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US Secretary of State to visit Moscow, Sochi on May 12-14

WASHINGTON, May 10. /TASS/: US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo will visit Moscow and Sochi on May 12-14, the Department of State said in a statement on Friday.

"On May 13, he will arrive in Russia to meet with his team at U.S. Embassy Moscow before meeting with UUS business leaders and UUS exchange alumni. Secretary Pompeo will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," the statement reads.

The cult of Narendra Modi dominates Indian politics in NYT article

NEW YORK, May 09 (APP): An Indian-American historian has criticized India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi for targeting Pakistan and the Indian Muslims during his re-election campaign in an attempt to divert attention from his failures to deliver on his promises of improving people’s lives.

Delivering HIV vaccine piece by piece improves its killing power

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua): Scientists at a U.S. research institute have developed an HIV vaccine delivery strategy that enhanced the protective immune response in a preclinical model.

The study published on Thursday in the journal Cell showed that delivering HIV vaccine in small doses over multiple days produced stronger immune response than administering it all at once.

HIV is a crafty opponent with decoy sites on its outer protein shell to confuse the immune system and nullify the vaccines.

"Lucky Grandma," a love letter by Asian filmmakers to Chinatown

NEW YORK, May 9 (Xinhua): Led by two female Asian-American filmmakers, the movie "Lucky Grandma" has sent a special "love letter" to the U.S. Chinatown, featuring a Chinese immigrant elderly woman and her adventurous experience.

"Lucky Grandma," which premiered during the lately-closed 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, depicted how Grandma Wong got herself in a big trouble but sill insisted her independent life, and finally reaped an unexpected cross-age friendship.

US charges intelligence analyst for leaking assassinations info on drone program

10 May 2019; DW: The US Department of Justice has charged a former intelligence analyst for leaking top secret information on its global drone program. The information included targeted assassinations in Yemen, Somalia and Afghanistan.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Daniel Everette Hale, a former intelligence analyst, with the theft and disclosure of sensitive government information in Alexandria, Virginia on Thursday.

Trump to nominate Shanahan for top Pentagon post

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday said he will nominate Patrick Shanahan to be his second secretary of defense, putting an end to months of speculation about the former Boeing executive’s standing in the administration.

Shanahan has been leading the Pentagon as acting secretary since Jan. 1, a highly unusual arrangement for arguably the most sensitive Cabinet position. He took over after Jim Mattis resigned.

Prosecutors say synagogue terrorist boasted of hate for Jews

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A gunman who killed a woman and wounded three during services at a Southern California synagogue later told a 911 dispatcher he had done it because “the Jewish people are destroying the white race,” prosecutors said Thursday in announcing 109 hate crime and other charges against the man.

U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer Jr. said it’s possible the suspect, John T. Earnest, could face the death penalty following last month’s shooting at Chabad of Poway, in a suburb north of San Diego. A decision on that will be made at a later date, Brewer said.

A growing number of states call porn a public health crisis

PHOENIX (AP) — More than a dozen states have moved to declare pornography a public health crisis, raising concerns among some experts who say the label goes too far and carries its own risks.

The Arizona Senate approved a resolution this week calling for a systemic effort to prevent exposure to porn that’s increasingly accessible to younger kids online. At least one legislative chamber has adopted a similar resolution in 15 other states.

US coal to keep sliding as renewables, gas fill gap

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. demand for coal to generate electricity will keep sliding in coming months, federal officials said Thursday, despite efforts by the Trump administration to shore up the struggling industry.

Renewable energy sources including wind, solar and hydropower are expected to fill much of the gap left by coal’s decline, according to the Energy Information Administration.

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