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A man suspected in the killings of two women in Florida and one in Alabama died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a standoff at a Georgia motel in which a female suspect was arrested, authorities said.

Escambia County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Amber Southard in Florida confirmed that 44-year-old William “Billy” Boyette fatally shot himself Tuesday evening at the motel in the neighboring state. Boyette and 37-year-old Mary Rice had holed up inside a motel room, authorities said, adding Rice was taken into custody.   Continue reading “Officials: Suspect in 3 slayings shot himself in standoff”

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BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The developer of the stalled Dakota Access oil pipeline could get clearance from the Army as early as Wednesday to finish the $3.8 billion project, though the American Indian tribe that has led the battle against the project for months has vowed to continue the fight.

The Army said Tuesday that it will allow the four-state pipeline to cross under a Missouri River reservoir in North Dakota, the last big chunk of construction. The Standing Rock Sioux promised to fight the development in court.   Continue reading “Army nod for Dakota Access pipeline looms; Tribe vows action”

RT

US President Donald Trump’s pick for Labor Department head, Andrew Puzder, has admitted to employing an undocumented immigrant for years, an admission that has caused Cabinet nominees to withdraw in the past.

On Monday, Puzder, the CEO of CKE Restaurants (the company that owns the fast food restaurants Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.), admitted to employing an undocumented worker as a housekeeper, according to a disclosure he made to the White House, the Huffington Post reported.   Continue reading “Trump’s Labor nominee admits to hiring undocumented worker”

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JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian Cabinet minister on Tuesday called on the international community to punish Israel for a contentious new law, just hours after the Israeli parliament adopted the bill to retroactively legalize thousands of West Bank settlement homes built unlawfully on private Palestinian land.

The explosive law, approved by lawmakers late on Monday, is the latest in a series of pro-settler steps taken by Israel’s hard-line government since the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. It is expected to trigger international outrage and a flurry of lawsuits against the measure.   Continue reading “Palestinians ask world to punish Israel for settlement law”

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — At $250 million, a new mega mansion in the exclusive Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles is the most expensive home listed in the United States. The passion project of developer and handbag tycoon Bruce Makowsky, the four-level, 38,000-square-foot mansion built on spec includes 12 bedroom suites, 21 bathrooms, five bars, three gourmet kitchens, a spa and an 85-foot infinity swimming pool with stunning views of Los Angeles. There’s also a 40-seat movie theater, a bowling alley, and a fleet of exotic and vintage cars worth $30 million.   Continue reading “At $250M, Los Angeles home most expensive listed in US”

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FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — An ex-convict who posted anti-Islamic rants online pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Monday for setting fire to a mosque that the Orlando nightclub shooter attended occasionally.

Joseph Schreiber, dressed in a burnt orange jumpsuit, his wrists and ankles shackled, pleaded no contest during Monday’s hearing before Circuit Judge Steven Levin. A no contest plea is treated the same as a guilty plea. Schreiber answered Levin’s questions in a clear, unwavering voice before sentencing. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution although damages exceeded $100,000. Because he was declared a habitual offender, he could have received a life sentence.   Continue reading “Suspect gets 30 years in Florida mosque fire”

RT

Mott Community College (MCC) in Flint, Michigan, has been closed due to what the college is calling an “active shooter threat,” it tweeted.

The threat was made at around 6:30am local time, according to MCC Police Chief Theresa Stephens-Lock.   Continue reading “Mott Community College in Michigan closed due to active shooter threat”

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LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Struggling under the weight of pension and health care obligations, Michigan lawmakers appear ready to take another whack at public employee benefits — a move that reflects renewed determination to shift workers to 401(k)-style retirement systems, even if it happens in baby steps.

Other states have made more modest changes, but the latest push shows that conservatives want to approve big reforms 20 years after Michigan became the first state to close pensions to future state workers. Republican Gov. Rick Snyder is pressing to address $14 billion in unfunded liabilities, mostly from retiree medical costs, spread across more than 330 communities.   Continue reading “Michigan leads effort to shift workers away from pensions”

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KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — More than 900 children were killed in Afghanistan’s conflict last year, the United Nations said Monday, calling it the most violent year for children since it started keeping records.

The U.N. mission said the nearly 25 percent increase in child deaths from the previous year was largely caused by mines and munitions left over from decades of conflict. It documented a 66 percent increase in such deaths in 2016.   Continue reading “UN: More than 900 children killed in Afghanistan in 2016”

RT

The next time you get a craving for a greasy burger from the drive-thru, you may want to reconsider. A new study has found that fast food packaging contains cancer-causing chemicals – showing that the risk of quick meals goes beyond trans fats and calories.

It’s no secret that fast food contains a huge amount of oils, but in an effort to repel those oils, the packaging is actually posing a huge risk to consumers, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters.    Continue reading “Cancer burger? Fast food wrappers contain carcinogenic chemicals, study says”

RT

Global crude prices rose on Thursday after US National Security Advisor Michael Flynn said Washington is putting Tehran “on notice” in response to an Iranian missile test.

The senior administration official refused to rule out any options for a US response, including military intervention.   Continue reading “Oil prices jump as Trump administration puts Iran ‘on notice’”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Warning that religious freedom is “under threat,” President Donald Trump vowed Thursday to repeal the Johnson Amendment, an IRS rule barring pastors from endorsing candidates from the pulpit.”

“I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution,” Trump said during remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, a high-profile event bringing together faith leaders, politicians and dignitaries.   Continue reading “Trump vows to repeal political limits on churches”

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SMYRNA, Del. (AP) — Police breached a building at Delaware’s largest prison early Thursday, ending a nearly 24-hour hostage standoff that left one corrections employee dead. Inmates assumed control of the building at the James T. Vaughn Correction Center on Wednesday, taking four corrections department workers hostage. The inmates told a local newspaper that concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States had prompted their actions.   Continue reading “Officials: 1 hostage dead after inmates take over prison”

RT

Despite nationwide protests and several major Republican figures speaking out against President Trump’s controversial travel ban, a new poll has revealed that more Americans actually support the ban than oppose it.

A Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Tuesday found that 49 percent of Americans approved of the executive order to ban citizens from seven mostly Muslim countries from entering the US. Forty-one percent disapproved.   Continue reading “More Americans approve of Trump’s travel ban than disapprove – poll”

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DETROIT (AP) — Two luxury electric vehicles — the Tesla Model S and the BMW i3 — fell short of getting the highest safety ratings in new crash tests by the insurance industry. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested 2017 models of both vehicles. Neither earned the institute’s “Top Safety Pick” award, which is given to vehicles that get the highest rating in five different crash tests and offer a crash-prevention system with automatic braking. To get a highest “Top Safety Pick-Plus” designation, vehicles must meet all of those criteria and have good headlights.   Continue reading “Tesla, BMW electrics fall short of highest crash-test rating”

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AMONA, West Bank (AP) — Israeli forces began an operation Wednesday to evacuate settlers from a West Bank outpost, a long-delayed move that had posed a serious threat to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s narrow coalition, which is dominated by ultranationalists who support settlements.

Unarmed police in blue sweatshirts and black baseball caps made their way up a hill to the unauthorized cluster of homes around midday. On the hilltop, youngsters erected makeshift barricades from smashed tiles, rusty metal bars and large stones to slow their advance. Some protesters threw rocks at security forces, while others set fire to tires and trash piles.   Continue reading “Israeli forces begin evacuation of West Bank outpost”

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BONNE TERRE, Mo. (AP) — Nearly 19 years to the day that Susan Brouk and her two children were taken to a Missouri pond and killed, one of the men responsible for the crime was put to death Tuesday. Mark Christeson was given a lethal injection — Missouri’s first execution since May. Christeson, 37, was hours away from execution in 2014 when the U.S. Supreme Court granted a temporary stay. This time, though, the court allowed the execution to proceed, and Gov. Eric Greitens declined a clemency request for Christeson, the first inmate to be put to death since the Republican took office.   Continue reading “Missouri executes man for killing woman, 2 children in 1998”

RT

President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order mandating that for each new government regulation being enacted, two need to be revoked.

The order is in line with the new president’s plan to slash regulations by as much as 75 percent, as Trump believes the expanding body of government rules is stifling the US economy.   Continue reading “Trump signs executive order to block new government regulations”

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Ocean rise already is worsening the floods and high tides sweeping California this stormy winter, climate experts say, and this month’s damage and deaths highlight that even a state known as a global leader in fighting climate change has yet to tackle some of the hardest work of dealing with it.

The critical steps yet to come include starting to decide which low-lying cities, airports and highways, along with threatened landmarks like San Francisco’s Embarcadero, to hoist above the rising water and which to abandon — and where to start getting the many billions of dollars for those climate rescues.   Continue reading “Storms preview ocean-rise damage to California cities, roads”

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YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Thousands of Myanmar politicians, activists and others shocked by the assassination of a longtime adviser to leader Aung San Suu Kyi gathered Monday at a cemetery for an emotional funeral ceremony, while police investigated the motive for the killing.

Ko Ni, a prominent lawyer and member of Myanmar’s Muslim minority, was shot in the head at close range as he walked out of the Yangon airport Sunday. The suspected shooter was apprehended while trying to escape.   Continue reading “Myanmar ruling party mourns assassination of Suu Kyi adviser”