Big Time News Blog: 08/31/20

Monday, August 31, 2020

Leaked memo: White House counsel pushed to downgrade Kushner’s clearance over "serious" concerns

Don McGahn wrote that an FBI background check raised "serious additional concerns" about Kushner's clearance

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Biden Condemned Violence. Why Won’t Trump?

By BY MICHELLE GOLDBERG from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/2QNebcp

Trump Defends Kyle Rittenhouse

By BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/3lE5lfl

A Long History of Language That Incites and Demonizes

By BY PETER BAKER from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/31KRbBp

‘We Germans,’ Alexander Starritt by the Author: An Excerpt

By Unknown Author from NYT Books https://ift.tt/2ENgSIq

Unwitting Progressives for Trump

By BY BRET STEPHENS from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/2QJ2YJY

Facebook Could Block Sharing of News Stories in Australia

By BY DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI AND MIKE ISAAC from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/32KSNdo

Frustrated by Election Boycott, Venezuela’s Leader Pardons 100 Opponents

By BY ANATOLY KURMANAEV from NYT World https://ift.tt/3hYVvCR

A Teacher and Congresswoman Confronts School Reopenings

By BY REID J. EPSTEIN from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/3jxJ29n

Trump Fans Strife as Unrest Roils the U.S.

By BY PETER BAKER AND MAGGIE HABERMAN from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2YQLyQa

World Bank: Lebanon blast caused damage up to $4.6 billion

The massive explosion in Beirut earlier this month that killed and injured thousands of people has caused up to $4.6 billion in physical damage, the World Bank said in a report released Monday. The Aug. 4 blast was caused by the explosion of nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut since 2014. The blast was the most destructive single incident in Lebanon’s history with thousands of buildings, including residential homes, hospitals, schools and museums suffering considerable damage.

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More migrant arrivals fuel local anger in Italy's Lampedusa

A fishing boat carrying nearly 370 migrants landed overnight on the Italian island of Lampedusa, the country's news agencies said on Sunday, fueling anger from local officials over a recent rise in illegal arrivals.

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Letters to the Editor: California's blackouts prove it: We still need oil and gas for energy

California's leaders need to set aside ideology and admit that in the near term, the state still needs fossil fuels to prevent blackouts.

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Trump's Kenosha visit highlights his reelection message: Only Trump will keep you safe

With protests continuing to rage in Kenosha, Wis., over the Aug. 23 police shooting of African-American Jacob Blake, President Trump will travel there Tuesday on a visit to the key swing state that will echo his “law and order” campaign message.

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What is the right-wing group Patriot Prayer linked to Portland confrontations and who is Joey Gibson?

The fatal shooting of a supporter of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer has shined a spotlight on the group and its founder, Joey Gibson.

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House Democrats say postmaster Louis DeJoy has ignored their document requests

House Democrats say Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is giving them the cold shoulder.When DeJoy testified for the House Oversight Committee last week, many congressmembers requested documents regarding the changes he has overseen at the United States Postal Service. But DeJoy apparently hasn't followed up, prompting Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the committee chair, to say Monday she'd soon be subpoenaing DeJoy for those documents.> New: @OversightDems say they will subpoena Louis DeJoy for withholding key documents about USPS mail delays from Congress. He has not provided a single additional document since testifying on August 24 https://t.co/dS4Q52mPPx pic.twitter.com/apaDYfqSPw> > — Ari Berman (@AriBerman) August 31, 2020Reports of delays and mismanagement within the postal service have gone up under DeJoy's watch, and Republicans have tried to block funding for the USPS to try and fix those problems. Democrats say it's because the Trump megadonor is trying to further a long-held conservative goal of phasing out the post office for private business. Trump has also admitted that he is withholding funding from the USPS because without it, "you can't have universal mail-in voting."More stories from theweek.com Data firm predicts election 'chaos' as Trump seems to win in a landslide before losing as more votes are counted Ron Jeremy hit with 20 more sexual assault charges involving 13 women Pandemic adviser with no epidemiology background reportedly pushes White House to adopt herd immunity strategy

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Filmmaker Michael Moore warns of 2016 redux, says Trump support is ‘OFF THE CHARTS’

This is not an affirmation of celebration from a Donald Trump supporter, but a warning from filmmaker Michael Moore. The Oscar-winning documentary director posted on social media that signs are pointing to a Trump reelection come November. Moore, an avid critic of the president and advocate of Sen. Bernie Sanders, took to his Facebook page to let his followers know that history may be repeating itself as the president’s poll numbers rise in swing states that will be critical to winning the electoral college.

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