Category Archives: US News

Trump-allied Pac fires canvassing vendor in crucial states weeks before election

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Elon Musk’s America Pac replaces voter turnout operations in Arizona and Nevada with less than 50 days until election

America Pac, one of the largest and the most ambitious of the groups supporting Donald Trump’s campaign, is replacing its voter turnout operations in the crucial battleground states of Arizona and Nevada, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The political action committee, backed by billionaire Elon Musk, has ended its contract with the September Group and will hire a new company to knock on doors with fewer than 50 days left until the election.

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Trump praises Secret Service in first event since thwarted assassination plot

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Former president talks up tariffs in Flint, Michigan, and warns attendees of dangers of nuclear ‘obliteration’

Trump held his first campaign event on Tuesday since the thwarted assassination attempt over the weekend, telling a packed 6,000-seat arena in Flint, Michigan that the assassin “couldn’t even get a shot off” while describing the Secret Service’s “great” response to the threat.

During a town hall moderated by former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump took audience questions about manufacturing and the economy, among other issues. Like his first appearance after the attempt on his life in July – also a rally in Michigan – Trump appeared ready to return to business as usual on the campaign trail, and his supporters were eager to see him in action.

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Russia propaganda group behind fake Kamala Harris hit-and-run story, says Microsoft

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Microsoft researchers found that the group created a video, paid an actor to appear as the alleged victim, and spread the claim through a fake website

A false claim circulating on social media that Kamala Harris was involved in an alleged hit-and-run in San Francisco in 2011 is the work of a covert Russian disinformation operation, according to new research by Microsoft.

Researchers found that the group created a video, paid an actor to appear as the alleged victim, and spread the claim through a fake website for a nonexistent San Francisco news outlet named KBSF-TV. The Russian group responsible, which Microsoft dubs Storm-1516, is described as a Kremlin-aligned troll farm.

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JD Vance defends pet-eating remarks: ‘The media has a responsibility to fact-check’

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Republican VP nominee claims at Wisconsin rally that constituents told him ‘they’d seen something in Springfield’

JD Vance defended his comments about Haitian immigrants eating pets during a Tuesday rally, saying that “the media has a responsibility to fact-check” stories – not him.

The rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, came two days after the Ohio senator told CNN host Dana Bash it was OK “to create stories” to draw attention to issues his constituents care about, regarding inflammatory and unfounded claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, had eaten residents’ pets.

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Exploding pager attack in Lebanon is another blow for US peace hopes

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Violent blow against Hezbollah leaves the militia vengeful and vulnerable – and again dashes Washington’s diplomacy

For American diplomacy in the Middle East, the extraordinary attack in Lebanon that simultaneously detonated hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah members could not have come at a less auspicious moment – and may still spark an escalation that the US had been seeking desperately to avoid.

A day before the coordinated sabotage, Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to Joe Biden, was in Israel urging Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials against an escalation in Lebanon. The US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, and the Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, had also warned that time was running out to find a negotiated settlement between Israel and Hezbollah.

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Suspect charged as Trump calls Biden and Harris ‘the enemy within’ | First Thing

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Ryan Wesley Routh has been charged with two gun-related crimes. Plus, Jane’s Addiction and rock’n’roll’s biggest bust-ups

Good morning.

The suspect who camped out at Donald Trump’s golf course with a gun has been charged in federal court with two firearms-related crimes, as the former president amped up tensions by blaming Kamala Harris and Joe Biden for the incident.

What else did he contribute to the discourse? He claimed the suspects in both this week’s incident and July’s assassination attempt were “radical lefts” – but Routh’s political positions seem incoherent, while Thomas Matthew Crooks’ motivation remains unclear.

How many people have been killed in conflict between Lebanon and Israel? Hundreds in Lebanon, mostly fighters, and dozens of civilians and soldiers on the Israeli side. Civilians have fled on both sides of the border.

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Trump recounts apparent assassination attempt as new details emerge

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Former president praises Secret Service as cellphone records show alleged gunman camped out near golf course for about 12 hours

Donald Trump has given his first detailed account of what he experienced on Sunday during what the FBI has said “appears to be an attempted assassination of the former president”, as authorities revealed new details about the incident at his West Palm Beach golf club.

Trump said he was playing golf with friends, including businessman Steve Witkoff, when he heard gunshots.

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Trump appears at town hall in Michigan – as it happened

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This blog is closed now, thanks for following along. You can find the latest US elections coverage here.

As far as the election campaign is concerned, this week the Kamala Harris team has its focus on youth turnout to coincide with today’s National Voter Registration Day.

In a statement campaign manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez said: “The stakes this November couldn’t be higher, and vice-president Harris knows our democracy is stronger when we all vote. We are focused on meeting young Americans where they are to drive home the stakes of this election on the issues they care most about.”

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Election officials ‘look over our shoulders more’ as US political violence surges

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Public officials lower on the ticket, who don’t have Secret Service protection, say they are concerned after the gunman on Trump’s golf course underscored the rising threat of violence

The second apparent attempt on Donald Trump’s life on Sunday is the latest episode this year to underscore the way that the threat of violence has become ubiquitous for public officials in American life.

It is a threat that touches officials at every level, from presidential candidates like Trump, who have around-the-clock protection from the Secret Service, to lower level judges and election officials, who do not have that level of security.

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Democrats campaign carefully after apparent Trump assassination plot

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The party has been quick to condemn political violence – and is focusing its criticism on Trump’s unpopular policies

In comments to Fox News Digital on Monday, Donald Trump blamed Democrats for the repeated attempts on his life. “Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country and they are the ones that are destroying the country – both from the inside and out,” he said.

Also on Monday, the former president released a list of quotes that the campaign described as incendiary. At the top of that list was a quote from Kamala Harris saying: “Trump is a threat to our democracy and fundamental freedoms.”

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Far-right conspiracies abound after second apparent Trump assassination attempt

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Baseless theories about suspect Ryan Wesley Routh and his alleged ties to US military spread online after his arrest

After a man who appears to be obsessive about the war in Ukraine was arrested for allegedly attempting to assassinate Donald Trump on Sunday, rumors and conspiracy theories have spread online attempting to tie Democrats to the two assassination attempts on the former president this election.

Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect charged with gun-related crimes on Monday, previously conducted media interviews about his efforts to recruit volunteer fighters, particularly from Afghanistan, to help Ukraine in its war against Russia. Routh also apparently self-published an e-book on Ukraine in which he said that Iran was “free to assassinate Trump as well as me”, according to media reports.

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Biden tells Trump of his relief he is safe; Secret Service says golf club visit was unscheduled – live

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President and predecessor share ‘cordial conversation’, White House says; acting director Ronald Rowe defends Secret Service actions

A law enforcement source has told CNN that they “expect a federal court in South Florida will require ‘a mental health assessment’ of Ryan Wesley Routh before any possible criminal proceedings”.

Several prominent foreign leaders have commented on what appears to have been an assassination attempt on Donald Trump yesterday.

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RFK Jr’s name will remain on ballot in swing state Wisconsin, judge rules

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Law states that candidates who submit nomination papers cannot be removed from ballot unless they die, says judge

Robert F Kennedy Jr’s name will remain on the ballot in the swing state of Wisconsin, a judge ruled on Monday.

Dane county circuit judge Stephen Ehlke ruled that Wisconsin law clearly states presidential candidates who have submitted nomination papers can’t be removed from the ballot unless they die. Kennedy’s campaign submitted nomination papers before the state’s 6 August deadline.

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Titan sub crew said ‘all good here’ in last text messages before implosion

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US Coast Guard reveals new details about final moments onboard vessel as hearings about cause of disaster begin

Among the last words heard from the crew of an experimental submersible headed for the wreck of the Titanic were “all good here”, according to a visual re-creation of the journey of the Titan before it imploded, killing all five on board.

The US Coast Guard presented the animation on Monday on the first day of what is expected to be a two-week hearing on the causes of the implosion. Crew aboard the Titan were communicating via text messages with staff aboard the support ship Polar Prince, according to the presentation.

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Suspect charged as Trump accuses Biden and Harris of incitement

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Ryan Wesley Routh charged with gun-related offenses after apparent assassination attempt against former president

The suspect in the second apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump in as many months was charged in federal court on Monday morning with two gun-related crimes, as urgent investigations began into how he was able to get so close to the former US president.

As the US continued to react in shock to the latest apparent attempt on Trump’s life, the Republican presidential nominee added to the already tense atmosphere around the US election campaign by making highly inflammatory remarks, explicitly blaming Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for inciting the attack and calling them “the enemy within”.

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White House blasts Elon Musk for X post about Biden and Harris assassination

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‘No one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala,’ X owner tweeted after apparent Trump assassination attempt

The White House has condemned Elon Musk for tweeting “no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala” in response to an X user asking “Why they want to kill Donald Trump?”

The president’s office issued a statement Monday criticizing the “irresponsible” post, which was accompanied by an emoji face with a raised eyebrow. The White House said: “Violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about. This rhetoric is irresponsible.” The statement added that there should be “no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country”.

This article was amended on 16 September 2024. An earlier version stated that Elon Musk had tweeted “Why they want to kill Donald Trump?” It was later corrected to make clear he was replying to that tweet.

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Rupert Murdoch attends court hearing in battle over future of media empire

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Murdoch, 93, in Nevada for case that could determine which family members will control businesses after his death

A probate court in Nevada is set to begin reviewing evidence behind closed doors in a case that could determine who will control Rupert Murdoch’s media empire after his death.

Murdoch, 93, arrived at court on Monday for the hearing. Last year, he moved to change the terms of his irrevocable family trust in an effort to ensure that his eldest son, Lachlan, remains in charge of his cadre of newspapers and television networks, including the Wall Street Journal and Fox News Channel, according to reporting by the New York Times based on a sealed court document.

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Europe beats the US for walkable, livable cities, study shows

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Cities such as Zurich and Dublin found to have key services accessible within 15 minutes for more than 95% of residents

When Luke Harris takes his daughter to the doctor, he strolls down well-kept streets with “smooth sidewalks and curb cuts [ramps] for strollers at every intersection”. If the weather looks rough or he feels a little lazy, he hops on a tram for a couple of stops.

Harris’s trips to the paediatrician are pretty unremarkable for fellow residents of Zurich, Switzerland; most Europeans are used to being able to walk from one place to another in their cities. But it will probably sound like fantasy to those living in San Antonio, Texas. That’s because, according to new research, 99.2% of Zurich residents live within a 15-minute walk of essential services such as healthcare and education, while just 2.5% of San Antonio residents do.

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Violence and instability have become a feature, not a bug, of US political life

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Another apparent Trump assassination attempt happened – as we brace for what has been dubbed ‘a tinderbox election’

It has happened again. Another serene and sunny weekend. Another lone suspect wielding a rifle. Another apparent bid to assassinate Donald Trump. And a nation hurtling into uncharted territory 50 days from a presidential election.

On Sunday, Secret Service agents opened fire after seeing a man with a rifle near Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club in Florida while the Republican candidate was playing. The suspect fled in an SUV and was later apprehended by local law enforcement.

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Trump shooting attempt: Secret Service will have ‘every resource’ to protect Trump, Biden says, after apparent assassination bid – live

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A suspect is in custody after the incident, which occurred at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida

Palm Beach county sheriff’s office is hosting its press conference.

According to authorities, a witness said: “I saw the guy running out in the bushes.”

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