PoliticsWashington ExaminerMark Levin says Biden should be removed from office
Mark Levin says it is time to start talking about using impeachment or the 25th Amendment against Joe Biden to remove the "most disastrous president in modern American history" from office. The conservative commentator, who commands a large following on the Right, took aim at Biden's handling of the border situation and the coronavirus pandemic, making the case to fellow Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday that the Democratic commander in chief violated the Constitution. After a series of insults, Levin said Biden has "the border wide open in violation of our immigration laws" and invoked the administration's eviction moratorium, which came this week despite a Supreme Court decision in June ruling an earlier eviction moratorium could only be extended by Congress.
U.S.AxiosJudge to Capitol rioter: Insurrection is "not patriotism"
A federal judge sentencing a Michigan man in D.C. Wednesday over his role in the U.S. Capitol riot dismissed any notion that he's a political prisoner. Driving the news: U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson said that she wasn't sentencing Karl Dresch, of Calumet, "because he is a supporter" of former President Trump, noting that "millions of people" had voted for him "and did not heed his call to descend on the nation's Capitol," per the Detroit News. "You called yourself and everyone else patriots, but that's not patriotism," Judge Amy Berman Jackson said to Dresch, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of entering the Capitol, according to CNN.
U.S.Associated PressPassenger charged with groping, punching flight attendants
An Ohio man was arrested in Florida over the weekend after being accused of groping two female flight attendants and punching a male flight attendant during a flight from Philadelphia to Miami, officials said. Maxwell Berry, 22, of Norwalk, Ohio, was arrested Saturday at Miami International Airport and charged with three counts of misdemeanor battery, according to a Miami-Dade police report. Berry had two drinks while on the Frontier Airlines flight and ordered another drink, police said.
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramRepublican official who mocked COVID in final Facebook post dies of virus in Texas
A Texas GOP official whose social media posts include anti-mask and anti-vaccine rhetoric has died from COVID-19. H. Scott Apley, who according to the Galveston News was a member of the Galveston County Republican Party and Dickinson City council, was 45 years old. In his last Facebook post July 30, Apley shared a Twitter post mocking COVID-19.
U.S.ReutersThousands evacuate fast-moving California wildfire; homes burn
COLFAX, California (Reuters) -A rapidly spreading wildfire burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate in two heavily wooded counties northeast of Sacramento in Northern California on Wednesday, generating a towering plume of smoke visible from at least 70 miles (110 km) away. The so-called River Fire scorched 1,400 acres (566 hectares) in Placer and Nevada counties, with 1,000 acres burnt within the first two hours, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said. The River Fire was less than 100 miles (160 km) south of the enduring Dixie Fire, which according to Cal Fire has consumed 278,000 acres and was only 35% contained three weeks after it started.
PoliticsThe WeekBiden's lawless eviction moratorium will come back to haunt Democrats
President Biden's decision to revive the federal eviction moratorium is bad policy. It helps renters at the expense of millions of small-scale landlords, most of whom own a single rental property and cannot absorb thousands of dollars of unpaid rent. Read the stories of these landlords — who are essentially small business owners and, in many cases, working-class immigrants — and it becomes obvious #CancelRent is not the simple demand of justice for the downtrodden it is often made out to be.
PoliticsNational Review#MeToo Group Co-Founders Helped Cuomo Draft Letter Attacking Accuser: AG Report
Two of the co-founders of Time's Up, an anti-harassment group created in response to the #MeToo Movement, helped New York governor Andrew Cuomo's office draft a letter to discredit a woman who accused him of sexual assault, according to a report by the state attorney general. State attorney general Letitia James issued a 165- page report on Tuesday, the culmination of a months-long investigation into sexual-harassment allegations against the governor. James found that Cuomo sexually harassed eleven women, including current and former state employees, in violation of state and federal law.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestMore Inside a Fantastical Amsterdam Penthouse Full of Whimsy
Thanks to the avant-garde antics of design wonder Job Smeets, the home of Viktor & Rolf's Rolf Snoeren puts a smile on his face from morning to night Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
WorldAssociated PressIsraeli defense minister threatens Iran with military action
Israel's defense minister warned Thursday that his country is prepared to strike Iran, issuing the threat against the Islamic Republic after a fatal drone strike on a oil tanker at sea that his nation blamed on Tehran. The comments by Benny Gantz come as Israel lobbies countries for action at the United Nations over last week's attack on the oil tanker Mercer Street that killed two people. The tanker, struck off Oman in the Arabian Sea, is managed by a firm owned by an Israeli billionaire.
U.S.AxiosMassive California blaze levels town, threatens others as it burns out of control
The small Sierra town of Greenville, Calif., was heavily damaged on Wednesday night into early Thursday as the Dixie Fire surged northward amid high winds, extremely dry air and hot temperatures. The big picture: The Dixie Fire, California's biggest blaze and the sixth-largest wildfire in state history, razed houses and businesses as it ripped through Greenville and surrounding areas in Plumas County. Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders for Greenville, about 240 miles northeast of San Francisco, and other communities as the blaze moved in.
WorldReutersRussia says Afghan Taliban offensive running out of steam - report
The Taliban offensive in Afghanistan is "gradually running out of steam" as the group lacks resources to take over major cities, Interfax news agency quoted a senior official at Russia's foreign ministry as saying on Thursday. Alexander Vikantov, deputy head of information and press at the ministry, cited examples where Afghan government forces were able to retake some districts captured by the Taliban last month, although he added that insurgent activity was notable this month near big provincial centres. "The Taliban lack the resources to take over and hold major cities including the capital, Kabul.
U.S.The WeekOver Gov. Ron DeSantis' objections, Florida school districts are imposing mask mandates
Several school districts in Florida are pushing back against Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and his executive order prohibiting schools from imposing mask requirements for students. On Tuesday night, the School Board of Alachua County voted in favor of requiring all students to wear masks during the first two weeks of school. In the last few days, two janitors in the district have died of COVID-19, and board member Robert Hyatt told Politico he doesn't think "that we need to get in any kind of match with the governor.
HealthWashington ExaminerModerna recommends third shot of vaccine to defend against new coronavirus strains
Moderna said Thursday that people will likely need a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose to protect against future mutations of the coronavirus, touting the “robust” antibody response generated by the additional shot. The company has conducted studies to determine the benefits of administering a third “booster” shot of its two-dose vaccine to protect against the highly contagious delta variant that accounts for a majority of COVID-19 cases, as well as any future strains of the virus that develop. Moderna's Phase 2 trial of a 50-microgram booster dose generated a strong immune response against the delta, gamma, and beta variants — all of which seem to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, which could lead to more COVID-19 outbreaks.
U.S.Miami HeraldWhom do unvaccinated Americans blame for COVID surge? Here’s what a poll found
Most unvaccinated Americans don't blame themselves for the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the U.S., pointing instead to international travelers, mainstream media and President Joe Biden as causes. An Axios/Ipsos poll released Tuesday found that among the unvaccinated, 37% blame people traveling to the U.S. from other countries, 27% (mainstream media), 23% (Americans traveling to other countries), 21% (Biden) and 10% (the unvaccinated. Meanwhile, among vaccinated respondents, 79% blame the unvaccinated, 36% (former President Donald Trump), 33% (conservative media), 30% (people traveling to the U.S.) and 25% (Americans traveling outside the country.
U.S.Associated PressFire destroys cabin of New Hampshire man forced out of woods
But his off-the-grid existence has been challenged in court by a property owner who says he's been squatting for all those years. And to make Lidstone's matters worse, his cabin was burned to the ground Wednesday afternoon in a blaze that is being investigated by local authorities. Lidstone, or “River Dave” as he's known by boaters and kayakers, was jailed July 15 on a civil contempt sanction.
- CelebrityFox News
'American Pickers' star Frank Fritz fires back at former co-star Mike Wolfe: His 'statement was bulls—t'
Frank Fritz's strained relationship with Mike Wolfe has only worsened. The former "American Pickers" star slammed the co-host's statement about his departure from the hit History Channel series. On July 21, Wolfe, 57, took to Instagram and released a lengthy statement, sharing he will "miss" Fritz and "pray for the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey."
- PoliticsYahoo News Video
WH to DeSantis and Abbott: Handle the COVID spike or 'get out of the way'
During Tuesday's White House press briefing, Yahoo News National Correspondent Alexander Nazaryan asked if Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have any personal responsibility for the spike in COVID cases in their states. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said if they are not going to be part of the solution, then they should “get out of the way and let other people do the job.
U.S.LA Times'Running out of options': California resorts to water cutoffs as drought worsens
California water regulators took unprecedented action this week, passing an emergency regulation that will bar thousands of Californians from diverting stream and river water as the drought worsens. The watershed encompasses a wide swath of the state, from the Oregon border in northeastern California down into the Central Valley. The regulation — which gives the state water board the authority to issue emergency curtailments and require reporting on water use — will go into effect about two weeks from now, subject to approval by the state Office of Administrative Law, with the issuing of formal curtailment orders to follow.
U.S.Miami HeraldWhat happens when you allow hundreds of snake hunters in the Everglades? You get a winner
Gov. Ron DeSantis, in between battling with President Joe Biden about mask mandates, announced that the 2021 Florida Python Challenge has a new king. The 10-day event, from July 9-18, resulted in the removal of a record 223 invasive pythons from South Florida, DeSantis said.
BusinessDefense NewsBell changes design for the US Army’s future attack recon aircraft
Bell initially unveiled a ducted tail rotor design for its 360 Invictus but has now opted to switch to an open tail rotor on the aircraft, which is part of a prototyping competition to supply the U.S. Army with a Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft. The company decided “months ago” to use a design based on its familiar 525 helicopter open tail rotor, Jayme Gonzalez, Bell's program manager for the Invictus, told Defense News in an August 4 interview. The Invictus, when it was first revealed in October 2019, featured a design based on 525 technology, but with several key differences, including 40-foot rotor blades, which the Army has said it would like to have.
U.S.Miami HeraldCarnival Cruise Line will issue new mask and COVID-19 testing mandates for passengers
The resurgence of COVID-19 won't alter the return of Carnival Cruise Line's voyages, but the Doral-based cruise line plans to issue mask and testing mandates for its passengers, Carnival announced Wednesday. “These new requirements are being implemented to protect our guests and crew while on board, and to continue to provide confidence to our homeports and destinations that we are doing our part to support their efforts to protect public health and safety,” a statement from Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy read in part. With the usual “abundance of caution” softener and noting that other entertainment venues, including Disney parks, have going the same thing, Carnival said, “all guests will be asked to wear masks in certain indoor areas of Carnival's ships.”
U.S.The Daily BeastHillsong Megachurch Founder Charged With Hiding Dad’s Child Sex Abuse
The co-founder of Australia-based Christian megachurch Hillsong has been charged with covering up his late father's historic child sex abuse. Brian Houston, 67, has denied for years that he held back information relating to his dad's offenses. He's faced scrutiny over the case since 2014, when Australia's royal commission into child sexual abuse heard that pastor Frank Houston—who died in 2004, before the shocking allegations against him were made public—abused multiple boys in the 1970s.
U.S.INSIDERChicago police officers raiding the wrong house pointed guns at two young girls, then tried to cover it up, lawsuit alleges
A Black family is suing the Chicago Police Department for what they say was a botched raid on their home. The lawsuit alleges officers pointed guns at two young girls, making them wet the bed. Several family members are showing PTSD symptoms after the botched raid, according to the lawsuit.
WorldBusiness InsiderIsrael vaccinated fast and looked like it had beaten COVID-19. It just brought back a swathe of restrictions amid a Delta surge.
Daily new cases rose to 3,260 on Tuesday, according to The Times of Israel - the country's highest level of new cases since March. Ministers on Tuesday approved rules that require mask-wearing at outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people. Close contact such as hugging and kissing and indoor socializing is discouraged, the paper reported.
SportsAssociated PressPerfect 10s: China's Quan dominates for Olympic diving gold
China's divers are programmed from an early age to strive for perfection. The 14-year-old Quan Hongchan delivered it with two of her five dives in a dominant performance to claim the gold medal in women's 10-meter platform at the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday. All seven judges gave Quan perfect 10s for her second and fourth dives in the five-round competition.
“If nothing else, Tokyo 2020 may end up being remembered as the wake-up call everyone needed.”
“Cancel the Olympics—for good.”
“Olympians haven’t really changed. These athletes still showcase extraordinary human achievement from around the world.”
“Delivering more excellence and less sideshow will probably require giving athletes a bigger voice in how the Olympics are run.”
“The Olympics were conceived in 1896 as a sporting event, and they’ve become a construction event.”