| Trump's vaccine promises meet reality Posted: 29 Oct 2020 11:45 AM PDT  The president's optimistic claims that a vaccine for COVID-19 would be ready before the end of the year seem increasingly unlikely to be fulfilled.
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| Kyle Rittenhouse extradited to Wisconsin following terse ruling from Illinois judge accusing him of asking the court to 'ignore binding Illinois law' Posted: 30 Oct 2020 02:22 PM PDT  Rittenhouse, charged in Wisconsin with first-degree homicide over the shooting of three people at Kenosha protests, had been fighting his extradition.
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| President Erdogan accused of fuelling the anger that led to French terror attacks Posted: 29 Oct 2020 08:35 AM PDT  The Turkish president's bellicose rhetoric towards France over the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed may have contributed to a climate of anger that led to the deadly terror attack in the city of Nice on Thursday, terrorism experts and EU politicians have said. A woman was decapitated, and two more people killed, in an attack in a church in Nice on Thursday that the city's mayor described as terrorism after the alleged perpetrator reportedly chanted "Alllahu akbar" as he was arrested. Terrorism experts believe the attack – alongside a stabbing at the French consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and an incident in Avignon where police killed a man brandishing a gun – were retaliation by extremists for France's hardening attitudes towards Muslims. French President Emmanuel Macron ordered a crackdown on Islamists this month, following the beheading of a teacher who showed his class caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, something many Muslims consider blasphemous and offensive. Turkish President Recep Tayipp Erdogan has led criticism in the Muslim world of Mr Macron, repeatedly saying he needed mental evaluation over his stance towards Islam.
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| Record turnout in Texas' largest county could be crucial to flipping a usually red state Posted: 29 Oct 2020 01:30 AM PDT  Election officials in Harris County tripled the number of early-voting sites, expanded their hours and added drive-thru voting.
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| Body-camera footage released of Wallace killing; family says officers were improperly trained Posted: 30 Oct 2020 03:34 AM PDT  The footage from body-worn cameras that was taken as police responded to a call about Walter Wallace Jr. shows him emerging from a house with a knife as relatives shout at officers about his mental health condition, a lawyer for the man's family said Thursday.
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| Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman got served a lawsuit via WhatsApp. Court documents show that he received and read the message. Posted: 30 Oct 2020 01:03 AM PDT  The case, filed by former top security advisor Dr. Saad Al-Jabri alleges that bin Salman set a hit squad to assassinate him in Canada.
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| Two same-sex couples in military marry in first for Taiwan Posted: 29 Oct 2020 09:24 PM PDT  Two lesbian couples tied the knot in a mass wedding held by Taiwan's military on Friday in a historic celebration with their peers. Taiwan is the only place in Asia to have legalized same-sex marriage, with more than 4,000 such couples marrying since the legislation passed in May 2019. The mass wedding with 188 couples was the first time same-sex couples have been wed and celebrated at a military ceremony.
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| Death toll rises in Vietnam after Typhoon Molave triggers widespread flooding, landslides Posted: 29 Oct 2020 11:50 AM PDT  After forging a path of destruction over the northern and central Philippines and strengthening over the South China Sea, Typhoon Molave brought its deadly impacts to Vietnam from Wednesday into Thursday, inflicting more damage in a country that has been battered by numerous landfalling tropical systems since the beginning of the month. As of Thursday evening, local time, the death toll has risen to 35 and at least 50 people are still missing, according to state media. The death toll is expected to rise in the coming days as search and rescue missions continue and communications with more remote villages are restored. Soldiers and villagers dig through mud after a landslide swamps a village in Phuoc Loc district, Quang Nam province, Vietnam, on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. Three separated landslides triggered by Typhoon Molave killed over a dozen villagers and left dozens more missing in the province as rescuers scramble to recover more victims. (Lai Minh Dong/VNA via AP) A dozen of those killed by the typhoon were sailors of two fishing vessels that sank while trying to seek shelter from the powerful typhoon. According to VnExpress International, the vessels sank near the province of Binh Dinh on Tuesday night. While strong winds from Molave created treacherous conditions across the western South China Sea, heavy rainfall caused deadly landslides across central provinces. CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Military officers, who were put on standby by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ahead of Molave's arrival, scrambled to three villages where three separate landslides were responsible for killing at least 19 people and are suspected of burying more than 40 others in thick mud and debris, The Associated Press reported. Homes and roadways in parts of Tra Van village, Tra Leng village and Phuoc Loc district were buried under the landslides. Officers used bulldozers and excavators to help clear gain access to the affected areas and begin rescuing victims, The AP said. Four more residents were killed in Quang Nam province, a tourist draw for an ancient town and Hindu temples, by falling trees and collapsed houses, The AP reported. More than 130 people have been killed in the central Vietnam province since the beginning of October following the tumultuous weather pattern that has brought a relentless series of tropical storms and typhoons. Typhoon Molave is the fourth named tropical system to make landfall over Vietnam this month, and officials are calling this the strongest storm to hit the country in the last 20 years, The Associated Press reported. Molave made landfall just prior to midday Wednesday, local time, according to VnExpress International, unloading torrential rain and damaging winds across the typhoon-weary nation. At landfall, the typhoon had the equivalent strength of a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins. Molave lost some wind intensity just prior to landfall after spending some time with the equivalent strength of a Category 3 major hurricane. Ahead of the storm, officials were preparing to evacuate 1.3 million residents along the coast of central Vietnam, according to Reuters. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also urged provinces in the typhoon's path to prepare by bringing boats ashore. This satellite image shows Typhoon Molave closing in on the Vietnam coast on Wednesday morning, local time. (CIRA/RAMMB) Molave is the fourth named tropical system to make landfall over Vietnam since Oct. 11, according to AccuWeather Lead International Meteorologist Jason Nicholls. It is also the country's sixth landfalling storm this year. Fierce winds were already beginning to whip ahead of Molave's landfall, with a local news agency reporting nearly 82,000 customers had lost power in the province of Phú Yên by Wednesday morning, local time. As of Wednesday evening, local time, Molave had lost enough wind intensity that it was designated a tropical storm over western Vietnam. Molave first developed into a tropical depression to the east of the Philippines late last week and was given the name Quinta by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Molave is the name used by the Japanese Meteorological Agency for the part of the basin that falls under the agency's purview. Residents wearing masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus wade through a flooded road from Typhoon Molave in Pampanga province, northern Philippines, on Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. The fast-moving typhoon has forced thousands of villagers to flee to safety in provinces. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) The storm quickly strengthened into a typhoon with sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph) before making its first landfall over San Miguel, Philippines, on Sunday evening, local time. This is equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic and East Pacific tropical basins. Widespread rainfall totals of 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) were reported in the northern and central Philippines. More than 120,000 people have been displaced by the storm, and at least eight are missing. As of Friday morning, local time, the typhoon is being blamed for at least 22 deaths in the Philippines. As recovery efforts continue, all eyes will be on the strengthening Typhoon Goni, also known as Rolly in the Philippines. Residents impacted by Molave in the Philippines are likely to face impacts from Goni this weekend. Goni could go on to bring more tropical downpours and gusty winds to Vietnam next week. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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| David Perdue: Georgia senator pulls out of final debate after 'brutal' takedown by Democrat goes viral Posted: 29 Oct 2020 11:25 PM PDT  Video of debate where Democrat Jon Ossoff calls Republican incumbent a 'crook' has been viewed more than 11m times on Twitter
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| Philadelphia police say they rescued a lost child. His family says they actually ripped him from his mother's car. Posted: 30 Oct 2020 10:34 AM PDT  During recent protests over the police killing of Walter Wallace Jr. in Philadelphia, the U.S.'s largest police union posted what looked like a sympathetic photo. A Philadelphia police office held a Black toddler, with a caption purporting he was found "walking around barefoot in an area that was experiencing complete lawlessness," the National Fraternal Order of Police's Facebook post said.But lawyer's for the boy's family say that's not what happened. Rickia Young was driving with her toddler son to pick up her 16-year-old nephew when she accidentally drove into an area where police and protesters were facing off. She tried to turn around, but police surrounded the car, smashed its windows, and threw Young and her nephew onto the street, her lawyers tell The Washington Post. The officers then pulled the toddler from the seat, video of the incident shows.> The attacked on this boy and his mother were caught on video. @ryanjreilly has done a good job of pointing out this lie by @GLFOP https://t.co/kJ4QcrXegc> > — Riley H. Ross III (@AttorneyRoss) October 30, 2020Police soon detained Young, but she had to be taken to the hospital before she could be processed because she was bleeding from her head after police threw her to the ground. Young's nephew was also injured, and the toddler was hit in the head. Young was split from her son for hours before she was released without charges. Her family found the boy in his car seat in the back of a police car, broken glass from the car's windows still in the seat, the Post describes.The whole scene was caught on video by AApril Rice, who told the Philadelphia Inquirer watching what happened was "surreal" and "traumatic." The National Fraternal Order of Police has since deleted the post. Philadelphia police still haven't told the Young family where to find the car, along with her son's hearing aids and other belongings inside.More stories from theweek.com How to make an election crisis 64 things President Trump has said about women Republicans are on the verge of a spectacular upside-down achievement
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| Las Vegas police charge driver after man pushed a cyclist to her death, fell out a minivan window, hit his head on a lamppost, and died at the scene Posted: 30 Oct 2020 08:15 AM PDT  Rodrigo Cruz, 22, was the driver of the minivan involved in the two deaths, the Las Vegas police said.
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| Top U.S. officials were briefed on an active threat against Pentagon leaders, say five officials Posted: 29 Oct 2020 01:07 PM PDT  Some officials said the briefings suggested the threat may be potential retaliation for the U.S. military's killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
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| Man falls through New York City pavement into 'rat-filled chasm' Posted: 30 Oct 2020 02:10 AM PDT  A man was trapped in a hole teeming with rats for half an hour after a New York City pavement collapsed from under him last Saturday. Leonard Shoulders dropped almost 15 feet into the sinkhole and was unable to cry for help out of fear the rats would get in his mouth. "Rats crawling on him. He can't move. He just… it was so bad," the victim's brother Greg White told NBC News. "He didn't wanna yell 'cause he was afraid there was gonna be rats going inside his mouth." Mr Shoulders plunged more than 12 feet into the vault, breaking his arm and leg, when the ground gave way beneath him while he waited for a bus in the Bronx. "He went down feet first," Mr White added. "He was just standing and the sidewalk just — It was like a suction. Like a sinkhole. He just went down."
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| Tony Chung: Hong Kong activist detained near US consulate charged Posted: 29 Oct 2020 10:32 AM PDT  Tony Chung was detained as he reportedly planned to claim asylum at the US consulate.
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| Tourist arrested for hiding a loaded firearm at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Posted: 29 Oct 2020 06:36 PM PDT  A 27-year-old woman has been arrested for hiding a loaded firearm at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, the Orange County Sheriff's Office confirmed.
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| Canada border officer had concerns about interviewing Huawei CFO ahead of arrest Posted: 28 Oct 2020 07:06 PM PDT  A Canadian border officer told a court on Wednesday he had concerns about intercepting and interviewing Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou before police arrested her on a warrant from the United States almost two years ago. Scott Kirkland was one of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers to intercept Meng when she disembarked at Vancouver International Airport in December 2018. Kirkland told the court he was worried that "our examination would be argued as a delay in due process," testifying in the latest round of hearings in Meng's U.S. extradition case.
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| 2020 polls: Can Trump pull another 2016 upset? The data says no chance Posted: 29 Oct 2020 08:59 AM PDT  The blue wave is coming - if you believe the polls
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| Miami police officer used excessive force arresting paraplegic man, civilian panel says Posted: 30 Oct 2020 08:48 AM PDT  Almost a year after an internal review cleared several officers of any wrongdoing during the arrest of a Black paraplegic man who was dragged out of a patrol car, a police civilian oversight board has condemned the actions of five Miami police officers who took Trayon Fussell-Dumas into custody during a traffic stop.
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| The flu shot lasts for about 6 months: Here's when it starts working and why it may get less effective as time goes on Posted: 30 Oct 2020 11:07 AM PDT  The flu shot is effective for about six months. You should get it in October so it lasts through March and covers you through flu season.
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| Michigan Senate candidate John James is proof all skinfolk ain’t kinfolk Posted: 29 Oct 2020 06:00 AM PDT  OPINION: James is fashioning himself as a moderate who believes in bipartisanship. The problem is when it comes to the party of Trump, you can't play it both sides. John James is a Black man who has a shot at becoming the next U.S. Senator from the great state of Michigan.
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| Facebook admits it 'improperly' blocked some political ads due to 'technical issues' as Joe Biden's campaign slams it for being 'wholly unprepared' Posted: 29 Oct 2020 08:18 PM PDT  Facebook said no ads were blocked "because of any partisan consideration," as Biden's camp accused the company of offering "no clarity" on the issue.
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| Jerry Falwell Jr. is suing Liberty University after his forced resignation over sex scandal Posted: 29 Oct 2020 01:14 PM PDT  The former president was ousted earlier this year and now hints he was victim of political retribution.
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| The Government has agreed only three claims by families of deceased Windrush victims Posted: 29 Oct 2020 12:44 PM PDT  The Government has settled only three of the 71 claims by families of dead victims of the Windrush scandal, according to Home Office data. Around one in eight (12 per cent) of Windrush victims claiming compensation have received payouts, according to the official figures. Of 1,587 claims made to the scheme by the end of September, £1,619,291.42 had been paid out to 196 people, around 12 per cent of those who had applied. The data also showed 71 claims have been made for people who have already died, but only three have resulted in payments so far. Some 124 claims have been subject to an appeal over the decision made, while 81 eligible applicants were told they were not entitled to any money because their claims did not demonstrate that they had been adversely affected by the scandal. The fund has an estimated budget of at least £200 million. Previously, Home Secretary Priti Patel described the scheme as "complicated" and said she wanted to see payments "sped up". Earlier this year, Windrush campaigner Paulette Wilson (see below) died, aged 64, just weeks after delivering a petition to Downing Street calling for action to address the failings that led to the scandal and demanding swift compensation for victims.
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| Macron Declares ‘France Is Under Attack’ after Islamist Terrorist Kills Three Churchgoers Posted: 29 Oct 2020 10:37 AM PDT  French President Emmanuel Macron declared Thursday that France is "under attack," hours after an Islamic terrorist wielding a knife decapitated a woman and killed two other people at a church in southern France.The attack occurred near the Basilica of Notre-Dame in Nice, a city on France's southern coast. Two women and a man were killed. At least two of the three victims, including the woman who was reportedly decapitated, were inside the church."It's very clear that it is France that is under attack," Macron said during an address outside the basilica where the attack occurred, calling the incident an "Islamist terrorist attack.""France will not give up on our values," the French president said.Shortly after the attack, Macron boosted security around the country, increasing the number of soldiers at schools and places of worship from 3,000 to 7,000 troops.The French president also participated in a crisis meeting at the Interior Ministry on Thursday before traveling to Nice in the wake of the attack, which put France on its highest level of alert.Mayor Christian Estrosi said that the suspected knife attacker was shot by police while being detained and was taken to the hospital alive.The "terrorist" shouted "Allahu akbar," which is Arabic for "God is great," as police arrested him, the mayor said, adding that, "the meaning of his gesture left no doubt."The incident was one of three attacks against France on Thursday. A Saudi man was arrested after he attacked a guard with a sharp tool at the French consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, according to Saudi state media. The guard was hospitalized and suffered minor injuries. Meanwhile, an individual in the French city of Avignon wielded a knife and threatened people passing by while shouting "Allahu akbar" until police fatally shot the suspect.Earlier this month, Samuel Paty, a 47-year-old history teacher, was beheaded in a Paris suburb by an 18-year-old Moscow-born Chechen immigrant who was angered by Paty showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to his class.After Paty was killed, Macron vowed to crack down on Islamic extremism in France, promising that "the fear is now going to change sides," and that "the Islamists cannot be allowed to sleep peacefully in our country."
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| Record-breaking GDP growth leaves U.S. economy in the same place as the height of the Great Recession Posted: 29 Oct 2020 08:27 AM PDT  America just posted its biggest annualized and single-quarter GDP growth of all time. It isn't that impressive.The U.S. GDP jumped at a 33.1 percent annualized rate in the third quarter, a growth of 7.4 percent from Q2, Commerce Department records released Thursday reveal. But as Gregory Daco, the chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, put it in a tweet, that growth is both "record-breaking and meaningless at the same time."It's true that the 7.4 percent GDP rise from Q2 to Q3 is a record. But it also comes after a record contraction from Q1 to Q2, and a total loss of 10.3 percent throughout 2020, so it doesn't even come close to making up what was lost amid the pandemic. In fact, the 3.5 percent total GDP shrinkage during 2020 "means we are still down almost as much as we were during the height of the Great Recession," tweets Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton.> Translation into % difference from pre-Covid> > US GDP -3.5% > \- consumer spend -3.3% > \- business investment -4.9% > \- residential invest +5.1% > \- exports -15.3% > \- imports -7.1% > \- federal gov spending +2.6% > \- state and local gov spending -1.9% pic.twitter.com/uLNPEnuUYF> > — Gregory Daco (@GregDaco) October 29, 2020Economist Justin Wolfers meanwhile debunked the 33.1 percent growth rate the entire Trump family was touting Thursday morning. Looking at annualized growth reveals how much bigger the economy would be if it "grew at this rate for the next three quarters," Wolfers tweeted. "But there's no chance that will happen, so the annualized rate answers a question no one is asking." And if that wasn't convincing enough, Wolfers had another way of looking at it. Kathryn Krawczyk> If you have a cranky uncle who insists that you focus on annualized rates, point out that the number of new covid cases in Q3 rose to be +87% higher than in Q2, which is an annualized rate of +1,123%.> > — Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) October 29, 2020More stories from theweek.com How to make an election crisis 64 things President Trump has said about women Republicans are on the verge of a spectacular upside-down achievement
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| Judge grants Meghan Markle's request to postpone lawsuit against tabloid Posted: 29 Oct 2020 07:15 AM PDT  A British judge on Thursday granted a request by the Duchess of Sussex to postpone the trial of her invasion of privacy lawsuit against the publisher of a British newspaper that published portions of a private letter she wrote to her father.
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| Who is leading key Senate races less than a week from election? Here’s what polls show Posted: 29 Oct 2020 03:15 PM PDT  With five days to go, here's how candidates stack up in key U.S. Senate races.
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| A Florida man was scalped by a black panther after he paid $150 for an illegal 'full contact' experience at a backyard animal sanctuary Posted: 30 Oct 2020 08:45 AM PDT  Dwight Turner paid $150 to play with, take pictures, and rub the belly of a black panther at a private enclosure behind a house.
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| Officer sues Breonna Taylor's boyfriend over emotional distress Posted: 29 Oct 2020 08:32 PM PDT  "Walker's conduct in shooting Mattingly is outrageous, intolerable, and offends all accepted standards of decency and morality," the lawsuit notes.
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| Republican Sen. Mike Lee said fact-checking labels placed by social media companies are a form of censorship Posted: 29 Oct 2020 12:43 AM PDT  The comment was made in a Senate hearing where Republicans said Twitter, Facebook, and Google discriminate against conservatives on their platforms.
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| Walmart removes guns and ammunition from shelves ahead of election amid fears of civil unrest Posted: 29 Oct 2020 10:25 PM PDT  Walmart says it will continue selling them if customers make a special request, however
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| Op-Ed: The immorality of sentencing a 15-year-old to prison forever Posted: 30 Oct 2020 04:00 AM PDT  The Supreme Court needs to state again that a child cannot be sentenced to life without parole unless a trial court determines that child is beyond rehabilitation.
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| Trump is blatantly corrupt Posted: 30 Oct 2020 02:45 AM PDT  Even if Joe Biden turns out to be irredeemably corrupt — and I am skeptical that would be the case — he is no match for President Trump's epic underhandedness.The president and his allies have spent the last few weeks flogging the notion that Biden is a crime lord masquerading as a politician, accusing the former vice president and his son, Hunter, of sketchy deals involving an array of foreign countries. These accusations haven't gained much traction — perhaps because they are of questionable providence: The New York Post reporters who wrote up a "bombshell" report on Hunter Biden refused to have their bylines appear with the story, a sign they weren't confident in it. And NBC reported on Thursday that a document containing allegations against Hunter was disseminated to a conservative activists by a man who doesn't even exist.So it is difficult to take these allegations seriously. But say, only for the sake of argument, they end up being true. Does that mean anti-corruption voters should turn to Donald Trump as their savior? Of course not.The list of Trump's unscrupulous activities over last four years is too lengthy to be recounted here. So let us take a look at some of revelations that have emerged just this week: * On Thursday, The New York Times reported the Trump administration had soft-peddled its prosecution of a Turkish bank accused of breaking U.S. sanctions law by funneling money to Iran — a scheme Justice Department lawyers believed was helping fund Iran's nuclear weapons program. But Trump has received millions of dollars of income from businesses in Turkey, leading officials to believe the president was looking out for his own best interest, instead of American interests. "He would interfere in the regular government process to do something for a foreign leader," John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser, told the Times. "In anticipation of what? In anticipation of another favor from that person down the road." * Before that, on Tuesday, The Washington Post reported that Trump's businesses have taken in at least $2.5 million from U.S. taxpayers — mostly for the privilege of letting the president hang out and do business on his own property. Expenses ranged from $1,000 worth of liquor for White House aides to $3 for the water Trump drank when meeting with the Japanese prime minister. That money is in addition to another $5.6 million Trump's campaign and fundraising committee paid to his businesses to support the boss' effort to stay in office, the Post reported, "turning campaign donations into private revenue." That isn't illegal. But it doesn't look good, either. "It's extremely unusual," one election law expert said.These latest stories add to what we already know about how Trump has used his authority to pressure Ukraine into undermining Biden's candidacy, to help his friends evade punishment for breaking the law, and to push for the investigation of his enemies. Reports have also indicated that foreign governments used Trump's businesses — and the businesses of his children — to curry favor with the president. Presidents aren't supposed to abuse their power or benefit financially from holding office. Trump has done both.There is a danger of cynicism in this discussion. A friend once told me he didn't mind Trump's corruption so much because he figured all politicians are dishonest and self-dealing. It is likely that the president and his allies throw mud at Biden simply to further that impression. We should expect better from our leaders, of course.So Joe Biden and his family should not be held beyond scrutiny, by the media or voters. And if Biden is elected and then abuses his authority and office to benefit personally and politically, then he should be impeached. Two wrongs don't make a right, after all.But when everything is going to hell, in a country afflicted with both pandemic and polarization, it is best to prioritize taking care of the big problems first, then addressing the smaller challenges. What is (implausibly) alleged against Biden doesn't much compare to all the evidence we have against Trump. If government corruption is your issue, voting for the former vice president seems a better bet.Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here.More stories from theweek.com How to make an election crisis 64 things President Trump has said about women Republicans are on the verge of a spectacular upside-down achievement
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| 6 dead, millions powerless as Zeta roars across southern, eastern US Posted: 29 Oct 2020 12:33 PM PDT  Zeta, now downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, continued to lash portions of the southern and eastern U.S. Thursday with heavy rain and high winds.
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| The battle for Senate control looks more volatile than the presidential race Posted: 30 Oct 2020 06:13 AM PDT  First Read is your briefing from "Meet the Press" and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.
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| Members of white supremacist group accused of intimating Mich. family Posted: 29 Oct 2020 11:52 AM PDT  Two members of a white supremacist group were arrested Thursday and accused of intimidating a Michigan family, authorities said.
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| Five things to know about Moldova Posted: 29 Oct 2020 10:28 PM PDT  The ex-Soviet country of Moldova, which holds a presidential election on Sunday, is landlocked between EU member Romania, with which it shares a common language, and Ukraine.
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| COVID-19 means US Air Force bombers flying around the world are operating in a 'degraded' environment Posted: 30 Oct 2020 12:16 PM PDT  The ongoing pandemic "means that we can't always stick to the same timelines, the same procedures," Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Middents told Insider.
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| Fired stadium manager deletes concessions menu on opening day in California, feds say Posted: 29 Oct 2020 11:28 AM PDT  Apparently he angered lots of Major League Soccer fans.
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| Mnuchin Says He First Saw Pelosi’s Letter on Coronavirus Stimulus Negotiations ‘In the Press’ Posted: 30 Oct 2020 06:01 AM PDT  Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday said that he first learned about a letter House speaker Nancy Pelosi sent to him regarding coronavirus stimulus talks "in the press.""I woke up this morning and read @SpeakerPelosi 's letter to me in the press," Mnuchin said on Twitter. "Enclosed is my response. Her ALL OR NONE approach is hurting hard-working Americans who need help NOW!"> I woke up this morning and read @SpeakerPelosi's letter to me in the press. Enclosed is my response. Her ALL OR NONE approach is hurting hard-working Americans who need help NOW! pic.twitter.com/tarhPwYmkv> > -- Steven Mnuchin (@stevenmnuchin1) October 29, 2020Pelosi aides said they had sent the letter to Mnuchin shortly after midnight, though the treasury secretary said he first saw the letter when Politico's morning newsletter Playbook published it just after 6 a.m., according to the Washington Post.The letter outlined a number of outstanding issues in the negotiations including state and local aid, school funding, child-care money, tax credits for working families, unemployment insurance aid and liability protections for businesses. Mnuchin's letter said that because Pelosi had sent the letter "to my office at midnight and simultaneously released it to the press, I can unfortunately only conclude it is a political stunt."He tweeted his letter one minute after sending it to Pelosi's office. In the letter he mentioned that the pair had negotiated nearly every day over the past 45 days "in an attempt to reach a serious bipartisan compromise," as coronavirus cases surged and the economy struggled.Pelosi's office pushed back against Mnuchin's response."It is disappointing that the White House wasted time on this letter instead of meaningful responses to meet the needs of the American people," Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said.Democrats and Republicans have since remained in political gridlock for months over the size and contents of a second round of stimulus relief. While the White House has offered $1.9 trillion, Democrats have pushed for a more expansive bill at $2.2 trillion.The California Democrat's letter outlined the outstanding issues and said she was waiting for an answer from the administration regarding the Democrats' language on a national coronavirus testing strategy after Mnuchin had said on October 15 that he was ready to accept after some small edits. Mnuchin, however, said that the administration had accepted Pelosi's proposal on dollars and language for coronavirus testing, and had also provided notes on the section on contact tracing. He added that he has worked alongside other agencies and committee chairs on responses on several areas of coronavirus relief, including rental assistance, small businesses and funding for the Postal Service. "While you accuse the Administration of holding up negotiations, you refuse to bring to the floor of the House stand-alone legislation to support Airline workers, additional Paycheck Protection Program payments to small businesses, and additional Direct Payments that we can fund using already approved money that we have not spent," Mnuchin wrote.In her letter Pelosi called on Mnuchin, President Trump, and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell to create a path forward for negotiations after the November 3 election. "Your responses are critical for our negotiations to continue," Pelosi wrote in her letter. "The President's words that 'after the election, we will get the best stimulus package you have ever seen' only have meaning if he can get Mitch McConnell to take his hand off the pause button and get Senate Republican Chairmen moving toward agreement with their House counterparts."Pelosi and Trump on Thursday both expressed hope that a stimulus bill could be passed after the election. In a news conference on Thursday, Pelosi said she was optimistic that Joe Biden would win the presidency, but said that she would not pass a small bill with the intent of adding more relief once Biden takes office."We're not talking size, we're talking quality. We're not going to take a small bill" that has provisions Democrats have found to be unacceptable, Pelosi said."I want a bill for two reasons. First and foremost the American people need help. They need real help. And second of all, we have plenty of work to do in a Joe Biden administration … So we want to have as clean a slate as possible going into January," Pelosi said.
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| 7.0 earthquake rocks Greece and Turkey Posted: 30 Oct 2020 05:17 AM PDT  A 7.0 earthquake was reported Friday off the Greek island of Samos, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
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| Hillary Clinton joins Electoral College 4 years after it cost her the presidency: 'Pretty sure I'll get to vote for Joe' Posted: 28 Oct 2020 08:43 PM PDT  Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, is one of 29 Democratic electors for New York state in 2020.
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| Activists call for justice after Washington D.C. man killed on scooter after police chase Posted: 30 Oct 2020 06:47 AM PDT  D.C. police were pursuing Karon Hylton-Brown when the scooter rider was struck by a car. Protesters in Washington, D.C. have taken to the streets after a 20-year-old man on a scooter was killed after allegedly being pursued by police. Karon Hylton-Brown was reportedly riding a moped on the sidewalk one week ago without a helmet when D.C. police tried to stop him, and he didn't stop.
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| Malaysia's Mahathir says Muslims can kill French, Twitter deletes post Posted: 29 Oct 2020 11:53 AM PDT  Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad tweeted Thursday that Muslims had a right "to kill millions of French people" after a deadly attack in Nice, sparking widespread anger and prompting Twitter to delete his post.
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| NASA's asteroid-blasting spacecraft has stored over 2 pounds of alien dust and rock to bring back to Earth Posted: 29 Oct 2020 04:30 PM PDT  Mission scientists raced to stash the asteroid sample because it was leaking into space. Now the probe is ready to bring more than 2 pounds to Earth.
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