Yahoo News – Elections 2012

Taliban, U.S. pact in Afghanistan could boost Islamic State>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 10:13 AM:)
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KABUL/JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A deal between the Taliban and the United States for U.S. forces to withdraw from their longest-ever war in Afghanistan could drive some diehard Taliban fighters into the arms of the Islamic State militant group, Afghan officials and militants say. Such a deal is expected to see the United States agree to withdraw its forces in exchange for a Taliban promise they will not let Afghanistan be used to plot international militant attacks. As part of the pact, the Taliban are expected to make a commitment to power-sharing talks with the U.S.-backed government and work out a ceasefire.

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South Korea's Moon offers olive branch to Japan>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 10:09 AM:)
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South Korean President Moon Jae-in struck a conciliatory tone towards Japan on Thursday, offering to "join hands" if Tokyo chooses dialogue as relations between the US allies dip to fresh lows. Seoul and Tokyo, both democracies and market economies, are mired in long-running disputes over Japan's use of forced labour in the 20th century.

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With Brexit looming, the future of Ireland is at stake>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 10:00 AM:)
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It would be one of the great ironies of history if the U.K. departure from the EU actually led to the end of its occupation of Northern Ireland.

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Irish airport flights suspended after runway plane fire>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 9:34 AM:)
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Flights were suspended at Shannon Airport in western Ireland on Thursday after a fire broke out on the undercarriage of an aircraft on the runway, an airport spokesman said. The Boeing aircraft is owned by Omni Air International, a US charter carrier that specialises in military and government transport flights. "Airport emergency services are currently on the scene and earlier extinguished an external fire to the undercarriage," a spokesman for the Shannon Group said in a statement.

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China's Tencent sorry for saying typhoon killed 'nearly everyone'>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 5:49 AM:)
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Chinese internet giant Tencent has been forced to apologise after its video team reported that a typhoon had wiped out the entire population of a province in east China that is home to nearly 100 million people. Typhoon Lekima hit the Chinese provinces of Zhejiang, Shandong and Anhui over the weekend, forcing more than two million residents to flee. China's official news agency Xinhua said late Tuesday that at least 49 people were killed with dozens still missing.

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Gibraltar court to decide fate of seized Iranian tanker>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 5:14 AM:)
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Gibraltar's Supreme Court was to decide on Thursday whether an Iranian oil tanker seized last month near the tiny British territory can be held longer amid speculation that it might soon be released. The Grace 1 supertanker, carrying 2.1 million barrels of Iranian oil, was seized on July 4 by Gibraltar police and British special forces off the overseas British territory, provoking a diplomatic crisis between Tehran and London. Iran, which has described Britain's actions as "piracy", seized a British tanker, the Stena Impero, on July 19 in the strategic Strait of Hormuz for breaking "international maritime rules".

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British mother dies after being set alight in bed in Barbados>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 4:08 AM:)
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The family of a British mother who died after being doused with a flammable substance and set alight as she lay in bed in Barbados say they are "shocked and devastated" by her death. Luton-born Natalie Crichlow, 44, was visiting family in the West Indies when she was attacked by an unknown intruder in a bedroom. The mother-of-three, who had survived cancer twice and had two strokes in the past decade, was on a trip to help look after her disabled brother when she was attacked at his home in Christ Church on July 28. Ms Crichlow suffered 75% burns to her body but died in hospital on August 6, the family say. Her niece Ashley Best told PA: "The intruder broke in the house, then strangled her and then set her alight. "I do not understand why it happened and we are all in a state of shock. "She went into hospital and died of her injuries. Natalie Crichlow was visiting family Credit: PA "For someone who had battled through so much to just be taken in this way and lose their life is just beyond understanding." "It is all just a shame. "She said she wanted to live life to the fullest because her life had nearly been taken from her." No arrests have been made, a spokesman for the Royal Barbados Police Force said. Ms Crichlow, of Colingdale, north London, has three children, aged 10, 20 and 26 years old, who are "devastated" and want to get her back home to Britain for burial. Ms Crichlow, who was also known by the names of Natalee and Karma, had worked in various jobs including as door staff and as a makeup artist. She had been proudly living as an openly-gay woman for a number of years. Natalie Crichlow had survived cancer twice and had had two strokes in past decade Credit: PA Stabroek News in Barbados reported that police are on the hunt for a man who "barged into a house, choked a woman, doused her with a flammable substance and then set the house on fire". Ms Best said: "Justice needs to be served and our justice is to try and bring her home to rest." Family friend Mitra Wikes remembered Ms Crichlow as "a true survivor and warrior who endured so much in life but always kept going and had a true passion for living life to the max no matter what she had gone through". She added: "This is why it's so heartbreaking that her life was taken in such a cruel way. "After the death of her dear mother and uncle days apart earlier this year, she travelled to Barbados to deal with the funeral arrangements. "As her disabled brother was left alone as a result of the loss of her mother, Natalie regularly visited Barbados to look after him. "It was during one visit when she was resting in his home (he was at a nearby care facility at the time) when an intruder entered the house, strangled her and doused her and the house in petrol before setting everything alight." A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to try and raise the money needed to bring her body back to Britain. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "Our staff are supporting the family of a British woman following her death in Barbados, and are in contact with the Barbados police force."

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'I'm sorry, bro': Accused robber begs with armed guard and gets shot>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 4:07 AM:)
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A video captures the moment the suspect stumbles on the ground and begs with the armed security guard.

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U.S. Blacklists China Nuclear Firms Accused of Aiding Military>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 3:14 AM:)
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(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. added four Chinese nuclear entities to a trade blacklist, accusing them of helping to acquire advanced U.S. technology for military use in China.China General Nuclear Power Group and its subsidiaries China General Nuclear Power Corp., or CGNPC, China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute Co., and Suzhou Nuclear Power Research Institute Co. were added to the so-called Entity List, according to a Federal Register notice published Wednesday.The move comes after a crackdown on U.S. exports of civilian nuclear components and materials in recent years. In 2016 the Department of Justice accused China General Nuclear Power, the country’s largest nuclear group, of an espionage plot dating back to the 1990s to steal US technology. The Pentagon has also warned over China’s plans to introduce floating nuclear power plants on disputed islands and reefs in the South China Sea.In October last year the Trump administration also announced that it was imposing further restrictions on exports of nuclear-related U.S. technology to China to “prevent China’s illegal diversion of U.S. civil nuclear technology for military or other unauthorized purposes.”The move follows a similar block against telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Co., as well as five Chinese tech companies involved in the country’s super-computing efforts, that have aggravated the year-long trade war between China and the U.S. The sides are set to resume face-to-face talks in early September.The notice on Wednesday added 17 entities to a trade blacklist, including groups located in Armenia, Belgium, Canada, Georgia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Netherlands, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and the U.K. All of them are being put on the list for “acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States,” it said.The blacklisting designation bars American companies from doing business with the entities unless they are given special U.S. government approval.‘Diversion to Military’The Chinese nuclear firms “engaged in or enabled efforts to acquire advanced U.S. nuclear technology and material for diversion to military uses in China,” according to the notice.A call to China’s embassy in Washington outside regular business hours, as well as a fax to the foreign ministry in Beijing, went unanswered. An official for CGNPC in Beijing said that the company is aware of the news and the impact on its development would be “controllable.”Nuclear EspionageThe Justice Department won a guilty plea in 2017 from an engineer charged with illegally helping China General Nuclear Power procure technology in the U.S., including for the design of so-called Small Modular Reactors, which can have military applications. In 2014, the U.S. accused five Chinese military officials with stealing trade secrets, including nuclear reactor technology from Westinghouse Electric Co.China General Nuclear is also a key partner in the U.K., working with France’s Electricite de France SA to build the nearly 20 billion pound ($24 billion) Hinkley Point C project. In 2016, Prime Minister Theresa May delayed a final decision on the development amid speculation that it would give Beijing access to the nation’s power system.\--With assistance from Feifei Shen.To contact the reporters on this story: Ramsey Al-Rikabi in Singapore at ralrikabi@bloomberg.net;Shawn Donnan in Washington at sdonnan@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Margaret Collins at mcollins45@bloomberg.net, Sarah McGregor, Jeffrey BlackFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

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Gunman wounds at least 6 Philadelphia police; 2 others freed>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 3:05 AM:)
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At least one gunman opened fire on police Wednesday as they were serving a drug warrant in Philadelphia, wounding six officers and triggering a standoff that extended into the night, authorities said. Two other officers were trapped inside the house for about five hours after the shooting broke out but were freed by a SWAT team well after darkness fell on the residential neighborhood. None of the officers sustained life-threatening injuries and they've been released from the hospital, Philadelphia police Sgt. Eric Gripp said.

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1983 Pontiac Firebird Found In Lake 30 Years After Its Theft>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 3:03 AM:)
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Ran when parked.Not all automotive reunions have happy endings, but at least the owner of this stolen 1983 Pontiac Firebird might soon know the fate of his or her former car. The Cobb County Police Department reported that last week, a car was found to be partially submerged in a small lake, and today the Firebird was exhumed from its muddy, watery grave.With help from the Underwater Search and Recovery Team (USRT), Cobb County Fire Department and Cobb County Department of Transportation, the Cobb County police posted pictures of the car being pulled from the water. Few details are known about the car, but it was discovered while Mirror Lake, about 30 miles northwest of Atlanta, Georgia, was being drained for repairs.Members of the neighborhood's homeowner's association had found the car and contacted police. Divers went down to investigate and found out that the car was reported stolen back in 1989. Only the roof of the car was visible with the rest of the Firebird being covered by and filled with mud.Few details are known about the car, but it was confirmed that this '83 Firebird was stolen 30 years ago. There is no windshield or side windows and the entire hood is covered with a thick layer of mud,and the rear suspension seems to be bottomed out suggesting that the interior is also filled with mud. As such, it's highly unlikely that much, if any, of this car is salvageable. The most impressive thing is that the still appear to be inflated. Unlike a certain 1972 Open GT, which sat above seat level for the same amount of time this car was submerged, there's little hope for this theft-recovered Firebird. Source: AJC.com via Cobb County Police Department Read More... * Muscle Cars Stolen From CT Farm * Mystery Surrounds Stolen 1991 Ford Mustang GT Barn Find

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Police officer kills himself, 9th NYPD suicide this year>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 2:23 AM:)
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An off-duty veteran New York city police officer killed himself on Wednesday, becoming the ninth police officer to die by suicide this year, authorities said. The tragedy comes just one day after another off-duty police officer fatally shot himself at his home in Yonkers. Police officers have a higher suicide rate than the general public experts say, in part because of their ready access to firearms.

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Illinois seeking to bar ex-governor from practicing law>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 2:15 AM:)
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Eight years after former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (blah-GOY'-uh-vich) was convicted of corruption, the state of Illinois seeking to bar him from practicing law. The Chicago Tribune reports the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission filed a formal complaint earlier this month citing Blagojevich's conviction on federal corruption charges and requesting a hearing before a disciplinary panel.

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Japan's Abe sends offering to controversial Yasukuni shrine>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 2:02 AM:)
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Japan's premier sent a ritual cash offering to a controversial Tokyo war shrine to mark the end of World War II Thursday but did not visit in person amid heightened tensions with South Korea. Shinzo Abe sent an aide to Yasukuni Shrine, seen by Asian neighbours as a symbol of Japan's military past, according to his office, but once again stayed away from the site that honours Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals. The conservative premier's move comes as Tokyo and South Korea -- one of the countries that suffered most from Japan's wartime military atrocities -- are embroiled in a war of words over trade and history.

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‘The Notebook’ Author Nicholas Sparks Tells Jury His LGBT Comments Were ‘Weaponized’>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 1:49 AM:)
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Rosdiana Ciaravolo/GettyRALEIGH, North Carolina—In a North Carolina courtroom, facing a jury of people who never read his bestsellers, romance novelist Nicholas Sparks was confronted Wednesday with his own words: explosive emails to and about the former headmaster of the North Carolina Christian school he founded.Sparks, best known for writing The Notebook, was by turns confident and testy as he fended off questions from lawyers for Saul Benjamin, a Jewish-born Quaker forced out of Epiphany School of Global Studies, a private Christian school in New Bern, five years ago. A federal lawsuit by Benjamin accuses Sparks and the school’s board of bullying students and staff whose beliefs were out of step with the school’s “religiously-driven, bigoted preconceptions.” Benjamin claims Sparks then smeared his name and character after his 2013 departure, suggesting to community members that Benjamin was mentally ill.Sparks shined in the limelight of the witness stand Wednesday. He nodded to jurors and smiled at them between questions. He offered a few one-liners that elicited laughter from the audience. More than once, he interrupted Benjamin’s attorney to push back against the premise of a question.“I have been asked to tell the whole truth, not just part of the truth,” Sparks said, placing his hands over his heart when Benjamin’s attorney tried to move on to another question.Sparks accused Benjamin of “weaponizing” certain words and references to LGBT issues. He described a situation in which Benjamin told the board they had to change their employee discrimination policy or face losing accreditation. Sparks testified that on this, like other instances involving gay student issues, he and the board were misled by Benjamin. Sparks tried to head off any attempts to question his tolerance for LGBT students and faculty by proclaiming his own beliefs.“Personally, I’m for gay marriage, gay adoption,” he said.Sparks said he resented “leaks” to the media that portrayed him as a bigot or homophobic. Emails obtained by The Daily Beast in June revealed that Sparks sought to ban a LGBT club and student protests at the school, and reprimanded Benjamin for “what some perceive as an agenda that strives to make homosexuality open and accepted.”Author Nicholas Sparks Tried to Ban LGBT Club and Student Protests at His Christian School, Emails RevealAt its core, the lawsuit revolves around an employment dispute—promises made or promises broken in Benjamin’s contract. Sparks and the school’s lawyers argue that Benjamin was a poor fit and that his character and performance did not meet their expectations.“He could have been fired for cause because he did an incredibly poor job in 12 weeks as headmaster,” said Richard Pinto, an attorney representing Epiphany School.Benjamin’s team claims that he was forced to resign after rocking the boat at the conservative school, including trying to recruit black students in the community. Other criticisms revolved around enabling LGBT students to explore their sexual identity questions at school and disciplining students who bullied them, the lawsuit claims.“These events touched off a firestorm at the school,” Pearson, Benjamin’s attorney, said in his opening arguments.Both sides agree on this much:Sparks enthusiastically led the charge to hire Benjamin in 2013, luring the educator and his family from Morocco to run the rural eastern North Carolina school. Sparks moved Benjamin’s family into a 2,700-square-foot home he owned, charging only $50 a month in rent. Sparks promised to help Benjamin “soothe or smooth waters” with the “John 3:16” crowd of parents and students at the school.The match quickly soured. Parents and students began to grumble.Sparks said school employees and board members reported to him that Benjamin routinely pointed out parents and students he deemed “bigots” or “racists,” Sparks testified Wednesday.Sparks was unapologetic about questioning Benjamin’s mental stability. The writer said the former headmaster called people names and labeled an entire local congregation “ignorant conformists,” behavior Sparks described as “insane.”At stake in this feud is more than $600,000—the balance of Benjamin’s terminated contract. That bill, like many others at the school, would likely fall to Sparks and his foundation, which has been covering the school’s deficits since its inception in 2006.Sparks has enjoyed tremendous commercial success with his 20 published novels, which have sold 105 million copies internationally. Many, including The Notebook and A Walk to Remember, were turned into Hollywood films. The Notebook is being adapted for a Broadway play.On the stand Wednesday, Sparks waffled when asked if the school was part of his celebrity brand.“My brand is really the entertainment business. When you are well known, people want to know what you care about in the world. I thought it was OK for people to know I cared about education,” Sparks said.Sparks’ celebrity may be lost on the 10 jurors deciding the case against him. Only four prospective jurors admitted during selection Wednesday morning that they had read any of Sparks’ books or seen the movies on which they were based.All four of them were dismissed from jury duty.Sparks will continue his testimony Thursday.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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The 15 Countries Worth Visiting for an Epic Drive>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 15 2019 - 1:11 AM:)
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Cardi B to Bernie Sanders: 'What are we going to do about wages in America?'>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 14 2019 - 10:50 PM:)
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Rapper Cardi B has been outspoken on social media about her politics, particularly about her support for Sen. Bernie Sanders who is again seeking the Democratic nomination for president.

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U.S. scientist to file whistleblower complaint after agency halts his climate work>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 14 2019 - 9:33 PM:)
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A climate scientist for the Trump administration's health protection agency who was ordered to drop work on climate issues will file a whistleblower complaint this week with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, his lawyers said on Wednesday. George Luber, who ran the climate and health program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is an expert on the health impacts of climate change including risks to hospitals and public health infrastructure and of diseases borne by mosquitoes and ticks as they increasingly move into northern regions as temperatures rise. Luber has been a contributor to U.S. government reports including the National Climate Assessment, which last year warned that climate change could cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars.

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Glacier National Park death: Utah teen killed by falling rocks during family vacation>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 14 2019 - 8:30 PM:)
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A 14-year-old girl was killed in Montana's Glacier National Park on Mondayafter large rocks fell from a mountainside and struck her family's vehicle

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Mississippi Man Charged with Setting Girlfriend on Fire, Kidnapping Child>
(Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines - August 14 2019 - 7:37 PM:)
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Family members and neighbors were shaken to learn a 42-year-old man allegedly set his girlfriend on fire before kidnapping a child and leading police on a chase.

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