Mail.com

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) — Officials have postponed the California launch of a new type of U.S. weather satellite intended to improve the accuracy of extended forecasts. A press release from Vandenberg Air Force Base says the planned launch was scrubbed early Tuesday because of an unspecified issue and managers didn’t have enough time to resolve it.

The launch of the Delta 2 rocket has been rescheduled for Wednesday, at 1:47 a.m. PST. The rocket will carry the Joint Polar Satellite System-1, the first of four advanced spacecraft for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  Continue reading “California launch of new US weather satellite postponed”

Mail.com

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A stubborn rancher’s refusal to recognize federal authority in the West will be presented to a jury in Las Vegas, where a trial is set to start Tuesday for cattleman Cliven Bundy, two of his sons and a co-defendant accused of leading a 2014 armed standoff against government agents.

Acting U.S. Attorney Steven Myhre, the lead prosecutor, has accused the Bundys of trying to instigate a “range war” against federal agents who were enforcing lawful court orders after Bundy racked up more than $1.1 million in unpaid fees and penalties letting cattle graze for decades in what is now Gold Butte National Monument.   Continue reading “Land policies to be tested in Bundy standoff trial in Vegas”

RT

The US is being pushed out of the grain market as Russia’s bumper wheat harvest has dragged down prices to record lows. Russian agricultural exports are booming thanks to a weaker national currency and massive investment.

“We are pushing America aside in some markets, and we are satisfied with this,” said Russia’s Agriculture Minister Aleksandr Tkachev.

This year Russian farmers are expected to harvest the biggest crop in over a century. Russia will produce at least 83 million tons of wheat in the current growing season, according to estimates by The Wall Street Journal.   Continue reading “Russia squeezing US out as agricultural superpower”

RT

The EU has moved a step closer towards having a joint military force by signing an agreement on a permanent command structure. PESCO, or Permanent Structured Cooperation, was signed by 23 members of the 28-strong European Union on Monday.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini supported the move, hailing it as an “historic moment.” Backed by a €5-billion ($6.5-billion) EU defense fund, PESCO “will enable member states to use the economy of scale of Europe and in this manner to fulfil the gap of output that we have.”   Continue reading “NATO not enough? EU launches own military alliance”

MSN

SAN JOSE, Nov 12 (Reuters) – A strong 6.5 magnitude quake struck the Pacific coast of Costa Rica near its capital city San Jose on Sunday night, but there were no initial reports of injuries or significant damage to infrastructure.

Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis said authorities were gathering information and asked residents to remain calm and to be prepared for any possible aftershocks.

A Reuters witness said the quake was felt very briefly in San Jose, but it was enough to startle residents.   Continue reading “Strong quake hits Costa Rica, no reports of major damage”

Mail.com

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas ramped up security for the annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, which was the first major outdoor event on the Strip since the mass shooting. The city posted snipers and used a helicopter to watch for danger as tens of thousands of people participated in the race. Many wore T-shirts that read “Vegas Strong,” in memory of the Oct. 1 attack.

Some runners who picked up their race packages Thursday at a convention center mentioned defiance, strength and resilience among their reasons to take part in the event less than two months after the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history rattled a city known for its partying atmosphere.   Continue reading “Ramped up security at Las Vegas marathon after mass shooting”

RT

Scientists have discovered how to make old human cells young again through rejuvenation. It’s an exciting discovery that could change the way humans age.

Researchers at the University of Exeter and University of Brighton found they could rejuvenate senescent cells, cells that had stopped their natural growth cycle,causing them to start to divide again. The experiment found they not only look younger, but also behave like younger cells.   Continue reading “‘Like magic’: Scientists find way to make old human cells young again”

RT

The three richest people in the United States – Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett – have a total wealth that exceeds the savings of America’s poorest 160 million, a new study shows.

The three billionaires are sitting on a combined $248.5 billion fortune, which outstrips the combined net worth of an estimated 160 million Americans, or 53 million US households. The study entitled Billionaire Bonanza 2017 was compiled by the Institute for Policy Studies.   Continue reading “‘Moral crisis’: Gates, Buffett & Bezos richer than poorest half of America combined”

RT

The Syrian Army has liberated the city of Abu Kamal, destroying the last Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) stronghold in Syria. Abu Kamal’s fall signals the end of IS as a terrorist group, army commanders said.

“The liberation of Abu Kamal city is very important because it signals the general fall of the terrorist Daesh organisation’s project in the region,” a statement from the army’s general command said.   Continue reading “Last ISIS stronghold in Syria, Abu Kamal, totally liberated – Syrian Army”

Mail.com

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) — A military jury begins deliberating Thursday on whether a Marine Corps drill instructor is guilty of beating, stomping and choking new recruits, or whether accounts of his abuse toward Muslim-American military hopefuls were overhyped by young troops.

The eight-man jury at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, will decide whether Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Felix — a brawny veteran of Iraq with the closely packed face of a boxer — was the furious center of an abusive group of drill instructors at the Parris Island, South Carolina, boot camp.   Continue reading “Marine Corps drill instructor abuse case going to jury”

RT

NATO needs civilian infrastructure in Europe to meet its growing military requirements, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said ahead of a meeting in Brussels. This will mean coordination with national governments and the private sector, he added.

Defense ministers from the 29 NATO states arrived in Brussels to begin discussions on a “revision” of the NATO Command Structure. What is envisioned is a new command to protect sea lines between North America and Europe, and another to “improve the movement of troops and equipment within Europe.”   Continue reading “NATO wants Europe’s civilian infrastructure ready for war”

Mail.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Tuesday blocked Democratic efforts to secure bigger tax benefits for parents’ costs of raising or adopting children, as they drove toward wrapping up their tax overhaul by week’s end.

The daylong debate by the Ways and Means Committee came as the Senate’s tax bill started to take shape. That version is expected to completely repeal the federal deduction for state and local taxes, a flashpoint of contention for Republican lawmakers from high-tax states like New York and New Jersey, as well as Democrats. Concessions were made in the House bill with a partial repeal.   Continue reading “GOP blocks Dem efforts to boost tax benefits for parents”

Mail.com

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Residents in this rural state grappling with a heroin epidemic and an aging population voted Tuesday to deliver a rebuke to Republican Gov. Paul LePage and join 31 other states that have expanded Medicaid under former President Barack Obama’s health care law.

The referendum represents the first time since the law took effect that the question of expansion had been put in front of U.S. voters. Some 11 million people in the country have gotten coverage through the expansion of Medicaid, a health insurance program for low income people.   Continue reading “Maine OKs Medicaid expansion in first-of-its-kind referendum”

Mail.com

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A transgender candidate defeated an incumbent Virginia lawmaker who sponsored a bill that would have restricted which bathrooms she could use. Democrat Danica Roem, a former journalist, is set to make history as the first openly transgender person elected and seated in a state legislature in the United States. She unseated Republican Del. Bob Marshall, one of the state’s longest serving and most socially conservative lawmakers. The race was one of the year’s most high profile, drawing international attention and big money to the northern Virginia House of Delegates district outside the nation’s capital.   Continue reading “Transgender woman makes history in Virginia House seat win”

RT

A power-play by the most powerful man in Saudi Arabia took place over the weekend, with big repercussions for the future of the country that is OPEC’s de factor leader and the world’s second-largest oil producer.

Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and heir to King Salman, was granted control over a wide-ranging anti-corruption committee last week, and immediately used his new power to consolidate his position. Eleven former ministers and dozens of Saudi princes were arrested or detained on charges of corruption, graft or financial malfeasance.   Continue reading “Why Saudi Arabia’s crackdown sent oil prices soaring”

Mail.com

Time has not healed the Democratic party’s wounds. On Election Day 2016, Democrats suffered a devastating and shocking loss. A year later, they’re still sorting through the wreckage. The infighting, the divisive personalities and the questions about how it happened are still front and center, threatening to hold the party back in elections on Tuesday and into next year’s midterms.

Hillary Clinton is on a tour promoting her book on last year’s campaign, entitled “What Happened.” The man she defeated in the party’s presidential primaries, Bernie Sanders, and former Vice President Joe Biden are the two top possible presidential contenders in 2020. And just in time for a crucial race for Virginia governor, the Democratic National Committee’s former chairwoman, Donna Brazile, last week reopened the wounds over whether the party tilted the primary in Clinton’s favor.   Continue reading “Democrats try to look forward but are still haunted by 2016”

Mail.com

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California should use armored cars to transport hundreds of millions of dollars in cash tax payments expected next year with the state’s legal marijuana market, the state treasurer said Tuesday.

The state on Jan. 1 will enter a new era with cannabis when recreational sales become legal and join the long-standing medical industry in what will become the largest U.S. legal pot economy. But the new market estimated to grow to $7 billion annually has a troubling flaw: Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, so most banks won’t do business with pot growers, manufacturers or retailers. That means marijuana companies typically operate only in cash.   Continue reading “California proposes armored cars to transport pot tax money”

Mail.com

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Donald Trump says tougher gun laws would not have prevented a mass shooting at a south Texas church, arguing that more restrictions might have led to more casualties.

Trump spoke at a news conference in South Korea on Tuesday where he was asked about “extreme vetting” for gun purchases. Trump said: “If you did what you’re suggesting, there would have been no difference three days ago and you might not have had that very brave person who happens to have a gun or a rifle in his trunk.”   Continue reading “Trump says tougher gun laws not answer after Texas shooting”

RT

Bitcoin’s sevenfold rally is one of the telltale signs of a bubble, according to investment strategists. It started the year at $973 and rocketed to $7,600 on Sunday, up over 750 percent in 10 months.

Financial advisors warn bitcoin is another bubble similar to the tech boom of the late 1990s, the housing crash of 2006-2007 and the commodities bust of 2008-2009.  Continue reading “Beware of bitcoin bubble, warn investment & financial advisors, as it smashes $7,600”

RT

A US service member has been killed during operations in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Logar on Saturday, according to the US military. It is the same region where another soldier was killed in a helicopter crash last week.

The US Forces Afghanistan Command in Kabul confirmed the fatality in a statement, without giving details of the deceased’s identity or the circumstances of his death.

“One US service member has died as a result of wounds sustained during operations in Logar province, Saturday afternoon,” it said, also expressing sympathy to the family of the deceased.   Continue reading “US soldier killed during operation in eastern Afghanistan”