Currentaffairsnews (Headlines)

Documents show large police presence at George Floyd burial

Authorities deployed hundreds of law enforcement personnel, including six sniper teams and Border Patrol agents, during George Floyd’s June burial in suburban Houston, due in part to online rumors of possible protests and riots, according to documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. Authorities prepared for the possibility of “violent protesting” and vandalism at the Pearland police department and municipal court building, which were near the cemetery, according to the documents first exposed by VICE News.

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Third Iranian fuel tanker arrives in gasoline-starved Venezuela's waters

Trump arrived for debate too late to be tested for COVID, Wallace says

New York City police officers who don't wear a mask while on duty will face 'disciplinary action'

Five North Carolina police officers resign after Black man’s overdose death in custody

Report: Coronavirus has been a gift to dictators

“The pandemic has brought a health crisis, an economic crisis — all that has been recognized. But it’s also bringing a human rights and democracy crisis,” said Michael Abramowitz, president of Freedom House, in an interview on “Skullduggery.”

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Conservative hoaxers face charges over false voter robocalls

Louisville cops repeatedly told Breonna Taylor was not receiving suspicious packages tied to drug investigation, report says

Louisville police officers carried out a no-knock raid at the home of Breonna Taylor despite the fact that they were repeatedly told there were no packages, "suspicious or otherwise," delivered to the residence that could be tied to their drug investigation, according to a new report. The 26-year-old EMT was fatally shot March 13 after three Louisville Metropolitan Police officers burst into ...

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Armor attrition in Nagorno-Karabakh battle not a sign US should give up on tanks, experts say

Why you may not be losing weight on the keto diet

Trump's history of downplaying COVID risks

Hong Kong police arrest 86 for protesting on China holiday

Online calls urged people to join protests, and crowds turned up at Hong Kong's Causeway Bay shopping district, some people chanting “Disband the police” and “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our time," a popular pro-democracy slogan that has been banned by the Hong Kong government for alleged secessionist sentiments. National Day, which celebrates the founding of the People's Republic of China, has become a day of protest in Hong Kong by those who oppose Beijing's increasing control over the semi-autonomous city.

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How Andrew Cuomo is using COVID-19 pandemic to oppress New Yorkers

Bannon to Trump: Less racial resentment, more economic populism in next debate

Top White House staffers still not wearing masks

Louisville small businesses caught in the middle as Breonna Taylor protests continue

Normally bustling with people and commerce, downtown Louisville is now the site of very little activity. The small number of businesses that remained open during the pandemic feel even more rarefied since protests erupted last week over the decision in Breonna Taylor’s case.

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After Pompeo criticism, Vatican asserts right to go its own way on China

The Vatican's number two said on Thursday after talks with Mike Pompeo that the two sides' positions on China remained far apart and firmly asserted the Holy See's right to pursue an accord with Beijing denounced by the U.S. Secretary of State. Pompeo met Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Foreign Minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher on Thursday on a visit to Rome marked by Vatican irritation over Pompeo's public criticism of a Holy See accord with Beijing on the appointment of bishops.

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Amazon: Nearly 20,000 workers tested positive for COVID-19

Amazon said Thursday that nearly 20,000 of its front-line U.S. workers have tested positive or been presumed positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. The disclosure comes after months of pressure from Amazon workers and labor groups calling for the company to divulge the COVID-19 numbers. Amazon said in a corporate blog that it provided the data as part of its effort to keep employees informed, and to share details and best practices with governments and other companies.

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Beto O'Rourke says Texas is "Biden's to lose" in presidential race

'My bad': White House press secretary corrected in real time as she claims Amy Coney Barrett is Rhodes scholar

West Virginia mail carrier guilty of election fraud after altering ballot requests to Republican

"Stop deflecting": Fox News reporter erupts after Kayleigh McEnany won't denounce white supremacy

Coalition announces $7 million to help Miami ex-felons pay fines to be able to vote again

Winds intensifying as firefighters battle fire in California

Winds grew stronger Thursday in California's wine country, threatening to escalate a massive wildfire that has burned for days and destroyed hundreds of buildings. More fire crews and equipment were deployed in and around Calistoga, a town of 5,000 people known for hot springs, mud baths and wineries in the hills of Napa County about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of San Francisco. Winds gusting to 30 mph were forecast to push through the hills Thursday night and Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

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Kansas City police arrest of pregnant woman criticized

Democrats, preferring to risk COVID than losing to Trump, are shifting away from voting by mail

John Roberts: Does the president denounce white supremacy and groups that espouse it in all its forms?

August Browne: The Nigeria-born man who joined the Polish resistance

'Basically nobody' turned off the 1st presidential debate while it was in progress

Viewers apparently couldn't peel their eyes away from the first presidential debate Tuesday night.Despite widespread criticism of the chaos that unfolded on stage, the final 15 minutes actually rated slightly higher than the opening 15 minutes, and audiences fell just 2 percent from the 9:30 p.m. ET peak by the time it all wrapped up, Nielsen data shows. So, even if they were disappointed with what they witnessed, it seems like those who tuned in were prepared to finish what they started and stay engaged with the national political moment. > Debate rating and share by quarter-hour:> > 9:00 - 42.5/68 > 9:15 - 43.4/68 > 9:30 - 43.7/69 > 9:45 - 43.5/68 > 10:00 - 42.9/68 > 10:15 - 42.2/67 > 10:30 - 42.9/69> > -- Michael Mulvihill (@mulvihill79) September 30, 2020Overall, though, Tuesday's ratings across the major networks dropped significantly from 2016's first presidential debate. > The early TV ratings for the debate last night are down BIG.> > A total of only 29 million viewers across ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS.> > The viewership on broadcast was nearly 43 million in 2016 for the first debate.> > Brutal numbers. Have people lost interest? (Source: TVLine)> > -- David Hookstead (@dhookstead) September 30, 2020More stories from theweek.com 7 savagely funny cartoons about the Trump tax revelations Late night hosts have a pretty good idea why Trump shockingly refuses to condemn white supremacists Texas governor cuts the number of ballot drop-off boxes to 1 in each county

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‘He was screaming.’ 67-year-old uses martial arts on senior home intruder, CA cops say

Tropical Storm Gamma may form from 1 of 2 systems in Caribbean

ORLANDO, Fla. - Two tropical waves are being monitored in the Caribbean by the National Hurricane Center Thursday afternoon with one of them having increased odds of becoming Tropical Storm Gamma this weekend or next week. First, a tropical wave, located over the west Caribbean Sea, is producing showers and thunderstorms, according to the NHC's 2 p.m. EDT update. The wave is moving slowly ...

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Sen. Ted Cruz says Joe Biden is 'trying to hide' by not answering debate question on packing Supreme Court

Judge initiates contempt proceedings after Trump’s commerce secretary allegedly defies census order

Marine fighter jet lands safely after crashing in mid-air with another plane in Southern California

People of Praise, a faith group, deletes mentions and photos of Barrett from its website

Democrats postpone House vote on COVID-19 stimulus bill to give more time for negotiations

Google workers say their contracts prevent them from reporting illegal activity, discrimination, unsafe working conditions, and wage theft

Vatican Accuses Team Trump of Trying to Exploit Pope Francis

ROME—U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is not having a very good Roman holiday. His 30-plus car motorcade glided over the cobblestone streets of the uncharacteristically dreary, overcast Italian capital Wednesday morning for his second visit in a year. But rather than receiving a hero’s welcome, as he did last time—complete with a private audience with Pope Francis and a visit to his ancestral home outside of Rome, he was accused of trying to exploit the pope on President Trump’s behalf.The trilateral meeting between the U.S., Italy, and the Holy See should have been a pre-election opportunity to show that U.S. relations with Rome are stronger than ever. Instead, it was overshadowed by Italian headlines mocking Trump’s debate debacle in Ohio Tuesday night, topped off by an icy cold shoulder from Pope Francis, who refused to meet Pompeo this time around.Pompeo instead headlined an event called, “Advancing and Defending International Religious Freedom through Diplomacy,” put on by U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Callista Gingrich in a socially distanced conference room at the posh Excelsior Hotel on the Via Veneto near the U.S. embassy. Bishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, gave an address after Pompeo spoke, but the most he could give by way of papal blessing was to say, “His holiness is aware of this meeting.”When pressed earlier in the week about why the pontiff was seemingly snubbing Pompeo after having so warmly welcomed him just one year ago, the Vatican press office said the pope doesn't like to hold audiences with high ranking government officials so close to important elections. Immediately after speaking, ANSA news agency asked Gallagher to confirm if the reason “amounted to exploitation of the pope in the final stages of the U.S. presidential campaign.” Gallagher answered affirmatively, “Yes, that is precisely why the pope will not meet American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.”The pope was also said to be upset by Pompeo’s comments regarding the Holy See’s growing warmth with China and the renewal of a 2018 agreement that aims to bring Chinese Catholics into the fold by legitimizing the Beijing-mandated Chinese Catholic Church.Pompeo wasted no time on Gingrich’s stage in calling out such a move. “Nowhere is religious freedom under assault more than it is inside of China today,” Pompeo said. “As with all communist regimes, the Chinese Communist Party deems itself the ultimate moral authority.”Pompeo reportedly angered the pontiff earlier this month by pressuring the Vatican to abandon the agreement in the conservative Catholic magazine First Things. “The Holy See has a unique capacity and duty to focus the world’s attention on human rights violations, especially those perpetrated by totalitarian regimes like Beijing’s,” he wrote. “What the church teaches the world about religious freedom and solidarity should now be forcefully and persistently conveyed by the Vatican in the face of the Chinese Communist party’s relentless efforts to bend all religious communities to the will of the party and its totalitarian program.”The Chinese Catholic Church has been a priority for Francis since his election in 2013 and it would seem no amount of pressure from abroad will in any way deter the pope’s desire to give Chinese Catholics an opportunity to be blessed by the Vatican.Pompeo’s Roman itinerary also includes meetings with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, a member of the Five Star Movement, which has just called for many of their parliamentarians to isolate after a small COVID cluster seemed to be spreading among the party members. He will also get a private tour of the Borghese Gallery before being hosted at the ambassador’s residence for a small but glitzy dinner Wednesday night. Thursday, Pompeo will visit a Catholic charity that deals with Syrian refugees and meet privately with the Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, where China relations will top the agenda.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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More wildfire evacuations ordered as Northern California braces for powerful winds

Critics warn Trump's 'poll watcher' rhetoric is a potential voter suppression tactic

For some tech workers seeking green cards, the wait just got a little shorter. But it still is measured in decades.

White man accused of firing shots into the home of a Black family seeks forgiveness

Religious group scrubs photos and mentions of SCOTUS nominee Amy Coney Barrett from website: report

White House press briefing goes off the rails as McEnany spars with media over Trump's white supremacist comments

Texas Dems Declare ‘Big War’ on Gov Over Mail-In Vote Restriction

HOUSTON—Texas Democrats are planning to take Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) to federal court over his controversial move on Thursday to shutter locations across the state where voters can drop off their mail-in ballots to be counted for the general election.“We’re in a big war right now with the state of Texas,” Gilberto Hinojosa, the chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, told The Daily Beast. “We’re probably going to be filing suit on that in the next day or so.”Abbott announced Thursday that effective immediately until the Nov. 3 election, each county in Texas can only operate one site where voters are allowed to submit their mail-in ballots. Abbott said the move would “strengthen ballot security protocols.”“The State of Texas has a duty to voters to maintain the integrity of our elections,” Abbott said. “These enhanced security protocols will ensure greater transparency and will help stop attempts at illegal voting.” A spokesperson for Abbott did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the potential for a legal challenge to the governor’s order.Election officials in Texas and nationwide have incorporated ballot drop-boxes as an important part of their plans to make voting safe and secure in an election year that is expected to see record turnout against the backdrop of a deadly pandemic.Some of Texas’ largest counties had announced that voters would have the option of using multiple drop-off locations: in Harris County, home to 4.7 million residents and the city of Houston, the fourth largest city in the U.S., officials had set up a dozen sites where voters could hand in their ballots.Chris Hollins, the top elections official in Harris County, said in a statement that Abbott was “going back on his word” to give Texas voters more options to vote safely during COVID-19, and that the county’s multiple drop-off sites had already been advertised publicly for weeks.“Our office is more than willing to accommodate poll watchers at mail ballot drop-off locations,” said Hollins. “But to force hundreds of thousands of seniors and voters with disabilities to use a single drop-off location in a county that stretches over nearly 2,000 square miles is prejudicial and dangerous."The League of United Latin American Citizens, a national Hispanic advocacy group, also said it was filing a lawsuit, alleging Abbott was trying to “suppress the state’s Hispanic vote.”Texas Democrats said that the move from Abbott is a clear signal of GOP fears that they’re in danger of losing key races in Texas, particularly down-ballot.Texas AG Claims Nearly 60,000 Non-Citizens Voted in State Elections Over Last Two Decades“It tells you that they’re scared,” said Hinojosa. “They know they’re in trouble in the state. All the polling out there shows that they’re in trouble. That they’re likely going to lose the state House, they’re likely going to lose a lot of congressional seats, and even [Senate candidate] MJ [Hegar] is in contention, she’s within the margin of error.”Julián Castro, who was the mayor of San Antonio from 2009 to 2014 and ran for the Democratic nomination this cycle, told The Daily Beast on Thursday that the decision was made by “a nervous man doing the bidding of two other nervous men”—referring to President Donald Trump and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), whom Hegar is challenging.Recent polls have shown a tightening race in Texas, with Trump barely leading Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Cornyn’s lead narrowing over Hegar. Democrats are also targeting several U.S. House seats in the state’s shifting suburban areas, looking to build on the districts they flipped in 2018.“The Republicans wouldn’t be pulling these maneuvers if they didn’t see Texas slipping away from them. In that sense, this is one encouraging sign they see what we see, which is that Texas is turning over,” said Castro.While Castro was hopeful that courts might be sympathetic to a legal challenge against the order, he worried that the announcement itself, even if overturned, could have the effect of voter suppression.“It causes a problem regardless of whether Abbott succeeds in limiting these drop-off boxes or not,” he said. “It creates confusion.”Dennis Borel, executive director of the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, said he’s not sure how the governor’s proclamation will prevent illegal voting. The majority of mail-in ballots that would be delivered in person come from elderly and disabled voters, Borel said.“It’s a mystery what he’s trying to truly accomplish here,” Borel said. “Why would we want to–late in the game–come in and restrict the number of valid drop off locations during a pandemic during which older adults and people with disabilities are considered at the highest risk?”Democratic candidates themselves are similarly skeptical. Julie Taylor, the Democratic nominee challenging Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX) in the state’s 25th District, echoed the point that Abbott’s move was meant to sow confusion, calling it “naked voter suppression.”In an interview with The Daily Beast, Taylor noted that since ballot drop-offs begin on Oct. 5, people have time to adjust. But she said “it’s going to be a hassle if one location is much farther for [voters] to drive to than before” and said her campaign is encouraging people to vote early and in person if they are not at increased risk of contracting the coronavirus.“We’ll continue to let people know what their options are, and just help them work through their voting plan,” said Taylor, who is running to represent a sprawling 13-county area that includes Austin’s Travis County and Fort Worth’s Tarrant County. In Travis, four drop-off locations for mail-in ballots were supposed to be available.Abbott’s proclamation comes one week after a group of Texas Republicans led by conservative activist Steven Hotze asked the Texas Supreme Court to halt Abbott’s move to extend both early voting and the period that people could deliver their absentee ballots in person.Hotze’s petition for Writ of Mandamus was also filed on behalf of Allen West, chairman for the Republican Party of Texas, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, and six current members of the Texas legislature.It seems few counties designated more than one in-person drop off location for ballots. Tarrant County, which includes Fort Worth, is the third largest in Texas by population and only had one designated box. The same is true for Hidalgo and Webb, two large counties on the border.The Tarrant County Democratic Party posted on Twitter that they asked for more ballot drop off locations, but the county elections officials declined.“In a flippable county with close to 1.5M voters, by which 60K vote by mail ballots have already been sent, we have to make due,” the party said on Twitter. “We are relegated to one drop off location in the midst of COVID and uncertainty over the USPS system because Texas Republicans know they'll lose.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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Marine Corps F-35 and C-130 Collide During Refueling Exercise, All Personnel Found Safe

Trump aide Hope Hicks was on Air Force One with president before testing positive for coronavirus, reports say

Hope Hicks, one of Donald Trump’s closest aides, has tested positive for coronavirus, according to reports. Ms Hicks, who serves as counselor to the president in her second stint at the White House, is seen as one of his most loyal and trusted advisers. Reports that she had tested positive for coronavirus first came from Bloomberg’s Jennifer Jacobs, who tweeted: “Hope Hicks, who traveled with Trump aboard Air Force One to and from the presidential debate on Tuesday, and to his Minnesota rally yesterday, has coronavirus, sources tell me.”

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Hannity: President Trump 'steamrolled' Biden in first debate

Hundreds of migrants set out from Honduras amid pandemic

Hundreds of migrants began walking Wednesday night from this city in northern Honduras toward the Guatemala border, testing a well-trod migration route now in times of the novel coronavirus. Calls for a new migrant caravan to leave from the San Pedro Sula bus station Oct. 1 have been circulating on social media for weeks. The caravan comes just two weeks after Guatemala reopened its borders after keeping them sealed for months to slow the spread of COVID-19.

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