New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced an agreement to end a wildcat strike that has roiled the state’s prison system for more than a week
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Today's Political News Compilation - Monday, August 12, 2024
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters during a news conference, Aug. 8, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla., left, and Democratic presidential nominee
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally, Aug. 7, 2024, in Romulus, Mich. (AP Photo)
On the campaign trail, Harris is pushing joy while Trump paints a darker picture
WASHINGTON (AP) — At the top of his first speech as her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz turned to Vice President Kamala Harris and declared, “Thank you for bringing back the joy.” The next day, Harris took the theme a step further, branding the Democratic ticket “joyful warriors.”Contrast that with former President Donald Trump, who opened a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida a few days later by saying, “We have a lot of bad things coming up,” and predicting the U.S. could fall into an economic depression unseen since the dark days of 1929 or even another world war.
“I think that our country is, right now, in the most dangerous position it’s ever been in, from an economic standpoint, from a safety standpoint,” Trump said Thursday. ...
READ THE FULL STORY - AP
Trump and Harris agree to Sept. 10 presidential debate hosted by ABC News
After uncertainty around whether a presidential debate will happen, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have agreed to meet on Sept. 10.
www.usatoday.com
Donald Trump is returning to X for a live interview with the platform's owner, Elon Musk
Donald Trump is returning — at least for one night — to X, the platform from which he was banned for nearly two years following the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S.
apnews.com
More than half of US states reporting 'very high' COVID activity levels: CDC
More than half of U.S. states are reporting 'very high' levels of COVID activity, according to wastewater data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Americans' refusal to keep paying higher prices may be dealing a final blow to US inflation spike
The great inflation spike of the past three years is nearly spent — and economists credit American consumers for helping slay it.
apnews.com
Analysis: The 2024 campaign will now turn on whether Trump can blunt Harris’ soaring start | CNN Politics
Donald Trump’s campaign, which has whiffed in its early attacks on Kamala Harris’ new presidential campaign, will this week grapple for a more effective foothold after the vice president transformed an election of stunning surprises.
www.cnn.comTrump and his allies once cheered hacked materials. No longer, now that they say he's a target
Donald Trump has changed his position on whether a presidential campaign's hacked materials should be published.
apnews.comFrom Biden to Gabbard, here's what Harris' past debates show before a faceoff with Trump
Vice President Kamala Harris is a former San Francisco prosecutor and California attorney general, and she's long seen her debating skills as a strength.
apnews.com
Trump wants a role in setting interest rates. Some economists say it's a bad idea
Donald Trump recently said the president should have a role in setting interest rates but some economists say that's a bad idea.
Iran beware: US moves these 6 top of the line strike options into position in the Middle East
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is doing his best to ensure that US Central Command is ready if Iran strikes Israel in the coming days.
Putin says Ukraine will ‘receive a worthy response’ over Kursk incursion
Ukraine’s military commander says his forces control about 1,000sq km of the Russian territory.
Walz makes a 5-state dash for campaign cash this week, traveling solo for 1st time as running mate
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is holding his first solo events as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate this week.
apnews.com
House conservatives push for funding fight as shutdown looms weeks before election
The House Freedom Caucus is pushing to attach a voting provision that Democrats oppose to the must-pass funding bill and demanding a 2025 deadline, with hope for a GOP trifecta.
www.nbcnews.com
Harris following Biden's 'Trojan horse' blueprint for victory, expert says: 'distracting people'
VP Kamala Harris, like Biden in 2020, has avoided media, using distractions and lack of interviews to her advantage, says Heritage Action’s Cody Sargent.
Israel’s war on Gaza updates: Western leaders ask Iran to ‘stand down’
These were the updates on Israel’s war on Gaza for Monday, August 12.
Top Ukrainian commander says his forces now control almost 390 square miles of Russia's Kursk region
The statement marked the first time a Ukrainian military official has publicly commented on the gains of the lightning incursion that has embarrassed the Kremlin.
apnews.com
Technical difficulties derail start of Musk interview with Trump | CNN Politics
X owner Elon Musk claimed Monday that a distributed denial-of-service attack had overwhelmed the company’s servers, preventing him from beginning his interview with former President Donald Trump as thousands of people trying to join the conversation complained they were unable to listen.
www.cnn.comVance backs Trump's support for a presidential 'say' on Federal Reserve's interest rate policy
JD Vance has endorsed former President Donald Trump’s call for the White House to have “a say” over the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policies — a view that runs counter to decades of economic research suggesting that politically independent central banks are essential to controlling inflation and
apnews.com
Trump legal cases in limbo after SCOTUS immunity ruling, freeing up schedule to campaign
Former President Trump has had a number of legal victories in recent weeks, putting a pause on a majority of cases and delaying others that could have complicated his campaigning during the general election season.
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Trump commends Zelensky ahead of White House talks
The US leader plays down earlier frictions and predicts a "very good meeting" on Friday.
Continue reading...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...