The US leader plays down earlier frictions and predicts a "very good meeting" on Friday.
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Today's Political News Compilation - Friday, August 9, 2024
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Kamala Harris makes an immigration pitch in Arizona as she fights to gain ground in the Sun Belt
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris drew on her prosecutorial background to make her first expansive pitch on immigration to border-state voters as she and her new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, attracted thousands to a campaign rally during their tour of battleground states.Harris, the former attorney general of California, reminded the crowd that she, as a law enforcement official, targeted transnational gangs, drug cartels and smugglers.
“I prosecuted them in case after case, and I won,” Harris said in front of a crowd of more than 15,000 in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix. “So I know what I’m talking about.”
Harris promoted a border security bill that a bipartisan group of senators negotiated earlier this year, which Republican lawmakers ultimately opposed en masse at Republican nominee Donald Trump’s behest.
READ THE FULL STORY - AP
Harris softens Biden's dark warnings about the state of democracy for a more 'joyful' message
Harris is focusing on the "care economy" and how she would help make providing for children and the elderly more affordable.
www.nbcnews.comDonald Trump heads to Montana rally after plane was diverted but landed safely
Donald Trump is visiting Montana for a rally in support of Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy. He also hopes to remedy some unfinished business from 2018.
apnews.com
Trump said he ‘went down’ in helicopter ‘emergency landing’ with former San Francisco mayor, who says it never happened | CNN Politics
Former President Donald Trump recounted a story to reporters on Thursday about being involved in a helicopter emergency landing with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.
www.cnn.com
Why Japan issued its first-ever 'megaquake advisory' — and what that means
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake has raised the risk of an even larger temblor on the Nankai Trough, an underwater subduction zone.
www.nbcnews.comFor freed Russian opposition activist Ilya Yashin, resuming work against Putin is his priority
After arriving in Germany as part of the massive East-West prisoner swap, Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin has hit the ground running.
apnews.com
Russia struggles to repel deep Kursk incursion by Ukraine
A surprise Ukrainian offensive in a western region of Russia came to the end of a fourth day.
www.bbc.comTrump campaign projects confidence and looks to young male voters for an edge on Harris
Donald Trump’s campaign is banking on younger male voters to put him over the edge in November as he adjusts to the reality of a new presidential contest against Vice President Kamala Harris that his aides say remains his to lose.
apnews.com
Reports tie JD Vance to more extremists, conspiracy theories
Plus, analysis measures how far Musk's false statements reach; public threats continue to rise. It's the week in extremism, from USA TODAY.
www.usatoday.com
Russian military ship spotted by Coast Guard near Alaskan coast
The U.S. Coast Guard cutter was on routine patrol when it spotted the Russian ship in international waters near Alaska's Aleutian Islands.
www.cbsnews.com
Kamala Harris’ VP pick has a long history with China. But Beijing may not be happy about it | CNN
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ running mate has a decades-long connection with China. But in the eyes of Beijing, that may not necessarily be good news.
www.cnn.com
US, other leaders call for Israel and Hamas to hammer out cease-fire deal
"It is time to bring immediate relief both to the long-suffering people of Gaza as well as the long-suffering hostages and their families," the leaders said.
Walz pick does little to persuade Dearborn’s anti-Biden/Harris voters
Vice President Harris' decision to tap Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as running mate has not tipped the scales in her favor among Arab-American voters in Dearborn, Michigan.
Trump's tale of a harrowing helicopter ride and emergency landing? Didn't happen, Willie Brown says
Donald Trump has shared a harrowing story about almost crashing in a helicopter he was riding in with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.
apnews.com
Trump Media says its second-quarter revenue plunged 30% to under $900,000
Trump Media, the owner of Truth Social, has a market value of more than $5 billion despite shrinking sales and losses.
www.cbsnews.com
Harris tries new approach to rally hecklers: ‘Now is the time to get a ceasefire deal’ - Washington Examiner
Kamala Harris took a new approach to pro-Palestinian hecklers at an Arizona rally, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
www.washingtonexaminer.comTrump is putting mass deportations at the heart of his campaign. Some Republicans are worried
WASHINGTON (AP) — “Mass Deportation Now!” declared the signs at the Republican National Convention, giving a full embrace to Donald Trump’s pledge to expel millions of migrants in the largest deportation program in American history. Lauren B. Peña, a Republican activist from Texas, said that...
Russia declares an emergency in Kursk, under attack by Ukraine. 14 die in a Russian strike on a mall
Russia has declared a “federal-level” emergency in the Kursk region following a large-scale incursion from Ukraine and sent reinforcements there.
apnews.com
Trump signals openness to banning abortion pill
His comments appeared to be a shift from June, when he said during a CNN debate, "I will not block it."
www.nbcnews.com
'We have the flight records': Trump insists that he was on helicopter with Willie Brown
Here is what really happened on that 2018 helicopter ride in California.
www.usatoday.com
Israel-Palestine conflict | Live updates | Today's latest from Al Jazeera
Israeli military confirms attack carried out on school in Gaza City that has reportedly killed more than 100 people.
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Jailed Kurdish leader issues call to lay down arms
Abdullah Ocalan had earlier met pro-Kurdish MPs on an island where he has been in jail since 1999.
Continue reading...Japan's MeToo icon is up for an Oscar - but the film can't air in the country
Shiori became the face of Japan's MeToo movement after she accused a prominent journalist of rape.
Continue reading...JD Vance spars with British prime minister over free speech censorship during Oval Office meeting
Things got awkward when Vice President JD Vance remarked on his previous comments on Britain's free speech environment, just feet away from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during an Oval Office meeting.
Vance doubled down on his comments at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month when he said he feared that free speech was "in retreat" in Europe.
"To many of us on the other side of the Atlantic, it looks more and more like old entrenched interests hiding behind ugly Soviet-era words like misinformation and disinformation, who simply...
Continue reading...Vance doubled down on his comments at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month when he said he feared that free speech was "in retreat" in Europe.
"To many of us on the other side of the Atlantic, it looks more and more like old entrenched interests hiding behind ugly Soviet-era words like misinformation and disinformation, who simply...
Judge blocks Trump administration's mass dismissals of probationary federal employees
A judge in California blocked the Trump administration on Thursday from ordering departments and agencies to begin dismissing recently hired probationary federal workers, saying the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) lacks the power to fire employees.
The move came during a court hearing over a lawsuit from labor unions and other groups challenging OPM’s mass terminations.
In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim the mass terminations violate the Administrative Procedure Act requirements and congressional laws that deal with agency hiring and...
Continue reading...The move came during a court hearing over a lawsuit from labor unions and other groups challenging OPM’s mass terminations.
In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim the mass terminations violate the Administrative Procedure Act requirements and congressional laws that deal with agency hiring and...
Trump says 'I can't believe I said that' when asked if he still thinks Zelenskyy is a dictator
President Donald Trump was asked several times on Thursday about comments he made last week, when he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "dictator," though he oftentimes either ignored the question or could not remember making the statement.
Trump met with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House on Thursday, when the two leaders addressed peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
The president told reporters he has had back-to-back "very successful" calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as with Zelenskyy, with...
Continue reading...Trump met with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House on Thursday, when the two leaders addressed peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
The president told reporters he has had back-to-back "very successful" calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as with Zelenskyy, with...
Hundreds of weather forecasters fired in latest wave of DOGE cuts
Hundreds of weather forecasters and other federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees on probationary status were fired Thursday, lawmakers and weather experts said.
Federal workers who were not let go said the afternoon layoffs included meteorologists who do crucial local forecasts in National Weather Service offices across the country.
Cuts at NOAA appeared to be happening in two rounds, one of 500 and one of 800, said Craig McLean, a former NOAA chief scientist who said he got the information from someone with first-hand...
Continue reading...Federal workers who were not let go said the afternoon layoffs included meteorologists who do crucial local forecasts in National Weather Service offices across the country.
Cuts at NOAA appeared to be happening in two rounds, one of 500 and one of 800, said Craig McLean, a former NOAA chief scientist who said he got the information from someone with first-hand...
Social Security offering voluntary buyouts ahead of expected layoffs
The Social Security Administration is offering financial incentives ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 to employees who choose to voluntarily resign from the federal agency, ahead of what they warn will be "significant workforce reductions."
A message sent out to employees Thursday stated that the agency will soon implement restructuring that includes workforce cuts and "massive reorganizations."
The SSA said that wholesale "abolishment of organizations and positions" could happen, as well as reassignments and staff cuts.
Earlier this week, the...
Continue reading...A message sent out to employees Thursday stated that the agency will soon implement restructuring that includes workforce cuts and "massive reorganizations."
The SSA said that wholesale "abolishment of organizations and positions" could happen, as well as reassignments and staff cuts.
Earlier this week, the...
Transportation secretary says pilot error played a role in majority of recent plane crashes and close calls
Pilot error played a role in the majority of high-profile plane crashes and close calls in the last few weeks, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Thursday as he called for pilots to face serious consequences when they disregard air traffic controllers, NBC News reported.
Duffy said in an interview that pilots should lose their licenses if they do not follow instructions from air traffic controllers, which is what he said appeared to happen in the latest near-collision Tuesday between a private jet and a Southwest Airlines plane in Chicago. No...
Continue reading...Duffy said in an interview that pilots should lose their licenses if they do not follow instructions from air traffic controllers, which is what he said appeared to happen in the latest near-collision Tuesday between a private jet and a Southwest Airlines plane in Chicago. No...
Judge orders DOGE employee to testify in lawsuit against the Trump administration
A federal judge Thursday ordered at least one official from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to testify and provide documents in response to a lawsuit against the Trump administration by the American Federation of Labor and other unions.
It will be the first time someone involved with DOGE is required to answer questions under oath from an attorney outside the government, potentially providing new insights into the operations of an organization that U.S. District Court Judge John Bates characterized as “opaque” in his order.
The...
Continue reading...It will be the first time someone involved with DOGE is required to answer questions under oath from an attorney outside the government, potentially providing new insights into the operations of an organization that U.S. District Court Judge John Bates characterized as “opaque” in his order.
The...
Trump administration removes student loan repayment applications from Education Department website
The Trump administration has taken down the applications for popular student loan repayment plans from the U.S. Department of Education's website, leaving millions of borrowers with fewer options for now.
Borrowers are unable to access the applications for income-driven repayment, or IDR, plans, as well as the online application to consolidate their loans.
Both applications are critical for borrowers pursuing lower monthly payments and loan forgiveness through an IDR plan, as well as the related Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
The...
Continue reading...Borrowers are unable to access the applications for income-driven repayment, or IDR, plans, as well as the online application to consolidate their loans.
Both applications are critical for borrowers pursuing lower monthly payments and loan forgiveness through an IDR plan, as well as the related Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
The...
DOJ releases 'first phase' of Epstein files, including an evidence list
DOJ releases 'first phase' of Epstein files, including an evidence list.
Continue reading...Some experts question RFK Jr. calling measles outbreak 'not unusual'
Public health experts are questioning RFK Jr's comments after he said the Texas measles outbreak was "not unusual."
Continue reading...WATCH: Ohio school bus driver praised for saving children from burning vehicle
A bus on its way to Monticello Middle School in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, caught fire after its rear tire ignited. The driver swiftly evacuated all 15 students from the bus, ensuring their safety.
Continue reading...Trump cuts nearly $60 billion in foreign aid grants and contracts
For 60 years, the United States has believed that foreign aid in the form of international grants to provide food, medical care and other humanitarian aid would stabilize the chaotic world. In a major shift, the Trump administration dismissed nearly $60 billion in foreign aid grants and contracts. Nancy Cordes has details.
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