| Kevin McCarthy Says Democrats Shouldn't Spend A Lot Of Time Investigating Trump Posted: 10 Dec 2018 03:18 PM PST  House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) urged Democrats not to dwell
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| Imagining a school shooting through the gunman's eyes: Sandy Hook Promise releases chilling new video Posted: 10 Dec 2018 02:14 PM PST  A public service announcement released by the gun violence prevention organization Sandy Hook Promise depicts the moments leading up to a school shooting from the shooter's perspective.
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| Indiana teen charged with killing pregnant schoolmate Posted: 10 Dec 2018 04:53 PM PST  MISHAWAKA, Ind. (AP) — An Indiana high school football player told investigators that he killed a 17-year-old schoolmate because he was angry that she waited so long to tell him she was pregnant with his child that it was too late to get an abortion, authorities said Monday.
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| Canadian former diplomat detained in China amid tensions Posted: 11 Dec 2018 07:42 AM PST  A Canadian former diplomat has been detained in China, the think tank where he now works said Tuesday, amid Beijing's outrage over the arrest of a senior technology executive. The International Crisis Group said it was aware of reports of the detention of Michael Kovrig, a Chinese-speaking expert who served as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing, Hong Kong and at the United Nations. Kovrig went to work last year for the International Crisis Group, which is known for its research on peaceful solutions to global conflicts.
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| Reluctant U.S. Supreme Court on collision course with Trump Posted: 11 Dec 2018 02:05 AM PST  The court's 5-4 conservative majority includes Trump appointees Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch. While Trump has suffered a series of setbacks in lower federal courts since taking office last year, he has collected major victories at the Supreme Court. Most notably, the court in June upheld in a 5-4 ruling Trump's travel ban targeting people from several Muslim-majority countries, with Gorsuch casting a pivotal vote, after lower courts had blocked the policy.
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| Volkswagen restores cancer worker's 350,000-mile Beetle Posted: 10 Dec 2018 12:36 PM PST  Kathleen Brooks brings comfort to those suffering with cancer, having driven her 1967 Beetle for 51 years over 350,000 miles. VW ensured her sterling efforts didn't go unnoticed
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| 5 missing Marines declared dead in warplanes crash off Japan Posted: 11 Dec 2018 05:00 AM PST  TOKYO (AP) — The U.S. military said Tuesday that five missing crew members have been declared dead after their refueling plane collided with a fighter jet last week off Japan's southern coast, and that search and recovery operations have ended after finding only one survivor.
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| NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft is now flying through the stars Posted: 10 Dec 2018 07:39 AM PST  Voyager 2, at 11 billion miles from Earth, has entered the stars. Monday morning NASA announced that the legendary exploration spacecraft had left a protective bubble produced by the sun's wind and energy, called the heliosphere, and is now hurtling through interstellar space. Voyager 2 is the second spacecraft to ever reach the outer limits of the solar system and enter into the interstellar wilderness. Voyager 2's counterpart, Voyager 1, previously entered the stars in 2012. "This is what we've all been waiting for," Suzanne Dodd, NASA's Voyager project manager, said in a statement. "Now we're looking forward to what we'll be able to learn from having both probes outside the heliopause." The @NASAVoyager 2 probe no longer feels the solar wind & is flying through the interstellar space between the stars. It carries a working instrument providing 1st-of-its-kind observations of the nature of this gateway. Here's a look by the numbers: https://t.co/DuNBYPaXQj #AGU18 pic.twitter.com/GJGIgDpSHD — NASA (@NASA) December 10, 2018 Technically, however, Voyager 2 is still in the distant realms of the solar system. There are large icy objects out here, collectively known as the Oort Cloud, that are still under the gravitational influence of the sun. Both Voyager crafts, then, aren't expected to leave the solar system anytime soon. NASA suspects it will take some 30,000 years for the Voyagers to travel beyond the Oort Cloud, and enter farther into uncharted territory. Out beyond the heliopause, however, the Voyager craft can give NASA scientists a better idea of what it's like at the beginnings of interstellar space, and how the sun's particles and energy, or solar wind, interact with the constant flow of particles from deep, interstellar space. "To have the Voyagers sending back information about the edge of the Sun's influence gives us an unprecedented glimpse of truly uncharted territory," Nicola Fox, director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters, said in a statement. The solar system and beyond.Image: NASAA specialized instrument aboard Voyager 2, the Plasma Science Experiment, played an important role in confirming that Voyager 2 had left the protective heliosphere. The instrument observed a "deep decline" in solar particles after Nov. 5, 2018, confirming the craft had entered the interstellar realm. Both Voyagers were intended to explore the solar system for five years, but 41 years later, are still alive and sending messages back to Earth. The spacecraft are powered by slowly-decaying radioactive material, so they're not reliant upon sunlight to stay online. The spacecraft both carry records coated in gold, with instructions of how to play 90 minutes of human-made music, containing the likes of Bach, The Najavo, and the scintillating rock and roll of Chuck Berry — should any intelligent life ever come across either of the ancient craft in the vastness of interstellar space. WATCH: Ever wonder how the universe might end?
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| French Government Slams Trump: Stop Interfering And 'Leave Our Nation Be' Posted: 09 Dec 2018 10:39 PM PST  The French government has asked President Donald Trump to keep his nose out of
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| Tourism in Bethlehem booming as Christmas nears Posted: 10 Dec 2018 02:02 PM PST  Hotels in the birthplace of Jesus are almost fully booked for the holiday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism.
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| Outrage over a controversial plea deal for a former ex-fraternity president Posted: 11 Dec 2018 01:02 AM PST  The former Baylor fraternity president was accused of rape and will not face jail time or be forced to register as a sex offender. ABC News' Janai Norman reports.
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| Canadian ex-diplomat held in China: Trudeau, think tank Posted: 11 Dec 2018 12:39 PM PST  A Canadian, believed to be a former diplomat, has been detained in China, prompting concern in Ottawa and Washington, as Beijing fumes over the arrest of a senior technology executive. "We are aware of the situation of a Canadian detained in China. The International Crisis Group earlier said it was aware of reports of the detention of its employee Michael Kovrig, a Chinese-speaking expert who served as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing, Hong Kong and at the United Nations.
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| Accused Russian Agent Maria Butina Reaches Plea Deal With Federal Prosecutors: Reports Posted: 10 Dec 2018 05:05 PM PST  Maria Butina, a Russian gun-rights activist accused of working as an agent for
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| Nobel Peace winners urge global action vs. sexual violence Posted: 10 Dec 2018 02:37 PM PST  STOCKHOLM (AP) — The Congolese doctor who shares this year's Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the use of rape and sexual violence as weapons of war called Monday for strong international action against the abuse, including reparations for victims.
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| Google CEO to tell Congress company 'supports federal privacy legislation' amid allegations of security violations and political bias Posted: 10 Dec 2018 06:20 PM PST  The boss of Google - under fire over allegations of political bias and its failure to protect personal information - is to tell congress it supports government legislation that defends against privacy violations. On the day Google announced it was to terminate earlier than planned its modestly-used social media network Google Plus because of a flaw that had leaked the personal information of 52.5m users, CEO Sundar Pichai made clear he would defend the company against accusations of favouritism or predisposition. "I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way," Mr Pichai will say in prepared remarks he is due to deliver on Capitol Hill.
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| James Comey: If Trump Weren't President He'd Be 'In Serious Jeopardy' Over Cohen Posted: 09 Dec 2018 08:28 PM PST  James Comey, the former director of the FBI, speculated Sunday that if
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| U.S. arrests religious leaders, activists at border protest Posted: 10 Dec 2018 07:44 PM PST  More than 400 demonstrators, many leaders of churches, mosques, synagogues and indigenous communities, sought a halt to detention and deportation of migrants and for the United States to welcome the caravan that arrived in Tijuana, Mexico in November. Singing and praying, religious leaders moved forward in lines of four to six, some wearing T-shirts reading, "Love Knows No Borders." They were handcuffed and led away by federal agents upon entering a restricted area in front of the fence. "As a Quaker who believes in our shared humanity...We're calling on the U.S. to respect the rights of migrants," said Joyce Ajlouny, general secretary of the American Friends Service Committee, which has run a week of actions to back migrants.
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| More than 10,000 Verizon employees sign up for voluntary buyout Posted: 11 Dec 2018 06:45 AM PST  The 10,400 departing Verizon employees agreed to a buyout, with some receiving up to 60 weeks' salary, bonus and other benefits.
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| China's Car-Tariff Gesture Stirs Hope of a More Lasting Truce Posted: 11 Dec 2018 09:34 AM PST  Shares of U.S. automakers surged Tuesday after Bloomberg News reported that China's Cabinet will review a proposal to cut tariffs on U.S. cars to 15 percent from 40 percent, bringing the U.S. in line with what other countries pay, according to people familiar with the matter. President Donald Trump tweeted that "very productive conversations" are taking place with the Chinese, predicting "important announcements" to come. China intends to resume purchases of American soybeans soon, with officials considering buying between 5 million and 8 million tons, according to government officials.China's plans on cars and soybeans would only reverse moves it made in retaliation against U.S. tariffs, rather than removing barriers that existed before the trade war.Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer spoke by phone Tuesday morning Beijing time, exchanging views on the road map for negotiations.
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| 'Yellow vests' denounce Macron speech as 'charade' Posted: 10 Dec 2018 10:00 PM PST  Groups of "yellow vest" protesters across France responded scathingly to the "crumbs" offered by President Emmanuel Macron in a speech intended to defuse their revolt, but others acknowledged his efforts. "Nonsense," "a charade", "a bluff" and "a drop in the ocean," were among the immediate reactions that greeted the head of state's televised speech Monday evening announcing an increase in the minimum wage and a range of other financial measures. At a roundabout in the southern town of Le Boulou, some 150 "yellow vests" gathered around a loudspeaker listened carefully to the president's words before starting to shout in chorus.
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| Plot Thickens for Carlos Ghosn as Official Financial Charges Are Filed in Japan Posted: 10 Dec 2018 10:39 AM PST  The former Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi chief faces as much as 10 years in prison.
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| A look at Brexit as UK prime minister cancels the big vote Posted: 10 Dec 2018 08:41 AM PST  LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday postponed a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal between her government and the European Union.
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| Pelosi, Schumer expected to meet with Trump amid battle over border funding Posted: 10 Dec 2018 12:49 PM PST  Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer will meet with the president as the Democrats prepare to regain control of the House.
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| Obama Photographer Taunts Trump With Doggone Funny Suggestion For Chief Of Staff Posted: 11 Dec 2018 12:46 AM PST  Former White House photographer Pete Souza used an adorable old snap of Bo,
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| Google CEO Argues for Company's China Return in Congress Posted: 11 Dec 2018 09:00 AM PST  Pichai has been under pressure from politicians, activists and staff to stop building a censored search engine for China. Late on Monday, a coalition of human rights groups asked Google to commit to not working with the Chinese government on censorship and surveillance.
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| The 12 Cars We’re Most Excited to Drive in 2019 Posted: 10 Dec 2018 02:31 PM PST |
| Grace Millane: Man accused over backpacker murder appears in court as PM apologises on behalf of New Zealand for her death Posted: 09 Dec 2018 11:51 PM PST  The man accused of killing British backpacker Grace Millane was jeered as he appeared in a packed Auckland court on Monday. Ms Millane, 22, died while travelling in New Zealand and her body was found in bushland on Sunday afternoon, about 30 feet from a highway outside the New Zealand city. The 26-year-old accused, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared in a blue boiler suit as he attended Auckland's District Court on Monday morning. Ms Millane, from Essex, was last seen alive entering the CityLife Hotel with the man last Saturday at 9.41pm. The defendant was listed on a charge sheet as residing at the hotel on Queen Street in central Auckland. In his opening remarks Judge Evangelos Thomas addressed members of Millane's family, some of whom were in attendance. Her father, David Millane, arrived in New Zealand last Friday following his daughter's disappearance. "Your grief must be desperate," Judge Thomas told the family in court, where every seat was taken by the public and the international and local media. "All of us hope that justice for Grace is fair and swift and ultimately brings you some peace." As the defendant was led out of the court, a man at the back of the court yelled out "scumbag". Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became became visibly upset as she apologised to Ms Millane's family at her weekly post-cabinet news conference. "On behalf of New Zealand, I want to apologise to Grace's family," Ms Ardern told a weekly news conference in parliament. Ms Ardern said she could not imagine the grief that her family would be going through, according to Radio New Zealand. "Your daughter should have been safe here and she wasn't and I'm sorry for that." Ms Ardern told the family through police that the government would offer any assistance it could. Judge Evangelos Thomas speaks as a man accused of Grace Millane's murder appears in court in Auckland Credit: Getty Judge Thomas rejected an application from the accused's lawyer for his client's name to be suppressed based on fair trial rights. However, the decision was immediately appealed, meaning the accused's name will not be released for at least 20 working days until the appeal is determined. The accused looked at the judge for most of the 90 minutes he was in court, nodding that he understood when spoken to, his eyes only occasionally flicking towards the cameras on the other side of the court. The defendant's next appearance will be in the High Court on January 23. Accused 'was estranged from family' The accused was reportedly estranged from his family after his parents separated, according to his grandfather. NZ media organisation Stuff reported that the grandfather, who said he'd helped raise him for a period after his parents separated, was struggling to come to terms with what his grandson had been accused of. "He was a nice kid, but he sort of fell out with everybody, which is what happens with broken-up marriages." He was worried about how the allegations would affect the wider family but declined to comment further. A female relative of the accused told Stuff he'd spent time living in Australia, where his mother lived, but she was unaware he'd returned. His paternal grandmother told Stuff that while living in Australia the man fathered a daughter but was no longer in a relationship with the mother. Stuff said the accused's father hadn't spoken to his son for two years, citing: "A difference in opinion on life." Emotional tributes from family Police have yet to reveal how the pair met or the possible motive for the alleged murder. Security footage at the hotel, along with a scene investigation at a room there, confirmed that Ms Millane was dead. Detective Inspector Scott Beard said the body was found near Scenic Drive, which leads through the Waitakere Ranges, a popular parkland west of Auckland. Grace Millane was on a year-long round-the-world trip "This brings the search for Grace to an end," said Detective Beard, who was visibly emotional delivering the news of the discovery. "It is an unbearable time for the Millane family and our hearts go out to them." Ms Millane's family have described her as "lovely, outgoing, fun-loving and family-orientated". Her brother Declan paid public tribute on social media with a series of photographs of Ms Millane smiling, celebrating, graduating and, as a little girl, hugging her sibling. He also wrote the lyrics to the song "you are my sunshine, my only sunshine" underneath pictures of the pair together. View this post on Instagram ��♥️You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy when skies are gray You'll never know, dear, how much I love you Please don't take my sunshine away A post shared by Declan Millane (@declan_millane) on Dec 9, 2018 at 2:16am PST Ms Millane, who completed a degree in advertising and marketing at Lincoln University, was on a yearlong trip and arrived in New Zealand on November 20 after a four-week group tour to Peru. Her family raised concerns after she failed to make contact for several days, including on her 22nd birthday last Sunday. Police received a missing person report on Wednesday and commenced a major search and public campaign that saw dozens of calls made to a helpline. David Millane, Grace's father, arrived in New Zealand on Friday morning and gave a press conference with police, issuing a moving appeal for help. He was joined on the weekend by another family member. Tributes to Grace Millane are left at the roundabout in Titirangi, at the start of Scenic Drive in Auckland Credit: Getty Mr Millane, a property developer, said Ms Millane had typically "bombarded" the family with messages and photographs during her travels but suddenly went silent after last Saturday. "Grace is a lovely, outgoing, fun-loving, family-orientated daughter," he said. "Grace has never been out of contact for this amount of time. She's usually in daily contact with either her mother, myself, her two brothers or members of the family on social media. "We are all extremely upset and it's very difficult at this time to fully describe the range of emotions we are going through." Police took the 26-year-old man into custody several days ago and have charged him with murder. Detective Inspector Scott Beard speaks at the scene where the body of British tourist Grace Millane was found Credit: Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images Detective Beard said the investigation will continue and searches were still underway at the hotel. He would not comment on whether the pair met on the dating app Tinder. "The focus now is to piece together exactly what happened to a young woman who came to New Zealand on her [overseas experience]," he said. Appeal for information Ms Millane's body was allegedly transported to the parkland in a red Toyota Corolla hatchback that was rented from a central Auckland firm last Sunday. Police released two photos of the car, which was found in the central North Island town of Taupo, and were appealing for anyone who had seen the vehicle on the morning of Monday, December 3, near the area where the body was found. Expressing condolences to Mr Millane and the family, Detective Beard said: "Any father in this situation is going to struggle. We are putting a lot of support around him. I feel for him, I have a daughter in her twenties." A 2016 red Toyota Corolla hire car that police are analysing as part of a probe into the death of Grace Millane Credit: PA The case has sent shockwaves across New Zealand, where people expressed outrage and some on social media described the case as a "national shame". It has also raised concerns about violence towards women in the country. Justin Lester, the mayor of Wellington, the capital, said the case was a "horrible and tragic nightmare". "Our girls should be safe to travel and go out and our men should be looking after and protecting them, not causing harm," he said on Twitter.
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| Lebanon: Israel border tunnel operation won't endanger calm Posted: 11 Dec 2018 11:12 AM PST  BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon's president said Tuesday Israel's operation to destroy what it says is a series of cross-border attack tunnels built by the militant Hezbollah group won't endanger the calm along the frontier, adding that his country takes the issue seriously.
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| Trump administration official defends tear gas use at Mexico border Posted: 11 Dec 2018 10:32 AM PST  The firing of tear gas canisters by U.S. border agents toward migrants in Mexico near a border crossing last month followed regulations, a senior Trump administration official said in testimony to Congress on Tuesday. On Nov. 25, U.S. border agents fired tear gas to disperse a group of migrants near the U.S.-Mexico border crossing separating Tijuana from San Diego when some rushed through fencing into the United States. A day after the incident, Mexico's foreign ministry presented a diplomatic note to the U.S. government calling for "a full investigation" into what it described as non-lethal weapons directed toward Mexican territory.
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| Supreme Court: Brett Kavanaugh sides with liberal justices to protect Planned Parenthood funding Posted: 10 Dec 2018 12:11 PM PST  Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh unexpectedly aligned with four liberal justices in declining to review the petitions that would have placed a ban on abortion providers. Defunding Planned Parenthood has been a key priority for Republicans, with Mr Kavanaugh's controversial confirmation sparking concerns among reproductive rights activist that he would back moves to overturn or restrict legal rights and access to abortions. The top court left the rulings from the lower court that halted Kansas and Louisiana from revoking public healthcare funding from Planned Parenthood and its affiliates.
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| Conservative Columnist Thinks 1 Word In Cohen Memo May Seal Donald Trump’s Fate Posted: 11 Dec 2018 03:31 AM PST  One seven-letter word ― "synergy" ― may prove critical in proving the
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| Save on this ultra-sharp knife set and give a holiday gift that will actually get used Posted: 11 Dec 2018 02:00 AM PST  Searching for a great holiday gift that won't end up in next year's white elephant game? This knife set, available now for a hugely discounted price of $58, might just do the trick. These lightweight yet robust knives are made from super strong zirconium ceramic. Even if you don't have someone on your gift list who's worthy of super shark knives, buy them for yourself and use them to prepare a special holiday meal. As an added bonus, each purchase of these knives provides ten hungry Americans with a meal on your behalf through Feeding America — so you can feel good about your purchase no matter what. So, get yourself — or someone on your holiday gift list — a gift that's a cut above the rest. The three-knife set is already discounted by a whopping 78%. But order with the coupon code GREENMONDAY20 and get an extra 20% of your entire purchase. Before you know it, you'll be chopping, dicing, slicing, paring, and julienning your way to a successful holiday season. Image: Chef's Foundry 3-piece knife set — $58 See Details
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| Brexit Opponents Get EU Court Boost as May Said to Pull Vote Posted: 10 Dec 2018 07:23 AM PST  The U.K. can unilaterally reverse Brexit, the European Union's top court said in a landmark ruling ahead of Prime Minister Theresa May's decision to pull a potentially humiliating Parliament vote on her controversial withdrawal deal with Brussels. The EU Court of Justice in Luxembourg boosted the hopes of those campaigning for an end to the divorce, saying that Britain is free to revoke its so-called Article 50 notice any time before it's due to leave the bloc on March 29. A few hours later, May opted to postpone Tuesday's planned vote amid concerns a huge defeat could plunge the U.K. into unprecedented political chaos, according to people familiar with the situation.
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| Proud Boys Founder Gavin McInnes Fired From Blaze Media, YouTube Account Disabled Posted: 10 Dec 2018 11:43 AM PST  Gavin McInnes, the founder of the violent neo-fascist gang the Proud Boys, was
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| US judge tosses bulk of suit against Trump immigration move Posted: 10 Dec 2018 04:50 PM PST ![US judge tosses bulk of suit against Trump immigration move]( "US judge tosses bulk of suit against Trump immigration move") SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Trump administration provided adequate justification for its decision to end a program that reunited hundreds of immigrants from Central America with family members in the U.S., a federal judge ruled Monday.
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| Theresa May Admits Major Brexit Failure Posted: 10 Dec 2018 08:59 AM PST  British Prime Minister Theresa May scrapped a scheduled vote on her Brexit plan that faced near-certain defeat, throwing the EU divorce deal into chaos.
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| Butina to Cohen: 5 Things to Watch This Week in U.S. Probes Posted: 11 Dec 2018 12:38 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Special Counsel Robert Mueller and U.S. prosecutors are far from finished in their investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, President Donald Trump's campaign, and his business and political circle, judging by recent court filings. But by the end of this week, some key early chapters will come closer to resolution.
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| Dow reverses course and ends higher despite trade, Brexit concerns Posted: 10 Dec 2018 01:54 PM PST  Stocks largely finished higher Monday after investors shook off trade tensions with China, a delayed Brexit vote and a flattening yield curve.
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| U.N. seeks withdrawal of warring parties from Yemen's Hodeidah: sources Posted: 11 Dec 2018 06:25 AM PST ![U.N. seeks withdrawal of warring parties from Yemen's Hodeidah: sources]( "U.N. seeks withdrawal of warring parties from Yemen's Hodeidah: sources") The United Nations is proposing that all armed forces from Yemen's warring parties withdraw from the port city of Hodeidah and that an interim entity be set up to run the city, a lifeline for millions of people in the country's war, sources said. The proposal is still being discussed at U.N.-sponsored peace talks between the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government in Sweden. The sources familiar with the talks said the U.N. proposal envisions a "joint committee or independent entity" to manage the city and port after both sides withdraw and the possibility of deploying U.N. monitors.
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| Roger, The Incredibly Buff Kangaroo, Has Died At Age 12 Posted: 10 Dec 2018 06:47 PM PST  A buff kangaroo who shot to international fame after he was photographed
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