PoliticsThe Independent‘You are an idiot’: Trump mocked for tweeting about ‘entrance requirements’ to virtual DNC
Donald Trump has been mocked for suggesting that people needed ID to attend this year's virtual Democratic National Convention (DNC). “To get into the Democrat National Convention, you must have an ID card with a picture...” In years gone by, those wishing to attend the DNC have been asked to buy a ticket and provide photographic ID to gain entry.
CelebrityINSIDERDouble tragedy for Larry King as his son and daughter die in the space of 3 weeks
Famed TV interviewer Larry King is mourning the loss of two children, who died in the space of three weeks, according to Page Six. Daughter Chaia, 52, died on Thursday after battling lung cancer, following the sudden death of his son, Andy, 65. Larry and his remaining three children were said to be "distraught."
PoliticsThe Daily BeastRush Limbaugh: Biden’s ‘Flawless’ DNC Speech ‘Had to Be Taped’
On Thursday night, a series of Fox News hosts and commentators readily acknowledged that Joe Biden “blew a hole” in President Donald Trump's depiction of him as a demented old man by delivering a highly effective speech at the Democratic National Convention. Rush Limbaugh has a different theory. The conservative radio host who not so long ago received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump during a State of the Union address, spent his show Friday pushing the notion that Biden did not, in fact, deliver his speech live.
- NewsFOX News Videos
Dana Perino: Joe Biden hit a home run
The Daily Briefing' anchor Dana Perino reacts to the final night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
CelebrityBusiness InsiderSteve Bannon was arrested on a $28 million yacht owned by an exiled Chinese billionaire — take a look inside
Former Trump associate Steve Bannon was arrested on fraud charges Thursday aboard a $28 million yacht. The vessel where the arrest took place, a 151-foot long yacht owned by an exiled Chinese billionaire, is just as remarkable as federal prosecutors' allegations that Bannon was a part of a group that used a campaign to raise funds for a wall on the US/Mexico border to defraud donors out of millions of dollars. Bannon pled not guilty to the charges.
PoliticsSalonFour years later, Republican senators admit, "yes, Trump conspired with the Russians"
It's a red-letter, if sad, day on the hypocrisy beat when after three years a Republican-majority Senate Intelligence Committee comes out with a 1,000-page report finding there was a whole lot of direct contact between the Trump 2016 campaign with Russian intelligence operators. You know, the opposite of what Donald Trump has argued forcefully over and over again is a hoax. Of course, Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III also would not put the "collusion" label on myriad interactions with Russians, for different reasons, to avoid a political conclusion.
U.S.INSIDERA Georgia police officer was fired after a viral TikTok showed him tasing a Black woman outside her home
A police officer from the Gwinnett County Police Department in Georgia was fired after a viral video on TikTok showed he used a Taser on an unarmed woman outside her mother's home. Former officer Michael Oxford had been placed on desk duty following the Tuesday incident but was later fired, the Gwinnett County Police Department announced on Friday, citing inappropriate conduct in the field. "The investigation in this case has shown that Officer Oxford violated our policy and did not meet our core values," the department said in a statement.
ScienceThe Independent'Melting faster and faster': Greenland lost 1 million tonnes of ice for each minute of 2019
High temperatures saw Greenland lose enough ice to cover the US state of California in more than four feet of water in 2019 alone, a study which suggests the island lost a million tonnes of ice for every minute of the year has said. After two years in which the land masses' summer ice melt had been negligible, satellite measurements have suggested an excessively hot 2019 saw the loss of 586 billion tons of ice melt from the island. The loss represents more than 532 trillion litres of water according to a study published in Communications Earth & Environment - equivalent to 212.8 million olympic-sized swimming pools over the course of 2019, or seven for every second of the year.
U.S.Business InsiderHealth officials in 3 states have traced new COVID-19 cases to the Sturgis motorcycle rally where hundreds of thousands of bikers gathered
Health officials in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Minnesota have now traced multiple new COVID-19 cases back to a motorcycle rally held in Sturgis, South Dakota between August 7 and 16. The rally, which drew hundreds of thousands of bikers to the 6,900-person city, has been tied to 15 new coronavirus cases in Nebraska, seven in Minnesota, and multiple incidences in South Dakota, according to CNN. The event was one of the largest public gatherings in the US since the coronavirus pandemic began.
PoliticsAssociated PressBiden vows to defeat Trump, end US 'season of darkness'
Joe Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination with a vow to be a unifying “ally of the light” who would move an America in crisis past the chaos of President Donald Trump's tenure. In his strongest remarks of the campaign, Biden spoke Thursday night both of returning the United States to its traditional leadership role in the world and of the deeply personal challenges that shaped his life. Virtually every sentence of his 22-minute speech was designed to present a sharp, yet hopeful, contrast with the Republican incumbent.
U.S.National ReviewSuspect in Portland Beating Turns Himself in
The suspect in the beating of a truck driver in downtown Portland turned himself in Friday morning, police said. “I am pleased the suspect in this case turned himself in and appreciate all of the efforts to facilitate this safe resolution,” Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said in a statement on Friday. A crowd of rioters in downtown Portland beat a man unconscious Sunday night after dragging him from his truck, video footage of the incident shows.
U.S.USA TODAYLouisiana officers fire 11 rounds, fatally shooting Black man; state police investigate
A Black Lafayette man, shot Friday night by police in a flurry of 11 gunshots while surrounded by a half dozen officers, died following an incident some community leaders argue should not have ended in the fatal shooting. Louisiana State Police identified the man killed as 31-year-old Trayford Pellerin and said he was carrying a knife when police first fired a stun weapon at him and later shot and killed him. Rickasha Montgomery, a witness who filmed a video of the police shooting of the suspect, said she saw what appeared to be a knife in the man's hand.
PoliticsBusiness Insider'Is this a joke?' North Carolina voters are being mailed absentee ballot request forms with Trump's face on them
The mailout by the North Carolina Republican Party asks for "immediate action" to "ensure your right to securely vote Absentee." Trump has previously also said that using mail-in voting is less secure than absentee voting, even though the two terms refer to the same method of using the mail to deliver ballots. Voters in North Carolina are receiving absentee ballot request forms that feature President Trump's face on them even though the president has continuously criticized mail-in voting in the run-up to the November election.
U.S.The Daily BeastEmails Show Georgia School District Asked Students to Disinfect Classrooms for Volunteer Hours
The email from the principal had a lighthearted, friendly tone, but the news she delivered was alarming: Three more students at Creekview High School in Canton, Georgia, had tested positive for the coronavirus—the fourth such letter sent to parents that week. “Come to CVHS to see our lady Grizzlies play at 9:00 10:00 or 12:30,” she wrote. Two days later, after 25 students tested positive and more than a quarter of the student body was placed in quarantine, the entire school was shut down.
WorldReutersAustralia virus cases dive to five-week low
Australia headed for its lowest daily increase in coronavirus infections in five weeks on Friday as the hotspot state of Victoria neared the midway point of lockdown, prompting the prime minister to hail "a week of increased hope". While the rest of Australia eases restrictions, the home state of a quarter of its population is in a six-week lockdown due to a second wave of virus infections. Victoria reported 179 new cases in the past 24 hours, from 240 a day earlier and down from over 700 a day two weeks ago.
PoliticsUSA TODAYVoting starts earlier than you might realize. It has Trump battling the clock in some battleground states
Mail-voting for the presidential election is just weeks away in several key states, elevating the importance of next week's Republican National Convention for President Donald Trump to change the race's trajectory before the first votes are cast. As polls continue to show Trump trailing Democratic nominee Joe Biden, the incumbent president is battling the clock in battleground states like North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Michigan and Pennsylvania that start sending out and accepting absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 election in September. In all, 16 states begin voting before Sept. 29, according to the Trump campaign.
TechnologyBusiness InsiderA US Air Force F-16 pilot just battled AI in 5 simulated dogfights, and the machine emerged victorious every time
An artificial intelligence program developed by Heron Systems went head-to-head against a seasoned Air Force F-16 pilot in a simulated dogfight Thursday. Heron's AI achieved a flawless victory with five straight wins. The "WWII-style" dogfight was part of DARPA's AlphaDogfight competition, which is designed to advance the agency's efforts to build trust in AI and develop manned-unmanned teaming capabilities.
U.S.The IndependentMinneapolis police officer Thomas Lane didn’t check George Floyd’s ‘counterfeit’ $20 note
The alleged counterfeit $20 bill used by George Floyd wasn't inspected or collected before his fatal arrest in Minneapolis, according to one of the first officers at the scene. Former police officer Thomas Lane said in newly-released audio that he didn't obtain the bill before, during or after the incident that led to Mr Floyd's death on 25 May. In response to questioning by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Mr Lane said that he didn't look at the alleged $20 forgery being held by the Cup Foods worker identifying Mr Floyd.
WorldAssociated PressTripoli and rival parliament announce Libya cease-fire
Libya's U.N.-supported government Friday announced a cease-fire across the oil-rich country and called for demilitarizing the strategic city of Sirte in an initiative supported by the rival parliament in the east. The development could mark a breakthrough following international pressure amid rising fear of a new escalation in the chaotic proxy war as rival sides mobilize for a battle over Sirte. The gateway to Libya's major oil export terminals has been under the control of forces loyal to military commander Khalifa Hifter since January.
PoliticsUSA TODAYFact check: DNC didn't leave out 'under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance
The claim: The phrase 'Under God' was skipped during the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democratic National Convention Following the four-day virtual convention, social media posts emerged claiming that Democrats abstained from saying "under God" during the Pledge of Allegiance. The claim was initially shared on Facebook by former U.S. Republican senatorial candidate Peggy Hubbard. "The DNC omitted, One Nation Under God.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderGOP Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona suggests supporters should 'fast a meal' and donate money saved to her campaign as she lags in fundraising
Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona suggested her supporters should "fast a meal" and donate the money saved to her campaign as she falls behind in the polls to keep her Senate seat, according to audio obtained by a local news outlet. McSally reportedly made the suggestion at an event in northern Arizona, according to the audio obtained by Arizona Family. "There's an air war going on on television right now, right, you see it," McSally said in the audio.
U.S.BBCGolden State Killer sentenced to life in prison
After sitting silent and expressionless throughout victims' testimony this week, DeAngelo addressed those in court on Friday, removing his mask and rising from a wheelchair to speak, shortly before Judge Michael Bowman began the sentencing. "I've listened to all of your statements. Each one of them.
HealthINSIDERCDC head says US coronavirus outbreak could be controlled if '90% of Americans' follow safety guidelines like wearing a mask
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director said the coronavirus could be managed if Americans follow preventative measures to stop the spread of the virus, CNBC reported. "But it is going to require all of us to embrace these mitigation steps," CDC head Robert Redfield said on a conference call. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director said the coronavirus could be contained if most Americans follow safety measures to help prevent the spread of the virus for the next couple of months, CNBC reported.
BusinessReutersModerna says more than 40% of participants enrolled for COVID-19 vaccine trial
In a tweet, the company also said that 18% of the participants currently enrolled are Black, Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, groups among the hardest hit by the coronavirus virus pandemic. Moderna began the study of its vaccine candidate, mRNA-1273, in July and expects to complete enrollment in September. Moderna, which has never brought a vaccine to market, had earlier received nearly $1 billion from the U.S. government, which is helping bankroll several vaccine candidates under its Operation Warp Speed program.
PoliticsThe Independent‘He took all that money from Build the Wall’: Bannon jokes about financial fraud in resurfaced video
Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Steve Bannon joked about fraud at a We Build the Wall fundraising event, in a clip that has resurfaced the day after his arrest. Mr Bannon was indicted on Thursday, alongside three others, for allegedly funnelling “hundreds of thousands of dollars” from the We Build the Wall online fundraising campaign to the founder of the organisation, Brian Kolfage, who was among those charged. We Build the Wall started as a GoFundMe campaign in 2018, and was created to help raise money from public funding to go directly towards building the the US-Mexico border wall at a time when the president was struggling with Congress.
“Harris brings an unusual blend of social justice progressiveness and law-and-order conservatism.”
“It's hard to imagine Trump-skeptical independents now aching to pull the trigger for Biden with Kamala on the ticket.”
“If Biden wishes, he can delegate the daily barrage of rebukes against his opponent to her. Biden now can rise above the fray.”
“Voters viewed her as among the most qualified to be president on Day 1 — a key positive.”
“Here’s a reality check: Running mates have very little direct effect on voters.”