Trump trashes Obama's Lewis eulogy that pressed for voting rights
(CNN) President Donald Trump said Wednesday that former President Barack Obama's eulogy at John Lewis' funeral -- which at points was aimed at voting rights and the election -- was "terrible," adding that "It showed his anger there that people don't see." The President -- who did not attend the civil rights' icon's funeral and in a recent interview bellyached about Lewis skipping his inauguration -- cast Obama's speech in a racist stereotype. But others saw a passionate defense of voting rights while honoring a man who risked his life to earn them. "I thought it was a terrible speech. That speech was ridiculous," Trump said in reaction to last week's eulogy.
Source:CNN
August 05, 2020 14:03 UTC
Why a giant Hindu deity is appearing on Times Square -- and why it's so controversial
The dispute is over billboards to be erected in celebration of a controversial temple that lies some 8,000 miles from Times Square. The billboards, scheduled to go up on Wednesday, will display 3-D images of the yet-to-be built temple in Northern India and the Hindu deity Ram. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has for decades backed the building of a Hindu temple on a controversial site in Ayodha. After years of legal battles, India's Supreme Court in November 2019 granted Hindu groups permission to build the Ram Temple at the holy site in Ayodha. But to millions of Indian Muslims and Hindus, the billboards -- and what they symbolize -- are one more provocation in a decades-long dispute.
Source:CNN
August 05, 2020 14:03 UTC
Hospitality Industry Turns to Tech to Lure Guests Back
Newsletter Sign-up CIO Journal The Morning Download delivers daily insights and news on business technology from the CIO Journal team. The technology, built by in-house software engineers, became available for guests at more than a dozen U.S. locations that started reopening in June. Atif Rafiq, president of commercial and growth at MGM Resorts International. Photo: MGM Resorts InternationalThe company, which operates 29 hotels and casinos world-wide, posted a 91% decline in quarterly revenue last month. McKinsey & Co. research suggests it could take until at least 2023 for the hospitality industry to recover to pre-pandemic levels.
Source:Wall Street Journal
August 05, 2020 14:03 UTC
UConn Cancels Football Season Due To Coronavirus Pandemic
The University of Connecticut just became the first team at college football’s highest level to cancel its 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic. Athletic director David Benedict announced in a release Wednesday that the “safety challenges created by COVID-19 place our football student-athletes at an unacceptable level of risk.”The Huskies play in Division I’s Football Bowl Subdivision, where big-time programs like Alabama and Ohio State also compete. Some conferences like the Pac-12 have already announced a conference-only schedule (although some of its players have threatened to hold out if certain concerns about health and racial justice are not addressed). However, UConn is the first FBS program to suspend its season amid the outbreak, ESPN reported.
Source:Huffington Post
August 05, 2020 14:03 UTC
Tlaib wins Michigan Democratic primary, declares Squad 'here to stay, and it’s only getting bigger'
Rep. Rashida Tlaib won her primary election in Detroit and proclaimed her win shows the progressive Squad is coming back to Congress stronger and bigger. Tlaib, one of four members of the freshman Squad, beat Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones in the 13th District primary, the Associated Press called Wednesday morning. "If I was considered the most vulnerable member of the Squad, I think it’s safe to say the Squad is here to stay, and it’s only getting bigger." The four original squad members are Tlaib and fellow freshman Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. Progressive Cori Bush ousted longtime Democratic Rep. William Lacy Clay Tuesday in Missouri's Democratic primary on Tuesday.
Source:Fox News
August 05, 2020 14:02 UTC
Rep. Rashida Tlaib Wins Democratic Primary Challenge In Michigan
Womack, who does not live in Tlaib’s district and counts both Tlaib and Jones as friends, noted that local Democratic Party institutions, including the 13th Congressional District Democratic Party , rallied to Tlaib’s side. Her primary win in one of the most Democratic House districts in the country all but officially confirms that Tlaib will be returning to Washington. Scott Morgan/Reuters Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) held on to a majority-Black Michigan district despite some Democrats' skepticism of her outspoken progressive views. Tlaib barely won in the August 2018 Democratic primary that ensured her control of the seat. The Working Families Party also spent just under $33,000 on a paid phone-banking operation in support of Tlaib.
Source:Huffington Post
August 05, 2020 13:58 UTC
Ronald Reagan Tucked His Shirt Into Sweats. Was He Onto Something?
IN 1984, as he soared over America on Air Force One en route to Iowa, Ronald Reagan addressed his staff in perfectly presidential clothing—at least from the waist up. A pressed white shirt. While the leader of the free world radically wore sweatpants below, he apparently drew the line at visible shirttails, tucking his into the elasticized heather-gray sweats. In recent years a photo documenting this curious styling move has become an internet curiosity. Then last month, Prada perhaps inadvertently paid tribute to the style in its spring 2021 menswear collection lookbook, showing an outfit that echoed...
Source:Wall Street Journal
August 05, 2020 13:58 UTC
Acting State Department watchdog resigns months after previous inspector general was fired
Washington (CNN) The acting State Department watchdog Stephen Akard has resigned after serving in the role for less than 3 months following the firing of the previous inspector general by President Donald Trump at the recommendation of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. State Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) staff were told of Akard's decision in an email Wednesday morning from one of the department's top officials, a source familiar with the departure tells CNN. The email from Akard's deputy, Diana Shaw, said that he would be returning to Indiana. The State Department and the State OIG did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Akard, an ally of Vice President Mike Pence, was picked to replace Steve Linick who was fired late on a Friday evening in May.
Source:CNN
August 05, 2020 13:55 UTC
Samsung unveils the Galaxy Note 20 and its latest foldable phone
Watch it live here and follow our updates on CNN.comHere's everything Samsung is rolling out in the coming days and weeks:Galaxy Note 20Samsung's latest smartphone comes in two versions — the 6.7-inch Galaxy Note 20, starting at $999.99, and the 6.9-inch Note 20 Ultra starting at $1,299.99. The phones come in five colors — green, gray and bronze for the Note 20 and white, black and bronze for the Note 20 Ultra — and are available for pre-order starting August 6 before going on sale August 21. The Note 20 is powered by the fastest processor in Samsung's Galaxy series, the company said, and features what Samsung calls its "best screen yet." The new Note 20 comes in three colors: gray, green and bronze and will go on sale August 21. Galaxy Z Fold2Samsung also debuted the next generation of its folding smartphone — the Galaxy Z Fold2.
Source:CNN
August 05, 2020 13:55 UTC
The Milwaukee Bucks Are Ready for a Long Stay in the Bubble
Sign up for Marc Stein’s weekly N.B.A. LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The shift was seemingly slight and went unannounced, but it was undeniably significant for the N.B.A. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, memos from the league office had been titled “HIATUS.” The N.B.A. sent 97 of them to teams from March 12 through July 29, while the season was on an indefinite hold. That finally changed last Thursday, hours before the Utah Jazz beat the New Orleans Pelicans in the first N.B.A.
Source:New York Times
August 05, 2020 13:52 UTC
Hand sanitizer poisoning during coronavirus surges, calls to poison control up 70%
An alarming number of Americans have been exposed to toxic chemicals in hand sanitizer during the coronavirus pandemic. Calls to poison control centers about hand sanitizers have surged 70 percent, according to new data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers. And as the number of coronavirus cases continues to spike across the country, potential hand sanitizer poisoning cases peaked in mid-July, with nearly 300 phone calls made in a day at 55 poison control centers across the country, the American Association of Poison Control Centers data shows. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July put out a public warning about methanol-contaminated hand sanitizers. CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APPYou can find the FDA’s list of hand sanitizers to avoid here.
Source:Fox News
August 05, 2020 13:52 UTC
State Department watchdog resigns in another shake-up at IG’s office
Akard became inspector general after President Trump abruptly fired Steve Linick in May at the recommendation of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. That decision immediately prompted criticism from lawmakers because Linick had been investigating allegations that Pompeo and his wife, Susan, had improperly used State Department resources. Pompeo has denied those allegations and said he didn’t know about the content of Linick’s investigations except for the one involving arms sales to Saudi Arabia. ADPompeo called Linick a “bad actor” and said he refused to advance the interests of the secretary and the State Department. He has said he was investigating five matters of wrongdoing at State, which included the probes into arms sales and inappropriate use of department resources.
Source:Washington Post
August 05, 2020 13:51 UTC
Trump still not grasping the severity of the pandemic, source tells CNN
(CNN) President Donald Trump was still struggling to fully grasp the severity of the coronavirus pandemic during a task force meeting in the Oval Office on Tuesday, a source familiar with the meeting told CNN. Trump's meeting with the task force in the Oval Office was his first in-depth meeting with the panel of his top health experts since April. Trump tweeted photos of the task force members, some wearing face masks, surrounding the Resolute Desk Tuesday afternoon. During the meeting, officials on the task force continued to have trouble convincing Trump to take the pandemic more seriously, the source said. As some members of the task force tried to stress the dire nature of the situation to the President, the source said Trump repeatedly attempted to change the subject.
Source:CNN
August 05, 2020 13:44 UTC
Trump says White House under consideration for location of GOP convention acceptance speech
President Trump said Wednesday that his campaign is considering having him deliver his Republican National Convention nomination acceptance speech at the White House as coronavirus pandemic concerns have largely prevented the party from holding an in-person event. Fox News reported on Tuesday that a speech by Trump accepting the GOP nomination at the White House was one of several options under consideration and that nothing has been finalized. "We're thinking about it," Trump said when asked about the possibility during a "Fox & Friends" interview. TRUMP CAMPAIGN CONSIDERING POSSIBLE CONVENTION ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FROM WHITE HOUSE LAWNLast month, the Trump campaign and the RNC dramatically downscaled the convention by canceling planned celebratory events in Jacksonville, Fla., amid a surge in cases in the state, and refocused their attention to convention business back in the original site of Charlotte, N.C."We're thinking about doing it from the White House because there's no movement," Trump continued. Trump, also in the interview, said the first night of the convention would be held in Charlotte, N.C., and media would be allowed in.
Source:Fox News
August 05, 2020 13:41 UTC
Congress stimulus negotiations: Things are finally starting to move
What to watch: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows will be back on Capitol Hill for negotiations. It seems minor or just an obvious step in the process, but the trading of paper means things are getting real, finally. That came in large part due to what the White House negotiators put on the table. The White House offersThese were the baseline White House offers made, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter:Federal unemployment enhancement: Extend the federal unemployment enhancement at a flat rate of $400-per-week, down from the now lapsed level of $600 per week. So the White House put an extension of past agreed upon policy on the table, and Democrats countered with wanting more aid.
Source:CNN
August 05, 2020 13:30 UTC