| Trump tries to clarify stance on foreign dirt: 'If you don't hear what it is, you don't know what it is' Posted: 14 Jun 2019 06:58 AM PDT  The president said he would "absolutely" notify the FBI if a foreign power presented his campaign with "incorrect or badly stated" information about a political opponent — but he would want to hear it first.
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| Memphis Man Killed in Police Shooting That Sparked Violent Protests Was Wanted for Assault, Robbery, Authorities Say Posted: 14 Jun 2019 12:04 PM PDT  "This was a violent felon who did not obviously want to go jail and they ended up, from my knowledge, doing what they had to do to not only protect themselves but to protect other people around them in the neighborhood."
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| Gulf powers urge action to secure energy supplies as tankers port-bound Posted: 15 Jun 2019 05:00 PM PDT  Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Saturday called for decisive action to protect energy supplies amid a tense US-Iran standoff as two tankers attacked in a vital Gulf shipping channel headed to port. The United Arab Emirates' Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called on world powers "to secure international navigation and access to energy", a plea echoed by regional ally Saudi Arabia after the incident sent crude prices soaring. The two tankers -- the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous that was carrying highly flammable methanol when it was rocked by explosions and the Norwegian-operated Front Altair -- were heading to port on Saturday, owners and shipping officials said.
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| Flying Southwest or American this summer? Check reservations for new Max 8 cancellations Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:52 AM PDT  The airlines have taken the grounded planes out of their schedule into early September. Affected travelers will be rebooked or offered refunds.
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| GLOBAL MARKETS-China data, Gulf tensions see bond yields slip, stocks suffer Posted: 14 Jun 2019 04:46 AM PDT ![GLOBAL MARKETS-China data, Gulf tensions see bond yields slip, stocks suffer]( "GLOBAL MARKETS-China data, Gulf tensions see bond yields slip, stocks suffer") World stocks struggled and safe haven bets were back in play on Friday with German bond yields plumbing record lows as Chinese data rekindled woes about the health of the global economy and fears of a new U.S.-Iran confrontation intensified. Data from Beijing painted a fairly gloomy picture of the world's second largest economy as the trade war with the United States starts to bite. May industrial output growth slowed to a more than 17-year low, well below expectations, while fixed-asset investment also fell short of forecasts.
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| How the AH-64 Apache Became the Ultimate Attack Helicopter Posted: 15 Jun 2019 03:00 AM PDT  Early in the morning of January 17, 1991, eight sleek helicopters bristling with missiles swooped low over the sands of the An Nafud desert in as they soared towards the border separating Saudi Arabia from Iraq.At 2:30 a.m., the choppers fanned out and set to work in teams of two. Rocket motors flashed as Hellfire missiles streaked towards two Iraqi radars powerful enough to potentially pick up the faint signature of a stealth plane.Minutes after the radars had been reduced to rubble, Nighthawk stealth jets soared through the twenty-mile-wide radar gap, headed for Baghdad. But the Army's Apache attack helicopter aviators they had struck first to "kick down the door" for the Nighthawks.Nearly three decades later, the Apache's status as the world's premier attack helicopter remains largely unchallenged, and the type continues to see extensive action in the Middle East and in demand in countries as diverse as the UK, Egypt, India and Taiwan. Undeniably, the threats faced by the $35 million armored attack helicopter, which can pack as many as sixteen tank-busting missiles under its stub wings.
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| The Latest: Mexico migrant agency chief presents resignation Posted: 14 Jun 2019 12:10 PM PDT  Mexico's National Migration Institute says its top official has presented his resignation to the president. The institute said Friday in a brief statement that Tonatiuh Guillén thanked President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for the opportunity to serve the country. The agency did not say why Guillén was stepping down.
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| Oil rises again on tension fueled by tanker blasts Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:01 PM PDT New York (AFP) - Oil prices rose again Friday in reaction to geopolitical tension, building on the previous day's surge sparked by blasts on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
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| Trump disputes McGahn testimony on attempts to fire Mueller Posted: 14 Jun 2019 04:05 AM PDT ![Trump disputes McGahn testimony on attempts to fire Mueller]( "Trump disputes McGahn testimony on attempts to fire Mueller") The president suggested that Don McGahn told Mueller of Trump's supposed directive that he be fired in order to save face.
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| Top-rated Alexa and Google enabled smart plugs are down to $7 in this Amazon sale Posted: 14 Jun 2019 06:11 AM PDT ![Top-rated Alexa and Google enabled smart plugs are down to $7 in this Amazon sale]( "Top-rated Alexa and Google enabled smart plugs are down to $7 in this Amazon sale") Even though smart home devices are pretty much ubiquitous at this point, they're still often quite expensive. For example, a lamp with built-in Alexa compatibility can easily cost $100 or more! Of course, the smarter move is to keep using your regular old dumb lamp but plug it into the wall using a Teckin Mini Smart Plug. You'll get the same great Alexa controls that you would with a $100 smart lamp, but it'll only cost you $7.22 when you buy a 4-pack and use the coupon code EBS6C5V7 at checkout!Here's some additional info from the product page: * REMOTE CONTROL ----Control your electrical items via your phone whenever and wherever you are after downloading the FREE APP Smart Life as long as there is a network. Ideal for someone who can not move around very well and needs easy access to turn on/off a device. * VOICE CONTROL----Compatible with Amazon alexa, Google home assistant and IFTTT, control your home appliances with the smart plug by simply giving voice commands to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. No Hub Required, the smart plug SP10 works with any Wi-Fi router without the need for a separate hub or paid subscription service. * SCHEDULE & TIMER---- Get ready to have a smart home and create customized schedule to automatically turn on and off any home Electronics or appliances such as lamps, Christmas Lighting, coffee maker, etc * SET UP EASILY----Simply plug TECKIN mini outlet into an electrical outlet, connect a device to the Smart Plug, and wirelessly control your device using a tablet or phone. A secured 2.4GHz WiFi network is required. * QUALITY GUARANTEED----The Mini Smart Plug features a sleek new design that is FCC approved product. If you encounter any problem or need support, please feel free to contact us through following E-mail support.us@teckinhome.com or Amazon directly. We offer two years of warranty and replacement services and lifetime technical support services if the plug is defective.
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| Japanese tanker owner: Trump administration providing ‘false’ information about Gulf of Oman attack Posted: 14 Jun 2019 12:55 PM PDT  The owner of a Japanese tanker attacked on Thursday said U.S. reports have provided "false" information about what happened in the Gulf of Oman.
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| The Next-Gen 2021 Nissan Rogue Compact SUV Looks Bigger and Boxier Posted: 14 Jun 2019 09:06 AM PDT  With new styling and revised underpinnings, this redesigned crossover should go on sale sometime in 2020.
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| HK VP9: The 9mm Pistol That Is Better Than a Glock 19? Posted: 15 Jun 2019 02:30 AM PDT  If there's anything you need to know about the company Heckler & Koch, it's that they are pretty much synonymous with quality firearms that are in service with military, law enforcement units, and civilians all over the world.And if you know anything about Heckler & Koch, then you should have heard about the HK VP9 9mm pistol, which was first released to the general market in 2014.Today, the HK VP9 competes with other handguns such as the CZ P10C, Glock 19, and the Walther PPQ. So yes, it is 'just another striker fired 9mm pistol' on the market.But nonetheless, in many ways the HK VP9 is a very unique offering, and we'll cover the reasons why in this review.History of the HK VP9
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| US considers more options for detaining transgender migrants Posted: 13 Jun 2019 06:33 PM PDT  The players, all clad in different colored jumpsuits, are transgender women awaiting the outcome of their cases while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is considering opening a second permanent facility where transgender migrants can be detained amid the influx of Central Americans crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. While transgender migrants represent a small fraction of those in federal custody, their numbers have grown exponentially.
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| If Taxpayer-Funded Abortion Is a Right, Let’s Have Guns for All Posted: 14 Jun 2019 03:30 AM PDT  The mainstream Democratic position on abortion has devolved in just two decades from "Safe, legal, and rare" to "Yee-haw!"Second Amendment advocates surely have noticed.Former vice president Joe Biden's recent gyrations on the Hyde amendment confirm how deeply even a shopworn politician like him must bow to today's Democrat orthodoxy on abortion. As Biden learned, it's not enough simply to favor abortion. This epic baby-killing now must be financed by federal taxpayers.The late congressman Henry Hyde's legislation has been a "settled amendment" in every federal budget since 1976. The Illinois Republican's measure prohibited the use of federal taxpayer dollars to finance abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or life-threatening pregnancies.Like an Olympic gymnast, Biden flip-flop-flipped on the Hyde amendment — from supporting it since its introduction; to telling an ACLU volunteer in South Carolina "it can't stay" on May 8; to supporting Hyde on June 5; and back to opposing it June 6. Wobbles aside, Biden eventually pegged the landing: "I can no longer support an amendment that makes that [abortion] right dependent on someone's ZIP code."Biden finally stands where all Democratic presidential contenders must, to avoid the Donkey party's volcanic, socialist rage: Abortion is A-okay until the moment a baby exits the womb, and taxpayers must sponsor it, at least for the poor.Today's Democrats believe that every individual right demands a corresponding taxpayer-funded freebie. That impulse triggers this modest proposal:Guns for All!Every American has a Second Amendment right to own a gun, but not everyone can afford one.A Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver runs $280. For workers making the $7.25 minimum wage, this equals nearly 39 hours of earnings. That's almost a whole work week, just for a basic firearm. Unfair!Those who seek the persuasiveness of a Glock pistol must pay $600 each. That costs a minimum-wage employee 83 hours of labor (more than two 40-hour weeks). Or she simply could sacrifice 150 McDonald's Big Macs, 129 Starbucks chai lattes, or 46 plates of fettucine Alfredo at Olive Garden. And the reassurance of a Ruger AR-556 "assault rifle" costs $700. This approximates three weeks' rent on the average one-bedroom U.S. apartment.Nobody should have to choose among firearms, food, or shelter. Likewise, the ability to buy a gun shouldn't be dependent on someone's ZIP code.So, say it loud, say it proud: Guns for All!Congress immediately should allocate $563.8 million as an initial act of basic solidarity with the non-arms-owning public. This amount parallels Planned Parenthood's taxpayer subsidies and reimbursements for its fiscal year 2018.This private organization has enjoyed federal dollars despite the 7.6 million abortions that it has perpetrated between 1973's Roe v. Wade decision and 2017, Life News reports. Last year, it aborted another 332,757 unborn Americans — the most since 2012. Planned Parenthood Federation of America president Leana Wen, M.D., considers abortion part of "our core mission."While you spend five minutes reading this op-ed, Planned Parenthood will whack three more babies.An equivalent $563.8 million federal grant to the National Rifle Association would help this private organization furnish weapons to low-income Americans who yearn to enjoy their constitutional right to keep and bear arms and invoice taxpayers to exercise that right.It's only fair: If Democrats want to kill the Hyde amendment and stick pro-life taxpayers with the tab for the constitutionally protected abortions that the Left loves so much, then Republicans should enact Guns for All and force pro-gun-control taxpayers to underwrite the constitutionally protected firearms that the Right loves so much.On second thought, let's try this:Democrats should keep their sticky fingers off the Hyde amendment, and Republicans should ignore Guns for All as an idea whose time has not come. Instead, this simple concept should enjoy bipartisan support: If you want an abortion or a gun, pay for it yourself.Michael Malarkey contributed research to this opinion piece.
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| Stocks post small losses; investors look ahead to Fed Posted: 14 Jun 2019 02:01 PM PDT  Stocks ended a choppy week of trading with modest losses Friday as investors look forward to getting more clues about the direction of interest rates. Technology shares drove the declines, and energy stocks also fell a day after leading the market. Some late-day gains in banks and insurers helped temper the market's losses.
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| 'Iran did do it': Trump addresses tanker attacks, points to US military video of removing mine Posted: 14 Jun 2019 10:23 AM PDT  The U.S. released a video it said shows Iran removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the oil tankers targeted near the Strait of Hormuz.
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| Brand new Chase rewards card gets you 50,000 bonus points and Marriott perks Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:37 PM PDT  BGR has partnered with The Points Guy for our coverage of credit card products. BGR and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.Applications have now opened for Marriott's new co-branded card with Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card, which is noteworthy both for the benefits it offers as well as what it leaves out. But also for the fact that this is the two companies' first co-branded card with which you can avoid an annual fee, which of course is always a plus.Let's dive into the specifics of this new Bonvoy Bold card, which comes with many of the same features as existing Bonvoy card products, albeit with some important exceptions. Also, we should note right off the bat: Not everyone will be eligible for this card.The headline reward that's dominating Internet coverage of the card is the 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you get after spending at least $2,000 within the first three months of card ownership. Using the valuation of 0.8 cents for each Marriott point as calculated by The Points Guy, that makes the card's bonus worth $400. Not impressive, but not bad, either.We say not impressive, because that bonus is not as generous as what's offered from some other Marriott Bonvoy products, like those that were available with the launch of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card. And we mention the point about not everyone being eligible for this new card because it's also restricted by Chase's 5/24 rule.As a reminder, that rule basically says you can't be approved for the card if you've opened five or more credit cards in the last 24 months, no matter the card issuer.Some other points to be aware of:If you currently have or have held the Marriott Bonvoy American Express® Card (also known as the old Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express) within the past 30 days, you can't get the Bonvoy Bold's new cardmember bonus. The same is true if you're a current or previous cardmember of either the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex (also known as the old Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex (also known as the old Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card), and if you received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus sometime in the last 24 months.Finally, you're likewise not eligible if you were approved for the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex within the last 90 days.Of the three Marriott-branded credit cards with annual fees, you'll earn more points with them for every dollar you spend. The Bonvoy Bold, however, will only earn you 3x points per dollar spent at participating Marriott hotels and 2x points on other travel purchases, which includes things like airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites and the like. On everything else, you'll earn 1x.You do get Marriott Bonvoy Silver status with this card once you receive 15 elite night credits in a calendar year, and even though this is a no annual fee card it's also got some solid travel and protection benefits like trip delay reimbursement, plus baggage delay insurance and lost luggage reimbursement. Additionally, you'll have purchase protection against damage or theft for up to 120 days, as well as round-the-clock access to Visa Signature® Concierge services. The Final WordSo is this the right card for you? That depends in part on whether you're a frequent traveler and if you're looking for simply an entry-level rewards card that doesn't come with an annual fee. One that doesn't have the top-tier perks but still offers some decent rewards for being a Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program member. If you do prefer higher points in popular spending categories, as well as a more robust amount of perks, one card you might consider instead is the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card, because the new Marriott Bonvoy Bold will work for many people, but not everyone.
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| Beto O'Rourke backs slavery reparations in South Carolina campaign stop Posted: 14 Jun 2019 03:40 PM PDT  Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke kicked off a campaign swing through South Carolina on Friday by pledging support for reparations for descendants of slaves and addressing climate change at a town hall with members of the Gullah Geechee Nation. The Gullah Geechee are African-American descendants of slaves living in coastal, island and low-lying inland areas of South Carolina and Georgia who speak an English-Creole language. The Tabernacle Baptist Church where the town hall was held is in an area vulnerable to hurricanes, flooding and other weather events exacerbated by climate change.
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| New Toyota Cars Will Automatically Go into Park and Shut the Engine Off Posted: 14 Jun 2019 09:00 AM PDT  Starting with the 2020 model year, Toyota is implementing two new safety features on many of its models.
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| China probes FedEx after Huawei parcels misrouted Posted: 14 Jun 2019 09:16 AM PDT  China on Friday launched an investigation into FedEx for "failing to deliver express packages" to the correct addresses in the country, state media said, after the US delivery service misrouted some Huawei parcels. FedEx apologised earlier this month for the delivery mishap after Chinese telecoms giant Huawei said it was reviewing its ties with the package service over the incident. The US delivery firm said at the time that "no external parties requested that FedEx transfer these packages".
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| Huawei folding phone launch delayed from mid-June to September Posted: 14 Jun 2019 06:44 AM PDT  Huawei has revealed that the launch of the folding Mate X -- which was originally supposed to happen this month -- won't take place until September. On Friday, Huawei told CNBC that the company is delaying the launch of the Mate X, which was first unveiled in February, until September to extend product testing -- not because of its US blacklisting. After observing Samsung's Galaxy Fold debacle from the sidelines, a spokesperson admitted that, "We don't want to launch a product to destroy our reputation." Huawei is allegedly taking extra time to ensure that the device is fully functional no matter which mobile carrier it is running on.
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| Doctors will conduct health checks at facility with preemie Posted: 14 Jun 2019 06:21 PM PDT  The teenage girl with pigtail braids was hunched over in a wheelchair and holding a bunched sweatshirt when an immigrant advocate met her at a crowded Border Patrol facility in Texas. "You look at this baby and there is no question that this baby should be in a tube with a heart monitor," said Hope Frye, a volunteer with an immigrant advocacy group who travels the country visiting immigration facilities with children to make sure the facilities comply with federal guidelines. Frye and other advocates said the case highlights the poor conditions immigrants are held in after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border as the government deals with an unprecedented number of families and children arriving daily.
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| A Smart Buyer’s Guide to Light Bulbs Posted: 14 Jun 2019 06:00 AM PDT  See if a simple incandescent or WiFi-enabled smart bulb is the perfect pick for you.
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| Required Minimum Distribution Mistakes to Avoid Posted: 14 Jun 2019 09:43 AM PDT ![Required Minimum Distribution Mistakes to Avoid]( "Required Minimum Distribution Mistakes to Avoid") Traditional retirement accounts are tax-deferred, not tax-free. As baby boomers turn 70, they must soon begin mandated withdrawals and pay the taxes on the money they tucked into retirement accounts over several decades. A required minimum distribution is the amount retirement account owners must withdraw from their IRAs and 401(k)s each year.
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| The 52 Most Delish Dessert Tarts Posted: 14 Jun 2019 02:07 PM PDT |
| US says video shows Iran removing mine from stricken tanker Posted: 14 Jun 2019 09:55 AM PDT  The U.S. military released a video Friday it said showed Iran's Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the oil tankers targeted near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, suggesting Tehran wanted to hide evidence of its alleged involvement. Iran denied any role in Thursday's apparent attacks, which have again roiled the Persian Gulf amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over the unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. Four other oil tankers off the nearby Emirati port city of Fujairah suffered similar attacks in recent weeks, and Iranian-allied rebels from Yemen have struck U.S. ally Saudi Arabia with drones and missiles.
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| Four Democratic 2020 candidates court South Carolina's black voters Posted: 15 Jun 2019 03:07 AM PDT  Four of the two dozen Democrats vying for their party's 2020 U.S. presidential nomination appeared at a Black Economic Alliance forum in Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday, with an eye on the key role black voters will play in the early-voting state. South Carolina will host the fourth nominating contest next year, after Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, and it is the first state where a significant proportion of the Democratic electorate - about 60 percent - is black. Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, former U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke and U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren attended Saturday's forum, which was organized by the Black Economic Alliance.
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| Corona Costco shooting: Suspect in custody after shooting leaves 1 dead, 2 wounded Posted: 14 Jun 2019 11:49 PM PDT  A shooting at a Costco Wholesale store in Corona has left one person dead and two others wounded on Friday. The alleged gunman is in custody, police say.
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| GMC Releases Prices for Its 2020 Sierra HD Pickups Posted: 13 Jun 2019 06:54 PM PDT  From the base Sierra to the glitzy Denali, base pricing for the GMC HD Pickups spans a $30,000 range.
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| Alpine adds 292hp A110S to lightweight sports car range Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:25 AM PDT  Ahead of this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans -- which kicks off Saturday, June 15 -- Renault has unveiled its new Alpine A110S, a super-sporty version of its A110, which stands out with its power, its specific chassis and its refined design elements. The Alpine A110S adds to the Alpine lineup alongside the A110 Pure and Légende models. Several modifications have been made to the chassis, with an aluminum structure, lowered ride height, retuned springs and antiroll bars, plus wider tires.
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| EU says 'Russian sources' tried to undermine European vote Posted: 14 Jun 2019 06:57 AM PDT  EU officials said Friday that "Russian sources" stepped up a long-running disinformation campaign against the European Union in a bid to undermine the bloc's elections last month. The sources used fake social media accounts, bots and news sites to amplify existing divisive content by targeting particular groups of voters and countries, Security Commissioner Julian King said. "The number of disinformation cases attributed to Russian sources ... doubled as compared to the same period a year ago," King said, highlighting a report by European Commission investigators.
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| Father's Day 2019: Paganism, roses and how the campaign to celebrate dads was won Posted: 14 Jun 2019 11:29 PM PDT  Father's Day, the official calendar date to honour our wonderful dads and celebrate fatherhood, is just around the corner. Recognised each June, the day sees children around the world present their dads with cards and gifts as a thank you for all they do. But when did the first observance of Father's Day take place and who helped establish the annual celebration of paternal figures? From the history behind the celebration, to the more recent commercialisation, here is everything you need to know about Father's Day. When is Father's Day 2019? Father's Day is held every year on the third Sunday of June; this year Father's Day falls on Sunday, June 16 in the UK. Typically, fathers are showered with cards and presents on Father's Day, with some families celebrating together by going on days out. Younger children also tend to make handmade gifts for their fathers at school and extracurricular clubs, including drawings, paintings or cards. As society and family structures have changed, some people now celebrate their stepfathers on Father's Day. In recent years there have been calls for a Stepfather's Day, however no such day has been officially discussed or introduced. Father's Day falls on June 16 this year Credit: E+ The history of Father's Day The first events in recognition of fatherhood took place in the US and followed Anna Jarvis' first celebration of Mother's Day in 1908, as well as the earlier observations of Mothering Sunday in the UK. Grace Golden Clayton, from Fairmont, West Virginia, was the woman behind the first event to celebrate fathers in 1908. Just over a year prior to this event, the Monongah Mining Disaster took place in December 1907, with the explosion killing 361 men. Of these fatalities, 250 were fathers. In honour of the one thousand children who lost their fathers, Clayton encouraged her pastor, Rev. Robert Thomas Webb, to hold a service at the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South. Clayton missed her own father terribly, after he passed away in 1896, so she chose to honour the lives lost on July 5, 1908, the closest date to his birthday. While Clayton was responsible for the first recognition of fatherhood and the paternal bond, her work didn't directly encourage the creation of Father's Day. The memorial service was never promoted outside the town of Fairmont and the service was overshadowed by the significant Independence Day celebrations held a day beforehand. Yet the idea was also picked up on in the following year, when Sonora Smart Dodd started her quest to honour fathers in the same way as mothers. Dodd, born in Arkansas in 1882, was one of six children and at the age of seven, she moved to Washington with her family. When she was 16 years old, her mother, Ellen Victoria Cheek Smart, died after giving birth to her sixth child, leaving her father, William Jackson Smart, a farmer and Civil War veteran, as a single parent. After listening to a Mother's Day sermon at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church in 1909, Dodd felt that fathers deserved equal recognition. With the local YMCA and the Ministerial Association of Spokane, Dodd began a campaign to have the day officially recognised. The first such 'Father's Day' was held at the YMCA in Spokane on June 19, 1910, with a number of towns and cities across America later following suit. Support for Father's Day quickly increased throughout the US and in 1924 President Calvin Coolidge pressured state governments to mark the celebration. President Lyndon Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honouring fathers in 1966, making the third Sunday in June Father's Day. Six years later President Richard Nixon signed it into law, establishing the day as a national holiday – though in the UK it does not enjoy this status. The move came after a campaign by a number of public figures, including Senator Margaret Chase Smith, who in 1957 wrote to Congress: "Either we honour both our parents, mother and father, or let us desist from honouring either one. "But to single out just one of our two parents and omit the other is the most grievous insult imaginable." Dodd's message later spread to other countries across the globe and it is thought that Britain began celebrating Father's Day after World War II. Today, the celebration of fathers has become an important commercial event for high street shops and online retailers, with promotions for the best gifts and cards appearing in the build up to the day each year. Father's Day around the world While in the UK fathers can expect, at best, breakfast in bed and handmade card and, at worst, the day to be completely ignored, elsewhere the festival is done a little differently. In Germany, Father's Day is called Vatertag with it also being referred to as Männertag, which means men's day. The celebration falls on the Thursday 40 days after Easter. In certain regions it is traditional for groups of men to go into the woods with a wagon of beer, wines and meats. Heavy drinking is common and, according to official statistics, traffic-related accidents spike on this day. In Australia, Father's Day falls on the first Sunday of September, which is their first Sunday of Spring, while in Croatia, they observe Roman Catholic tradition and celebrate fathers on March 19, Saint Joseph's Day. In China, Father's Day used to be celebrated on August 8 as the Chinese for eight is "ba", while a colloquial word for father is "ba-ba" – so the eighth day of the eighth month sounds similar to "daddy". The day has since been moved to the third Sunday of June, in line with the UK and US. In France, the day was introduced in 1949 for commercial reasons by lighter manufacturer Flaminaire. Inspired by the US' day of celebration, they created a new advert with the slogan 'Nos papas nous l'ont dit, pour la fête des pères, ils désirent tous un Flaminaire' ('Our fathers told us, for father's day, they all want a Flaminaire'). Three years later an official decree was made to recognise the day. Most countries celebrate Father's Day on the third Sunday in June including the UK, USA, Mexico, Ireland, France, Greece, China and Japan. However not all countries celebrate it then. In Brazil, Father's Day falls on the second Sunday of August and this day was chosen in honour of Saint Joachim, the patron saint of fathers. According to Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox traditions, Joachim was the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The ultimate films on fatherhood Father's Day tales and traditions Some pagans suggest that Father's Day is closely linked to the Pagan Sun worship, because the sun is thought to be the father of the universe and the celebration of dads falls closely to the summer solstice. Roses are the official flower of Father's Day, with people previously wearing them to church on this date. While this tradition is rarely seen today, sons and daughters used to wear either a red rose in admiration of a living father or a white rose in memory of a deceased father. Sonora Smart Dodd, the founder of Father's Day, selected this flower and it is said that during the early celebrations, she handed out roses to home-bound fathers, while on a horse-drawn carriage ride around the city. Father's Day gifts and presents From cutesy cards, socks and ties to luxurious watches and fantastic car experiences, Britons present their paternal figures with an array of unique gifts on Father's Day. But, demand for the perfect Father's Day present has led to the increasing commercialisation of the day, with retailers competing to offer the best gifts and consumers heading to their high street shops and online retailers. According to MuchNeeded, Father's Day is a popular shopping day in both the UK and US, with 75 per cent of men expected to celebrate the occasion this year. While Britons and Americans spend a significant amount on Father's Day each year, on average it only accounts for half the spending around Mother's Day. Is it Father's Day, Fathers' Day or Fathers Day? Ah, the age old question. The answer? Many say Father's Day is the correct version. Mother's Day (which has the apostrophe before the 's') set the precedent while Father's Day was still gaining popularity. Anna Jarvis trademarked the term 'Mother's Day' – with the apostrophe before the 's' – in 1912, saying the word should 'be a singular possessive, for each family to honour its own mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world'. President Woodrow Wilson used this spelling when he formalised Mother's Day in 1914; this means the correct version of the word is spelled with the apostrophe before the 's'. Father's Day has followed suit, with cards on both sides of the pond including the apostrophe in the same place.
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| Tesla’s Solar Roof is incredibly sleek… and incredibly expensive Posted: 14 Jun 2019 03:04 PM PDT  Beyond selling cars, it's no secret that Tesla's overarching goal is to change the way the world uses and generates electricity. Hardly a well-kept secret, Elon Musk explained as much during the second iteration of Tesla's master plan."The point of all this," Musk wrote back in 2016, "was, and remains, accelerating the advent of sustainable energy, so that we can imagine far into the future and life is still good.""By definition," Musk went on to explain, "we must at some point achieve a sustainable energy economy or we will run out of fossil fuels to burn and civilization will collapse."In light of that, it wasn't all that surprising when Tesla in 2016 purchased SolarCity for nearly $2.7 billion. One year later, Tesla opened up orders for solar roof tiles designed to convert sunlight into electricity. Now without question, the solar roof tiles Tesla sells look incredibly sleek and are essentially indistinguishable from a regular roof. Price wise, though, Tesla's solar roof tiles leave much to be desired.Tackling this issue, Electrek relays some interesting information about a quote a prospective customer was given about installing a solar roof.> For a 9.45 kW system on a 1,862 square foot roof, Tesla is charging $64,634 for the solar roof, along with $10,050 for a Powerwall, and another $10,630 for roof and site repairs.> > It adds up to a shocking total of $85,314 for the entire solar roof system and work.> > The solar roof alone adds up to almost $35 per square foot, which is much higher than the $21.85 price Tesla first guided for the product.The report does make a point of noting that the roof in quest boasted a dense number of solar cells which likely added to the cost. Incidentally, Musk noted during a recent shareholder meeting that the company's next-gen Solar Roof will be priced about the same as a "shingle roof plus someone's utility cost" or even lower.
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| WH press secretary Sarah Sanders's 5 biggest whoppers Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:20 PM PDT  Love her or hate her, Sarah Sanders has undoubtedly earned the distinction of helping change how Americans view the role of White House press secretary, at times replacing political spin with outright partisan combat to a degree seldom seen before.
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| The Latest: China summons US envoy over Hong Kong criticism Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:18 AM PDT  China has summoned a U.S. envoy in Beijing to protest what it calls "irresponsible words and deeds" on an extradition bill that has triggered massive demonstrations in Hong Kong. China's foreign ministry said Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned Robert Forden, the U.S. embassy's deputy chief of mission, on Friday. The ministry says Le told Forden that external forces should not intervene in Hong Kong's affairs, which are an internal Chinese matter.
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| 2020 Vision: The Democratic debate stage is set — both of them Posted: 14 Jun 2019 11:05 AM PDT  Night one features Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and Beto O'Rourke; night two includes Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg.
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| US STOCKS-Wall St to open lower on Broadcom warning, Chinese gloom Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:58 AM PDT ![US STOCKS-Wall St to open lower on Broadcom warning, Chinese gloom]( "US STOCKS-Wall St to open lower on Broadcom warning, Chinese gloom") Wall Street was set to drop at the open on Friday, as the long-feared hit to global growth from President Donald Trump's trade war crystallized in slashed sales forecast from chipmaker Broadcom, and more signs of slowdown in Chinese industry. Shares of Broadcom Inc plunged 8.6% in premarket trading after it cut its revenue forecast for 2019 by $2 billion, blaming the U.S.-China trade conflict and export curbs on Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. Data from China showed industrial output growth in the world's second largest economy slowed to a more than 17-year low in May, sending a chill through stock market investors globally.
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| 7 Kitchen Remodel Ideas on a Budget Posted: 14 Jun 2019 01:45 PM PDT ![7 Kitchen Remodel Ideas on a Budget]( "7 Kitchen Remodel Ideas on a Budget") -- Change the paint color. One of the simplest projects to transform any room is to change the paint color on the walls. "If your appliances are white -- or they used to be white but now they're taupe -- you might want to think about spending your money there," says Leneiva Head, owner of Welcome Home Realty, a real estate management company in Nashville, Tennessee.
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| Apple could launch up to 7 new laptops later this year Posted: 14 Jun 2019 07:54 AM PDT ![Apple could launch up to 7 new laptops later this year]( "Apple could launch up to 7 new laptops later this year") This week MacRumors spotted that Apple recently registered seven unreleased Mac notebooks in the EEC database, suggesting that refreshed MacBooks and MacBook Airs are on the way. On the heels of the release of refreshed MacBooks Pros in May, MacRumors reported on Thursday that Apple registered seven unknown devices with the Eurasian Economic Commission that are likely updated MacBooks and MacBook Airs.
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| View 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 Photos Posted: 14 Jun 2019 10:00 AM PDT |
| Syria flare-up kills 35 fighters, 10 civillians: monitor Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:15 PM PDT  At least 10 civilians and 35 combatants, mostly pro-regime forces, were killed Saturday in clashes and air strikes that erupted at dawn in northwestern Syria, a war monitor said. The flare-up came as Russian-backed regime forces tried to retake two villages seized by jihadists and allied rebels earlier this month, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "Since this morning, the Syrian regime and allied fighters have launched five failed attempts to regain control of Jibine and Tal Maleh in northwestern Hama province," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.
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| New leak may confirm the most controversial part of Apple’s iPhone 11 redesign Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:21 AM PDT  There are so many exciting new smartphones set to be released in the coming months. The Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10 Pro are both due in August, Samsung's horrible Galaxy Fold may also launch soon with a slightly less horrible design, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL that Google just unveiled 4 months early is set to hit store shelves in October, and there are several other new smartphones that will debut between now and the end of 2019. As is always the case, however, no upcoming smartphones have managed to stir up hype that comes anywhere close to matching Apple's iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Max, and iPhone 11R (or whatever Apple ends up calling them).We've seen countless leaks and rumors that suggest Apple's upcoming next-generation smartphone lineup will feature a design that is almost identical to its previous-generation iPhone lineup. There is one big visual difference between last year's iPhones and the new iPhone 11 series, however, and it has managed to stir up a ton of controversy already, despite the fact that Apple's new iPhone 11 lineup hasn't even been unveiled yet so nothing can be confirmed. Unfortunately for Apple fans who don't like this particular new design element, a new leak is as close to a confirmation as we've come so far.If you're an Apple fan, you obviously know exactly what we're talking about at this point: the rear camera. The good news is Apple is giving it's iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max a massive camera upgrade with three rear-facing lenses, a new low-light mode that's rumored to rival Google's Night Sight, and more. The bad news is Apple decided to use a massive square camera bump to make it happen.There is absolutely no question that this square camera bump will be exactly like the notch Apple first introduced on the iPhone X in 2017. People are going to freak out about it at first, and that'll likely last a week or two. Then it'll be the new norm and no one will care anymore. The outrage of Apple fans is just as easy to predict as the fact that the Sun will rise in the east each morning and set in the West in the evening. For that first week or two, however, the whining will be incessant.You should all brace yourselves for it now because the latest leak pretty much confirms that the square camera bump is happening. Accessory maker Olixar is almost always spot-on when it releases accessories ahead of a new smartphone launch, and it just sent iPhone 11 Max (and iPhone 11) camera protectors to smartphone accessory retailer MobileFun. As you've undoubtedly surmised at this point, they match the exact design we've seen leak time and time again. Here are a few images:And here's a hands-on video with the new iPhone 11 Max camera protectors:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvxVMMyK6PILong story short, this is Apple's new iPhone design. Like it or not, it's coming in September when Apple's new iPhone 11 lineup hits store shelves. And people who buy an iPhone 11R (or whatever it's called) won't get a reprieve either, because that model will also have a large square camera bump despite only having a dual-lens rear camera.
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| Grilling-themed Father's Day cards are at steak: Some folks are done with dad stereotypes Posted: 14 Jun 2019 08:09 AM PDT  Often, Father's Day cards tend to depict dads doing typical "dad" things: shoppers want something more.
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| Legal fight tougher for congressman as wife pleads guilty Posted: 13 Jun 2019 09:29 PM PDT  Indicted six-term GOP Congressman Duncan Hunter has held steadfast to his contention that a corruption case against him is the result of a political witch hunt. Margaret Hunter accepted a plea deal that calls for 59 charges to be dismissed in exchange for her testimony, full cooperation with prosecutors and other concessions. Rep. Hunter "has fewer and fewer options.
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| Sarah Sanders speculation shakes up Arkansas governor's race Posted: 14 Jun 2019 02:40 PM PDT  Long before she became the spokeswoman for the Trump administration, Sarah Sanders was a well-known figure in Arkansas who appeared in campaign ads for her dad and learned about the state's rough-and-tumble politics by working on his campaign and others. Now, speculation that Sanders may run for governor in her home state shakes up a race that's three years away but was already expected to be a crowded and expensive fight among Republicans. Trump announced Thursday that Sanders was leaving as White House press secretary and encouraged her to run for Arkansas governor, a job her dad held for 10 ½ years.
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