this, and has full confidence in its accounting practices and commitment to good governance," William A. Brewer III, an outside lawyer for the NRA, told the news organization on Saturday. Read more at The Daily Beast.
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| Russia's Vladimir Putin blasts U.S. sentencing of Maria Butina as a 'travesty of justice' Posted: 28 Apr 2019 10:40 AM PDT  Gun-rights activist Maria Butina was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Friday for her role in a Russian effort to infiltrate U.S. politics.
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| U.S. envoy signed North Korea document to pay for Warmbier's care - Bolton Posted: 28 Apr 2019 09:04 AM PDT ![U.S. envoy signed North Korea document to pay for Warmbier's care - Bolton]( "U.S. envoy signed North Korea document to pay for Warmbier's care - Bolton") The United States signed a document agreeing to pay North Korea for the care of American Otto Warmbier but never paid the $2 million Pyongyang demanded, White House national security adviser John Bolton said on Sunday. Bolton, who said he was not part of the administration at the time, confirmed newspaper reports that North Korea demanded the money before Warmbier was flown out of Pyongyang in a coma on June 13, 2017.
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| Why Rear Passengers May Be Hurt More in Crashes, and What IIHS Wants Carmakers to Do about It Posted: 28 Apr 2019 07:31 AM PDT  Rear passengers in frontal collisions can fare worse than those in the front seats, according to a new study.
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| White House Counsel: Official Who Cleared Jared Kushner Agrees to Hill Interview Posted: 26 Apr 2019 07:32 PM PDT  Jonathan Ernst/ReutersCarl Kline, the official who green-lit Jared Kushner's security clearance, has agreed to attend a voluntary interview next week with staff for the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, according to a letter from White House Counsel Pat Cipollone.The letter, which The Daily Beast obtained, comes at the end of a week of fervid clashes between Chairman Elijah Cummings; Carl Kline, the career official who approved Kushner's security clearance over the objections of other career officials; and the White House Counsel's office. Cummings subpoenaed Kline on April 2 for an interview with his committee staff. Kline and the White House agreed that he would not attend if he couldn't bring lawyers from the White House Counsel's office, arguing that the interview could involve material potentially covered by executive privilege. Cummings' team told Kline he could not bring lawyers from that office, so Kline and the White House decided he would not go to the interview. Cummings subsequently moved to hold Kline in contempt, paving the way to make him the first official held in contempt under the newly Democratic-controlled Congress. That's when Jordan, the top Republican on the committee and a White House ally, stepped in. Earlier on Friday, he wrote a letter to Kline inviting him to come in for a voluntary interview, with White House lawyers on hand. Jordan said the invitation was meant to "avoid unnecessary conflict" and "de-escalate Chairman Cummings' orchestrated interbranch confrontation."Cipollone quickly took Jordan up on his offer—though he said there will be some restrictions. The interview will be "limited to White House personnel security policy and practices," Cipollone said in the letter. The interview is scheduled for May 1, according to Cipollone's letter. A spokesperson for Cummings did not immediately respond to a request for comment.A spokesperson for Jordan said he was happy to receive the letter.The question of how Kushner got a security clearance has become a flashpoint for Democrats, and has drawn significant public attention. Tricia Newbold, a career official who initially blocked Kushner from getting a clearance, has shared detailed information with the committee about the process, along with the issuance of numerous other clearances which she said should not have been granted. Committee staff characterized Newbold as saying that clearances had been issued–despite objections–to people with "a wide range of serious disqualifying issues involving foreign influence, conflicts of interest, concerning personal conduct, financial problems, drug use, and criminal conduct."Read more at The Daily Beast.
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| Report: Politicians hampered fight against California fire Posted: 26 Apr 2019 10:10 PM PDT  LOS ANGELES (AP) — The battle against a devastating November wildfire in Los Angeles County was hampered by politicians asking firefighters to check on certain homes.
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| UPDATE 1-Gunmen kidnap Canadian, Scottish oil workers from Nigerian oil rig Posted: 28 Apr 2019 01:11 PM PDT ![UPDATE 1-Gunmen kidnap Canadian, Scottish oil workers from Nigerian oil rig]( "UPDATE 1-Gunmen kidnap Canadian, Scottish oil workers from Nigerian oil rig") Gunman kidnapped three oil workers from Canada, Scotland and Nigeria at a rig in Nigeria's Delta region on Saturday, officials said - the second abduction in the area in less than a week. The attackers raided the rig owned by Niger Delta Petroleum Resources in Ogbele, Rivers State at around 8 a.m. (0700 GMT), the spokesman for the area's military operations, Major Ibrahim Abubakar, said. The Niger Delta produces the bulk of Nigeria's crude.
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| 'View' hosts welcome Joe Biden with open arms, Meghan McCain brings him to tears Posted: 28 Apr 2019 09:23 AM PDT  Meghan McCain reminded Joe Biden of his last visit, when he comforted her amid her father John McCain's battle with brain cancer.
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| Spain election: Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wins as far-Right makes breakthrough Posted: 28 Apr 2019 03:52 PM PDT  Spanish Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez earned his first general election win on Sunday, despite the emergence of a hard-Right party that capitalised on many Spaniards' fury with the government's attempt to find common ground with the breakaway region of Catalonia. On high turnout of close to 76 per cent, the Socialist party (PSOE) claimed victory for the first time since 2008 with 123 seats out of 350, although a delicately hung parliament means that forming a government will involve complex negotiations with other forces from the Left and regional parties. With more than 98 per cent of the vote counted, the PSOE was declared winner by Spanish government spokeswoman Isabel Celaá. "We have sent a clear message to Europe and the world: you can beat authoritarianism and involution from the left," Mr Sánchez said in reference to his victory over his conservative opponents including the anti-immigration, populist force Vox. Vox became the first hard-Right force to gain significant representation in Spain's parliament since the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 with 24 seats. Santiago Abascal, leader of far right party Vox, addresses supporters outside the party headquarters after the general election in Madrid Credit: AP With the vote on the Right side of the spectrum split three ways, the biggest loser of the night was the main conservative opposition Popular Party (PP), falling to 66 seats, less than half of the 137 seats it achieved when winning the previous election in 2016. The liberal Ciudadanos came close to pipping the PP to second place, with 58 seats. Vox came from a result of 0.2 per cent in 2016 to win 10 per cent, but it had the effect of cannibalising the Right-of-centre vote and helping Mr Sánchez to stretch out his lead. Together, the PP, Ciudadanos and Vox won 43 per cent, one point more than PSOE and Podemos combined. The PP, Ciudadanos were hoping to combine with Vox for a majority to eject Mr Sánchez from power in order to crack down on Catalonia's separatist leaders by suspending the region's autonomy. The three parties had accused Mr Sánchez of being a danger to Spanish unity after he used his 10-month-long spell in government before the election to seek a negotiated end to the impasse between Madrid and Catalonia's regional government. But Vox's secretary general, Javier Ortega, was exultant over the result. "This is just the beginning," he told supporters in Madrid's Margaret Thatcher square. "Every Vox member of Congress is going to be a whirlwind." The general secretary of VOX, Javier Ortega Smith, is seen during his speech at the Plaza Margaret Thatcher, where the party celebrates the electoral results Credit: Getty Pablo Iglesias, the leader the hard-Left Podemos, offered his party's 42 seats to "build a leftist government coalition". But Mr Sánchez will also have to seek support from Basque nationalists and other minority forces, possibly including Catalan pro-independence parties in order to reach a majority. Divisions over how to deal with Catalonia's bid for independence played out in an ill-tempered campaign with the trial of 10 imprisoned Catalan leaders over their role in the region's unconstitutional referendum in 2017 rumbling on in the background. Mr Sánchez was described by Vox as "an enemy of the nation" for negotiating with Catalan forces, while PP leader Pablo Casado accused the prime minister of siding with "bloodstained hands" after the government received parliamentary support from Basque party Bildu, regarded as the successor to the political wing of terrorist group Eta. The party leaders clashed in fractious televised debates. Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera described Mr Sánchez as a "disgraceful" prime minister for kneeling before Catalan separatists, while the latter took his Right-wing opponents to task over their Andalucian government's rollback of assistance for women victims of male violence.
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| FAA considered grounding some Boeing 737 Max planes last year: source Posted: 28 Apr 2019 10:21 AM PDT  US regulators considered grounding some Boeing 737 MAX planes last year after learning belatedly of a problem with a system that is now the main suspect in two deadly crashes, a source close to the matter said. Investigators in the Lion Air crash in October and the Ethiopia Airlines disaster in March have zeroed in on the planes' anti-stall system, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. Last year, before the Lion crash, inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration discovered that the manufacturer had de-activated a signal designed to advise the cockpit crew of a malfunctioning of the MCAS system, the source said.
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| East Sri Lanka on edge after Easter bombers linked to region Posted: 28 Apr 2019 05:31 PM PDT  KALMUNAI, Sri Lanka (AP) — Suicide bombings at a militants' safe house have shaken the simple homes of this east Sri Lankan town as well as the rest of this idyllic coast, as the investigation into the Islamic State-claimed Easter bombings has spread here.
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| North Korea vs. the F-35 Stealth Fighter (Who Wins? Who Dies?) Posted: 28 Apr 2019 01:59 AM PDT  Alternatively, the F-35A might be assigned to dangerous suppression or destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD) missions. The stealth and onboard jamming capabilities of the F-35 would make it more survivable than the ROKAF's 4th generation aircraft in such a role.The ROKAF, South Korea's Air Force received their first F-35A fighter jets in April 2019. The ROKAF hopes to eventually buy forty F-35As and should have ten F-35As by the end of the year.(This first appeared several weeks ago.)But how do these aircraft fit into the ROKAF's existing fleet of aircraft? What role could they play in countering the North Korean KPAF?The ROKAF already fields a variety of advanced American fighters, including over one hundred KF-16Cs and around 60 F-15K Slam Eagles. The KF-16C is fully integrated with the American AMRAAM air-to-air missile, which the ROKAF fields in the AIM-120C-5 and AIM-120C-7 variants.The combination of the KF-16C and AMRAAM vastly outclasses the majority of fighters the KPAF can field. The bulk of the KPAF fighter fleet is built out of MiG-21 variants and the J-7 fighter, which can only mount short-range infrared air-to-air missiles. KF-16Cs could just fire AMRAAMs, turn around and bug out before the KPAF MiGs lock on, though individual conditions could dictate engagement at shorter ranges.
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| Global software 'glitch' leaves Air India passengers stranded Posted: 27 Apr 2019 02:06 AM PDT ![Global software 'glitch' leaves Air India passengers stranded]( "Global software 'glitch' leaves Air India passengers stranded") Thousands of Air India passengers were stranded at airports across the world Saturday, after a software "glitch" left those travelling with the state-run airline unable to check in, officials said. "Our check-in software experienced a glitch following a routine software upgrade. It was resolved after six hours," Air India spokesman Praveen Bhatnagar told AFP.
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| San Diego Area Synagogue Shooting Leaves One Dead, Suspect in Custody Posted: 27 Apr 2019 12:43 PM PDT  Denis PoroyA 19-year-old man armed with an assault rifle walked into a suburban San Diego synagogue Saturday morning and opened fire, killing one person and injuring three others, including a child, in a mass shooting that the mayor cast as a "hate crime." The San Diego Sheriff's Office said that John Earnest of San Diego had been arrested in connection with the shooting at the Chabad of Poway but they didn't believe there were any other suspects. Police said he has had no prior contact with police and was being questioned by local detectives and local FBI agents Saturday afternoon. Sheriff William Gore said authorities were looking into a rambling, multi-page manifesto that was published minutes before the shooting by a person with the same name, in which the writer claimed Jews were destroying whites and praised attacks in Pittsburgh and New Zealand."We are aware of his manifesto, which we are in the process of reviewing to determine its validity and authenticity," Gore said, adding that the attack is being investigated as a homicide and authorities are looking into charges that include state hate crimes statutes and federal civil rights violations.Authorities were also "looking into the possibility" of Earnest's involvement in a mosque fire in nearby Escondido last month, a claim that is made in the manifesto, Gore said.More lives may have been spared in the shooting thanks to the work of an armed off-duty Border Patrol agent believed to be working as a security guard in the synagogue during the shooting. The guard, who has not been identified, returned fire as the suspect fled to his car, hitting the vehicle with several bullet holes.Investigators were working to determine if Earnest left the scene because he was engaged by the Border Patrol agent. Gore said there were also some indications that Earnest's gun "malfunctioned" after he fired several rounds."Sadly we are seeing this happen all too often around our country," Gore said of the shooting. "It's tragic, especially when it happens here in our own backyard."The attack on the 33-year-old synagogue in Poway, a town of about 50,000 people located just northeast of San Diego, took place on the last day of Passover and exactly six months to the day after Robert Bowers, 46, allegedly entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh just after 10 a.m, reportedly shouting "all Jews must die" before opening fire and killing 11 people.The Chabad center was founded in 1986 as part of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement's international outreach efforts. It serves "Jews of all backgrounds who want to learn more about their Jewish roots," according to their website, and like other Chabad centers, attracts a variety of congregants, many of whom are not traditionally religious. The congregation according to an event listing was in the midst of a Passover Holiday Celebration that began at 11 a.m. and was set to end at 7 p.m. with a final Passover meal.It was interrupted around 11:30 a.m. when Earnest allegedly entered the synagogue carrying an AR-15 type assault weapon and opened fire, striking four people, including a woman who was killed and two men and a girl who were all expected to survive.Police said among those injured was Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was conducting service at the time and was shot in the hand. He was in surgery Saturday and was expected to survive.Earnest was arrested without incident by San Diego police as he was fleeing the scene, Chief David Nisleit said.A San Diego police officer en route to the scene overheard on the California Highway Patrol scanner that a suspect had allegedly called 911 to report that he was just involved in this shooting and gave authorities his location, Nisleit said. As the officer was exiting the freeway, he clearly saw the suspect in his car, Nisleit said. "The suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody," he said. "As the officer was placing this 19-year-old male into custody he clearly saw a rifle sitting on the front passenger seat of the suspect vehicle." The local FBI and ATF offices in San Diego said agents are working with local officials on the investigation.Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, speaking on CNN, called the attack a "hate crime" based on "statements the shooter made when he entered" the building.Gore said police have copies of the suspect's social media posts and an alleged hate-filled manifesto he wrote right before the shooting, which would be reviewed "to determine the legitimacy of it and determine how exactly it plays into the investigation."The manifesto reviewed by The Daily Beast was created before the attack and the writer identifies himself as Earnest. A spokesperson for the sheriff's office declined to provide any additional details about the manifesto.The manifesto was first shared on the toxic trolling board 8chan minutes before the suspect opened fire. It contains apparent misinformation and is clearly meant to be found and disseminated. (It uses the same question-and-answer format as the manifesto of the terrorist who attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.) The writer identifies himself as a Christian of European descent. While he eschews political labels, the writer repeats a far-right accusation that Jews seek to destroy the white race through immigration of non-whites. It is the same purported motive given by the man who allegedly killed 11 Jews at a Pittsburgh synagogue last October.California State University San Marcos identified Earnest as one of its students in a statement released Saturday evening. "We are heartbroken by this tragedy, which was motivated by hate and anti-Semitism," the school's president, Karen Haynes, said, adding that the university is "dismayed and disheartened" by Earnest's alleged involvement. Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn, President Donald Trump expressed his "deepest sympathies" to the Poway congregation and "the people that were affected" in what "obviously... looks like a hate crime.""We are doing some very heavy research and we will see what comes up but it looks like a hate crime," Trump said before heading to Wisconsin for a rally in protest of the annual White House Correspondent's Dinner. "Hard to believe, hard to believe."Read more at The Daily Beast.
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| Hours after mass escape, migrants demand food, freedom Posted: 27 Apr 2019 09:11 AM PDT  About 600 mostly Cuban migrants who were part of a mass escape from a southern Mexico immigration detention center a day earlier remained at large Friday evening, immigration authorities said. Hours after the mass escape, throngs of detained migrants raised their fists in the air and chanted "We want food! We want out!"
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| Israel to free two prisoners after recovering soldier's remains from Syria Posted: 27 Apr 2019 10:40 AM PDT  Israel will release two prisoners after the remains of an Israeli soldier missing since 1982 were recovered by Russian special forces in Syria, Israeli and Syrian officials said. Russia, a key Damascus ally, this month handed over the remains and personal effects of Zachary Baumel who was 21 when he was declared missing in action along with two other soldiers in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub during Israel's invasion of Lebanon.
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| Trump takes swipes at media in rally during White House correspondents dinner Posted: 28 Apr 2019 09:26 AM PDT ![Trump takes swipes at media in rally during White House correspondents dinner]( "Trump takes swipes at media in rally during White House correspondents dinner") President Donald Trump attacked the press during a rally he held in Green Bay, Wisc. Saturday that aimed to be counter-programing to the White House correspondents dinner.
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| Russia won't immediately raise oil output after Iran waivers end Posted: 27 Apr 2019 02:57 AM PDT  Russia will not immediately raise oil output after the United States ends sanctions waivers for buyers of Iranian crude in May, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday. The United States announced this week that, in a bid to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero, it would from May 2 end US waivers that countries such as India, China, South Korea and Turkey currently have on buying Iranian crude.
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| Texas man accused in fatal Colorado crash appears in court Posted: 27 Apr 2019 03:53 PM PDT  GOLDEN, Colo. (AP) — A speeding semitrailer whose driver appeared to one witness to be "wide eyed" and "terrified" passed a truck ramp before plowing into other vehicles on a crowded highway near Denver, killing four people and injuring at least six others, according to court documents released Saturday.
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| Sri Lanka bans groups suspected to be behind attacks; ringleader's relatives wounded Posted: 27 Apr 2019 09:23 AM PDT  The National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim were banned under his emergency powers, President Maithripala Sirisena said in a statement, nearly a week after the Easter Sunday attacks that killed more than 250 people. Police believe the suspected mastermind of the bombings, Mohamed Hashim Mohamed Zahran, led either the NTJ or a splinter group. Less is known about Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim, whose members are also believed to have played a role in the bombings.
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| Synagogue Shooting Suspect Was a Piano-Playing Nursing Student From Religious Family With a Racist Secret Posted: 28 Apr 2019 02:47 PM PDT  Sandy Huffaker/AFP/GettyPOWAY, California—Nineteen-year-old nursing student John T. Earnest, who was charged with murder Sunday as the lone gunman in the deadly Poway Synagogue shooting, played piano for hours a day and earned a 4.31 grade point average. His father was a church elder whom neighbors called "the sweetest man."But somewhere on his path, Earnest took a terrible turn, claiming Adolf Hitler as an idol and writing what appears to be his own rambling manifesto that Jews "deserved nothing but hell." He wanted to be the one to, as he put it, "Send. Them. There."Police say someone purporting to be him posted the anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, white supremacist "manifesto"—which eerily mirrored the Q&A; style that Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant used in his own pre-massacre diatribe—about 20 minutes before he walked into the Poway synagogue with an AR-15 style assault rifle and started shooting—killing one woman and injuring three others—before the gun malfunctioned and he was chased out by an armed security guard.Earnest was arrested by police a few minutes after the shooting as he fled, called 911, and told them where to find him off an exit on a California highway, authorities said. As an officer approached, he exited his vehicle, raised his hands, and surrendered. A rifle was recovered from the car. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday on one count of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.In his online posting, Earnest championed the likes of Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh six months ago; Tarrant, who killed 50 people in a New Zealand mosque in March; and Hitler.He used mainstream social media like Twitter and the fringe message boards 8Chan in what has become a proven way for terrorist groups and lone wolves alike to ensure that propaganda is disseminated to both those looking for it and those who are not. He posted the original screed on Pastebin.com and Mediafire.com, and linked to them on 8Chan. Like Tarrant, he promised to live-stream his killing spree, which he evidently failed to pull off. Facebook immediately removed the profile link he intended to use, but had somehow not seen the warning signs when he created the page.Sheriff William Gore of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said during a press conference late Sunday that authorities were carrying out searches in the suspect's home and "looking into digital evidence and checking the authenticity of an online manifesto." If it is validated as authentic, the student, who was previously unknown to police, found footing in the usual tenets of hate and the now all-too-familiar desire for infamy. Zach Keele, pastor of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, where Earnest's father was an elder, or officer of the church, confirmed that he was part of the parish. "So John T. Earnest is a member here," he told The Daily Beast. "We completely deplore what he did. That is not part of our practices, our teachings in any way. Our hearts, our prayers, our tears go out to the victims, to all those wonderful neighbors at the synagogue."Keele said Earnest had never appeared to be the sort of person who would carry out this sort of an attack. "This is a complete surprise," he said.In a service at the church on Sunday, Keele delivered a sermon on betrayal and forgiveness, offering condolences to the victims–but also to Earnest's family. "We pray, Lord, for those who are hurting, and we pray for the victims of that synagogue," Keele told the crowd of 50 or so parishioners. "We deeply mourn that this evil came out from us. We do not understand it, oh Lord, and we pray that you would forgive us for any such shortcoming, for any good deeds we left undone. We pray, Lord, that you will be with the Earnest family."Speaking to his congregation after the service, Keele said he had spoken with Earnest's parents the night before. They had spent the night huddled in their other son's apartment close to the beach while their own house was searched by SWAT teams, he said. Earnest's father plans to release a statement Monday morning through an attorney. "It's a good statement," Keele said. "They have good family support."The minister added that Earnest must "suffer the full punishment of the law." Still, he hopes he will "recant his hatred." Keele plans to visit the young man in prison, if convicted, he said. After the service, Gerrit Groenewold, a board member at the Orthodox Presbyterian Church who happens to be the father of the girlfriend of one of Earnest's brothers, told The Daily Beast that he had noticed Earnest had seemed quiet, and often tried to reach out to the young man, but with little luck. "I have tried to talk to John several times, but he is very silent and very reclusive. I noticed that he was quiet and just wanted to have contact... The other [members of his family] are not nearly as quiet," he said. "It's not good if someone is that quiet. He needs to be part of the community, to let them know what is going on."Earnest also claimed responsibility for an attempted arson attack last month on Dar-ul-Arqam Mosque in Escondido, about nine miles from Poway, Security cameras at the mosque caught a suspect breaking a lock and pouring liquid on a side door but had failed to identify the person. Gore said investigators are now looking his "possible involvement in the arson and vandalism of mosque."In a comment that was left after the synagogue shooting, someone asks, "How does a child of such privilege to so horribly wrong? Where does this hatred come from?"Late Saturday afternoon, California State University San Marcos president Karen S. Haynes confirmed that Earnest had been enrolled at the its nursing school."We are dismayed and disheartened that the alleged shooter—now in custody—is a CSUSM student. CSUSM is working collaboratively with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department to assist and gain more information," Haynes said in a statement. "We are heartbroken by this tragedy, which was motivated by hate and anti-Semitism."A man who identified himself as Earnest's grandfather expressed shock at his grandson's role in the deadly shooting on Saturday."He did what?" the man told The Daily Beast when reached by phone. "That is out of whack. My heart is sinking into my chest. I'm going to hang up now." By Saturday evening, police had barricaded the streets leading to the cul-de-sac in Rancho Peñasquitos, a hilly, middle-class suburb of San Diego about seven miles from the synagogue where Earnest lives with his family. More than three dozen law enforcement officers, including FBI agents, ATF agents, and cops, were at the scene. Eyewitnesses told The Daily Beast that the family left their home under police escort hours earlier. Around 9 p.m. local time, law enforcement had secured a search warrant to enter Earnest's house, which may well confirm the authenticity of his hate-filled screed and could possibly uncover how far he was willing to act on his hate. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here
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| The Day the Carrier Died: How the Navy (Nearly) Lost an Aircraft Carrier in Battle Posted: 27 Apr 2019 09:00 PM PDT  "The treatment of these Franklin crewmen," concludes Springer, constituted "one of the greatest but least-known injustices involving the U.S. Navy in World War II."Seldom do I come away incensed from reading history. The saga of the World War II aircraft carrier USS Franklin (CV-13) constitutes an exception. We normally think of Franklin's history as a parable about the importance of shipboard firefighting and damage control. It's about materiel and methods, in other words. And these things are important without a doubt. Fighting ships are metal boxes packed with explosives and flammables. Suppressing fire represents a crucial function, which is why the first thing a new sailor does after reporting aboard is qualify in rudimentary damage control.(This first appeared several years ago.)But a ship is more than a hunk of steel. The hunk of steel plus the crew that lives on board it comprises the ship. Bad leadership marred Franklin's human component. In the end, then, this is a story with mixed lessons. It is not merely about the material dimension of naval warfare.
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| US oil embargo will see Venezuela turn to China, Russia for salvation Posted: 27 Apr 2019 07:23 AM PDT  The US oil embargo on Venezuela that comes into effect on Sunday will deepen the South American country's economic crisis without necessarily forcing President Nicolas Maduro from power and force Caracas to turn to China and Russia for salvation. Until now, US sanctions directly targeted the upper echelons of Maduro's regime in the hope of weakening his grip on power in favor of a transition to opposition leader Juan Guaido, who in January declared himself acting president.
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| Concha: I want to hear Biden questioned about the issues, not blind praise Posted: 26 Apr 2019 06:25 PM PDT  The Hill media reporter Joe Concha reacts to Joe Biden's 2020 run and the media's reaction on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'
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| More than 56 tons of ground beef recalled in E. coli outbreak, now spanning 10 states Posted: 28 Apr 2019 05:07 AM PDT ![More than 56 tons of ground beef recalled in E. coli outbreak, now spanning 10 states]( "More than 56 tons of ground beef recalled in E. coli outbreak, now spanning 10 states") A Georgia meat producer is recalling 113,424 pounds of ground beef, over concerns of an E. coli outbreak that officials have expanded ten states.
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| Impeachment Would Be a Redundant Judgment Posted: 28 Apr 2019 02:30 AM PDT  The Mueller investigation was supposed to be a legal process concerned with crimes. Investigators identified no crimes to charge, and so it has, naturally, become something else: no longer a theory about a criminal conspiracy — only an irritable mood.An ordeal that had been conducted under the procedures of law in accordance with legal criteria is now an ordeal that is being conducted under the procedures of politics in accordance with political criteria — or, if you prefer, with moral criteria related to Donald Trump's character. For those who want to see President Trump impeached and who think of impeachment as a fundamentally political process in spite of its mock-trial aspect, that's just fine. They'll take their pound of flesh, however it is had.The problem with this point of view is that the question of Donald Trump's personal fitness for office already has been adjudicated as a political matter: That is what happened in the 2016 presidential election. Many critics, myself included, argued that Trump was unfit for the office, both morally and intellectually. We made our arguments, the voters consulted their own consciences, and, weighing these things however it is that voters weigh them, chose Trump. There wasn't some occult intermediary step in there. That's how things go in politics: The people behave just as if they had minds of their own! And, sometimes, they get to have their own way.In terms of Donald Trump's character and habits, there is practically nothing in the Mueller report — or in the public record since 2016 — that voters did not already know when they elected him. And that is really the fundamental argument against impeaching President Trump: The political judgment called for in an impeachment at this point and in this context properly ought to be understood as beside the point, if we take seriously the democratic assumption that the judgment of the people, rendered in the election, is sovereign.There isn't some shocking new thing, and, of course, some Democrats have been talking impeachment since before Trump was even sworn in. The Democrats do not propose to impeach Donald Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors, but simply for being Donald Trump. One may sympathize with that, but Donald Trump is the man the voters chose.And that goes to the real issue here: The Democrats cannot accept that they lost an election to Donald Trump. One sympathizes with that, too, but that is what actually happened, for several reasons: Trump focused on two issues — immigration and trade — that speak to a substantial bipartisan plurality with nationalistic and protectionist impulses rarely taken seriously by mainstream figures in either party; his opponent ran an inept campaign and has been questing after power for so long that both she and the voters are exhausted by it; the "elites" and Washingtonians against whom Trump & Co. inveigh were judged, not without some reason, to merit a trip to the woodshed; the so-called war on terror and the financial crisis of 2008–09 have destabilized formerly sturdy political coalitions. And, of course, it was Republicans' turn.Which is to say: The Democrats' talk of impeachment is partly about 2020, but it's mainly about 2016, and their adolescent psychic need to believe that the presidential election that brought Donald Trump to the White House was illegitimate rather than an opportunity they simply blew. The theory that the election was thrown by Russian trolls posting dank memes on Twitter is hard to take seriously. If we had a list of every voter whose mind was changed in 2016 by an anonymous social-media account with a Cyrillic bio, then disenfranchising those voters would be a good start on improving things for 2020. Alas and alack, we don't do that sort of thing. But the argument that bot-executed shenanigans nullified democracy in 2016 amounts to the Democrats protesting: "These trolls robbed us of the support of our natural base: morons!"There's no quality control in social media — and less quality control in ordinary news media than there used to be. Lies, distortions, exaggerations, and pure inventions are going to be out there in the intellectual marketplace, whether they originate in Moscow or in Brooklyn. That's a real problem, but it doesn't invalidate the outcome of the 2016 election.There are many reasons to oppose an impeachment at this time: One is that no one has made a very persuasive case for one, all of the Democrats' arguments up to this point having been transparently pretextual. Another is that the Republican majority in the Senate all but ensures that the process would be purely symbolic, an exercise in chaos for pleasure's sake. A third is that it normalizes the invocation of a procedure that should be reserved for extraordinary circumstances in the service of ordinary short-term partisan interests. For comparison, consider that there was no serious impeachment talk when Barack Obama authorized the assassination of U.S. citizens without so much as a by-your-leave from Congress — or when he took executive actions that he himself had described as unconstitutional only months before. That suggests a pretty high standard — and if "I think that guy is a fink!" ends up being a common rationale for impeachment, then you'd better make your peace with anarchy, because Washington is going to be a ghost town.But the most important reason for forbearance here is that a political judgment already has been rendered on Donald Trump's character — and, if you don't like how that came out, there's another chance right around the corner.
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| China urges UK not to discriminate against Huawei in 5G development Posted: 28 Apr 2019 01:02 AM PDT  China on Sunday warned Britain not to discriminate against companies involved in developing the 5G network and to resist pressure from other countries over whether it should work with Huawei Technologies. Huawei, the world's biggest telecoms equipment maker, is under intense scrutiny after the United States told allies not to use the company's technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying. Huawei has denied this.
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| The Latest: Seattle college says student was killed by crane Posted: 28 Apr 2019 04:49 PM PDT  SEATTLE (AP) — The Latest on a crane collapse in Seattle (all times local):
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| New York Archdiocese releases list of 120 priests accused of child sexual abuse Posted: 28 Apr 2019 01:41 PM PDT  The list released by the New York Archdiocese includes 120 men, none of them in active ministry now.
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| Charge your iPhone and wirelessly charging your Apple Watch with one portable power bank Posted: 27 Apr 2019 08:33 AM PDT ![Charge your iPhone and wirelessly charging your Apple Watch with one portable power bank]( "Charge your iPhone and wirelessly charging your Apple Watch with one portable power bank") If you have an Apple Watch, you obviously also have an iPhone -- so why not charge them both on the go with this same device? The UGREEN Portable Charger for Apple Watch and iPhone has an MFi certified wireless charging disc for your Apple Watch as well as a USB port so you can connect your Lightning cable and charge your iPhone. It packs 2,200 mAh of juice, and it's discounted right now on Amazon.Here's more info from the product page: * Built-in Magnetic Charging Module Compatible for All Apple Watch: With built-in integrated magnetic charging module and USB port, it is ideal for all 44mm 40mm 42mm & 38mm Apple Watch models?Apple Watch Series 1/2, Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch Nike+, Apple Watch Hermes, Apple Watch Edition and iPhone, smartphones, cameras, PSP gamer etc. * Certified Quality and Safety: MFi Certified(PPID: 219693-0018) magnetic charging module offers a original charging speed-about 2.5 hours; UGREEN's multi-protect safety system ensures complete protection such as flame resistant material,over-current, over-voltage and short-circuit. * Simultaneously Charge Apple Watch and Phone: this 2200mAh power bank can simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and an iPhone 1 time; Charges an Apple Watch from 10% battery life to 100% 3-4 times. * Ideal Charging Companion for Home Office and Travel: It is with super compact design (L13.9 x W3.95 x H1.6cm), saving your space on the desk and easily being slipped into your travel bag. * What You Get: 15 months manufacturer warranty and life-time service support; Apple MFi Certified Wireless Charger Power Bank for Apple Watch and phone x1; 50cm Micro USB Charging Cable x1; (NOTE1: You should press the silver power switch before charging your cellphone NOTE 2：It should be used under 78.8℉， otherwise the power bank will charge your devices slowly to extend the service life)
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| Four dead in suspected Boko Haram attack in Cameroon Posted: 28 Apr 2019 07:18 AM PDT  Yaoundé (AFP) - Jihadists from Nigeria's Boko Haram killed at least four people and badly wounded four others in an attack on Kofia, a Cameroonian island on Lake Chad, an official source told AFP on Sunday. Kofia island is in the far north of Cameroon near the border with Chad. "Cameroon and Chadian forces" were pursuing the assailants, the source said.
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| The Army's New Machine Gun Can Really Do Some Serious Damage Posted: 27 Apr 2019 07:00 PM PDT  A game changer or not? The U.S. Army has selected a new submachine gun for special security missions- and the winner of the procurement contest may surprise you.The Brügger & Thomet APC9K has been hailed the winner of the Sub Compact Weapon program, beating out well-seasoned military & police competitors such as the American Sig MPX and the Czech-made CZ Scorpion Evo.Made primarily of polymer and sporting translucent magazines, the APC9K SCW will be used for close protection duties and other situations where a 9mm submachine gun or carbine would be preferable to a 5.56 platform.According to Defence Blog, the U.S. Army Contracting command will be ordering around 350 of the SCWs, with a potential additional order of 1,000 more.The original competition, which began in May of 2018, had over ten companies providing options. One of the requirements was that the weapon had to be optimized to fire 147-grain 9mm ammunition.
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| U.K. Conservatives Still Seeking Brexit Deal Before EU Election Posted: 28 Apr 2019 04:10 AM PDT ![U.K. Conservatives Still Seeking Brexit Deal Before EU Election]( "U.K. Conservatives Still Seeking Brexit Deal Before EU Election") Theresa May is still pursuing a Brexit deal that would get the U.K. out of the European Union before elections next month. With negotiations with the opposition Labour Party set to continue next week, there's still time for Parliament to settle on a deal before the May 23 vote, Conservative Party Chairman Brandon Lewis said in an interview with the BBC on Sunday.
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| Australia's plan to kill 2 million feral cats to combat 'extinction crisis' once again in the spotlight Posted: 27 Apr 2019 01:58 PM PDT  The plan to control Australia's feral cat population was first announced in 2015 as part of a conservation strategy to protect threatened species.
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| No wind-down for China on stopping its Iran oil buys: Trump officials Posted: 26 Apr 2019 08:32 PM PDT  The administration has been clear to China, Iran's top oil consumer, about no additional waivers to the sanctions after the ones granted last November, one of the senior officials said. Under U.S. sanctions law, importers of Iranian oil including China, India and Turkey, could be allowed a wind-down period before getting to zero oil purchases, including a short-term waiver. Any wind-down measures would be different than the 180 day exceptions the Trump administration granted in November to China and seven other importers for significantly reducing oil purchases from Iran, measures set to end in May. China has alternative oil suppliers including the United States and Saudi Arabia said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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| Latest: Rabbi identifies the victims of synagogue shooting Posted: 27 Apr 2019 10:26 PM PDT  POWAY, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on a shooting at a synagogue in Southern California (all times local):
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| Tuscan paradise where da Vinci's genius bloomed Posted: 28 Apr 2019 04:37 AM PDT  Butterflies flutter around centuries-old olive groves in Vinci, the Tuscan village where Leonardo da Vinci was born and honed his inventor skills as a child by studying the local flora and fauna. Locals preparing to mark the 500th anniversary of Leonardo's death say little has changed among the vineyards, lush fields and brooks that appeared in his art. "The landscapes, impressions and interests that influenced Leonardo throughout his life remain almost intact," Roberta Barsanti, director of the Leonardian Museum of Vinci, told AFP.
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| Tesla CEO Musk strikes deal with market regulators over tweets Posted: 26 Apr 2019 07:02 PM PDT  Elon Musk and US stock market regulators told a US court on Friday that they have reached a deal to settle their differences over the Tesla chief executive's Twitter use. The settlement between Musk and the Securities and Exchange Commission sets out clearer guidelines on topics Musk should avoid on Twitter or other social media, including statements about acquisitions, mergers, new products and production numbers. Musk would have to adhere to Tesla rules regarding potentially significant comments by executives, and have tweets or other social media posts pre-approved by "an experienced securities lawyer employed by the company," according to the proposed settlement.
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| Afghan peace deal hinges on ceasefire by Taliban: U.S. peace envoy Posted: 28 Apr 2019 07:57 AM PDT  Any peace agreement with the Afghan Taliban would depend on the declaration of a permanent ceasefire and a commitment to end the country's long war, the U.S. special envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said on Sunday. In an interview with Afghanistan's largest private television station, Tolo News, Khalilzad said the Taliban's demands were focused on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country. No agreement will be done if we don't see a permanent ceasefire and a commitment to end the war," said Khalilzad.
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| How North Korea's Air Force Would Die a Fiery Death Posted: 27 Apr 2019 12:30 AM PDT  South Korea's K30 Biho Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG) rose to international prominence when it beat out Russia's Pantsir system for a massive Indian contract. While this contract is being disputed with the Indian government, it is worth looking at the Biho as it was considered to be one of the best anti-air systems in the world prior to the Indian contract.The system has seen significant evolution in recent years, with most Korean K30s being upgraded to the new "Hybrid Biho" standard and the new "Biho II" being offered for export. But how do these improve on the original design? The original Biho was built in the 1990s as a simple dual-gun design, similar to the German Gepard AA gun. However, unlike the Gepard and Shilka, the K30 Biho utilizes an electro-optical sensor on the visible and infrared bands to track and engage the targets. It only uses the radar for searching for targets.
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| The Latest: Pence says Lugar was 'leader on the world stage' Posted: 28 Apr 2019 01:19 PM PDT  INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on the death of former Sen. Richard Lugar (all times local):
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| Trump Looks for End to Japan Farm Tariffs Ahead of Two Visits Posted: 27 Apr 2019 01:59 PM PDT  Abe raised the issue of existing U.S. tariffs on its cars and highlighted the growing number of jobs created in the U.S. by Japan's investment. "We'll be discussing very strongly agriculture because as the prime minister knows Japan puts very massive tariffs on agriculture, our agriculture, for many years, going into Japan, and we want to get rid of those tariffs," Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with Abe on Friday.
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