US national spelling bee crowns eight co-champions after running out of challenging words

A superhuman group of adolescents broke the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, with eight contestants crowned co-champions after the competition said it was running out of challenging words.It was a stunning result, coming just after midnight, for the 92nd annual event, which has had six two-way ties but had never experienced such a logjam at the top.After the 17th round, Jacques Bailly, the event’s pronouncer, announced that any of the eight remaining contestants who made it through three more words would share in the prize.“We do have plenty of words remaining in our list, but we’ll soon run out of words that will challenge you,” Mr Bailly told the contestants at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Centre in National Harbour, Maryland.He added: “We’re throwing the dictionary at you. And so far, you are showing this dictionary who is boss.”None of the contestants faltered. They each got their own moment of triumph as they correctly spelled their words in the 20th round, then patiently sat back in their seats as the following contestants had their moments. They supported each other with high-fives and hugs, and each placed a hand on a single trophy.The champions were, along with the final words they spelled:Rishik Gandhasri, 13, of San Jose, California: auslaut.Erin Howard, 14, of Huntsville, Alabama: erysipelas.Saketh Sundar, 13, of Clarksville, Maryland: bougainvillea.Shruthika Padhy, 13, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey: aiguillette.Sohum Sukhatankar, 13, of Dallas: pendeloque.Abhijay Kodali, 12, of Flower Mound, Texas: palama.Christopher Serrao, 13, of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey: cernuous.Rohan Raja, 13, of Irving, Texas: odylic.The competition normally offers a $50,000 (£39,610) prize to the champion. Instead of splitting it eight ways, all eight contestants will receive $50,000 and their own trophies.There have been marathon spelling bees before — the 2017 event went 36 rounds, with two spellers battling it out after the 17th round — but the competition has never hosted such a large group of spellers who could not be defeated.The field is typically winnowed down to fewer than four by the 16th round.This year, the ninth-place finisher, 13-year-old Simone Kaplan of Davie, Florida, was thwarted in the 15th round.From that point on, the contestants correctly spelled 47 straight words.Already nervous, they started showing signs of fatigue as the competition stretched on past its expected window.At the beginning of the 17th round, Rishik had a question for Mr Bailly.“Out of curiosity, would you happen to know what time it is?” he asked. It was 11:18 pm.It was one of several moments of levity from a group of students who appeared largely unfazed by the pressure, with their parents in the audience often looking more unsettled.Rohan prompted laughter in the 17th round as he recoiled at his errant pronunciation of “Gaeltacht.”“Oh God,” he said, “I sound like I vomited.”The New York Times

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Stone Was Like ‘Uncle Roger,’ Miller Testifies to Grand Jury

Prosecutors focused their examination on Miller’s relationship with Stone and Stone’s connection to WikiLeaks founder Assange, Miller’s attorney Paul Kamenar told reporters after the proceeding. Stone was indicted by the grand jury in January on charges of lying to Congress about communications with Assange, obstruction and witness tampering.

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Auto industry dented by latest Trump tariffs

President Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs on Mexico will affect myriad industries, but few are as exposed as automakers. Shares of several major automakers and auto suppliers dived five percent or more following Trump's announcement Thursday night that the United States would impose a five percent tariff on all Mexican imports on June 10, explicitly linking the trade action to a demand that Mexico crack down on illegal immigration. The White House intends to gradually raise the tariff level until it hits 25 percent on October 1, a levy that "could cripple the industry and cause major uncertainty," said a note from Deutsche Bank.

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Jussie Smollett: Possible deal was in the works a month before charges dropped, documents show

New documents on the Jussie Smollett case show that prosecutors told Chicago police detectives that a possible deal with the actor was in the works a month before charges against him were dropped.Smollett was charged in March with 16 counts alleging he lied to police when reporting he'd been the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack in January. Police contend the black and openly gay actor allegedly staged the attack because he was unhappy with his salary and wanted publicity.Prosecutors dropped charges on 26 March without Smollett admitting guilt. Then Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and police Superintendent Eddie Johnson expressed outrage over the prosecutors' decision. Smollett has maintained his innocence. The approximately 460 pages of new documents show that detectives investigating Smollett's allegations were told by Cook County prosecutors a deal with the Empire actor could include a $10,000 fine and community service. The detectives did not pass the information to superiors. "They didn't pass it on because they didn't know it (the case) was going to be handled the way it was," said Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. In the documents released on Thursday, detectives note the Chicago Police Department was informed by the Cook County State's Attorney's office on 28 February that they could no longer investigate the crime. Smollett was indicted on 7 March. The lead investigators in the case met with Assistant State's Attorney Risa Lanier, who informed detectives "that she felt the case would be settled with Smollett paying the city of Chicago $10,000 in restitution and doing community service". The detectives closed the case at that point because an arrest was made and the alleged offender was being prosecuted, according to Guglielmi.It was the attorneys for Smollett who announced charges alleging he lied to police about attack had been dropped. At the time, Johnson said he learned of the deal prosecutors made with Smollett when the deal was announced by lawyers, adding he didn't think justice was being served. However, he didn't directly criticise prosecutors."My job as a police officer is to investigate an incident, gather evidence, gather the facts and present them to the state's attorney," Johnson said. "That's what we did. I stand behind the detectives' investigation." The Illinois Prosecutors Bar Association said the dismissal of the charges was "an affront to prosecutors across the state" as well as police, victims of hate crimes and the county as a whole.The city of Chicago is seeking $130,000 from Smollett to cover the costs of the investigation into his reported beating. The city claims about two dozen detectives and officers investigated the entertainer's report that he was attacked, resulting in a "substantial number of overtime hours."Additional reporting by agencies

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Judge considering Missouri abortion clinic license case

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A judge is deciding whether to ensure Missouri's only abortion clinic can keep its license past Friday, the latest development in a decades-long push by abortion opponents to get states to enact strict rules on the procedure.

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Barr: Counter-intelligence Probe of Trump Campaign Crossed ‘Serious Red Line’

Attorney General William Barr said Friday that the FBI's counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign "crossed" a "serious red line" and should be "carefully looked at.""The use of foreign intelligence capabilities and counterintelligence capabilities against an American political campaign to me is unprecedented and it's a serious red line that's been crossed," Barr said in an interview with CBS.The attorney general is currently investigating the origins of the probe to determine whether the U.S. intelligence community's surveillance of the Trump campaign was warranted. He has expressed skepticism about the explanations for some of the investigative actions taken.During testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee last month, Barr stated that "spying did occur" on the Trump campaign, angering Democratic lawmakers."I guess it's become a dirty word somehow," Barr told CBS. "I think there is nothing wrong with spying. The question is always whether it is authorized by law.""There were counterintelligence activities undertaken against the Trump campaign, And I'm not saying there was not a basis for it, that it was legitimate, but I want to see what that basis was and make sure it was legitimate," he added.The New York Times reported that the FBI sent an undercover agent posing as a research assistant to ask former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos whether the campaign was working with Russia. Papadopoulos was told by a Maltese professor in early 2016 that Russia had damaging information on Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, but said he told the undercover agent he had “nothing to do with Russia.”"Republics have fallen because of Praetorian Guard mentality where government officials get very arrogant, they identify the national interest with their own political preferences, and they feel that anyone who has a different opinion, you know, is somehow an enemy of the state," Barr remarked. "That can easily translate into essentially supervening the will of the majority and getting your own way as a government official."FBI director Chris Wray said earlier this month that he had seen no evidence that the FBI illegally spied on the Trump campaign.

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Riyadh rallies allies against Tehran at Mecca summits

Gulf and Arab allies rallied around Saudi Arabia Friday as it ratcheted up tensions with regional rival Iran after a series of attacks, drawing accusations from Tehran of "sowing division". Tehran, which has strongly denied involvement in any of the attacks, expressed disappointment that Riyadh plans to level the same "baseless accusations" at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) early on Saturday.

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9 Cool Things We Learned Driving the Spectre Land Rover Defender

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Trump: I was 'not informed' about order to move John McCain warship during Japan trip

Trump's comments come after the White House reportedly requested that the USS John S. McCain be "out of sight" during Trump's visit to Japan.

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Police confirm missing Utah girl's body has been found

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A body found after a five-day search is that of a 5-year-old girl taken from her home and killed by her uncle, Utah police confirmed on Thursday.

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Showdown over Missouri abortion clinic postponed as governor weighs in

Gov. Mike Parson said court intervention in the fight over whether to renew the license of Missouri's lone abortion provider would be "reckless."

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Amit Shah: Modi's enforcer emerges from behind India's throne

As the battle-hardened drill sergeant for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah has long been considered India's second most-powerful person, and his appointment Friday as home minister elevates his position to leader-in-waiting. While Modi is the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party's people person, firing up rallies and mastering Twitter, Shah has for years made sure that Modi's orders are carried out to the letter while turning the world's biggest political party into the undisputed force across the nation of 1.3 billion people. Shah's piercing stare and strongarm tactics have made him a feared and respected figure in the Hindu nationalist party -- opposition parties and critics call him "ruthless" -- a status only increased by his role masterminding the BJP's second straight landslide election victory this month as the party president.

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Disney says it won't make any more films in Georgia if draconian abortion laws come into force in the US state

Disney's chief executive has warned Georgia that the company's film and TV productions are likely to abandon the state if its controversial abortion bill becomes law. Bob Iger said it would be "very difficult" for the entertainment giant to continue working in the state if the so-called "heartbeat bill", which outlaws terminations from as early as six weeks, comes into force. The Walt Disney Company has shot some of its biggest films in the US state, including Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame. Speaking to Reuters, Iger said: "If it becomes law, it'll be very difficult. "I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. "Right now we are watching it very carefully." Sen John Milkovich speaks outside the State Capitol in Louisiana where the House passed Milkovich's 'fetal heartbeat' bill Georgia has been dubbed the "Hollywood of the South" after it lured production companies with favourable tax laws. The state offers a tax credit that has lured many film and TV productions. The industry is responsible for more than 92,000 jobs in Georgia, according to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and some 455 productions were shot in Georgia in 2018, according to the state. However, its proposed abortion laws have caused fury across the industry, with leading stars lining up to condemn the bill. Netflix has also warned it could pull out of the state. Georgia's bill bans abortions in cases where a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks. It is due to come into effect on January 1 2020, although campaigners have already said they will fight it in the courts. It came as last night Louisiana on Wednesday also passed a bill banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, becoming the seventh state to do so. The bans are expected to be blocked in lower courts, but supporters plan to appeal such decisions until they reach the Supreme Court.

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Robert Mueller's Legacy Will Haunt Donald Trump

Here are all the ways that Trump and his Administration will have to deal with the fallout from the Russia investigation.

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US spelling bee ends in historic eight-way tie

The world's premier spelling bee has ended in an unprecedented eight-way tie after hours of intense competition among American youngsters tackling some of the English language's most obscure words. Texas seventh-grader Rohan Raja became the eighth and final winner of the National Spelling Bee's 92nd annual competition on Thursday after a correct recital of the word "odylic", earning a wild round of applause from the audience. The winners were "the most phenomenal assemblage of spellers in the history of this storied competition", said the bee's long-time official pronouncer Jacques Bailly.

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Louisiana Legislature approves 'fetal heartbeat' abortion ban; Democratic governor to sign

Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said he would sign the bill into law.

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Mueller Adds to Impeachment Fervor, But Democrats Won’t Move Fast

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other party leaders are reluctant to pursue impeachment hearings, focusing instead on a slow windup of investigations by multiple committees. The House calendar could also delay the process, with members set to be away from Washington for big chunks of time for the rest of the year.

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How the 2016 Debates Are Still Haunting Democrats

Democrats are trying to avoid the missteps of the 2016 primary debates — a goal that has proven elusive as more candidates have announced.

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Galaxy S11 rumored to deliver Samsung’s next big camera innovations

When the Galaxy Note 10 launches about two months from now, it'll deliver a novel design, maybe the kind of radical update that removes all physical buttons and the headphone jack. Yup, the audio port seems to be history, at least on the Note line. The phone is also expected to sport an S Pen stylus with improved functionality, as well as faster battery charging technology. But what the Galaxy Note 10 won't deliver, in spite of getting a brand new camera system, is a better camera experience than the Galaxy S10 phones. That's because a rumor says Samsung's next major camera evolution is planned for next year's Galaxy S11 instead.That's not to say the Galaxy Note 10 camera will be disappointing. It'll definitely be an upgrade over last year's Note 9, which is already quite impressive. Samsung's triple-lens-or-better module is coming to the upcoming Note 10 series, according to a leak from earlier this week. It's going to have a different placement on the back of the phone compared with the previous Note, but it'll probably get most or even all of the Galaxy S10's camera features.The news comes from Samsung insider Ice Universe, who said on Twitter that the Galaxy Note 10 will be Samsung's last "last 1/2.55-inch 1.4um CMOS flagship phone," which Samsung has been using for four years. The leaker also said the Galaxy S11 will get a new "large-size large-pixel CMOS."https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1133554761393795073According to the same leaker, the Galaxy Note 10 won't pack optical zoom capabilities similar to what you might find from the competition -- namely the Huawei P30 Pro. Samsung has tested 10x optical zoom on phones, but the components apparently require too much space inside the phone.https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1133553896499007488Samsung has created its own 5x optical zoom camera that will compete against the Huawei P30 Pro, but it'll launch it on new Galaxy A series mid-range phones at first, not the Note 10.https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1133551214417698816Samsung will unveil the Note 10 phones in August, so there's plenty of time left to learn everything about their rear and front-facing cameras.

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Cadillac expands high-performance V-Series with new CT4-V and CT5-V sedans

Cadillac has unveiled a pair of brand-new models that take their place within the company's high-performance V-Series sub-brand: the 2020 CT4-V and CT5-V. Following the announcement of the latest CT6-V sedan earlier this year, a model added to the segment in March of 2018, Cadillac on Thursday revealed two additional brand-new sedans that will be joining the V-Series lineup for the 2020 model year: the CT4-V and the CT5-V. The two luxury sedans will be effectively replacing the ATS-V and CTS-V that are nearing the end of their careers, replacements that are likely to underwhelm those who have a need for speed.

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Escalating Iran crisis looks a lot like the path US took to Iraq war

The U.S. went to war in Iraq in 2003 based on flawed intelligence supported by hawkish policy makers. Is it doomed to repeat the error with Iran?

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Volkswagen's Atlas Cross Sport Two-Row SUV Is Almost Here

Spy photos show the mid-size SUV is close to production ready.

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N.Korea 'executed' officials after failed Trump summit: report

North Korea executed its special envoy to the United States following the collapse of the second summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump, a South Korean newspaper reported Friday. The Chosun Ilbo said Kim Hyok Chol, who laid the groundwork for the Hanoi meeting and accompanied Kim on his private train, was executed by firing squad for "betraying the supreme leader" after he was "won over to the US" during pre-summit negotiations. "Kim Hyok Chol was executed in March at Mirim Airport along with four senior foreign ministry officials following an investigation," the newspaper quoted an unidentified source as saying.

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JioPhone 2 is now available on sale, price is Rs 2,999

from Technology | The Indian Express http://bit.ly/2W30ZjU

Google outlines new Play Store policies to make it safer for kids

from Technology | The Indian Express http://bit.ly/2XgKx0S

How the BJP managed to do well in Karnataka

Interpreting the vote of this state of six crore people in 30 districts is a complex matter, but four factors stood out.

from Hindustan Times - opinion http://bit.ly/2EIPmZM

Muslims' under-representation in Parliament is not a consequence of the BJP's r...

There are internal political and sociological barriers that are specific to Muslim communities as well: crippling factionalism among Muslim elites, a strong party bias that favours upper-caste Muslims candidates over the larger population of backward Muslims.

from Hindustan Times - opinion http://bit.ly/2Xiy790

Modi must now create a strong investment environment

When the goals are shared and the definition of success and path forward are clear, public-private partnerships become a powerful tool in moving agendas from promise to impact

from Hindustan Times - opinion http://bit.ly/2MhXyGq

The story of the Left is one of self-indictment

Blaming the BJP for taking its vote base proves that it couldn’t shift the narrative

from Hindustan Times - opinion http://bit.ly/2MjvK4L

The PM must ensure discipline with autonomy and openness

Restoring the true spirit of a cabinet system will go a long way in regenerating India’s institutional landscape

from Hindustan Times - opinion http://bit.ly/2WvygJ4

Twitter Is Eroding Your Intelligence. Now There's Data to Prove It.

Economists at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan found that the social networking site undermines intellectual attainment.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2XpQhFy

Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass Subscription Service is Coming to PC

Microsoft is bringing the Xbox Game Pass subscription service over to the PC ecosystem. Xbox Game Pass for PC will offer access to more than 100 titles on Windows 10 for a monthly fee.

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Uber Posts $1 Billion Loss in Its First Quarter as a Public Company

Uber reported a $1 billion loss as the ride-hailing service spends heavily to build up its food delivery and freight businesses, sending revenues up 20% in its first quarterly report as a public...

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Watch the First Trailer for Pixar's Onward, Releasing March 2020

Pixar has released the first teaser trailer for Onward, which features the voices of Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Octavia Spencer. Onward is out March 6, 2020.

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Amazon Said to Be Interested in Buying a US Telecom Operator

Amazon is interested in buying prepaid cellphone wireless service Boost Mobile from US carriers T-Mobile US and Sprint, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

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How to Watch ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Live Online Around the World

Live stream and score from West Indies vs Pakistan match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, England, the US...

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Inflatable Angry Emoji Looms Over Facebook's Annual Meeting

Protesters carrying an inflatable angry emoji greeted Facebook shareholders as they gathered for the company's annual meeting, the latest sign of its struggle to shake off privacy scandals and rein in...

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Moto Z4 With 48-Megapixel Camera, Moto Mods Support Launched

Moto Z4 price is set at $499 (roughly Rs. 34,900) for its sole 4GB RAM/ 128GB storage variant.

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OnePlus 6, OnePlus 6T OxygenOS Beta Updates Bring Zen Mode, Screen Recorder

OnePlus 6 and 6T have started receiving new OxygenOS open beta updates that bring the Zen Mode introduced with the OnePlus 7 series.

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Meizu 16Xs With Triple Rear Cameras, Snapdragon 675 SoC Launched

Meizu 16Xs includes a 6.2-inch Full-HD+ display, Snapdragon 675 processor, and a 48-megapixel rear sensor.

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Redmi Note 7S Review

Redmi Note 7S sports the same hardware like the Redmi Note 7 but gets an upgraded camera module. But is it the one to buy? We review to find out.

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NASA's Curiosity Rover Finds Clay Cache on Mars

Curiosity Mars rover at a region of the Red Planet called the "clay-bearing unit" has revealed the highest amounts of clay minerals ever found during the mission, NASA has said.

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Database Leaks 42.5 Million Records From Chinese Dating Apps: Researcher

As many as 42.5 million records of users of different dating apps were found in a single Chinese database that doesn't have a password protection, a security researcher has said.

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Microsoft Hints at a 'Modern OS' With 'Seamless Updates'

Microsoft has teased the attendees of the ongoing Computex event in Taipei with hints of a new, modern operating system (OS) in the making.

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Nokia 2.2 Tipped to Launch at June 6 'Global Event'

Nokia 2.2 or the Nokia Wasp, has been spotted on FCC certification revealing that the phone will come with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage configuration.

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ICC World Cup 2019: Consistency will be key

The team that masters the conditions and stays on top will have the advantage

from Hindustan Times - editorials http://bit.ly/2XfjAuu

Democrats toughen qualifying standards for third presidential debate

Seeking to cull its crowded 2020 presidential field, the Democratic Party will make it tougher for candidates to qualify for a third debate scheduled for September. The party will require contenders to meet both a higher polling standard and a larger fundraising target, the Democratic National Committee said on Wednesday. In the first two debates, scheduled for June and July, contenders have to meet just one of the two criteria, leaving open the possibility that as many as 20 of the 24 announced Democratic candidates could be on stage.

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Vatican corrects omission in pope's quote about McCarrick

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican communications office on Wednesday corrected the Italian transcript of Pope Francis' comments about disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Earlier, it had omitted Francis' claim that he didn't remember if he had been told in 2013 of McCarrick's penchant for sleeping with seminarians.

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Michael Wolff’s ‘Draft Indictment’ of Trump Doesn’t Exist, Says Mueller’s Office

Reuters / Brendan McDermidA spokesman for Robert Mueller has emphatically denied a claim from Fire and Fury author Michael Wolff that the special counsel drew up a three-count obstruction-of-justice indictment against Donald Trump before deciding to ditch it.The unverified allegation is made in Wolff’s new book, Siege: Trump Under Fire, which is due to be published next week. It’s the sequel to Fire and Fury, which infuriated the president for its claims about the dysfunctional inner workings of his White House.The Guardian obtained a copy of the new book and reports that Wolff states his findings about Mueller’s supposed draft indictment are “based on internal documents given to me by sources close to the Office of the Special Counsel.” The newspaper writes that it’s seen the documents.However, Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, told The Guardian: “The documents that you’ve described do not exist.”Wolff claims the draft listing the president’s alleged abuses was written under the title “United States of America against Donald J. Trump, Defendant,” and it sat on Mueller’s desk for a year before being discarded.The Guardian reports the first of the three counts charged the president with corruptly influencing, obstructing, or impeding a pending proceeding before a department or agency. The second count is said to have charged the president with tampering with a witness, victim, or informant, while the third allegedly charged Trump with retaliating against a witness.According to Wolff, Mueller’s team drew up both the three-count indictment of Trump as well as a supporting draft memorandum of law opposing any motion from Congress or the White House that sought to dismiss it.The memo quoted by Wolff says: “The Impeachment Judgment Clause, which applies equally to all civil officers including the president… takes for granted… that an officer may be subject to indictment and prosecution before impeachment. If it did not, the clause would be creating, for civil officers, precisely the immunity the Framers rejected.”Wolff writes that Mueller agonized for a long time over whether to charge the president before ultimately deciding he could not move to prosecute a sitting president.Wolff's conclusion reads: “Bob Mueller threw up his hands. Surprisingly, he found himself in agreement with the greater White House: Donald Trump was the president, and, for better or for worse, what you saw was what you got—and what the country voted for.”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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Man sues after his face is mauled by emotional support dog on Delta Airlines flight

A man who was allegedly attacked by an emotional support dog on a Delta Airlines flight has filed a lawsuit against the airline and the owner of the animal.Marlin Jackson has accused both Delta and Ronald Kevin Mundy Jr, a US veteran, of negligence after he was attacked while the flight was boarding in June 2017. Mr Jackson was seated in a window seat while the dog was next to him on the veteran’s lap, according to the lawsuit. The dog then attacked Mr Jackson, leaving his face permanently scarred. According to the complaint, Mr Jackson “bled so profusely that the entire row of seats had to be removed from the airplane.”“The attack was briefly interrupted when the animal was pulled away from Mr. Jackson. However, the animal broke free and again mauled Mr Jackson's face,” the lawsuit continued. The lawsuit also said Delta didn't verify the dog was trained or met the requirements of a service animal. A police report stated the Marine Corps veteran's dog was a chocolate lab pointer mix. Airlines later made changes to policies for emotional support animals following the attack, which drew national headlines in 2017.Mr Jackson has continued to endure “severe physical pain and suffering” according to the lawsuit, amid substantial medical bills and an apparent loss of income or earning potential. The lawsuit goes on to note Mr Jackson’s “entire lifestyle has been severely impaired by this attack.”Mr Jackson was reportedly travelling from Atlanta to San Diego when the attack occurred.Additional reporting by AP

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PHOTOS: Tornadoes rip through Ohio and Oklahoma

A tornado pulverized buildings around Dayton, Ohio, early on Tuesday, injuring at least 35 people.

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NASA just released a hype video for a Moon mission that probably won’t happen

NASA has planned on returning to the Moon for some time now, hashing out plans for its Lunar Gateway which will eventually serve as a jumping-off point for travelers headed to the Moon's surface. Then, back in March, the current presidential administration decided it wanted NASA to complete a return to the Moon as soon as possible, offering a mere five years to complete the task.The request was, to put it bluntly, absurd. NASA doesn't have the funding to pull it off, and even if it did it would require a truly monumental effort to meet the arbitrary deadline. Despite this, Trump-appointed NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine eagerly accepted the "challenge," and while everyone waits to see whether lawmakers will provide enough cash for a Moon 2024 mission to be possible, NASA just launched a hype video of sorts to assure everyone that a 2024 Moon mission is definitely, totally happening.The video emphasizes the collaborative efforts of NASA and its international partners, which is a good thing since there's no way the United States would be able to pull off the Gateway without help from just about everyone.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9KQfnquknoWhat's so interesting about this whole thing -- aside from the fact that a million hurdles stand between NASA and a Moon mission in 2024 -- is that when Trump sent Pence to deliver the new directive to NASA back in March, he did so while dismissing the efforts of many of NASA's key allies and emphasizing the need for the U.S. to be the superior space power.Now, NASA's hype video plays up collaboration and, presumably, was made to drum up some support for the mission among those who have influence in approving the funding NASA needs to make it a reality.Could NASA pull off the Moon 2024 mission? Absolutely, but the most important factors in whether it will even have the chance (like funding) are almost entirely out of its control. If the mission falls through it likely won't be because of a shortcoming on NASA's part, but because the demand was never realistic in the first place.The Lunar Gateway will be built, that much is certain. Whether it's built in time for the Moon 2024 mission, and whether that mission ever even comes close to happening at all, remains to be seen.

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Sears buyer Eddie Lampert wants to avoid up to $43M in severance pay from bankruptcy

The investor who bought Sears' assets out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy is now trying to back out of an agreement to pay severance to laid-off workers.

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Mom gives birth in car while three kids in backseat film

They were trying to make a pre-baby delivery video, but the 10-year-old ended up capturing the birth!

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Book One of These Automotive Airbnb Experiences for Your Next Adventure

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Top court rejects challenge to rules accommodating Pennsylvania transgender students

The justices left in place a 2018 lower court ruling that upheld the Boyertown Area School District policy, which was challenged by six former or current high school students, though the action does not set a national legal precedent. The Supreme Court scrapped plans to hear a major transgender rights case involving bathroom access in public schools in 2017 and has never issued a decisive ruling on the matter. The students challenging the policy argued that it violated their right to privacy under the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment and a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education, known as Title IX.

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College student pleads guilty to sneaking into Mar-a-Lago

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A college student pleaded guilty Tuesday to sneaking into Mar-a-Lago during President Donald Trump's Thanksgiving visit in a manner similar to how a Chinese national gained admission four months later.

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Israel to hold unprecedented second election after Netanyahu fails to form a coalition

Israel is heading for an unprecedented second election in less than six months after Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition before a Wednesday night deadline and instead forced through a bill to dissolve parliament.  Mr Netanyahu won the most votes in April’s election but has spent the last six weeks struggling to convince smaller Right-wing parties to join his coalition and help him form a majority government.  After a series of frantic last-ditch negotiations broke down, a stony-faced Mr Netanyahu returned to parliament shortly before midnight on Wednesday and voted in favour of a bill to hold new elections on September 17.  The bill passed 74-45. Moments after the vote, Mr Netanyahu condemned the new elections as “superfluous, wasteful elections that nobody needs and nobody wants because the people already spoke”. Israel has never before been forced to hold two elections in a single year and the political chaos is a potentially seriously blow to Mr Netanyahu, who managed to win the April elections despite facing criminal corruption charges.  Parliament voted to dissolve itself and hold new elections Credit: ABIR SULTAN/EPA-EFE/REX The prime minister, who has held power for 13 years, had hoped to use his new government to change the law and shield himself from prosecution. Instead, he finds himself fighting an unwanted second election.      The turmoil in Israel is likely to have repercussions on the White House’s Israeli-Palestinian peace plan.  The economic half of the plan is due to be unveiled at a summit in Bahrain next month, while the more controversial political half was expected to be rolled out at a later date. It seems likely the political component will now be delayed or potentially shelved completely.   Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and point man on the peace process, is due to meet with Mr Netanyahu on Thursday.     The Israeli prime minister’s woes centred around Avigdor Lieberman, his mercurial former defence minister who leads the small Yisrael Beiteinu Right-wing party.  Letters from Jerusalem RHS Mr Lieberman, an avowed secularist, said he would only join Mr Netanyahu’s government if the prime minister pledged to move ahead with a law that would increase the numbers of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men conscripted into the Israeli military.  Ultra-Orthodox Jews are currently exempted from military service as long as they can show they are involved in full-time religious studies.  Mr Lieberman’s demands were flatly rejected by the ultra-Orthodox political parties, whom Mr Netanyahu also needed to form a majority government.  The prime minister spent weeks trying to broker a compromise between the two sides but was ultimately unsuccessful, despite an intervention from Donald Trump who said he was hoping for a deal. Mr Lieberman accused the prime minister’s Likud party of caving before the ultra-Orthodox, also known as the haredi.  “The Likud surrendered completely to the haredi,” he said, shortly before the parliamentary vote. Mr Netanyahu blasted Mr Lieberman, saying he was dragging the country to elections “because of his own whims”.

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Boris Johnson faces court hearing for Brexit 'lies'

Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to become Britain's next prime minister, must attend court over allegations that he knowingly lied during the Brexit referendum campaign, a judge announced Wednesday. Johnson, the former foreign secretary, will be summoned to appear before a court over allegations of misconduct in public office, judge Margot Coleman said in a written decision, without specifying the date. The case is over the claim that Britain sends £350 million ($440 million, 400 million euros) a week to the European Union.

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Today’s best deals: $7.22 Alexa smart plugs, $199 Apple Watch, $30 Fire TV Stick, 55″ 4K TV for $330, more

Today's daily deals roundup is a doozy, and it all starts with a deal that gets you top-selling Alexa and Google enabled smart plugs for just $7.22 a piece when you buy a 4-pack and use the promo code KYSCVKIE at checkout. Other highlights from Wednesday's roundup include AirPods 2 for just $139.99, SanDisk Ultra 64GB microSD cards for only $12.58 each, Fire TV Stick for $29.99 instead of $40, Fire TV Stick 4K for $39.99 instead of $50, a crazy Apple Watch Series 3 sale with prices as low as $199, a massive $80 discount on renewed Sony WH1000XM3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (this deal will sell out soon, but you can also buy them new and get a free 20,000 mAh portable charger) Eufy Lumos smart LED bulbs for $11.99 each, a gorgeous 55-inch 4K TV with built-in Fire TV for just $329.99, $40 off our favorite Instant Pot, and more. See all of today's top deals below.

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With homes flooded and dams and levees stressed, Oklahoma hopes to survive Arkansas River's wrath

Work crews struggled on Wednesday to maintain aging levees and dams during what meteorologists predict will be Oklahoma's worst-ever flooding.

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Satellite images show fields in northwest Syria on fire

New satellite images show fields, orchards and olive groves burning in northwest Syria, where the army has waged an assault against rebels in their last major stronghold. Government air strikes, backed by Russia, have focused on the south of Idlib province and nearby parts of Hama, uprooting nearly 250,000 people. The bombing has killed 229 civilians and injured 727 others, according to the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) charity.

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Bird attack at Disney World leaves woman with traumatic brain injury

A woman suffered severe brain injuries after she was attacked by a bird at Disney World, according to a lawsuit.Lisa Dixon was allegedly left with a traumatic brain injury and herniated discs in her neck after the animal struck her in the head at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in May 2017.Her lawyer likened the force at which the bird struck her to being hit in the head by a baseball.It is not clear what breed the bird was.The woman, who is in her 30s and from nearby Celebration, Orlando, has filed a lawsuit at Orange Circuit Court, where she is seeking unspecified damages in excess of $15,000 (almost £12,000), according to The Associated Press.It accuses Disney of failing to properly warn visitors of the dangers seasonal nesting birds pose, among other allegations.The incident reportedly happened as Ms Dixon walked along a dock at Polynesian Village Resort where visitors can take a boat across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom or another resort, the lawsuit said.In June 2016, Lane Graves died after he was snatched by an alligator at the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.The two-year-old was on holiday with his parents Matt and Melissa Graves from Elkhorn, Nebraska, at the time.Disney was not immediately available for comment when approached by The Independent.

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Tornadoes tear across US in record numbers, leaving trail of devastation

A vicious storm tore through the Kansas City area, spawning tornadoes that left a trail of devastation, as the US reeled from a record run of twisters.  The tornadoes downed trees and power lines, damaged homes and injured at least a dozen people in the latest barrage of severe weather that saw warnings as far east as New York City. Parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey were also under tornado warnings hours after a swarm of tightly packed twisters swept through Indiana and Ohio overnight, smashing homes, blowing out windows and ending the school year early for some students because of damage to buildings. One person was killed and at least 130 were injured. The storms in Kansas City on Tuesday were the 12th straight day that at least eight tornadoes were reported to the National Weather Service. After several quiet years, the past couple of weeks have seen an explosion of tornado activity with no end to the pattern in sight. The previous 11-day stretch of at least eight tornadoes per day ended on June 7, 1980. .@kmbc in Kansas City showing the tornado moving through Lawrence, KS on its way to Linwood. That is a massive tornado. Chopper pilot estimated it was a mile wide. KSwxpic.twitter.com/921tewWl9N— Drew Tuma (@DrewTumaABC7) May 28, 2019 "We're getting big counts on a lot of these days and that is certainly unusual," Patrick Marsh, warning coordination meteorologist for the federal Storm Prediction Centre, said. The National Weather Service had already received at least 27 more reports of tornadoes on Tuesday, suggesting that the record for consecutive days would be broken once the official totals are in. A large and dangerous tornado touched down on the western edge of Kansas City, Kansas, late on Tuesday, the National Weather Service office reported. At least a dozen people were admitted to the hospital in Lawrence, 40 miles west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the University of Kansas, hospital spokesman Janice Early said. Damage also was reported in the towns of Bonner Springs, Linwood and Pleasant Grove in Kansas. But the Kansas City metropolitan area of about 2.1 million people appeared to have been spared the direct hit that was feared earlier in the evening when the weather service announced a tornado emergency. Assisting with search and rescue near linwood Kansas pic.twitter.com/mdSTiowT1O— Jesse Risley ������️‍�� (@Jesse_Risley) May 29, 2019 Mark Duffin, 48, learned from his wife and a television report that the large tornado was headed toward his home in Linwood, about 30 miles west of Kansas City. The next thing he knew, the walls of his house were coming down. Mr Duffin told the Kansas City Star that he grabbed a mattress, followed his 13-year-old to the basement and protected the two of them with the mattress as the home crashed down around them. "I’m just glad I found my two dogs alive," he said. "Wife’s alive, family’s alive, I’m alive. So, that’s it." The severe weather wasn’t limited to the Midwest. Tornadoes were confirmed in eastern Pennsylvania and the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for parts of New York City and northern New Jersey. The winds peeled away roofs - leaving homes looking like giant dollhouses - knocked houses off their foundations, toppled trees, brought down power lines and churned up so much debris that it was visible on radar. Highway crews had to use snowplows to clear an Ohio interstate. People look on as they examine the damaged remains of school in Dayton, Ohio Credit: AFP Some of the heaviest damage was reported just outside Dayton, Ohio. "I just got down on all fours and covered my head with my hands," said Francis Dutmers, who with his wife headed for the basement of their home in Vandalia, about 10 miles outside Dayton, when the storm hit with a "very loud roar" on Monday night. The winds blew out windows around his house, filled rooms with debris and took down most of his trees. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency in three hard-hit counties, allowing the state to suspend normal purchasing procedures and quickly provide supplies like water and generators. Outbreaks of 50 or more tornadoes are not uncommon, having happened 63 times in US history, with three instances of more than 100 twisters, Mr Marsh said. But Monday’s swarm was unusual because it happened over a particularly wide geographic area and came amid an especially active stretch, he said. An aerial photo shows damaged homes and debris marking the path of a tornado in Celina Credit: AP As for why it’s happening, Mr Marsh said high pressure over the Southeast and an unusually cold trough over the Rockies are forcing warm, moist air into the central US, triggering repeated severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. And neither system is showing signs of moving, he said. Scientists say climate change is responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme weather such as storms, droughts, floods and fires, but without extensive study they cannot directly link a single weather event to the changing climate. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings.

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U.S. Warns Hong Kong to Avoid Tanker in Breach of Iran Sanctions

Washington wants to put China and the autonomous city on notice that it will aggressively and consistently enforce its Iran sanctions, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official said China would be informed that any entity doing business with the ship would expose it to U.S. sanctions. The attention levied on this single vessel, the Pacific Bravo, underscores Washington’s desire to stymie Iran’s oil exports.

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Melania Trump's most fashionable looks in Japan

Melania Trump is known for her designer taste and statement-making fashion -- and her trip to Japan this weekend was no exception.  

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Karl Rove: We should not get overconfident about 2020

Fox News contributor Karl Rove weighs in on the correlation between the booming U.S. economy and Trump's chances at winning the 2020 presidential election.

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Planned Parenthood: Missouri's last abortion clinic may shut

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri's only abortion clinic could be closed by the end of the week because the state is threatening to not renew its license, Planned Parenthood officials said Tuesday.

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Behold: Stunning renders show the iPhone 11 we wish Apple would make

Apple's new iPhone 11 lineup is set to debut just over than three months from now, but a fairly complete picture has already formed. We know that this year's iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Max, and iPhone 11R will look exactly like last year's iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR from the front, with the same all-screen design interrupted by the same large notch at the top of the display. We also know that the new iPhone 11 series will feature new rear cameras on the back of each handset. The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max will have triple-lens cameras in a large square camera bump, while the iPhone 11R (or whatever Apple ends up calling it) will feature the same square camera bump but with only a dual-lens camera, likely the same setup that can currently be found on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.Beyond the new cameras and a few other changes like frosted glass backs and a round mute switch, there isn't much excitement to speak of when it comes to Apple's iPhone designs in 2019. Meanwhile, Android vendors have moved past the iPhone X design they all copied last year and begun to develop some sleek new designs of their own. Samsung's Galaxy S10 lineup features a beautiful all-screen design with hole-punch cameras instead of a notch, and phones like the OnePlus 7 Pro don't even break up the screen with a hole. Instead, they feature true-all screen designs and have a selfie camera that pops up out of the top edge of the phone when needed.Apple's iPhone 11 design is indeed a bit stale in comparison, which is likely why one graphic designer took all of the leaks and rumors we've seen so far and added his own unique spin to create an iPhone 11 with a much sleeker and more modern design.The image above shows the front of Apple's current-generation iPhone XS, which looks exactly like Apple's previous-generation iPhone X from 2017. It's a fine design, and we all know that people who use a smartphone with a notch don't even notice the notch anymore after a very short time. But it has been about two years since Apple first introduced this design, so there's no question that it's feeling a bit dusty at this point. That's especially true now since so many Android phone makers have released handsets with more modern looks.Graphic designer Muhsin M. Belaal Auckburaully, who goes by DBS Designing on YouTube, seems to agree that Apple's upcoming new iPhone 11 series is a bit dated. The overall look of the phone is still gorgeous, of course, so he took the iPhone 11's design and stuck a more modern display on the front, which includes a small hole at the top for Apple's front-facing cameras rather than a large notch. Here's how it came out:Now, there's no question that a display that extends farther to the edges of the front and a hole-punch screen with a tiny hole for the cameras is a bit improvement over Apple's actual iPhone 11 design. There's also no question that it could never happen. The TrueDepth camera system Apple uses for Face ID has more components than just two tiny lenses like the ones we see above, so it needs much more room.Around back, the graphic designer's iPhone 11 mockup looks exactly like the real thing, but he decided to add a fourth camera lens in the bottom-right corner of the square camera bump. We're not sure why, considering that there will be a rear-facing microphone there to capture audio for videos and Live Photos, but it doesn't really change the overall look of the phone.You can find more images of Auckburaully's iPhone 11 on his Behance page, and a video showcasing the design is embedded below.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvmtrmAKtu0

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Boeing aims for first flight of 777X in late June -sources

SEATTLE/PARIS, May 29 (Reuters) - Boeing Co is looking to make the first test flight of its 777X twin-aisle jet as soon as late June, people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday, slightly later than the planemaker had planned, but still on track for putting the plane into airline service in 2020. Boeing hopes the new jet will extend its grip on the 'mini-jumbo' market, which it shares with rival Airbus SE's 365-seat A350-1000, and perhaps scoop up fresh orders following the demise of Airbus' A380 superjumbo. The test flight will likely be too late for Boeing to hit its previous target of flying the 777X to the Paris Air Show, which takes place June 17-23, where it had hoped to make a marketing splash in Airbus' backyard.

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One killed, scores hurt by Ohio tornadoes as twister threat lingers

An 81-year-old man was killed in Celina, a small city 65 miles (105 km) north of Dayton, after a tornado sent a vehicle crashing into his home, Celina Mayor Jeffrey Hazel said at a news conference. The deadly twister was one of several tornadoes to strike Ohio on Monday. The tornado in Celina, which touched down late on Monday, was at least an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with wind speeds of 136 miles per hour to 165 mph (219 to 266 km/h), said Patrick Marsh, warning coordination meteorologist at the federal Storm Prediction Center.

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Facebook removes accounts originating from Iran that targeted Princess Eugenie

Facebook accounts originating from Iran that targeted Princess Eugenie have been taken down by the social media giant. Some 51 accounts, 36 pages, seven groups and three Instagram accounts were producing "coordinated inauthentic behaviour" and have been removed. A photo of Princess Eugenie marrying Jack Brooksbank with homeless people edited into the image was used by one of the now defunct pages. It claimed that the princess "expects the taxpayer to subsidise her dream wedding, while food banks are over run", in an apparent attempt to stir up tensions among the British public. Around 21,000 people followed one or more of the pages involved, Facebook said. An example of 'coordinated inauthentic behaviour' that has been removed by the Facebook following a crackdown on accounts originating from Iran Credit: Facebook/PA Princess Eugenie has been on the receiving end of social media trolling in the past, including being targeted by users for a grammatical error in an Instagram post. In December 2016, her mother the Duchess of York pleaded with people to “stop bullying” her daughters, in a comment that was believed to be directed at those criticising their limited Royal duties. “Let's focus more on this and less on tittle-tattle gossip. Stop bullying the York family, please,” she said at a Teenage Cancer Trust event. Facebook yesterday said that the pages were removed because they were distributed with suspected malicious intent and that those behind the activity misled people about who they are and their intentions, sometimes representing themselves as journalists. Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of cybersecurity, said: "We're constantly working to detect and stop this type of activity because we don't want our services to be used to manipulate people. "Policy, as is always the case with these takedowns, is we're removing these pages, groups and accounts based on their behaviour, not the content they posted. "Based on a tip shared by FireEye, a US cybersecurity firm, we conducted an internal investigation into suspected Iran-linked coordinated inauthentic behaviour and identified this activity. "We've shared our analysis with law enforcement, policymakers and industry partners." Last month it was reported that Iran carried out a number of cyber attacks on the Post Office and the UK's local government networks in the lead-up to Christmas.

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No-deal Brexit is 'political suicide': Hunt

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Tuesday that Britain's governing Conservative Party would be committing "political suicide" if it tried to force through a no-deal Brexit. Hunt, who is among the 10 declared candidates vying to replace the outgoing Theresa May as Britain's prime minister, said trying to take the UK out of the EU without a deal would trigger a general election in which the Conservatives risked "extinction". The newly-formed Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage topped last week's European Parliament elections in Britain.

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