| Who is Patrick Shanahan? Trump's acting replacement for Mattis came to the Pentagon after decades with defense contractor Boeing Posted: 23 Dec 2018 11:16 AM PST  President Trump's choice to take over for outgoing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has spent more than 30 years working for Boeing, a major defense contractor.
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| Indonesia's angry 'Child of Krakatoa' rumbles on Posted: 23 Dec 2018 01:10 AM PST  The volcano that triggered a deadly tsunami in Indonesia late Saturday emerged from the sea around the legendary Krakatoa 90 years ago and has been on a high-level eruption watchlist for the past decade. Anak Krakatoa (the "Child of Krakatoa") has been particularly active since June, occasionally sending massive plumes of ash high into the sky and in October a tour boat was nearly hit by lava bombs from the erupting volcano. Experts say Anak Krakatoa emerged around 1928 in the caldera of Krakatoa, a volcanic island that violently erupted in 1883.
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| UK police release two people arrested in Gatwick drone investigation Posted: 23 Dec 2018 06:06 AM PST  "Both people have fully co-operated with our inquiries, and I am satisfied that they are no longer suspects in the drone incidents at Gatwick," Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said on Sunday. A damaged drone had been recovered a close to the perimeter of the airport, he said, and it was being forensically examined, for example for clues about whether it was controlled remotely from afar or by somebody in the vicinity.
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| Do-ahead Christmas dinner: 10 tips for preparing your food early Posted: 24 Dec 2018 04:40 AM PST  We all know the feeling. It's Christmas Day, but rather than enjoying a glass of wine or catching up with family, you're peeling carrots, boiling Brussels sprouts, and hoping you'll have time to get the bread sauce out of your hair before the turkey needs basting. Dinner will, of course, taste delicious – but by the time you sit down to it, you'll be so exhausted you'll barely have the strength to pull a cracker. With a little pre-planning, such chaos can be a ghost of Christmas past. At the end of the day, remember, Christmas dinner is just a roast – and there are plenty of elements in a roast that can be prepared days, if not weeks, ahead. 1. Gravy You can make a deliciousChristmas gravy long before the main event. Simply freeze it in a container, and defrost on the day. You can then add the juices from your Christmas turkey to it just before serving. Recipe: Stephen Harris's ultimate gravy recipe, which can be made ahead 2. Stuffing Stuffing freezes well – you can even freeze it in an oven dish, so once it's defrosted, you can pop the dish straight into the oven. Some people go so far as to cook the stuffing before freezing, so on the day it only requires warming up: a good idea when oven space is at a premium. Recipe: Stevie Parle's Middle Eastern stuffing 3. Red cabbage Credit: Tara Fisher Braised red cabbage is one of those foods that actually improves its flavour over time, so it's well worth making in advance. It will keep a few days in the fridge, and reheats brilliantly. Recipe: Diana Henry's braised red cabbage with blackberry jelly and spices keeps well and has a lovely festive flavour. 4. Brussels sprouts Save time by using what chefs call "blanching and refreshing" – boil the sprouts, drop them in cold water to stop the cooking process, then the next day just reheat them in a pan or in the microwave. You can do this with most other vegetables too. Recipe: Marcus Waering explains how to blanch and refresh Brussels in his Christmas lunch guide, and Diana Henry has delicious recipe for roasted Brussels sprouts with apples and bacon 5. Potatoes Some people parboil and freeze their potatoes to give them a headstart on Christmas Day. Personally, I like them cooked from fresh, but you can still get ahead by peeling and chopping them the night before. Keep the potatoes in a water-filled container overnight to stop them browning. Recipe: The ultimate roast potatoes from the chef director of three-Michelin-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal 6. Turkey Credit: Michael Powell Many turkeys are oven-ready, but if you want to do anything messy like deboning, you'll want to get it out of the way on Christmas Eve. You can also rinse it and pat it dry, and prepare anything you're planning on filling it with – be it stuffing or something like chopped onions and herbs. Store them in the fridge in sealed containers. Recipe: Our ultimate guide to cooking a Christmas turkey, complete with tips, timings and side suggestions 7. Bread sauce Nobody wants to be faffing around with sauces on Christmas Day. Bread sauce freezes well, but it also keeps for a surprisingly long time in the fridge – just make it a few days before, and you won't even need to defrost it. Cranberry sauce can also be made ahead. Recipe: Bee Wilson's bread sauce 8. Parsnips You can boil your parsnips and keep them in the fridge for up to a day before, to cut down on the cooking time on Christmas Day. Alternatively, you could freeze them. Recipe: Marcus Waering details how to make the perfect honey-glazed parsnips in his guide to Christmas lunch 9. Yorkshire puddings Credit: Andrew Twort & Annie hudson for The Telegraph If you're serving Yorkshire puddings, you could make the batter a day in advance. You could also completely cook and freeze them, then, after they're defrosted, just give the puddings a quick 5-10 minutes in the oven to warm them up. Recipe: This Yorkshire pudding recipe is foolproof 10. Desserts Clodagh McKenna's winter berry trifle Credit: Kirstie Young Christmas pudding, of course, can be made months ahead: simply steam it for a few hours on Christmas Day till reheated. Make sure any other desserts are simple and don't require oven space. Cold desserts that can be made ahead and served straight away, like a chocolate mousse or a frozen dessert, are ideal. Recipe: Try Diana Henry's marmalade Queen of puddings for plum-pudding haters, or Clodagh McKenna's winter berry trifle with crème de cassis For the classic Christmas pudding, try Stephen Harris's recipe
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| David Hogg: Parkland shooting survivor taunted by Fox News host wins place at Harvard Posted: 23 Dec 2018 06:30 AM PST  In mid-December, Harvard's early-entry candidates began logging onto the application status portal to learn whether they'd been accepted to one of the world's most prestigious universities. For David Hogg, it was the last laugh. "Thank you all for the well wishes," Mr Hogg tweeted Saturday morning.
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| Top Trump aide says government shutdown may go into New Year Posted: 23 Dec 2018 12:01 PM PST  "It's very possible this shutdown will go beyond (December) the 28th and into the new Congress," Mick Mulvaney said on Fox News Sunday. "I don't think things are going to move very quickly here for the next few days" because of the Christmas holiday, added Mulvaney, who serves as director of the Office of Management and Budget and was named acting White House chief of staff 10 days ago. Mulvaney said the White House made a "counter-offer" to Democrats on funding for border security that fell between the Democratic offer of $1.3 billion and Trump's demand for $5 billion.
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| Pair freed without charge in London airport drones probe Posted: 23 Dec 2018 08:09 AM PST  A man and a woman arrested over the drone disruption that brought Christmas getaway flights to a standstill at London's Gatwick Airport were released without charge on Sunday, police said. A 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman from the town of Crawley, near Britain's second-busiest airport, were arrested on Saturday. "Both people have fully co-operated with our enquiries and I am satisfied that they are no longer suspects in the drone incidents at Gatwick," Sussex Police detective chief superintendent Jason Tingley said in a statement.
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| Snow to spread through Great Lakes, northeastern US prior to Christmas Posted: 23 Dec 2018 02:13 AM PST  A storm may bring just enough snow to cause slippery travel from the upper Great Lakes to the Northeast through Christmas Eve.
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| Huawei Gear Pulled From $3 Billion U.K. Police Phone Network Posted: 23 Dec 2018 06:53 AM PST  BT Group Plc., the company delivering the 2.3-billion-pound ($3 billion) project, has been pulling equipment from the Chinese tech giant out of its own core structure since the 2016 acquisition of mobile carrier EE, which used Huawei gear throughout its systems. While BT says it's been an ongoing process to remove some Huawei gear and the ESN decision aligns with a long-standing corporate policy to keep the Chinese company out of the core, critics of Huawei will be emboldened by the step to limit its involvement.
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| Detailed Photos from Our Trip to Iceland with the 2019 Lamborghini Urus Posted: 24 Dec 2018 06:30 AM PST |
| Detained China lawyer to stand trial on Boxing Day Posted: 24 Dec 2018 02:16 AM PST  A Chinese human rights lawyer charged with state subversion over two years ago will make a court appearance the day after Christmas, his wife said Monday. Li Wenzu, who last week shaved her head in protest of her husband's indefinite detention, posted on Twitter that Wang Quanzhang would be going to trial in two days in the northern city of Tianjin. "On December 24, 2018, Christmas Eve, I found out: the trial starts the day after Christmas," Li wrote.
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| Pope: Forgo greed and gluttony of Christmas for simple love Posted: 24 Dec 2018 01:35 PM PST  VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis urged Christians on Monday to forgo the greed, gluttony and materialism of Christmas and to focus instead on its message of simplicity, charity and love.
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| Frazzled by the holidays? Get out all of that unresolved hostility and celebrate Festivus today Posted: 23 Dec 2018 12:07 PM PST  Frank Costanza of 'Seinfeld' got sick and tired of the consumerism that has overtaken the holidays. This is how he takes action Dec. 23 of every year.
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| Bahrain summons Iraqi diplomat over criticism from ex-PM Maliki Posted: 24 Dec 2018 12:55 AM PST  Bahrain's Foreign Ministry summoned the deputy charge d'affaires of the embassy of Iraq on Monday to denounce footage of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki criticizing Manama's crackdown on the Shi'ite opposition. Maliki who now heads an Iraqi coalition called "the State of Law", attended a meeting last week organized by the February 14 movement, a Bahraini activist group which Manama designated a terrorist group in 2014. "Discrimination, marginalization ... have reached a severe limit on the people of Bahrain," Maliki said according to videos from the event published by Iraqi media.
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| Partial government shutdown enters third day as White House, Democrats locked in standoff over funding for border wall Posted: 24 Dec 2018 06:28 AM PST  No deal in sight as the White House and congressional Democrats dig in their heels on a short-term spending bill; Doug McKelway reports from Capitol Hill.
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| Severe weather poised to threaten southern US immediately after Christmas Posted: 24 Dec 2018 07:50 AM PST  After drizzle puts a damper on Christmas Day, the threat for severe weather is expected to ramp up from Texas to the lower Mississippi Valley Wednesday into Thursday.
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| NORAD will still track Santa, despite the government shutdown Posted: 23 Dec 2018 05:49 PM PST  The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed that it'll still be tracking Santa's journey on Christmas Eve, which it has done so for the last 63 years. Every year, around 1,500 volunteers take calls and answer emails from kids around the world about the whereabouts of Santa Claus with the help of satellite systems, high-powered radars and jet fighters. In 2018, NORAD will also be publishing Santa's location on social media, however, an estimated 140,000 calls are still expected to be made to the hotline, with volunteers taking two-hour shifts to answer enquiries.
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| Order signed for US military's controversial Syria exit Posted: 24 Dec 2018 01:39 AM PST  The US military has confirmed that the order to withdraw American troops from Syria had been signed, after President Donald Trump held talks with his Turkish counterpart to negotiate a pullout that has stunned Washignton's allies. Trump announced Wednesday that the roughly 2,000 US troops would leave civil war-racked Syria, where they have been deployed to assist in a multinational fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," a US military spokesperson told AFP on Sunday in response to a query, without providing further details.
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| Goose, gull recover after ingesting pills left discarded at California park Posted: 23 Dec 2018 08:06 AM PST  A Canada goose and gull recovered at an animal care center after they both ingested discarded pills left on the grass at a California park.
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| FBI backflip agent who accidentally shot man in nightclub spared jail Posted: 23 Dec 2018 07:08 AM PST  The FBI agent who went viral when he accidentally shot someone as he performed a back flip on a dance floor will not be sent to jail, a court has ruled. Chase Bishop was on holiday when he visited the Mile High Spirits nightclub in Denver, Colorado one evening last June With a crowd of late night revellers cheering him on, the 30-year-old showed off the impressive gymnastic manoeuvre during which his loaded gun fell from the waistband of his trousers. As Bishop bent down to pick up the weapon from the floor, it discharged into the screaming crowd and hit Tom Reddington, a 24-year-old former Amazon warehouse worker, in the leg. A video of the incident, which shows the agent walking off the dance floor with his hands in the air, subsequently went viral on social media. At the time, Mr Reddington told US media that he thought "some idiot had set off a fire cracker" before looking down at his leg and seeing the blood. FBI agent Chase Bishop was spared a prison term Credit: REUTERS/File Photo He told the court hearing in Denver on Friday that he has since lost his job and may never be able to run again as a result of the injury. "I have done months of physical therapy," he said. "I have sought counselling. However, being in public, especially seeing law enforcement with guns, makes me very uncomfortable." However, he added that he does not hold a personal grudge against Bishop and didn't think he deserved to spend years in jail. "I've done stupid things at bars to impress girls, too," he said but that he hoped he would not be allowed to own a gun for a "long time". Under his deal with prosecutors, Bishop was sentenced to two years probation. He was also fined $1,200 and ordered to pay compensation to the victim. Speaking in court, he said: "My whole goal in life is to care, protect and serve people," the agent told the judge as he pleaded guilty to third degree assault. "I never expected the result of my actions to lead to something like this." Kelsey Pietranton, an FBI spokeswoman, declined to say if he would continue to work at the agency.
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| Group that escorts migrant caravans draws more scrutiny Posted: 23 Dec 2018 10:24 AM PST  TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — Thousands of Central Americans journeying toward the United States were 2,500 miles from their destination in October when they reached a moment of decision: Should they press on toward the U.S. border? Or should they stop and put down roots in Mexico, where the government offered to let them stay?
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| What my dad, who died on Christmas Day, taught me by always giving awful presents Posted: 24 Dec 2018 03:00 AM PST  My dad was a terrible gift-giver, but it didn't matter. We loved his awful presents because he loved sharing his favorite things with us kids.
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| Al Shabaab bomber executed in Somalia Posted: 24 Dec 2018 12:17 AM PST ![Al Shabaab bomber executed in Somalia]( "Al Shabaab bomber executed in Somalia") The mastermind of militant car bombs that killed 26 people and injured nearly 40 others in Mogadishu in 2017 was executed in Somalia on Monday, the prosecutor of the military court said. Abdulle Bule said al Shabaab member Abdikadir Abukar was convicted of being behind a hotel bombing that killed 10, one near the ministry of sport that killed nine, and a car bomb near an Italian restaurant in the capital that killed seven. Al Shabaab wants to overthrow the weak, U.N.-backed Somali government and impose strict Islamic law.
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| Was the Austin Metro really Britain's biggest motoring failure? Posted: 23 Dec 2018 01:00 AM PST  On this day in 1997, the Austin Metro and Rover 100-series production line fell silent. We commemorate 21 years with a look back on one of the Britain's less loved cars
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| National Christmas Tree to Stay Dark During Holiday Due to Government Shutdown Posted: 24 Dec 2018 07:57 AM PST  The tree sustained some damage on Friday when a man climbed it
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| Macron says 'an ally must be reliable' after US Syria pullout announcement Posted: 23 Dec 2018 09:42 AM PST  N'Djamena (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday criticised US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw American forces from Syria, saying "an ally must be reliable". In a sign of the growing diplomatic rift between the two leaders, Macron said "I deeply regret the decision" by Trump to pullout US troops. Trump last week ordered a complete troop pullout from Syria, asserting that the Islamic State group had been defeated, as well as a significant withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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| The world’s most popular Instant Pot is back on sale for the first time since Cyber Week Posted: 24 Dec 2018 05:42 AM PST ![The world's most popular Instant Pot is back on sale for the first time since Cyber Week]( "The world's most popular Instant Pot is back on sale for the first time since Cyber Week") If you thought that the end of the holiday shopping season would also be the end of great deals on Instant Pot multi-use cookers, you're in for a pleasant surprise. We've seen a bunch of different Instant Pot models go on sale at discounts in recent weeks, but one in particular was absent from the list. Now, for the first time since Cyber Week, the Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker is available on Amazon at a discount. This is the best-selling Instant Pot model in the world and it has more than 23,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. Definitely grab one while it's on sale, or if you want a model with even more functions, the Instant Pot DUO Plus 60, 6 Qt 9-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker is on sale for just $10 more. Here are the highlights from the product page: * Duo, the number 1 selling multi-cooker, combines 7 kitchen appliances in 1, Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Marker and Warmer, prepares dishes up to 70% faster to support your busy lifestyle * Features 14 Smart Programs - Soup, Meat/Stew, Bean/Chili, Poultry, Saute/Simmer, Rice, Multigrain, Porridge, Steam, Slow Cook, Keep Warm, Yogurt, Manual, and Pressure Cook. Now, your favorite dishes are as easy as pressing a button * Healthy, stainless steel (18/8) inner cooking pot made from food grade 304, no chemical coating, 3-ply bottom for even heat distribution, fully sealed environment traps the flavours, nutrients and aromas within the food * Built with the latest 3rd generation technology, the microprocessor monitors pressure, temperature, keeps time, and adjusts heating intensity and duration to achieve your desired results every time.Product Dimensions: 14.17 x 14.84 x 13.31 inches * UL and ULC certified with 10 safety mechanisms to provide you with added assurance, designed to eliminate many common errors.Accessories include, stainless steel steam rack with handles, rice paddle, soup spoon, measuring cup, condensation collector and recipe booklet * Power supply: 120V - 60Hz
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| JD.com Averts a Crisis as Billionaire CEO Cleared in Rape Probe Posted: 23 Dec 2018 01:00 PM PST  Chief Executive Officer Richard Liu won't be charged in connection with a rape investigation in Minneapolis, ending a months-long probe that made global headlines and cast doubt over JD's leadership. On Friday, JD gained 5.9 percent to $21.08 -- still well below roughly $30 before Liu's arrest became public. Liu, who controls a majority of the $35 billion company's voting rights, was arrested Aug. 31 and accused of raping a 21-year-old female Chinese undergraduate student.
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| The Best (Good-Looking, Great-Working) Furniture for Small Spaces Posted: 24 Dec 2018 04:00 AM PST |
| Santa gets pushed out as China's leaders emphasize tradition Posted: 24 Dec 2018 04:54 PM PST  SHANGHAI (AP) — It took less than 24 hours for all the Christmas trees, lights and bells to disappear from a 27-story shopping and office complex in the Chinese city of Nanyang.
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| After Gatwick chaos, UK minister says detection systems can combat drones Posted: 24 Dec 2018 11:59 AM PST  "I can say that we are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this (drone) threat," Wallace said in a tweet http://bit.ly/2QQO72E. Three days of drone sightings caused chaos at Britain's second busiest airport, thought to be the most disruptive incident of its kind, revealing a vulnerability that will be scrutinized by security forces and airport operators worldwide.
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| Best Bites: Roast beef with slow-cooked tomatoes and garlic Posted: 24 Dec 2018 05:00 AM PST  Welcome to Best Bites, a twice-weekly video series that aims to satisfy your
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| Israel sees limits of Trump support with Syria pullout Posted: 23 Dec 2018 07:05 PM PST  Israeli leaders have lauded Donald Trump for his list of decisions in support of their country since taking office, but the mercurial president's withdrawal of US troops from Syria will not rank among them. After Trump's surprise announcement of the pullout last week, Israel is concerned over whether its main enemy Iran will have a freer hand to operate in the neighbouring country, analysts say. Israel's response to the announcement has been measured -- careful to point out that it respects the US decision, coupled with pledges to continue to defend its interests in Syria.
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| Cash is still king and people still use banks – here's where technology hasn't taken over Posted: 23 Dec 2018 05:00 AM PST  Smartphones, new investments and changes in the banking field have transformed the financial lives of millions of Americans but not for all of us.
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| NASA spacecraft hurtles toward historic New Year's flyby Posted: 23 Dec 2018 05:24 PM PST  A NASA spacecraft is hurtling toward a historic New Year's Day flyby of the most distant planetary object ever studied, a frozen relic of the early solar system called Ultima Thule. Four billion miles (6.4 billion kilometers) away, the unmanned spaceship, New Horizons, is poised to zoom by at 12:33 am (0533 GMT) on January 1, at a distance of just 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers) from Ultima Thule.
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| Most popular Yahoo News photo galleries of 2018 — the countdown Posted: 24 Dec 2018 04:00 AM PST  Check back in because we'll be counting down the top 10 until New Year's Eve.
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| Susan Collins Delivered 2018's Most Shameful Hijacking Of Feminism Posted: 24 Dec 2018 05:00 AM PST  To mark the end of 2018, we asked writers to revisit some of the year's most
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| Guyana condemns 'hostile act' by Venezuela in local waters Posted: 23 Dec 2018 12:22 PM PST ![Guyana condemns 'hostile act' by Venezuela in local waters]( "Guyana condemns 'hostile act' by Venezuela in local waters") GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — Guyana's foreign ministry has condemned what it says was a dangerous incursion into local waters after a Norwegian ship hired by ExxonMobil was "intercepted" by a Venezuelan naval vessel.
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| Hey Siri, this rapper sounds just like you Posted: 23 Dec 2018 06:56 PM PST  Doing a decent impression of Siri is a high-flying goal for some, but a Maryland rapper has nailed it. "For everyone saying that i'm faking the siri you hear in the background is me being previously recorded on someone else's phone and my friend asked me to do it again," she tweeted. Folks on Twitter thought so too.
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| New evidence in case of missing Colorado mom Kelsey Berreth discovered in Idaho Posted: 24 Dec 2018 12:06 PM PST  Investigation into death of missing Colorado mother is ongoing after discovery of new evidence; former federal prosecutor Steven Mulroy weighs in.
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| France's Macron says deeply regrets Trump decision on troops in Syria Posted: 23 Dec 2018 11:32 AM PST ![France's Macron says deeply regrets Trump decision on troops in Syria]( "France's Macron says deeply regrets Trump decision on troops in Syria") N'DJAMENA (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he deeply regretted U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. In an abrupt policy shift, Trump announced on Wednesday that Washington would withdraw the roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, upending a pillar of American policy in the Middle East and alarming U.S. allies. "I very deeply regret the decision made on Syria," Macron said during a news conference in Chad.
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| Ottawa seeks help for release of Canadians held in China Posted: 22 Dec 2018 06:00 PM PST  Canada's top diplomat on Saturday called on allies for support in securing the release of Canadians detained in China, noting that the arrests are a "worrying precedent" for the entire international community. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said that China's detention of former diplomat Michael Kovrig and consultant Michael Spavor is "not only a Canadian issue.
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| Pilgrims gather at Jesus's traditional birthplace for Christmas Posted: 24 Dec 2018 02:38 AM PST  Pilgrims from across the world gathered in Bethlehem on Monday for Christmas Eve, taking in a parade and queueing to see the grotto where Jesus is believed to have been born. Crowds, some wearing Santa hats or holding balloons, looked on at the square decked out with a giant Christmas tree and a manger as carols in Arabic played through speakers.
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