| Snowden joins Twitter, follows NSA Posted: 29 Sep 2015 10:53 AM PDT  The former National Security Agency contractor, who has been living in asylum in Russia after blowing the lid on the U.S. spy agency's controversial domestic surveillance program, has joined Twitter.
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| Obama and Putin: Awkward moments, few breakthroughs Posted: 29 Sep 2015 02:14 AM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin's first formal meeting in more than two years started with an awkward handshake and ended without a breakthrough on Syria, a crisis that has strained their already tense relationship.
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| VW: 1.8M commercial vehicles, 700,000 SEAT cars affected Posted: 29 Sep 2015 05:30 AM PDT  BERLIN (AP) — Volkswagen said Tuesday that 1.8 million commercial vehicles are among those affected by the emissions-rigging scandal, while Spanish unit SEAT said 700,000 of its cars were fitted with the diesel engine in question.
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| Afghanistan mounts offensive to retake Kunduz city from Taliban Posted: 29 Sep 2015 08:54 AM PDT  Afghan troops backed by US air support launched a counter-offensive Tuesday to retake Kunduz, a day after Taliban insurgents overran the strategic northern city in their biggest victory since being ousted from power in 2001. Gun battles erupted and Humvees rolled in parts of the city as Afghan security forces, who had retreated to the outlying airport after the fall, began a counter-strike backed by reinforcements. The Taliban had captured government buildings and freed hundreds of prisoners on Monday, raising their trademark white flag throughout the city.
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| Trevor Noah ‘Daily Show’ review: Putting a happy face on the news Posted: |
| Pentagon says U.S. needs to beef up ability to deter cyber attacks Posted: 29 Sep 2015 07:13 AM PDT  The U.S. military needs to improve its ability to deter attacks on its computer networks, and is working to make it more costly for U.S. adversaries, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work told a Senate hearing on Tuesday. "We are not where we need to be in our deterrent posture," Work told the Senate Armed Services Committee. Work said three recent attacks, a massive breach of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, an attack on the unclassified network of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and an earlier attack on Sony Pictures, were carried out by three different state actors, but did not elaborate.
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| Baltimore judge to schedule police trials in black man's death Posted: 29 Sep 2015 03:03 AM PDT  Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams will hold an afternoon scheduling hearing with prosecutors and defense lawyers in the case arising from the death of Freddie Gray in April. Gray, 25, died from a spinal injury suffered in the back of a police van, leading to the demonstrations and looting in the largely black city later that month. It also fueled a U.S. debate on police treatment of minorities.
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| Two killed and three, including infant, hurt in Chicago shooting Posted: 28 Sep 2015 10:36 PM PDT The 11-month old's mother and grandmother were killed when an unknown number of people inside a car opened fire on the group around 7:30 p.m., Chicago police deputy chief Eugene Roy told reporters. The infant was in stable condition. |
| Did NASA time Mars announcement to 'The Martian'? Posted: 28 Sep 2015 03:01 PM PDT  The announcement confirming that water is flowing on the surface of Mars was celebrated by scientists searching for life in the universe — and by the publicists at Twentieth Century Fox looking to promote "The Martian," the upcoming Ridley Scott film starring Matt Damon.
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| Congress moves on spending bill as shutdown deadline looms Posted: 28 Sep 2015 04:32 PM PDT  By Richard Cowan and David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress moved on Monday to rush legislation to President Barack Obama that avoids a government shutdown on Thursday as the new fiscal year starts while setting aside a bitter Republican feud over money for Planned Parenthood. The Senate kicked off the effort by advancing a measure to extend all previous agency funding levels until Dec. 11, in a bipartisan 77-19 procedural vote. Republican House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who declared his candidacy on Monday to succeed House Speaker John Boehner, vowed to avoid another shutdown threat in December when the stop-gap funding ends and a federal debt ceiling limit is needed.
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| 'Cheers' but no cheer: Obama and Putin's grim toast Posted: 28 Sep 2015 02:38 PM PDT  Rarely can a toast at a UN luncheon have been so chilly. Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin went through the motions on Monday, clinking glasses and making eye contact, but no more. Obama saluted the world leaders seated at his table, but when he came to Putin, his look hardened and his smile faded.
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| Scramble to fill top jobs in House after Boehner exit Posted: 28 Sep 2015 03:33 PM PDT  The House Majority Leader officially declares his candidacy for House speaker to replace John Boehner.
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