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A super blood wolf moon is happening next week

New York; 15 Jan 2019; GANASHAKTI: January 22nd will see an especially rare lunar occurrence take place that sounds like a deep-cut album track off of an early Iron Maiden album, maybe 'Piece Of Mind' or 'Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son'.

A super blood moon is a combination of two lunar occurrences - a super moon and a lunar eclipse, whilst the wolf part comes from traditional names for each full moon.

A super moon is when the moon passes at its closest point to Earth while on a full moon, and happens roughly three times a year.

The shutdown today: Trump says he’ll ‘never, ever back down’

15 Jan 2019; AP: With the government mired in shutdown week four, President Donald Trump is rejecting a short-term legislative fix and digging in for a fight, declaring he will “never ever back down.”

Air travelers endured waits of more than an hour to get through domestic checkpoints at the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta on Monday.

Trump says 'never worked for Russia,' slams 'big fat hoax'

14 Jan 2019; AFP: US President Donald Trump declared Monday that he has "never" worked on behalf of Russia after bombshell reports were published on his alleged ties to the Kremlin.

"I never worked for Russia and you know that answer better than anybody," Trump told reporters at the White House. "It's a disgrace that you even ask that question. It's all a big fat hoax."

Antarctica ice melts 6 times faster than 40 years ago: study

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- American and Dutch scientists found that yearly ice mass loss in Antarctica increased sixfold in the past 40 years.

The study published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed the accelerated melting elevated global sea levels more than 1.2 centimeters during 1979 to 2017.

It is the longest-ever assessment of Antarctic ice mass, covering 176 basins and surrounding islands.

The researchers compared snowfall accumulation in interior basins with ice discharge by glaciers at their grounding lines.

Palestine's Abbas in New York for takeover of G77 chair

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is in New York on Monday for a takeover of the chairmanship of the Group of 77 (G77) developing countries.

Abbas is expected to attend a ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday for the handover of the G77 chairmanship from Egypt to Palestine for the year 2019.

Trump threatens to devastate Turkey if it hits Kurdish forces, Ankara hits back

Washington, Jan 14 (PTI) President Donald Trump has threatened to "devastate" Turkey economically if the NATO-allied nation attacks US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria following a pullout of American troops from the war-torn country, in a stern warning rejected by Ankara saying it will continue to fight the "terrorists".

Last month, President Trump surprised the world by announcing that he is withdrawing 2000 American troops from Syria. The pullout began last week.

Average US price of gas drops 12 cents per gallon to $2.31

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline has dropped 12 cents a gallon (3.8 liters) over the past three weeks to $2.31.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey says Sunday that falling crude oil costs are the main reason for the decrease at the pump.

The average gas price has dropped 66 cents over the past 3 ½ months.

The highest average price in the nation is $3.46 a gallon in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The lowest average is $1.80 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

House GOP leader vows action against King over race remarks

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Republican leader said Sunday he will meet with Rep. Steve King this week to discuss King’s future and role in the party and promised action following the Iowa congressman’s recent comments in defense of white supremacy.

“That language has no place in America. That is not the America I know and it’s most definitely not the party of Lincoln,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. “Action will be taken. I’m having a serious conversation with congressman Steve King.”

Storm punishes swath of US with snow, ice and freezing rain

Jan 13, 2018; AP: A winter storm that contributed to at least five deaths in the Midwest pummeled the mid-Atlantic region for a second day Sunday, bringing with it an icy mix that knocked out power, cancelled flights and contributed to hundreds of car accidents.

Virginia State Police said the driver of a military surplus vehicle was killed late Saturday after he lost control on Interstate 81 because of slick road conditions.

Trump says no emergency declaration to end US govt shutdown

13 Jan 2019; AFP: President Donald Trump said he was holding off on declaring a state of emergency to end the partial US government shutdown that dragged into a 23rd day Sunday, as he insisted on $5.7 billion to build a Mexico border wall that congressional Democrats oppose.

Asked by Fox News why he didn't immediately declare a national emergency to secure the funds without congressional approval, Trump said he wanted to give opposition Democratic lawmakers more time to strike a deal.

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