| Postmaster general says he'll pause cutbacks that threatened voting — but service slowdowns might persist Posted: 18 Aug 2020 12:03 PM PDT  The embattled postmaster general is set to testify in front of the Senate on Friday and the House on Monday over concerns about funding and the election.
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| ‘She Has No Role’: Biden Condemns Ousted Women’s March Organizer Linda Sarsour after Her DNC Appearance Posted: 19 Aug 2020 07:00 AM PDT  Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden condemned the views of former Women's March co-chair Linda Sarsour, who has been repeatedly accused of anti-Semitism, after she participated in a Democratic National Convention council meeting on Tuesday.Sarsour, a Muslim activist who endorsed Biden after he announced Senator Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) as his running mate last week, spoke at the DNC's "Muslim Delegates and Allies Assembly" on Tuesday, sparking disapproval in light of her history of controversial comments on Jews and Israel. "Joe Biden has been a strong supporter of Israel and a vehement opponent of anti-Semitism his entire life, and he obviously condemns her views and opposes BDS, as does the Democratic platform," Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said, according to CNN's Jake Tapper. "She has no role in the Biden campaign whatsoever."Bates then pointed out that the official Democratic platform says, "We oppose any effort to unfairly single out and delegitimize Israel, including at the United Nations or through the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement."Sarsour apologized in 2018 for failing to condemn anti-Semitism among march organizers and then stepped down from her role as co-chair one year later due to anti-Semitic comments."Sarsour is the one who stands with terrorists and bigots, including Louis Farrakhan. Sarsour shared a platform with and praised Rasmea Odeh – a Palestinian-Arab terrorist responsible for murdering Jewish students; praised an Arab kid holding rocks to throw at Israelis as 'the definition of courage,' and tweeted her support for the intifada – the knifing, bombing and shooting campaigns in which Palestinian-Arab terrorists murdered and maimed 12,000 Jews," a Zionist Organization of America statement said in August 2019.The march's co-president Tamika Mallory, who was similarly ousted over anti-Semitic controversy, also spoke at the DNC at a virtual meeting of the Democratic Black Caucus on Monday.Mallory attended an address by anti-Semitic nation of Islam leader Louis Farrkahn in 2018, during which Farrakhan labeled Jews "satanic" and called them his "enemy." Mallory posted on social media after the event that Farrakhan was the "GOAT," or greatest of all time. She later refused to denounce Farrakhan in January 2019, leading the DNC to drop its sponsorship of the Women's March.
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| Barr announces 1,000 arrests, including suspects in 90 murders under Operation Legend Posted: 19 Aug 2020 01:02 PM PDT  Suspects in 90 homicides have been arrested under Operation Legend, the Trump administration deployment of federal officers to nine U.S. cities so far
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| A 19-year-old who admitted to blackmail, revenge porn, and bullying won his primary race for the Kansas House and is now running unopposed Posted: 18 Aug 2020 10:15 AM PDT  Aaron Coleman, a 19-year-old who admitted to blackmail, revenge porn, and bullying, has won his primary race for the Kansas House of Representatives.
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| Teens with nearly $2 million in narcotics arrested at border, feds say Posted: 18 Aug 2020 06:45 PM PDT  The 18-year-olds, who were not immediately identified, were caught after others loaded up the vehicle and then slipped away, authorities said.
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| Austrian Airlines fires a flight attendant for chanting anti-Semitic slogans at a far-right rally Posted: 19 Aug 2020 08:26 AM PDT  The ousted flight attendant, Christina Kohl, is running for a seat on the Vienna municipal council on a far-right ticket.
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| Seized trawler had Australia's largest cocaine haul on board Posted: 18 Aug 2020 08:24 PM PDT  Cocaine pulled from a seized trawler was confirmed Wednesday to be Australia's largest haul of the illicit drug. The Coralynne was intercepted Saturday night after Australian intelligence officers saw it receive drugs transferred from a larger Chinese fishing boat that might have come from South America. The haul had been estimated at up to 1 metric ton (1.1 U.S. tons) of cocaine before it was weighed.
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| FDA halts emergency approval of blood plasma COVID-19 treatment Posted: 19 Aug 2020 02:03 PM PDT  The emergency approval of blood plasma as a potential COVID-19 treatment by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now been put on hold, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing two senior administration officials.
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| Trump responds to Michelle Obama's speech with jab at 'your husband' Posted: 18 Aug 2020 05:08 AM PDT  President Trump responded to Michelle Obama's DNC keynote speech by attacking former President Barack Obama on Twitter.
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| Stop celebrating pro-war Republicans and ignoring progressives like AOC, California Rep. Ro Khanna tells Democrats Posted: 19 Aug 2020 05:14 PM PDT  The Silicon Valley congressman has become an emissary between the Democratic Party's young, emboldened progressive wing and the mainstream embodied by 77-year-old Joe Biden.
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| 8 Top-Rated Wireless Headphones Deals You Don’t Want to Miss Today Posted: 19 Aug 2020 11:15 AM PDT |
| 4.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Death Valley and shakes Las Vegas, officials say Posted: 19 Aug 2020 12:13 PM PDT  The earthquake hit just days after Death Valley set a heat record.
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| U.S. senator calls for federal investigation into beating near Portland protests Posted: 18 Aug 2020 07:01 PM PDT  U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham urged the department to probe the case as Portland police identified a 25-year-old man suspected of taking part in the Sunday night attack and asked him to surrender. "This shocking attack by a mob against a young man in the streets of Portland is beyond the pale," Graham, an ally of U.S. president Donald Trump, said in a written statement.
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| USA's first male 'murder hornet' captured in Washington state Posted: 18 Aug 2020 01:35 PM PDT  Scarily nicknamed "murder hornets," the Asian giant hornet, the world's largest at 2 inches, can decimate entire hives of honeybees.
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| How Ukraine's audacious secret service successfully scammed Putin and his mercenaries Posted: 19 Aug 2020 08:30 AM PDT  Ukraine tricked 32 Russian mercenaries into confessing their jobs and almost flying straight into Ukrainian custody.
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| Former counterterrorism chief: Trump defeat may prompt right-wing terror attacks Posted: 18 Aug 2020 12:09 PM PDT  The former head of the National Counterterrorism Center said he would not be surprised if right-wing domestic terrorist groups stage attacks in the United States around this November's presidential election.
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| ‘I nominate my friend’: Security guard who once told Joe Biden ‘I love you’ helps secure his candidacy Posted: 19 Aug 2020 02:59 AM PDT  A security guard who once blurted out "I love you" to Joe Biden in an elevator was the first person to nominate him as the Democrats' presidential candidate on Tuesday.Jacquelyn Brittany, who works at the New York Times, first met Mr Biden when the former VP was attending an editorial board meeting at the publication's Manhattan office in December.
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| Percentage of Americans who say they'd get a COVID-19 vaccine declines 10 percent in 3 months Posted: 19 Aug 2020 07:25 AM PDT  Fewer Americans say they'd get a vaccine against COVID-19 than about three months ago, an alarming new poll has found.In a poll released by CNN on Wednesday, when respondents were asked if they would personally try to get a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 if one was made widely available at a low cost, only 56 percent said they would, while 40 percent said they wouldn't. The percentage of Americans who say they would get vaccinated is down 10 percentage points from May, when 66 percent in the same CNN poll said they'd get the vaccine.CNN reports the decline "seems to be concentrated among Trump supporters, 51 percent of whom said they would seek out a vaccine in May compared with 38 percent who say the same now." In response to the poll's finding, CNN's Jim Sciutto tweeted, "The attack on science has consequences."> According to the new CNN poll, the number of Americans that would be willing to take a coronavirus vaccine has dropped by 10% since May 10th.> > Will take the vaccine: 56% (66%) > Won't take the vaccine: 40% (33%)> > — Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) August 19, 2020Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, previously warned that if too many Americans refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine, it's "unlikely" the U.S. will get to herd immunity.That's why, he explained to CNN, it's important for "people to understand that we're doing everything we can to show that it's safe and that it's effective, and it's for the good of them as individuals and in society to take the vaccine." Fauci added, however, that keeping in mind the "anti-science, anti-authority, anti-vaccine feeling among some people in this country," health officials, unfortunately, have "a lot of work to do."The poll was conducted by SSRS by speaking to a random national sample of 1,108 adults over the phone from Aug. 12-15. The margin of error is 3.7 percentage points. Read more at CNN.More stories from theweek.com Joe Biden is already planning a failed presidency The elephant in the room at the DNC 5 brutally funny cartoons about Trump's assault on the Post Office
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| Portland protesters set fire to county government building Posted: 18 Aug 2020 10:55 PM PDT  Protesters in Portland broke out the windows of a county government building, sprayed lighter fluid inside and set a fire in a demonstration that started Tuesday night and ended Wednesday morning with clashes with police, officials said. The fire at the Multnomah Building damaged the county government's office of community involvement, where Oregon's first gay marriage took place and where protective gear has been distributed to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, said Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury. "This is the heart of our County, where people in our community come to get married, get their passports, and celebrate their cultural traditions and diversity," she said in a statement.
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| Disapproval of Trump COVID response hits new high — and many aren’t hopeful, poll says Posted: 19 Aug 2020 08:47 AM PDT  A majority of people said they were embarrassed by the response to the pandemic.
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| U.S. sailing near Taiwan 'extremely dangerous' says China Posted: 19 Aug 2020 05:17 AM PDT  China has told the U.S. Navy that its recent sailing near Taiwan is "extremely dangerous."
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| Here are all the colleges that have suspended in-person classes or quarantined students because of COVID-19 Posted: 19 Aug 2020 12:49 PM PDT  The University of North Carolina and University of Notre Dame moved their classes online for the fall semester after COVID-19 outbreaks.
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| Fact check: Vice President Mike Pence 'can't wait' to be on debate stage with Kamala Harris Posted: 19 Aug 2020 12:30 PM PDT  The vice president has said on at least two occasions that he's looking forward to debating the Democratic senator in October in Utah.
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| Putin tells Merkel external intervention in Belarus would be unacceptable Posted: 18 Aug 2020 03:26 AM PDT  Russian President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Angela Merkel that any attempts to interfere in the domestic affairs of Belarus would be unacceptable, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. Any such attempts would lead to an escalation of the political crisis in Belarus, Putin told Merkel in a phone call, the Kremlin said in a statement. Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, on Tuesday awarded medals "for impeccable service" to law enforcement officials who have helped him crack down on protesters who have been demanding he step down for the last 10 days.
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| An overwhelming majority of Americans say the US response to coronavirus makes them feel embarrassed Posted: 19 Aug 2020 07:49 AM PDT  A strong majority of Americans (58%) in a new poll disapproved of President Donald Trump's handling of the pandemic; 68% expressed embarrassment.
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| Rank-and-file Dems press Pelosi for more votes on coronavirus aid Posted: 18 Aug 2020 03:07 PM PDT  Lawmakers have been summoned back to the Capitol for a rare weekend session to bolster the Postal Service.
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| US tells Russia that China has secret and rapidly expanding nuclear warhead arsenal Posted: 19 Aug 2020 10:01 AM PDT  Arms control discussions between the US and Russia concluded Tuesday in Vienna, with both countries walking away from the table with concerns unaddressed.The most contentious element of the discussions involved China, and whether or not the country should be included in any future arms treaties.
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| Senator: 'I will be vindicated' in Confederate monument case Posted: 18 Aug 2020 03:04 PM PDT  A Virginia state senator charged with damaging a Confederate monument said Tuesday that she will beat the case against her. Police in the city of Portsmouth said Monday that they charged Lucas and several others with conspiracy to commit a felony and injury to a monument in excess of $1,000. The charges stem from a June 10 protest that drew hundreds of people to a Confederate monument in Portsmouth.
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| 15 Home Decor Styles We’re Shopping at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Posted: 19 Aug 2020 06:45 AM PDT |
| DNC: Security guard who blurted ‘I love you’ to Biden last year nominates him for president Posted: 19 Aug 2020 01:41 PM PDT  Standing in front of an elevator, Brittany gave her pitch to the DNC, saying "I take powerful people up on my elevator all the time. ... But in the short time I spent with Joe Biden, I could tell he really saw me."
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| The Air Force Recovered a Live French Missile in Florida Posted: 19 Aug 2020 05:45 AM PDT  The missile was "like having a gun with a bullet in the chamber, but on safety."
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| Chinese politics students at Princeton 'will be given code names to protect identity from Beijing' Posted: 19 Aug 2020 10:54 AM PDT  American universities will reportedly offer Chinese students code names and the opportunity to opt-out of political discussions to protect them from being targeted under Beijing's new draconian national security law for Hong Kong. Several of America's top institutions will offer warning labels when their classes resume in the autumn, according to the Wall Street Journal, amid fears the new law could lead to students and teachers facing prosecution from Chinese authorities. Chinese politics students at Princeton University will be given codes to use instead of their names when submitting their work, while Harvard Business school will allow students to sit out class discussions on politically sensitive issues, the newspaper reported. The new national security law, aimed at stamping out anti-government protests in Hong Kong, gives the authorities the ability to impose lengthy jail terms for vaguely defined national security crimes, like subversion, secession, terrorism and colluding with foreign forces. Its reach has already been felt outside the city - with Beijing targeting Hong Kong activists based in the US earlier this month. The new rules also apply to those who are not Hong Kong residents, suggesting that foreigners who speak in support of the city's independence or criticise the administration could be prosecuted upon entering Hong Kong or mainland China.
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| California fires: Bay Area hit by blazes forcing thousands to evacuate Posted: 19 Aug 2020 12:09 PM PDT  Rescuers went door-to-door overnight near Sacramento as San Francisco is blanketed by smoke.
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| Right-wing militia pulls out of event with New Mexico Republicans, citing 'blatantly racist' remarks from some speakers Posted: 17 Aug 2020 08:42 PM PDT  The New Mexico Civil Guard, whose founder is a neo-Confederate with a swastika tattoo, said it does not want to
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| House Democrats consider new push on coronavirus relief Posted: 18 Aug 2020 07:14 AM PDT  With the House returning to deal with Postal Service funding, some Democrats are concerned about the stalemate over a bigger pandemic package.
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| Notre Dame reports record spike in Covid-19 cases as universities bring students back amid pandemic Posted: 18 Aug 2020 10:19 AM PDT  The University of Notre Dame has reported a record spike in Covid-19 cases as students began returning to the Indiana campus for fall classes despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.It was the largest single-day spike in cases reported by the university: On Tuesday, Notre Dame confirmed at least 147 Covid-19 cases on its campus, after just 58 cases were reported the day earlier.
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| Prosecutor faces scrutiny from voters, panel over Smollett Posted: 18 Aug 2020 03:30 PM PDT  Chicago's top prosecutor isn't clear of the yearlong scrutiny of her office's handling of the Jussie Smollett case, even though a special prosecutor this week concluded that nothing she or her staff did qualified as criminal. While stopping short of alleging criminal behavior, special prosecutor Dan Webb said Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx and her staff abused their discretion and misled the public before and after tossing charges that accused the former "Empire" actor of staging a racist, anti-gay attack against himself in January 2019. Webb restored the charges against Smollett earlier this year, but no trial date has been set as the pandemic has stalled Illinois court proceedings.
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| NY AG Letitia James called the NRA a 'terrorist organization.' Will it hurt her case? Posted: 19 Aug 2020 11:47 AM PDT  NY AG Letitia James said investigating the NRA would be her "top issue" if elected. She made good on her pledge, but will her comments hurt her case?
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| Harris sets off Democratic donor stampede Posted: 19 Aug 2020 01:59 PM PDT  Biden's new running mate has energized some donors who were disappointed after the primary, piling on top of Biden's robust fundraising.
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| Pakistan's PM Khan plays down differences with ally Saudi Arabia Posted: 19 Aug 2020 02:04 AM PDT  Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has played down differences with longtime ally Saudi Arabia after his army chief visited Riyadh in a bid to ease a row over policy towards the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. The dispute, brought on by Pakistani demands for Saudi Arabia to take a firmer line against India for what Pakistan says are its human rights violations in Kashmir, has threatened Riyadh's financial support for Islamabad. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had no differences, Khan said in a late Tuesday interview, backing away from criticism by his foreign minister this month who suggested Saudi Arabia was indifferent on Kashmir.
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| Gay candidates make strides, break through barriers in Florida primary election Posted: 19 Aug 2020 04:55 PM PDT  This week's primary election was a historic day for equal rights in Florida.
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| The Coast Guard and police are on the hunt for a renegade pilot who flew a plane under a busy Michigan bridge Posted: 19 Aug 2020 03:02 PM PDT  Coast Guardsmen on patrol less than a few miles from the bridge witnessed and filmed the illegal stunt, but could not identify the plane.
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| Donald Trump hits back at Michelle Obama, calling her convention speech 'extremely divisive' Posted: 18 Aug 2020 10:51 AM PDT  Donald Trump has lashed out at Michelle Obama after she criticised him in her Democratic convention speech, accusing the former first lady of pushing an "extremely divisive" message . The US president criticised the wife of his predecessor for pre-recording her address after she had said that he was "clearly in over his head" in the White House in an address that dominated TV news headlines. While Mr Trump continually criticises Barack Obama, the former US president, he has only rarely rebuked his wife Mrs Obama since taking office in January 2017. The trigger was Mrs Obama herself launching a fierce attack on Mr Trump, including singling him out as the "the wrong president for our country". She has rarely issued public criticism of him in the last three and a half years. Asked to respond to the speech, Mr Trump said: "She was over her head and frankly she should have made the speech live which she didn't do, she taped it.
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| Coronavirus case at Sturgis Motorcycle Rally prompts health department warning Posted: 19 Aug 2020 11:37 AM PDT  A person visited One-Eyed Jack's Saloon in Sturgis "while able to transmit the virus to others," officials said.
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| California wildfires chase people from homes into smoky air Posted: 19 Aug 2020 04:49 AM PDT  Crews worked in blistering heat Wednesday to beat back wildfires that ignited across Northern California, sending thousands of people from their homes into smoky air and killing a pilot on a firefighting mission. Hundreds of fires are burning across California, including including 23 major fires or groups of fires that Gov. Gavin Newsom blamed on "this extraordinary weather we're experiencing and all of these lightning strikes." Ash and smoke filled the air in San Francisco, which is surrounded by wildfires burning to the north, east and south.
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