Daylight-saving time ends on Sunday, November 1 — here's why we have it and why some countries and states have gotten rid of it

At 2 a.m. ET on November 1, Americans will "fall back" by moving their clocks an hour earlier to end seven months of daylight-saving time.

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US election: Don Jr told Trump supporters to ‘have some fun’ before Biden vehicles ‘rammed by armed group’

Trump’s eldest son called on supporters ‘get out there, have some fun’

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Migrant Children From Other Countries Are Being Expelled Into Mexico

U.S. border authorities have been expelling migrant children from other countries into Mexico, violating a diplomatic agreement with Mexico and testing the limits of immigration and child welfare laws.The expulsions, laid out in a sharply critical internal email from a senior Border Patrol official, have taken place under an aggressive border closure policy the Trump administration has said is necessary to prevent the coronavirus from spreading into the United States. But they conflict with the terms upon which the Mexican government agreed to help implement the order, which were that only Mexican children and others who had adult supervision could be pushed back into Mexico after attempting to cross the border.The expulsions put children from countries such as Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador at risk by sending them with no accompanying adult into a country where they have no family connections. Most appear to have been put, at least at first, into the care of Mexican child welfare authorities, who oversee shelters operated by religious organizations and other private groups.The expulsions, which appear to number more than 200 over the past eight months, reflect the haphazard nature with which many of the administration's most aggressive immigration policies have been introduced. In many cases, they have led to the shuffling of young children among U.S. government agencies and now, among the governments of countries that are not their own. For years now, the Trump administration's handling of migrant children has left members of families separated for months on end and unable to reach one another.A report to the courts earlier this month revealed that the parents of 545 such children currently in the United States, some of them separated from their families as long ago as 2017, still have not been located.Under existing diplomatic agreements and U.S. policies, children from countries other than Mexico are supposed to be put on flights operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to their home countries, where they can be reunited with their families.Rumors of children from other countries being expelled into Mexico have swirled among nonprofit workers advocating for child welfare in Mexico and the United States. But locating any such children has been difficult because of spotty reporting from Mexican government authorities.But an email from the U.S. Border Patrol's assistant chief, Eduardo Sanchez, obtained by The New York Times, makes it clear that such transfers have not only occurred but also that they are a clear violation of U.S. policy."Recently, we have identified several suspected instances where Single Minors (SM) from countries other than Mexico have been expelled via ports of entry rather than referred to ICE Air Operations for expulsion flights," Sanchez wrote.Referring to the federal public health statute upon which the administration's border closure policy rests, he continued, "Please note that if not corrected, these actions will place Title 42 operations in significant jeopardy and must be ceased immediately. To reiterate, under no circumstances should a SM from a country other than Mexico be knowingly expelled to Mexico."Brian Hastings, chief of the Border Patrol's Rio Grande Valley sector, acknowledged in an interview that non-Mexican children had been sent back into Mexico.Hastings said that without rapidly returning migrants under the pandemic rule, "we would have massive amounts of infections, massive amounts of commingling, and again, we would fill a hospital." He said that border agents are directed to contact the Mexican consular office each time an unaccompanied child is expelled.And Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of the Customs and Border Protection agency, acknowledged in a separate interview this week that such expulsions would violate an agreement between Mexico and the United States. "That's not part of their policy," Morgan said of Mexico.The two officials said that the expulsion policy has helped prevent the kind of overcrowding in border facilities that led to widespread criticism over the agency's care for children last year.But border agents have now been directed to exempt most children under the age of 10 from the expulsion policy and transfer them to shelters in the United States that are overseen by the U.S. Health and Human Services agency, Hastings said.The coronavirus pandemic created an opportunity for the Trump administration to enact its most stringent border restrictions yet. Thousands of children have since been rapidly expelled to their home countries after crossing the border into the United States -- a departure from years of established practices, under which children traveling without adult guardians were transferred into a U.S. government shelter system, where they were assigned to caseworkers who worked to reunite them with American sponsors while their cases for asylum were being considered in the courts.Contrary to that policy, the children expelled during the pandemic have been held only briefly in Border Patrol facilities or in hotels before being sent to their homes countries, often without any notification to their families ahead of time. Some have had to borrow cellphones when they arrive at airports to look for family members who may be willing to take them in.The latest expulsions add a new and potentially more devastating complication, creating even more confusion for families from Central America and elsewhere who may be trying to find their children.It is possible that some of the expelled children may have had family members in Mexico who were themselves waiting for entry to the United States, but Mexican authorities did not provide information about children handed off to their shelters.A Salvadoran father living in California who asked not to be named because he is in the country illegally said he first learned that his 15-year-old daughter had been expelled into Mexico in August, when he received a phone call from the Salvadoran Embassy in Ciudad Juarez."They said I had to stay calm because she was going to be OK," the father said. "I didn't know what to ask; it was just all confusing." His daughter had no family in Mexico, he said.She had been waiting in El Salvador to be approved for a visa to enter the United States under a special program for victims of sexual violence, based on what had happened to her in her home country, he said. He was not sure why she had tried to cross the U.S. border before she was approved to do so -- he assumed it was out of fears for her own safety.After lawyers intervened on the girl's behalf, arguing that her rights had been violated during the expulsion, she was allowed into the United States and is now living in a shelter in Arizona. Her father said he is waiting for permission from the U.S. government to be reunited with his daughter."I've been out of my mind," he said. "This is a really, really stressful situation. It's about your kids, you want always the best for them, but at the same time you know that you can't physically protect them or do anything right now, so that is really frustrating."Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union are challenging the practice of expelling migrant children in federal court, arguing that it violates child welfare laws, such as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, as well as national immigration laws, which require special protections for migrant children traveling alone."Even apart from the general illegality of Title 42, it is separately illegal under the immigration laws to expel a non-Mexican child to Mexico," said Lee Gelernt, the lead attorney in the case.The government has recently begun referring to migrant children who cross the border alone differently -- as "single minors" rather than "unaccompanied alien children" -- reinforcing the notion that while the pandemic-related border closure is in place, such children are not eligible for the legal protections that would otherwise have been available to them.According to public data, U.S. authorities have expelled more than 200,000 people since the new public health border closure took effect, but the administration would not answer questions about how many of them were children nor about how many were sent to Mexico. In December, border authorities acknowledged in federal court that at least 8,800 children have been expelled from the United States since March.Human rights organization Women's Refugee Commission, working with several other advocacy organizations, filed a public records request with Mexican authorities and received data suggesting that at least 208 Central American children had been returned to the custody of Mexican authorities between March 21 and June 5 of this year.Mexican child welfare authorities did not respond to requests for comment.Adults have also been expelled during the pandemic, in relatively large numbers, allowing some of them to quickly attempt to reenter the country.To combat repeat attempts, Hastings said, the Border Patrol has begun expulsion flights into the interior of Mexico for Mexican adults who have tried to enter the United States four or more times.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company

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A Mars-sized planet is aimlessly zooming through the Milky Way

The smallest rogue planet found to date, it wanders through the Milky Way with no parent star or gravitational siblings to keep it company.

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Tensions rise outside of Kamala Harris event in Fort Worth

As the November 3 presidential election draws near, tensions continue to rise amongst Democrats and Republicans. Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris arrived at a campaign stop in Fort Worth, Texas at First Saint John Catherdral on Friday. A small group of Trump-Pence supporters were also present, causing discord, according to the Star Telegram.

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US salutes Greece, Turkey earthquake diplomacy

The United States on Friday hailed diplomacy between uneasy neighbors Greece and Turkey following a major earthquake and said it was ready to assist the NATO allies.

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U.S. judge to hear Republican bid to void 100,000 votes in Texas

In a brief order, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Houston on Friday agreed to hear arguments by a Republican state legislator and others that votes already cast at drive-through voting sites in the Houston area should be rejected. The lawsuit was brought on Wednesday by plaintiffs including Steve Hotze, a conservative activist, and state Representative Steve Toth. Harris County, home to about 4.7 million people, is the third most populous county in the United States.

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New Orleans Police Officers Ambushed in French Quarter

A passenger in a pedicab ambushed two New Orleans Police officers in the French Quarter on Friday, shooting one officer in the face and injuring another, the city’s police superintendent said. The officers had no contact with the suspect before he opened fire on their vehicle while they were on patrol Friday afternoon, according to Superintendent Shaun Ferguson."They were just crossing through intersections going in different directions," he said. "This is a dark day for our officers, so I ask that you keep our officers and their families in your prayers.”One officer, who has been on the force for four years, was struck by a bullet in the left cheek, just below the eye. The bullet is lodged in his skull and he is in serious but stable condition."He was able to walk into the hospital holding his cheek," Ferguson said.  The other officer, a 16-year-veteran, had minor abrasions to his arm from shards of glass. The suspected gunman was taken into custody and, as he appeared to be "under some sort of medical condition," he was taken to a hospital to be evaluated, Ferguson said.He was not injured by police, Ferguson said. A gun was recovered at the scene and the suspect was wearing a holster, he said.Ferguson thanked a citizen that helped treat the wounded officer."A retired Army veteran with medical experience was working in a nearby store and helped with the medical treatment of our officers until fellow officers arrived at the scene," he said."We also want to commend the citizens who pointed out the individual as officers were responding to this call," he added.

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Trump news: President limits rally to 21 minutes after crowds kept out by Covid restrictions

Follow the latest updates

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A white supremacist gang has been charged with kidnapping and forcibly removing a tattoo of a former member before killing him

The new indictment charges members of the group with kidnapping, forcibly removing a tattoo, and then killing one ex-gang member.

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Fact check: There is no Sen. Rob Donaldson, so posts of his speech about Barrett are fake

A post on new Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett originated as a hypothetical. It took off, with many people assuming it was from a real senator.

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GOP official backtracks on resignation after sharing derogatory images of Harris

One of his tweaked images of Sen. Kamala Harris depicts her at the vice-presidential debate with her legs spread open. Hobart “Hobie” Young, a member of the Upper Township Committee in Cape May County, New Jersey, resigned from his role after posting vulgar, manipulated images of Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris on Facebook. One picture is a wide shot of the Oct. 7 vice presidential debate depicting Harris sitting with her legs open opposite Vice President Mike Pence.

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2020 election results: Why Americans probably won’t find out who won on 3 November

'There is no chance that we will know on election night the full vote total in Michigan'

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'They give me the willies': scientist who vacuumed murder hornets braces for fight

Chris Looney helped dismantle the first nest of Asian giant hornets in the US. Now he’s preparing for the next stepThe eradication of the first nest of Asian giant hornets on US soil somewhat resembled a science fiction depiction of an alien landing site. A crew of government specialists in white, astronaut-like protective suits descended upon the hornet nexus to vanquish it with a futuristic-looking vacuum cleaner, to the relief of onlookers.The nest of the fearsome invasive insects, notoriously known as “murder hornets”, was found in a tree crevice near Blaine, in Washington state, via a tracking device attached to a previously captured worker hornet. The Washington state department of agriculture (WSDA) confirmed the nest had been successfully removed, with dozens of live captives taken back for inspection.“It was cold so they were docile, so between their slowness and the protective gear no one was hurt,” said Chris Looney, a WSDA entomologist who was tasked with vacuuming up the hornets.Wielding a lengthy, toxic stinger, the hornets can cause renal failure and death in people, as dozens of people in Japan have found out to their cost. One entomologist in Canada described the feeling of being stung as like “having hot tacks pushed into my flesh”.They can also squirt venom, as Looney saw first-hand when his lab workbench was sprayed by hornets as they roused themselves following capture. “I was more worried about getting permanent nerve damage in the eye from the squirted venom than being stung,” said Looney, who wore goggles for the capture. “They are pretty intimidating, even for an inch-and-a-half insect. They are big and loud and I know it would hurt very badly if I get stung. They give me the willies.”Murder hornets do not earn their moniker from killing people, however, with honeybees far more likely to be targeted. A honeybee colony can be decimated within a few hours, with the hornets decapitating their victims and feeding severed body parts to their young. This poses a gnawing concern for hobbyist beekeepers and even farmers in the US north-west, where managed honeybees are crucial for the pollination of crops such as blueberries and raspberries.Asian giant hornets were first discovered in North America last year, popping up in British Columbia, Canada, before a handful of specimens made it south of the border to Washington state. The hornets, native to east Asia, most likely arrived on the continent clinging to imported goods sent via sea or air. A close relative of the hornet has already made separate inroads into France and the UK.A key, and unnerving, question is how far they will manage to spread across America. Looney said the removal of the first nest found in the US was just a “small victory” in a battle likely to rage for several years to contain the insects. Thousands of sightings have been reported in Washington, and while many are false or mistaken, Looney said it was likely the hornets had spread, potentially establishing dozens more nests.“It’s hard to say how they will behave here compared to their native range, but the fear is that there are large apiaries of bees that could be sitting ducks, while as the hornets move south to warmer weather their colonies could grow larger,” he said. “The object of our work is to avoid finding this out.”Scientists who have modeled the potential spread of the hornets predict they will be able to extend down the west coast into California. The Rocky Mountains and drier interior of the US pose major barriers to an eastward push but environs on the east coast such as New York would be ideal homes for the murder hornets should they inadvertently be transported there.Looney said he was “troubled” by evidence that overwintering hornet queens like to bury themselves in straw and hay, commodities that are regularly shifted around the US by train or truck. A hornet queen that hitched a ride would still face challenges establishing a nest even if moved to the east coast – it could immediately be crushed underfoot, after all – but the potential pathway is there.“I’m more worried about human transportation of these hornets than I initially was,” Looney conceded.The Asian giant hornet is just the latest invasive species to make its mark on North America. Burmese pythons are now legion in southern Florida, while Asian carp are common in the Mississippi river system. In the insect world, the spotted lanternfly is a growing agricultural pest and emerald ash borers have arrived to lay waste to stands of trees.These arrivals are symptoms of the growth in international trade and tourism, while climate change is making many parts of the US more hospitable for certain invasive species. The Asian giant hornet, for example, is thought to favor the sort of elevated temperatures that the US is experiencing as the planet heats up. This could help it spread at the rate of its cousin species in France, which has been able to advance up to 78km a year. If it is not controlled, the murder hornet could fundamentally change ecosystems across the US.Still, even in a fraught year racked by a pandemic, social unrest and economic disaster, Looney said any fears of being assailed by a murder hornet should be “low on the anxiety meter”.He added: “We should be concerned about it but we will do our best until the money runs out or the battle is won or lost. If we fail, it will be unpleasant. But there are other things to be much more worried about right now.”

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Typhoon Goni: Philippines hit by year's most powerful storm

Torrential rain and "catastrophic violent winds" are expected on the main island of Luzon on Sunday.

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Trump told donors at a closed-door event that he will have his 'own team' and law enforcement monitoring polling places and is planning to dispute individual ballots

In several states, Republicans are disputing the validity of ballots received after Election Day, as President Trump continues to trail Biden.

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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'

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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Lawyers say deportees to Cameroon would be flying on 'death planes'

Members of Cameroon's English-speaking minority sought refuge from violence in the U.S. The Trump administration is sending many of them home.

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Body-camera footage released of Wallace killing; family says officers were improperly trained

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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Biden Team Cancels Texas Event After Highway ‘Ambush’ by MAGA Cavalry

Joe Biden’s presidential campaign canceled a Friday event in Austin, Texas, after harassment from a pro-Trump contingent.Texas has emerged as a battleground state in Tuesday’s presidential election, with polls showing the typically Republican stronghold now only marginally favoring President Donald Trump. The Biden campaign scheduled a Friday event in the state, in a bid to drum up last-minute support. But when the Biden campaign bus drove to Austin, it was greeted by a blockade of pro-Trump demonstrators, leading to what one Texas House representative described as an escalation “well beyond safe limits.”The cancelation comes amid national anxiety about voter intimidation, a tactic the Trump campaign has implicitly endorsed.Historian Dr. Eric Cervini was driving to help with the Biden campaign stop when he filmed a line of pickup trucks along the highway, many of them flying Trump flags. The drivers were “waiting to ambush the Biden/Harris campaign bus as it traveled from San Antonio to Austin,” Cervini tweeted.“These Trump supporters, many of whom were armed, surrounded the bus on the interstate and attempted to drive it off the road,” he alleged. “They outnumbered police 50-1, and they ended up hitting a staffer’s car.”A Biden campaign staffer told The Daily Beast that Trump supporters surrounded the bus on the highway and slowed down in front of it, attempting to stop it or run it off the road. The official sent a picture taken on the bus, showing Trump trucks surrounding the front of the vehicle. Staffers on the bus called police, who helped the bus reach its destination.Video from the highway shows trucks surrounding the bus, at one point colliding with an SUV.> This is a traffic violation and attempted homicide. Why hasn’t anyone been arrested? pic.twitter.com/QnfF4vXMQn> > — haunting student debt owners (@mcbyrne) October 31, 2020> I flew down to Texas to help with the Biden/Harris bus tour, intended to drum up enthusiasm at polling locations. Instead, I ended up spending the afternoon calling 911. 1/ pic.twitter.com/gKAjv7gv85> > — Dr. Eric Cervini (@ericcervini) October 31, 2020Footage from a CBS affiliate in Austin shows Trump supporters with signs and bullhorns surrounding the bus when it parked, with one person screaming that Biden was a communist.Rep. Sheryl Cole, a Democrat representing nearby Pflugerville in Texas’s House, announced that a Biden event in her city had been canceled due to the harassment.“This is a 1st for me - but we just cancelled a joint event in Pflugerville w/ @JoeBiden campaign,@AustinYoungDems, & more, due to security reasons,” she tweeted. “Unfortunately, Pro-Trump Protestors have escalated well beyond safe limits. Sorry to all who looked forward to this fun event.”The Biden campaign’s Texas communications director, Tariq Thowfeek, said holding the event would have placed Biden staffers and supporters at risk. “Rather than engage in productive conversation about the drastically different visions that Joe Biden and Donald Trump have for our country, Trump supporters in Texas today instead decided to put our staff, surrogates, supporters, and others in harm’s way,” Thowfeek told The Daily Beat.“Our supporters will continue to organize their communities for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Democrats up and down the ballot, and to the Texans who disrupted our events today: We’ll see you on November 3rd.”The Trump campaign—and often Trump himself—has encouraged in-person conflict around the polls. Trump used the first presidential debate to urge supporters to act as “poll watchers,” a call that sparked concerns of voter intimidation. His son, Donald Trump Jr., made an explicit call-out regarding the Biden campaign’s Texas outreach efforts.In a video ahead of a Friday event by Biden’s running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, Trump Jr. encouraged his father’s supporters to show up at Harris’s event.Trump’s Crew of Far-Right Vigilante Poll Watchers Is Coming“Hey Laredo, Don Jr. here,” he said. “I heard you had an awesome turnout for the Trump Train. It’d be great if you guys would all get together, head down to McAllen and give Kamala Harris a nice Trump Train welcome. Get out there, have some fun, enjoy it. Don’t forget to vote and bring all of your friends. Let’s show them how strong Texas still is as Trump country. Get out there, guys.”Some Trump supporters appeared to heed the call. At least one Facebook event with more than 700 responses, viewed by The Daily Beast, encouraged Trump fans to attend a Harris event in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday and “give Kamala Harris a big Texas welcome..... TRUMP STYLE!” The event was listed as canceled ahead of time, although its organizers acknowledged that some people might still try to attend, “and that's your right.”Trump supporters have previously been accused of intimidation this election. In Beverly Hills, California this week, an Australian television personality filmed participants at a pro-Trump rally shouting at her and threatening her in her car. A man brandishing a Trump flag at her appeared to photograph her and take down her license plate number.“We’ve got you now,” the man shouted. “You’re going to vote for Trump whether you like it or not, you’ve got no choice.”When Biden spoke at a Minnesota event on Friday, the same day as his campaign was ambushed in Austin, Trump supporters in a caravan of vehicles reportedly surrounded the venue honking their horns and chanting.During early voting in the swing state of Virginia late last month, a caravan of Trump supporters drove to the Democratic-leaning Fairfax County and surrounded people in an early voting line, shouting at them on loudspeakers“We had a couple poll observers there that had to actually escort voters in because we saw people that would get to the edge of the parking lot, and see this giant group of Trumpers yelling and screaming,” the executive director of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee told The Daily Beast at the time.‘Daily Show’s’ Jordan Klepper Hits One Last ‘Eerily Quiet’ Trump RallyRead 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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Chris Wallace: Trump, Biden cannot win without these three states

'Fox News Sunday' host joins 'Bill Hemmer Reports' to discuss how early voting may impact the 2020 election

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Trump and Biden again imagine fighting each other in high school; Trump slams Supreme Court: Live election updates

There are now just three days to Election Day, and more than 90 million people have already voted, according to numbers compiled by @electproject.

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COVID-19 means US Air Force bombers flying around the world are operating in a 'degraded' environment

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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Woman in labor refused to go to the hospital until she voted

"It was an odd situation, but she wanted to vote and that was her right as an American citizen," a poll worker said.

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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'

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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Letters to the Editor: Does Trump really think Amy Coney Barrett will help him with women voters?

Female voters care more about having a Supreme Court justice who supports the right of women to choose.

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Members of white supremacist group accused of intimating Mich. family

Two members of a white supremacist group were arrested Thursday and accused of intimidating a Michigan family, authorities said.

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U.S. seizes Iranian missiles, slaps Iran-related sanctions on 11 entities

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Elizabeth Warren reportedly wants to be Biden's Treasury secretary

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is reportedly looking to make a big, structural career change.The former presidential candidate is ready to make her case to be Democratic nominee Joe Biden's Treasury secretary should he win next week, three Democratic officials who have spoken to her inner circle tell Politico; Two straightforwardly said "she wants it." A Warren Treasury would appeal to progressives who have been reluctant to support Biden, but also draw opposition from Wall Street leaders Warren would try to regulate.Warren certainly has the background to lead the Treasury. She's an expert on bankruptcy law, originated the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under former President Barack Obama, and made economic reform a big part of her 2020 campaign. And while she could keep advocating for these goals in the Senate, Warren allies tell Politico this is "a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to enact some of the 'big structural change' she talked about during the presidential primary." Warren also would like to "rectify what she thinks were mistakes in the Obama administration's response to the Great Recession," namely not reshaping the system as a whole, Politico adds.Biden's potential Cabinet has been in the works for months, with Politico reporting he wants to "assemble a center-left amalgamation of personnel designed to prioritize speed over ideology in responding to the coronavirus and the resulting economic ruin." Warren has long been viewed as a more progressive piece of that puzzle, though for now, her campaign says it's focused on the election that's just a few days away.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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Vancouver Braces for Protests After Police Kill 21-Year-Old Black Man in Bank Parking Lot

Police in Vancouver, Washington, are bracing for a second night of protests after officers fatally shot a 21-year-old Black man in a bank parking lot Thursday night.Clark County sheriff’s deputies shot and killed Kevin Peterson, Jr., 21, near a U.S. Bank just prior to 6 p.m. Thursday. The officers involved have not been named. Protesters gathered near the site of the shooting Thursday night, and mourners planned to gather at the site Friday night for a vigil.Police didn't offer any details about the shooting until Friday afternoon, when Sheriff Chuck Atkins said the deputies had been conducting a narcotics investigation when they began their pursuit of Peterson on foot. “A foot pursuit ensued where deputies from the Clark County sheriff’s office were chasing a man with a firearm. The information I have, is that upon entering the parking lot of the bank, the man repeatedly, reportedly fired his weapon at the deputies. The deputies returned fire and the subject was tragically killed. It is my understanding that the man’s firearm was observed as the scene,” Atkins said at a brief press conference. Peterson had called his girlfriend Olivia Selto just before the incident, and she was still on the phone with him when he was shot, according to The Oregonian. She said she heard the gunshots. The couple had a child together, Kailiah Peterson.“I told him I loved him as many times as I could and he said it back,” she told the paper, adding that the last thing she heard from him was “a few heartbreaking sounds.” Kevin Peterson, Sr. said of his son, who had five siblings, “He wasn’t a problem child at all. He was a good kid. He didn’t have a record, nothing. It’s sad this happened to him.” He said he was not allowed to identify his son until early the following morning.The Southwest Washington Independent Investigation Team has taken over the investigation into the shooting, which Atkins said he “fully supported.” At a press conference Friday, Atkins said, “Since it’s not my investigation, I’m waiting along with you for some of the information I need.”Atkins said he supported demonstrators who planned to gather.“It is right and correct that the community should grieve alongside his family,” he said. “I have a team working to ensure that people can come on over and hold a peaceful whatever-you-want-to-call-it, obviously they’re going to be allowed to do that. It’s something we expect, and they have a right to come over and pay their respects.”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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The Government has agreed only three claims by families of deceased Windrush victims

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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COVID-19 means US Air Force bombers flying around the world are operating in a 'degraded' environment

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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White House coronavirus adviser Dr Birx boycotting Covid task force over misinformation

Dr Birx has travelled to 40 states in a personal bid to advise officials on Covid

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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

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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Trump's vaccine promises meet reality

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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Official: Rifle shell casings found at Breonna Taylor scene

Two long-rifle shell casings were found in and near Breonna Taylor's Louisville apartment after a botched police drug raid that ended in Taylor's death, Kentucky's attorney general said. It's the first time these specific shell casings have been mentioned by authorities investigating Taylor's death. One of the casings was found by Taylor's sister in her bedroom and the other was found in the parking lot outside the apartment, according to a court filing this week in a criminal case against the sole Louisville police officer charged in connection with the raid.

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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'

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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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

Rodrigo Cruz, 22, was the driver of the minivan involved in the two deaths, the Las Vegas police said.

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Rudy Giuliani wants Twitter CEO jailed over limitations on unverified Hunter Biden story

'Maybe he’s working for the Chinese,' former mayor baselessly claims

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Mnuchin Says He First Saw Pelosi’s Letter on Coronavirus Stimulus Negotiations ‘In the Press’

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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Malaysian ex-PM tweets that Muslims have 'right' to kill French people after deadly Nice attack

Malaysia's former leader Mahathir Mohamad tweeted Thursday 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. Three people were killed at a church in the southern French city, with the attacker slitting the throat of at least one of them, in what authorities were treating as the latest jihadist assault to rock the country. Shortly afterwards, Mr Mahathir - who was prime minister of Muslim-majority Malaysia until his government collapsed in February - launched an extraordinary outburst in a series of tweets. Referring to the beheading of a French teacher who showed pupils cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, Mr Mahathir said he did not approve of that attack but freedom of expression does not include "insulting other people". "Irrespective of the religion professed, angry people kill," said the outspoken 95-year-old, who has in the past drawn controversy for remarks attacking Jews and the LGBT community.

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Death toll rises in Vietnam after Typhoon Molave triggers widespread flooding, landslides

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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Mitch McConnell’s approval drops nationwide despite political win with Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination

Only 16 per cent of respondents say they felt better about Mr McConnell’s job performance

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‘I’m getting my money!’ Florida shopper denied refund returns with a crowbar, cops say

A Florida shopper wouldn’t take no for an answer, and things got a little out of hand.

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Walmart is removing guns and ammo from shelves and display cases in all stores as a precaution amid 'civil unrest'

Guns and ammo will no longer be on display at Walmart but still be available for purchase upon request in stores where they are sold.

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“Over 1,000 people died today”: Don Jr. falsely claims that COVID-19 deaths are “almost nothing”

Deaths rose to 1,040 on Thursday as the number of new COVID-19 cases hit the highest number on record

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The Latest: Calls for voting extension in Georgia after Zeta

A group of civil rights organizations is asking Georgia’s governor to extend early voting hours Friday after the storm disrupted voting Thursday in the battleground state. Groups including the Georgia NAACP and Fair Fight Action called on Republican Gov. Brian Kemp to use emergency powers to order voting be extended through 9 p.m. Friday in affected areas. Voting was disrupted at some sites in metro Atlanta and north Georgia after the storm caused power outages.

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Mother’s body decayed for years in home she shared with her adult children, TN cops say

Police found her skeleton buried under a pile of clothes on a bed

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April the Giraffe's youngest calf dies at Texas zoo

‘This condition was entirely unexpected and unpreventable’

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More sex assault charges filed against adult film actor Ron Jeremy

The seven new counts, which add to others previously filed, involve six victims dating to 1996, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.

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Nevada dad accused of throwing newborn baby off balcony during argument

Clarence Martin, Jr. allegedly suffered from “mental issues.” A newborn was allegedly thrown from the second-floor balcony by her father on Saturday around 4 a.m. in  Las Vegas. Clarence Martin, Jr. was arguing with the infant’s mother, Nicole Poole, when he snatched her away to the balcony of their apartment and didn’t return with her moments later, according to People.

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