| Top US general says military will not escort Donald Trump from the White House if election disputed Posted: 29 Aug 2020 11:45 AM PDT  America's most senior general has declared the military will not intervene if Donald Trump were to decline to leave the White House following a disputed US election. In a letter to Congress, Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he did not envisage soldiers playing any role if Republicans and Democrats did not agree on the result. Mr Trump has repeatedly voiced concerns that the election will be undermined by fraud during widespread mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic, and suggested that the result may never be known. Joe Biden, the Democrat nominee, has said he fears Mr Trump will try to "steal" the election but the military would "escort him from the White House with great dispatch." Democrat congresswomen Elissa Slotkin and Mikie Sherrill wrote to the general seeking answers as to what the military's role would be. In a written response General Milley, known to be a student of military history, wrote: "I believe deeply in the principle of an apolitical US military. In the event of a dispute over some aspect of the elections, by law US courts and the US Congress are required to resolve any disputes, not the US military. "I foresee no role for the US armed forces in this process. We will not turn our backs on the Constitution of the United States." Ms Slotkin said: "These are just prudent questions to be asking given the things that the president has been saying publicly." She said the general's answers "demonstrated that the chairman recognised the military's role in our elections is to essentially stay out, that the military's role in the peaceful transition of power is to stay out." Last month, Mr Trump said it was too early to guarantee he would accept the election results. He said: "I have to see. Look, I have to see. No, I'm not going to just say yes. I'm not going to say no."
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| Derek Chauvin, former officer accused in George Floyd's death, wants murder charges dismissed Posted: 29 Aug 2020 01:01 PM PDT  Attorneys for Derek Chauvin, former Minneapolis officer accused of killing George Floyd, have asked a judge to dismiss the murder charges against him.
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| Does Kyle Rittenhouse Have a Self-Defense Claim? Posted: 28 Aug 2020 08:14 AM PDT  Kenosha, a city of 100,000 in Wisconsin's southeastern corner, now confronts the question of when lethal force is justified in two different cases. One, the shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer, I addressed yesterday. The other is the case of Kyle Rittenhouse, who is alleged to have killed two people and injured one during the civil unrest this week, and who has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, reckless homicide, and other offenses.Rittenhouse is a 17-year-old from Antioch, Ill., about a half hour's drive from Kenosha. Inexplicably, this underage police cadet from out of state wound up on the streets after curfew in a place where a riot was likely imminent, doing interviews with journalists and openly carrying an AR-15–style rifle.There can be no question that Rittenhouse and whatever adults were in charge of him made idiotic decisions. Minors should not stand guard at riots play-acting at being cops. But even people who knowingly put themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time are allowed to defend themselves against attack when they get there. So the biggest legal question is: Did Rittenhouse defend himself against attack with an appropriate amount of force, or were the people he shot the ones acting in self-defense by trying to disarm him?The very beginning of the situation is not on video that I am aware, but the complaint against Rittenhouse contains some key details from Richard McGinnis, a Daily Caller reporter who was interviewing Rittenhouse at the time:> McGinnis said that as they were walking south another armed male who appeared to be in his 30s joined them and said he was there to protect the defendant. McGinnis stated that before the defendant reached the parking lot and ran across it, the defendant had moved from the middle of Sheridan Road to the sidewalk and that is when McGinnis saw a male ([Joseph] Rosenbaum) initially try to engage the defendant. McGinnis stated that as the defendant was walking Rosenbaum was trying to get closer to the defendant. When Rosenbaum advanced, the defendant did a "juke" move and started running. McGinnis stated that there were other people that were moving very quickly. McGinnis stated that they were moving towards the defendant. McGinnis said that according to what he saw the defendant was trying to evade these individuals.After that, much of the situation was recorded, and the New York Times has done an excellent job of stitching the videos together. This Twitter thread from a co-author of the piece nicely explains the events and (for those willing to watch graphic footage) provides the key clips:> A teenager faces charges in shootings that left 2 people dead in Kenosha, WI. The @nytimes Visual Investigations team reviewed hours of livestreams to track 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse's movements during and leading up to the shootings. [THREAD] https://t.co/FRCYlS5wgH> > -- Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc) August 27, 2020 The first video starts with people already chasing Rittenhouse, one of whom throws something at him. One person even fires a handgun in the air — and another, Rosenbaum, charges at Rittenhouse, who shoots him. After that, there are more shots from an unknown source, and Rittenhouse calls a friend on his phone and leaves.But again he's pursued, with some protesters urging others to join in, and this time he falls down. Several people move in on him, and he takes shots at three, hitting two. One is holding a handgun and survives a shot to the arm; the other has a skateboard and dies. Again there are additional mysterious gunshots after the fact.Obviously, a big unanswered question right now is how this all really got started. But as we wait for that information, let's take a gander at the Wisconsin laws at issue.There are two extremes here: justifiable use of deadly force and first-degree intentional homicide. So let's see what the law says about those two situations, bearing in mind that other charges can apply if Rittenhouse's behavior fell in between them. (There are plenty of options: Rittenhouse is charged with reckless homicide for the first fatal shooting, first-degree intentional homicide for the second, and attempted first-degree intentional homicide for the nonfatal one, in addition to charges for reckless endangerment and bearing a dangerous weapon as a minor.)Quite typically for a U.S. state, Wisconsin allows civilian use of deadly force when one "reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm." One major issue, then, will be whether Rittenhouse reasonably thought that the folks engaging with him meant to inflict serious injury, not just disarm him.But what if Rittenhouse provoked the confrontation to begin with? That's bad for a claim of self-defense, but it doesn't preclude one. Here's another excerpt from the Wisconsin statute books:> (a) A person who engages in unlawful conduct of a type likely to provoke others to attack him or her and thereby does provoke an attack is not entitled to claim the privilege of self-defense against such attack, except when the attack which ensues is of a type causing the person engaging in the unlawful conduct to reasonably believe that he or she is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm. In such a case, the person engaging in the unlawful conduct is privileged to act in self-defense, but the person is not privileged to resort to the use of force intended or likely to cause death to the person's assailant unless the person reasonably believes he or she has exhausted every other reasonable means to escape from or otherwise avoid death or great bodily harm at the hands of his or her assailant.> > (b) The privilege lost by provocation may be regained if the actor in good faith withdraws from the fight and gives adequate notice thereof to his or her assailant.> > (c) A person who provokes an attack, whether by lawful or unlawful conduct, with intent to use such an attack as an excuse to cause death or great bodily harm to his or her assailant is not entitled to claim the privilege of self-defense.So, even if Rittenhouse bears some responsibility for the initial conflict, he can still argue that he did everything he could to escape the situation and withdraw from the fight. Both shooting incidents began with him running away.Moving to the other extreme, to prove first-degree intentional homicide, prosecutors will have to show that Rittenhouse "cause[d] the death of another human being with intent to kill that person" and will have to disprove the existence of any "mitigating circumstances" the defense asserts. If the prosecution fails at the latter task, the offense is knocked down to the second degree.Mitigating circumstances include "adequate provocation," meaning the victim did something "sufficient to cause complete lack of self-control in an ordinarily constituted person"; "unnecessary defensive force," meaning Rittenhouse "believed he . . . was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that the force used was necessary to defend [himself]," even though the belief was unreasonable; and "prevention of felony," meaning he believed his actions were necessary to stop the "commission of a felony," even though the belief was unreasonable. In other words, even if Rittenhouse unreasonably thought his actions were necessary, he can get the charge downgraded, though in that case he'll still have committed a very serious offense.Rittenhouse is already a hero to some and a supervillain to others; in that sense, he is the Bernie Goetz of 2020. The highest charge against him strikes me as a stretch, but beyond that I don't have any bold opinions yet. The outcome for each shooting will depend on whether Rittenhouse reasonably feared for his life, which in turn might depend on broader context we lack thus far — and even if all three shootings were justified, there are still firearms and reckless-endangerment charges for him to contend with.Where the f*** were this kid's parents?
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| Joe and Jill Biden have been married for 43 years — here's a timeline of their relationship Posted: 28 Aug 2020 12:33 PM PDT  Joe and Dr. Jill Biden have been at each other's sides through successes and failures, joyful celebrations and devastating losses.
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| Protests erupt at Portland police building, mayor's condo Posted: 28 Aug 2020 09:49 PM PDT  Fires set outside a police union building that's a frequent site for protests in Portland, Oregon, prompted police to declare a riot early Saturday and detain several demonstrators. An accelerant was used to ignite a mattress and other debris that was laid against the door of the Portland Police Association building, police said in a statement. As officers approached to move demonstrators away from the building and extinguish the fire, objects including rocks were thrown at them, police said.
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| Sarah Palin can sue New York Times for defamation: court ruling Posted: 28 Aug 2020 03:06 PM PDT  A federal judge on Friday rejected the New York Times' bid to dismiss Sarah Palin's defamation lawsuit over a 2017 editorial she said falsely linked her to a mass shooting. U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan said that while much of Palin's case was circumstantial, it was strong enough for a jury to find the Times and former editorial page editor James Bennet acted with "actual malice by clear and convincing evidence." Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate and former Alaska governor, sued over a June 14, 2017 editorial published after an Alexandria, Virginia, shooting that wounded four people, including then-House Majority Whip Steve Scalise.
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| Arrest made after firefighter’s wallet stolen as he battled wildfires, CA officials say Posted: 28 Aug 2020 03:42 PM PDT  The thief drained the bank account of the firefighter after the wallet was lifted from his vehicle. officials said.
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| Stolen Fortnite accounts are being sold on the black market for hundreds of dollars Posted: 29 Aug 2020 05:05 AM PDT  Hackers are using tools that allow them to see if login credentials from past data breaches allow them access to Fortnite accounts.
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| Fact check: Jacob Blake did not 'brandish' knife, get gun before Kenosha police shooting Posted: 28 Aug 2020 08:33 AM PDT  There was no gun involved. Police did find a knife in the SUV, but authorities haven't said if Blake held it at some point.
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| A Democratic turf war is raging — even as progressives try to elect Biden Posted: 29 Aug 2020 04:00 AM PDT  Off-the-radar battles between moderates and progressives have broken out over health care, police reform and primary challenges.
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| Man booked in slaying of 3, including Fort Hood soldier Posted: 28 Aug 2020 07:18 PM PDT |
| 6 health benefits of turmeric and how to add it to your diet Posted: 28 Aug 2020 11:24 AM PDT  Most of turmeric's health benefits come from its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which can potentially ward off heart disease.
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| In pictures: Thousands gather for historic March on Washington Posted: 28 Aug 2020 03:04 PM PDT  Some 50,000 supporters packed DC's National Mall to demand racial justice and urge people to vote.
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| A California chicken processing plant was shut down after a coronavirus outbreak infected 358 workers and killed 8 Posted: 28 Aug 2020 02:03 PM PDT  Heath officials said testing was insufficient so Foster Farms' outbreak became the "most severe and long-lasting" in Merced County.
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| New Jersey mayor rescinds $2,500 police overtime bill sent to student who organized BLM protest Posted: 29 Aug 2020 04:16 PM PDT  After holding the protest in July, Emily Gil received a letter from Mayor Mario Kranjac saying she owed $2,499.26 for police overtime.
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| Dramatic last-second launch abort grounds spy satellite Posted: 29 Aug 2020 04:17 AM PDT  The "hot-fire abort" derailed plans for three launches in just two days from Florida's Space Coast.
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| Six US Air Force B-52 bombers make symbolic sweep over all NATO members Posted: 28 Aug 2020 10:43 AM PDT  The one-off mission, titled "Allied Sky," is meant to signal the alliance's unity and improve interoperability, say U.S. military officials.
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| 17-year-old suspect in Jacob Blake protest shooting charged with 2 counts of homicide Posted: 27 Aug 2020 07:09 PM PDT  Kyle Rittenhouse faces two first-degree homicide charges, as well as two charges of attempted homicide, according to Wisconsin court records..
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| First confirmed case of COVID-19 reinfection is ‘not surprising,’ doctors say Posted: 29 Aug 2020 09:12 AM PDT  Researchers in Hong Kong confirmed the first known case of coronavirus reinfection, but many doctors and public health officials say it isn't that surprising given what we know about waning immunity from other coronaviruses.
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| Biden's latest ad puts Trump's weirdest moments and empty rallies to a Bad Bunny song Posted: 28 Aug 2020 09:56 AM PDT  Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's latest ads take direct aim at swing states and Latinx Americans across the country.Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny is backing the former vice president and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) in the 2020 election, and lent one of his hits to a new ad for the Democrats. The ad features footage of excited President Trump fans in 2016 juxtaposed with a sparsely attended recent rally, as well as Trump's Bible photo-op and that time he hugged and kissed a flag. Video of police cracking down on protesters as Trump cheers them on. Bad Bunny's Pero Ya No plays underneath, with its incredibly straightforward lyrics translating to "I loved you before, but not anymore / I liked you, but not anymore."> This is the ad pic.twitter.com/Q28BKybRDd> > -- David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) August 28, 2020Also on Friday, the Biden campaign debuted a run of ads capitalizing on empty sports stadiums across America's swing states. Text reading "Trump put America on the sidelines. Let's get back in the game," flows over drone footage of stadiums, with locations customized for ad runs in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. A nationwide version also features an ghostly beach and church. > NEW: Biden digital ad targets sports fans, showing footage of empty stadiums due to the COVID-19 pandemic> > The campaign has taken over the YouTube masthead nationwide w/ a 30-second version, as well as CBS Sports> > Targeted versions running in AZ, PA, MI, and WI pic.twitter.com/uJQFcHL9uR> > -- Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) August 28, 2020More stories from theweek.com Trump's RNC polling bounce more about 'subtraction on the Biden side,' pollster suggests 5 more scathingly funny cartoons about the Republican National Convention Many uninsured coronavirus patients reportedly don't qualify for Trump's coverage program because of other illnesses
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| California residents didn't want controlled burns near their homes. Some of those homes then burned in a wildfire. Posted: 29 Aug 2020 12:48 PM PDT  Experts say prescribed burns are key to avoiding destructive wildfires. But the concerns of some homeowners sometimes stands in the way.
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| U.S. military identifies two soldiers killed in Black Hawk training crash Posted: 29 Aug 2020 01:41 PM PDT |
| German police halt march of 18,000 coronavirus sceptics in Berlin after Posted: 29 Aug 2020 03:40 AM PDT  German police Saturday halted a march by some 18,000 coronavirus sceptics in Berlin because many were not respecting social distancing measures. The mass protest against pandemic restrictions had been allowed to go ahead after a bitter legal battle. But it had barely begun at 9am GMT at the city's iconic Brandenburg Gate, when it was forced to stop due to a police injunction. "The minimum distancing is not being respected by most (of the demonstrators) despite repeated requests," the police said. "There is no other option than to break up the gathering." After the announcement, the demonstrators shouted "Resistance" and "We are the people," a slogan often used by the far-right, and sang the German national anthem. Police had vowed to turn out in force and strictly monitor compliance with mask-wearing and social distancing at the protest. Berlin police chief Barbara Slowik had warned that if the demonstrators did not adhere to virus safety rules, police would clear the area "very quickly". "We will not be able or willing to watch tens of thousands assemble and create infection risks," she added. Berlin city authorities had previously decided not to allow the Saturday demonstration to go ahead, fearing that the estimated 22,000 protesters would not keep a distance of 1.5 metres (five feet) apart or comply with face mask requirements. The ban sparked outrage from organisers and their supporters who flooded social media with angry messages vowing to protest anyway, with some even calling for violence. But on the eve of the demo, Berlin's administrative court sided with the demonstrators, saying there was no indication that organisers would "deliberately ignore" social distancing rules and endanger public health.
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| Carbon monoxide kills family of 5 hunkered down for hurricane, Louisiana officials say Posted: 28 Aug 2020 05:54 PM PDT  Even with Laura gone, there's plenty of reason for Louisiana's first responders to worry.
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| Prominent lawyer in Haiti is shot and killed at his home Posted: 29 Aug 2020 10:45 AM PDT |
| A soup kitchen in Pakistan has been serving hot meals for 20 years, but is being pushed to the limit in the pandemic Posted: 28 Aug 2020 08:32 AM PDT  The kitchen, Khana Ghar, charges a token amount for each meal so that customers feel like they've earned it and "their self-respect remains intact."
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| Thai submarine purchase hits rough seas Posted: 28 Aug 2020 10:13 AM PDT  Thailand's intention to buy two more submarines from China has run into vociferous resistance, with the country's main opposition party questioning the need to go ahead with the acquisition against the backdrop of the economic slump.
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| GOP official warns that a single law is going to delay election results in Midwest swing states Posted: 28 Aug 2020 02:00 AM PDT  The top Republican election official in Ohio on Thursday said that other Midwestern states where the presidential election was decided four years ago are in a "really terrible situation" because they have so far not allowed mail-in ballots to be processed in an expedited way.
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| Kenosha police chief explains why suspect was able to walk away after allegedly shooting 3 people Posted: 28 Aug 2020 01:40 PM PDT  At a press conference on Friday, Kenosha, Wis., Police Chief Dan Miskinis responded to a question about why suspect Kyle Rittenhouse was able to walk by law enforcement after allegedly shooting three people in the aftermath of Jacob Blake being shot by police.
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| Letters to the Editor: An eviction apocalypse looms for California, but not in L.A. Here's why Posted: 28 Aug 2020 02:59 PM PDT  The state's emergency measure against eviction expires Sept. 1, but L.A.'s tough ordinances will continue to provide protection, Councilman Mitch O'Farrell writes.
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| Turkey and Greece staring into 'the abyss' as tensions in Mediterranean risk spiraling into conflict Posted: 29 Aug 2020 04:20 AM PDT  As warships bristling with 21st century weapons systems prowled the eastern Mediterranean, Turkey's president drew on a rather earlier era to underline his latest round of sabre-rattling towards Greece. Recep Tayyip Erdogan chose the anniversary of a battle that took place near 1,000 years ago as an opportunity to warn the Greeks that they would be swept aside if they stood in the way of Turkish ambitions in the region. At the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, the Turkish Seljuk Empire beat Christian Byzantine forces, capturing the Byzantine emperor and forcing entry into the great hinterland of Anatolia. The battle is celebrated as marking the birth of the state of Turkey; nearly a millennium later, President Erdogan was in bellicose mood. "Turkey will take what is its right in the Mediterranean, in the Aegean and in the Black Sea," he said during the speech on Wednesday. "If anyone wants to stand before us and face the consequences, they are welcome to. If not, stay out of our way and we will continue with our work."
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| 'People's worst fears' came alive in Kenosha: Guns, militia inject chilling dimension into protests Posted: 28 Aug 2020 10:35 AM PDT  Protests have been volatile. Add guns and heightened emotions and it's "a recipe for disaster" with a high risk to life, experts say.
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| Cops found a barefoot missing Memphis girl in Biscayne Park. She led them to her sister. Posted: 28 Aug 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Biscayne Park Detective Rodney Schwartz rode his police motorcycle over to Griffin Boulevard early Tuesday morning after being told about a young girl who was "wandering aimlessly." When he found her, Sandra Bates, 13, was barefoot and disheveled and had that "thousand-yard stare," Schwartz said. Schwartz's search through databases was fruitless.
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| Kenosha police union gives its version of Blake shooting Posted: 28 Aug 2020 03:33 PM PDT  The Kenosha police union on Friday offered the most detailed accounting to date on officers' perspective of the moments leading up to police shooting Jacob Blake seven times in the back, saying he had a knife and fought with officers, putting one of them in a headlock and shrugging off two attempts to stun him. The statement from Brendan Matthews, attorney for the Kenosha Professional Police Association, goes into more detail than anything that has been released by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, which is investigating. The Sunday shooting of Blake, a Black man, put the nation's spotlight on Wisconsin and triggered a series of peaceful protests and violence, including the killing of two people by an armed civilian on Tuesday.
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| The Pine Gulch fire in Colorado is the largest in the state's history, ripping through more than 139,000 acres Posted: 28 Aug 2020 11:16 PM PDT  Three major fires burn in Colorado, with the Pine Gulch fire reaching over 139,000 acres, the largest in the state's history.
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| Researchers at the University of Arizona say they stopped a coronavirus outbreak before it spread by testing students' poop Posted: 29 Aug 2020 04:09 AM PDT  Researchers at the University of Arizona say they may have prevented an outbreak of COVID-19 using wastewater-based epidemiology.
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| Trump knocks protesters against racial injustice during New Hampshire rally Posted: 28 Aug 2020 03:03 AM PDT  Fresh from accepting the Republican nomination, U.S. President Donald Trump had harsh words for anti-racism protesters on Friday during a campaign stop in the politically important state of New Hampshire. Addressing a crowd in an airport hangar, Trump called the demonstrators who sought to disrupt his White House speech on Thursday night "thugs" and said Senator Rand Paul could have died when he was swarmed by protesters afterwards. Paul said on Friday he was attacked by an "angry mob" of more than 100 people near the White House and had to be rescued by the police.
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| Byron Allen’s $10 billion racial discrimination lawsuit against Charter Communications allowed to proceed Posted: 28 Aug 2020 11:22 PM PDT  Byron Allen's $10 billion racial discrimination lawsuit filed against Charter Communications will proceed after a district court judge ruled in his favor in a motion to dismiss. Allen's Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc., which is the parent company of theGrio, announced on Friday that Federal District Court Judge George H. Wu once again denied Charter Communications' motion to dismiss the suit in which Allen accused the cable company of violating the Civil Rights Act of 1866. Judge Wu had previously ruled in Allen's favor back in October 2016, which Charter later appealed.
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| Map: State-by-state breakdown of coronavirus travel restrictions Posted: 28 Aug 2020 12:32 PM PDT  U.S. states and territories are making new rules for travelers. Find which ones across the United States have implemented travel restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
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| Kosovo currently the deadliest country for coronavirus, despite having Europe's youngest population Posted: 28 Aug 2020 09:07 AM PDT  Kosovo has become the world's most deadly country for Covid-19 despite the fact it has Europe's youngest population, as the republic's divided political class struggles to contain the virus. Over the last week, the death rate in Kosovo jumped to 54.2 fatalities per million people, making the republic of 1.8 million the world's leader when it comes to per capita deaths from the virus, according to figures from John Hopkins University. Columbia is in second place, with 50 fatalities per million people. Avdullah Hoti, the prime minister who tested positive for the virus in early August, has warned that the hospitals across the country were running out of beds due to an influx of new Covid cases. He has also said the government was prepared to bring in new restrictions in an effort to contain the virus. Despite Kosovo's young population - 53 percent of its people are under the age of 25 - it has proved particularly vulnerable to the pandemic.
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| Riot in Sweden after anti-Muslim Danish leader banned Posted: 29 Aug 2020 07:24 AM PDT  At least 10 people were arrested, and several police officers injured, in violence which broke out in southern Sweden after an anti-Muslim Danish politician was blocked from attending a Koran-burning rally, police said Saturday.
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