PoliticsYahoo NewsThe U.S. has held an election during a pandemic before. Here’s what happened in 1918.
This is part of an occasional series of Yahoo News articles and accompanying videos on how the issues America faced in the 1920s — aka “the Roaring Twenties” — have echoes in our own decade, a century later. Like almost everything else in 2020, Election Day this year will look very different as Americans head to the polls — or in many cases, their mailboxes — to cast their ballots. With the White House and Senate majority up for grabs, high-stakes elections are taking place nationwide in the midst of a global coronavirus pandemic that has so far infected over 8.3 million and killed more than 221,000 in the United States alone.
U.S.INSIDERA white woman yelled 'f--- Black Lives Matter' at a Starbucks barista after she told her to wear a mask
An unnamed white woman yelled at Alex Beckom, a 20-year-old Black barista, after Beckom told her she had to wear a mask in Starbucks. The woman yelled "f--- Black Lives Matter" at the barista, falsely claimed she was being discriminated against because she is a Trump supporter, and said the coronavirus was a hoax. Starbucks has required all customers to wear masks in its stores since July.
PoliticsNational ReviewRep. Stefanik: ‘Joe Biden Is Lying to the American People’ about Hunter’s Business Dealings
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is “lying to the American people” about his son Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings, claimed Representative Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) on Saturday. The House Intelligence Committee member's comments came during an appearance on Fox & Friends Weekend, in which she accused the former vice president of lying when he issued his denial of wrongdoing during Thursday night's presidential debate. Stefanik detailed her experience asking each witness in President Trump's impeachment hearings whether there was a conflict of interest, or an appearance of one, created by Hunter Biden's role on the board of Ukrainian natural-gas firm Burisma Holdings during Joe Biden's time as vice president.
PoliticsThe WeekTrump reportedly doesn't 'want to help some' GOP senators amid warnings of 'potentially catastrophic' election
Josh Holmes, a top adviser to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), told Politico he thinks the Republican Party could win more Senate races than people expect on Nov. 3, but the fact that there are so many close races means "you could have a whole bunch of scenarios play out on Election Day." The worst-case scenario for the GOP, he said, is "potentially catastrophic." As it turns out, the party may not get that much help from President Trump when it comes to avoiding such a fate.
ScienceBBC'Murder hornet': First nest found in US eradicated with vacuum hose
The first nest of Asian giant hornets found in the US has successfully been destroyed by scientists. The nest, in the state of Washington, was found by putting tracker devices on the hornets and it was sucked out of a tree using a vacuum hose. The invasive species insects, known as "murder hornets", have a powerful sting and can spit venom.
WorldBusiness Insider'Of course not': McConnell responds to questions about whether there are health issues the public should be warned about concerning his bruised hands
After photos of his bruised hands raised concerns about his health, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters he does not have health issues. When asked if there are any health concerns the public should know about, he answered "of course not" and said the bruises raise "no concerns," CNN reported. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell shut down concerns over his health raised from photos of his bruised and bandaged hands.
WorldThe TelegraphSpain declares state of emergency over coronavirus as Italy closes cinemas, theatres and gyms
Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister of Spain, declared a state of emergency and imposed a nationwide curfew on Sunday, as Italy closed down event halls and Bulgaria's leader tested positive for coronavirus. Under Spain's state of emergency, which was due to come into force on Sunday, citizens must remain inside their homes between 11pm and 6am unless they have a valid reason, such as work or other essential activities. Regional governments have been allowed to adjust the timing of the start and end of the curfew by one hour, while the Canary Islands have been exempted from the curfew altogether.
U.S.NBC NewsTexas boy, 3, dies after accidentally shooting himself in the chest at birthday party
A Texas child is dead after accidentally shooting himself in the chest during his birthday party, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. Deputies were dispatched to a home in Porter, Texas — about 25 miles north of Houston — on Saturday for a wellness check, according to a press release. When the officers arrived, they were told the child, 3, who has not been identified, had been shot in the chest.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderHarry Reid says that Biden should spend 'no more than three weeks' testing Republican cooperation before eliminating the Senate filibuster
Former Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada said that if Joe Biden captures the White House and Democrats win control of the Senate, then the former vice president should spend "no more than three weeks" testing the waters for bipartisanship before eliminating the filibuster, according to the Associated Press. Reid, a 30-year veteran of the Senate and for Majority Leader, said that Democrats will have big pieces of legislation that will encounter hurdles in reaching the 60 votes necessary to push through legislation. "We should give the Republicans a little bit of time, to see if they're going to work with him," Reid said.
U.S.USA TODAY‘Untouchable’ attorney arrested, charged with human trafficking after USA TODAY Network investigation
For more than 15 years, accusers of Michael Mearan felt as if they were screaming into the void. In voices both strained with emotion and seemingly hardened with trauma, they stepped forward – cautiously, with trepidation – to level their allegations: that Mearan, a former Portsmouth, Ohio, city councilman and still-practicing attorney, trapped them in a cycle of drug abuse and sexual servitude. After decades of rumors and investigations, Mearan was arrested on human trafficking, racketeering and related charges.
WorldMiami Herald‘Catastrophic’ shark attack critically injures Australian spearfisher, officials say
A 59-year-old man spearfishing near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia suffered “catastrophic” injuries Sunday in a shark attack, officials say. Paramedics airlifted the man from Britomart Reef to a Townsville hospital, where he's listed in critical condition, after the 12:30 p.m. attack, The Guardian reported. “There was obviously evidence of a very significant shark bite to the patient's upper thigh, pelvic region,” said David Humphreys, a doctor with LifeFlight Australia, NBC News reported.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderTrump campaign files lawsuit requesting Nevada court to block election officials from counting early votes
The Trump campaign and Nevada Republicans filed a lawsuit on Friday requesting the state court to block the counting of early voting ballots "until the proper procedures are in place." According to the lawsuit reported by CBS News, the Trump campaign, the Nevada Republican Party, and a registered voter asked the state's Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, a Republican, and a Clark County, Nevada voting official to temporarily block the counting of ballots to "protect the integrity of the 2020 election."
PoliticsThe IndependentDemocrats planning 30-hour 'digital filibuster' to try to stop Amy Coney Barrett being confirmed
The Senate will vote on Sunday to send the federal judge's nomination to a full vote, which will be held on Monday. With little remaining hope of blocking her confirmation to the court, and her replacing Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Democrats have announced a symbolic show of defiance. Unlike an actual filibuster, which slows proceedings and can make an unpopular bill run out of time and therefore be blocked, the digital filibuster will not affect the outcome.
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Putin: China and Germany heading for superpower status as U.S. influence dwindles
The era when the United States and Russia were the world's superpowers is in the past, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday, saying China and Germany are now heading for superpower status.
U.S.USA TODAYTropical Storm Zeta forms with sights set on Gulf Coast; could be a hurricane by Tuesday
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. Tropical Storm Zeta formed Sunday with its sights set on hurricane strength and the beleaguered Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center expects Zeta to reach weak Category 1 status in the warm belly of the Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday before coming ashore somewhere between Florida's western Panhandle and western Louisiana later in the week.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderMore than 57 million Americans have already voted, suggesting a huge voter turnout for 2020. But it's not clear who that would favor.
More than 57 million Americans have already voted as of Sunday, according to the US Elections Project. The Florida professor who runs the US Elections Project said it suggests a total turnout of 65%, which would be the highest since 1908. The data comes from the US Elections Project which is run by Dr. Michael P. McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida.
PoliticsMiami HeraldUS ‘not going to control’ COVID-19 pandemic, White House Chief of Staff Meadows says
President Donald Trump and his administration have been saying a coronavirus vaccine will be available soon. During Thursday's presidential debate, Trump said the vaccine will be ready “within weeks,” but health experts say that's unlikely, McClatchy News reports. Trump has also touted therapeutics — such as regeneron and remdesivir — that doctors say he was given when he was hospitalized with the virus.
U.S.INSIDERA man reportedly confessed to his 4-year-old daughter that he killed his pregnant girlfriend whose body was found in his freezer
year-old Selena Ann Bradley was pregnant with her third child when her body was discovered in her boyfriend's freezer on Monday. Her boyfriend William James Hernandez was arrested for her death. Hernandez told two people he was involved in Bradley's death according to court records, including his four-year-old daughter.
BusinessBusiness InsiderBillionaire James Dyson just sold his Singapore penthouse at a massive loss a year after his company scrapped plans to design an electric vehicle in the city
Dyson founder James Dyson just sold Singapore's most expensive penthouse at a loss. Since then, Dyson cancelled its hyped electric car project because it was not commercially viable. James Dyson, billionaire inventor of the Dyson vacuum, just sold the largest and most expensive penthouse in Singapore.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderStimulus checks could take weeks or months to arrive as Pelosi and Mnuchin remain locked in negotiations
A second round of stimulus checks could take weeks or months to arrive as Democrats and Republicans remain at odds over the details of another trillion-dollar stimulus bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have struggled to agree on items such as financial aid for state and local governments and protection from COVID-19 liability for employers. "The speaker, on a number of issues, is still dug in," Mnuchin told reporters on Friday.
U.S.South Florida Sun SentinelMar-a-Lago is taxed as a private club, not a residence. So can Trump vote as a Florida man?
President Donald Trump is planning to cast his ballot in person for the first time in Palm Beach County this weekend. But some have questioned whether he can legally vote as a Florida man because his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach is taxed as a private club and not as a residential property. Jim Watson, a Boynton Beach resident, filed an elections fraud complaint in June challenging Trump's ability to vote in Florida, The Washington Post reported.
EntertainmentINSIDERAdele breaking character on 'SNL' is being called the best moment of the night, but fans thought the sketch itself was the worst
Adele broke character during a "Saturday Night Live" sketch about the "Tourism Board of Africa." Alongside "SNL" cast members Kate McKinnon and Heidi Gardner, the singer played a divorcée that found a "new beginning" amongst the "tribesmen" in Africa. Some fans loved the sketch and thought Adele losing her composure was one of the best moments of the night.
LifestyleBusiness InsiderJapan's unique heated tables may be the solution to winter outdoor dining for Chicago restaurants
Across the country, restuarants have relied on outdoor dining to compensate for losses due to COVID-19, but the businesses face uncertainty as the weather turns cold. Chicago announced a design competition in August to find possible solutions. As temperatures dip and the city's infamous wind kicks up, Chicago's restaurants are looking for ways to provide outdoor dining in the face of a harsh winter.
U.S.Business InsiderPolice in Ohio are reportedly investigating a group that recruited for a plot to arrest Gov. Mike DeWine for tyranny
Police say they are investigating an alleged plot to arrest Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine for tyranny, local news station WSYX reported. On Thursday, a group gathered in front of the Ohio statehouse as a woman swore an oath of office and declared herself governor, according to local WSYX reporter Geoff Redick, who said he confirmed it was the same woman involved in the alleged kidnapping plot. The plot resembled a report earlier this month that the FBI had foiled a right-wing militia's plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and overthrow the state government.
- NewsWLS – Chicago
Chicago police called to domestic incident at home of former CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson, multiple sources say
The victim refused medical attention, according to police.
“Many are longtime Republicans wrestling with what they see as a choice between two lousy candidates.”
“Some undecideds turn out to be people who’ve long felt alienated from the two big political parties.”
“They’re not following the 24-hour news cycle. The election and politics are just not a high priority.”
“One common trait: at this stage of the game, the undecided voter doesn’t fit into an easy political profile.”
“More realistically...these voters may not be motivated to vote at all in the 2020 election.”