International

Newly Found Songs from the Holocaust Still Haunt

The history of music is rich with sounds spurred by suffering. During the Holocaust, songs of defiance and belief helped captive Jews confront and temporarily alleviate their misery. Now, a long-lost recording from 1946 is providing a poignant new soundtrack for understanding life in the Nazi concentration camps and Jewish ghettos. Just after World War […]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Why some Somali Americans are cheering for their home country’s new president

It’s a party at this large banquet hall in Columbus, Ohio, with at least a thousand people packed in. Women wear dresses and headscarves in light blue and white, the colors of the Somali flag, and everyone is dancing to a hit song honoring Somalia’s new president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. For many Somali Americans in

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International, USA

Carter Page, former Trump campaign adviser: I ‘do not deny’ talking with Russian ambassador

Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser to President Trump’s campaign, says he doesn’t deny speaking with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak last year, after saying last month he had “no meetings” with any Russian officials. “I’m not going to deny that I talked with him,” Mr. Page said on MSNBC Thursday evening. “I will say

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International, USA

5 Trump Cabinet Members Who’ve Made False Statements to Congress

As most of the world knows by now, Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not tell the truth when he was asked during his confirmation hearings about contacts with Russian officials. But Sessions isn’t the only one. At least four other cabinet members made statements during their nomination hearings that are contradicted by actual facts: EPA

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USA

Front-runner in Ecuador election says Assange must leave embassy

BOGOTA, Colombia — WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange may be able to keep a diplomatic safe haven after all. Guillermo Lasso, the front-runner in Ecuador’s presidential election, says he intends to evict Assange from that country’s London embassy if he wins the April 2 runoff against ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno. But he also said he

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International, USA

Rand Paul: Told to ‘take it or leave it’ on Obamacare strategy

Sen. Rand Paul on Friday said conservatives are being told to “take it or leave it” when it comes to the emerging House GOP plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, setting up a major clash with leaders hoping to mark up legislation as soon as next week. Republicans are trying to repeal and replace as

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Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

U.S. increases bombing of al-Qaida in Yemen, citing threat to West

WASHINGTON — The United States has stepped up its campaign against al- Qaida targets in Yemen, launching more than 30 airstrikes in the past two days, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday. More than 20 airstrikes were conducted Thursday morning, targeting al-Qaida militants, equipment and infrastructure in Bayda, Shabwa and Abyan provinces. Those attacks were followed

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Middle East, USA

Trump praises students, educators at Catholic school in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. — President Donald Trump chatted with students and praised educators at a private Catholic school in Orlando on Friday, part of a trip focusing on a scholarship program for low-income families. Trump’s visit also drew about 100 protesters angry at what they described as an “anti-public schools agenda.” The president arrived at St.

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Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Launch of major State Department human rights report is low-key

WASHINGTON — In a possible sign of things to come, the State Department gave a decidedly low-key launch Friday to its annual report on human rights worldwide. Normally the comprehensive report that looks at the human rights situation in nearly 200 countries and territories is released with a bit of fanfare. Some years, the secretary

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International, USA

Trump Calls Out Pelosi, Schumer Over Alleged Russia Ties

President Donald Trump called Friday for investigations into House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s links to Russia, sharing articles that appeared to show the Democratic lawmakers in past meetings with Moscow officials. Trump, whose administration was rocked by accusations of maintaining secret links to Moscow, shared an article published Friday

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International, USA

Boy Scouts to pay $18,000, apologize to 9-year-old transgender boy thrown out of pack

HACKENSACK, N.J. — The Northern New Jersey Council of Boy Scouts agreed to create “revised policies and procedures” related to the “admission of transgender youth.” Those polices and procedures will be based on the state’s “prohibitions against discrimination based on gender identity and expression.” The Boy Scouts of America said they will continue to reach

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USA

White House exempts Keystone pipeline, project not required to use American steel: Report

President Trump’s pledge that new pipeline projects will use “American steel” will not apply to the Keystone XL project, according to media reports, directly contradicting the president’s own words last week. Politico reported late Thursday night that a White House spokeswoman explained that the project, which has been in the works for the past decade,

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International, USA

Judge shoots down Miami-Dade deportation policy adopted to follow Trump immigration order

MIAMI — Miami-Dade County — faced with threats by President Donald Trump to cut off federal funding — violated the U.S. Constitution when it agreed to jail people slated for deportation, a judge ruled on Friday. The judge’s ruling was a rebuke of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s much-criticized decision to allow county jails to hold

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USA