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Israel, UAE and Bahrain sign deals to normalize diplomatic relations – live Israel, UAE and Bahrain sign deals to normalize diplomatic relations – live
(32 minutes later)
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the foreign ministers of the UAE and Bahrain each signed copies of the agreements, as did TrumpIsrael’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the foreign ministers of the UAE and Bahrain each signed copies of the agreements, as did Trump
In a clip from the town hall set to air this evening, the president falsely told a voter he did not downplay the coronavirus pandemic, saying, “Actually, in many I ways, I up-played it, in terms of action.”
Fact check: The president repeatedly downplayed the seriousness of the virus, for months, and as it was recently revealed this week, explicitly admitted this to journalist Bob Woodward.
On 27 February, Trump said publicly: “It’s going to disappear. One day – it’s like a miracle – it will disappear.” In a tweet on 9 March, he explicitly compared Covid to the common flu, noting that “Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on” in flu season. “Think about that!” By 19 March, Trump declared a national emergency. But at the same time, he told Woodward, “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
In tonight’s segment Trump also responded to the voter’s question by repeating misleading claims about his early travel restrictions during Covid, falsely calling them “bans” on China and Europe.
Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and White House adviser, refused to answer questions about Trump promoting falsehoods and a baseless conspiracy theory accusing Joe Biden of being a pedophile. Kushner responded that he hadn’t seen the tweet.
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer responded, “Please tell your father-in-law it’s really disgusting to retweet those kind of ugly disgusting tweets about his Democratic rival ... I was pretty upset when I saw that.”
Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, has sent a letter urging the Trump and Biden campaigns to abide by the state’s guidelines for slowing the spread of the coronavirus when the candidates visit the state on Friday, the AP reports.
The Trump campaign has openly defied state emergency orders and flouting his own administration’s guidelines in battleground state rallies. Trump has an airport rally scheduled for Friday in the north-central Minnesota city of Bemidji. Biden’s campaign hasn’t announced its plans yet.
The governor said masks are required inside and strongly encouraged outside, adding:
The Trump campaign has continued to push unsubstantiated claims accusing Joe Biden of taking performance enhancing drugs, this time with a highly misleading tweet.The Trump campaign has continued to push unsubstantiated claims accusing Joe Biden of taking performance enhancing drugs, this time with a highly misleading tweet.
After Trump, without any evidence, accused Biden of taking drugs in a Fox News interview on Sunday, the campaign has continued to spread similar misinformation.After Trump, without any evidence, accused Biden of taking drugs in a Fox News interview on Sunday, the campaign has continued to spread similar misinformation.
In a recent interview, a reporter said to Biden, “President Trump is accusing you of being ‘mentally shot’, his words, even suggesting you’re taking something. How do you respond to this pre-debate accusation, and are you looking forward to the debate?”In a recent interview, a reporter said to Biden, “President Trump is accusing you of being ‘mentally shot’, his words, even suggesting you’re taking something. How do you respond to this pre-debate accusation, and are you looking forward to the debate?”
The former vice president responded, “I’m looking forward to the debate, and he’s a fool. The comments are just foolish. Get ready, Mr President, here I come.”The former vice president responded, “I’m looking forward to the debate, and he’s a fool. The comments are just foolish. Get ready, Mr President, here I come.”
The campaign has spun this exchange to misleadingly suggest that Biden did not deny that he is taking performance enhancing drugs:The campaign has spun this exchange to misleadingly suggest that Biden did not deny that he is taking performance enhancing drugs:
The Washington Post has found that teenagers, including minors, are being paid to publish pro-Trump social media posts at the direction of Turning Point Action, an affiliate of Turning Point USA, a prominent conservative youth organization.The Washington Post has found that teenagers, including minors, are being paid to publish pro-Trump social media posts at the direction of Turning Point Action, an affiliate of Turning Point USA, a prominent conservative youth organization.
“The campaign draws on the spam-like behavior of bots and trolls, with the same or similar language posted repeatedly across social media. But it is carried out, at least in part, by humans paid to use their own accounts, though nowhere disclosing their relationship with Turning Point Action or the digital firm brought in to oversee the day-to-day activity,” the Post reported.“The campaign draws on the spam-like behavior of bots and trolls, with the same or similar language posted repeatedly across social media. But it is carried out, at least in part, by humans paid to use their own accounts, though nowhere disclosing their relationship with Turning Point Action or the digital firm brought in to oversee the day-to-day activity,” the Post reported.
The posts are part of a large and secretive social media campaign that sought to evade the moderation rules of Facebook and Twitter. The Post found nearly 4,500 tweets containing identical content this summer, which likely is a fraction of the overall output.The posts are part of a large and secretive social media campaign that sought to evade the moderation rules of Facebook and Twitter. The Post found nearly 4,500 tweets containing identical content this summer, which likely is a fraction of the overall output.
Once the Post inquired about the suspicious activity, Twitter suspended at least 20 accounts today for “platform manipulation and spam” and Facebook removed accounts as part of an ongoing investigation.Once the Post inquired about the suspicious activity, Twitter suspended at least 20 accounts today for “platform manipulation and spam” and Facebook removed accounts as part of an ongoing investigation.
Speaking to reporters in Florida just now, Joe Biden said his pitch to Latino voters is that Trump needs to “get off the damn golf course and sit down in the Oval Office” to hammer out a Covid relief bill:Speaking to reporters in Florida just now, Joe Biden said his pitch to Latino voters is that Trump needs to “get off the damn golf course and sit down in the Oval Office” to hammer out a Covid relief bill:
Earlier today, the White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, said a $1.5 trillion coronavirus relief proposal from a bipartisan group of moderate lawmakers does not align with administration priorities but could provide a “real opening for further discussions”, Reuters reported.Earlier today, the White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, said a $1.5 trillion coronavirus relief proposal from a bipartisan group of moderate lawmakers does not align with administration priorities but could provide a “real opening for further discussions”, Reuters reported.
“It’s a very thoughtful proposal. It certainly doesn’t align with a view of the priorities that the president has,” Meadows told the news agency.“It’s a very thoughtful proposal. It certainly doesn’t align with a view of the priorities that the president has,” Meadows told the news agency.
A very 2020 headline in Oregon today from Willamette Week, explaining how to get your ballot and vote if wildfires destroyed your mailbox:A very 2020 headline in Oregon today from Willamette Week, explaining how to get your ballot and vote if wildfires destroyed your mailbox:
Kim Kardashian West has criticised Instagram and Facebook for allowing the “spreading of hate” and said she would temporarily freeze her social media accounts on the platforms.Kim Kardashian West has criticised Instagram and Facebook for allowing the “spreading of hate” and said she would temporarily freeze her social media accounts on the platforms.
She added that inaccurate social media posts have “a serious impact on our elections and undermines our democracy”, and urged others to also suspend their accounts over the companies’ failure to tackle hate speech.She added that inaccurate social media posts have “a serious impact on our elections and undermines our democracy”, and urged others to also suspend their accounts over the companies’ failure to tackle hate speech.
Facebook recently faced significant scrutiny for its failure to remove the “call to arms” of a Kenosha, Wisconsin, militia before a shooting that left two people dead and another injured at protests.Facebook recently faced significant scrutiny for its failure to remove the “call to arms” of a Kenosha, Wisconsin, militia before a shooting that left two people dead and another injured at protests.
South Dakota’s governor, Kristi Noem, said that she was bringing in outside investigators to look into how the state’s top prosecutor struck and killed a man with his car, the AP reports.South Dakota’s governor, Kristi Noem, said that she was bringing in outside investigators to look into how the state’s top prosecutor struck and killed a man with his car, the AP reports.
The attorney general, Jason Ravnsborg, struck a man walking near a rural highway on Saturday night. He has said he initially believed he hit a deer and realized that he hit a person only after he returned to the site the next day.The attorney general, Jason Ravnsborg, struck a man walking near a rural highway on Saturday night. He has said he initially believed he hit a deer and realized that he hit a person only after he returned to the site the next day.
The state highway patrol is overseeing the investigation, but Noem’s administration has called in the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and a crash reconstruction expert from Wyoming.The state highway patrol is overseeing the investigation, but Noem’s administration has called in the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and a crash reconstruction expert from Wyoming.
Ravnsborg has promoted a tough-on-crime policies and pushed for the repeal of a program meant to give probation instead of prison time to certain lower-level offenses, according to the AP. Since 2014, he also accumulated eight traffic tickets, including six speeding tickets in different counties.Ravnsborg has promoted a tough-on-crime policies and pushed for the repeal of a program meant to give probation instead of prison time to certain lower-level offenses, according to the AP. Since 2014, he also accumulated eight traffic tickets, including six speeding tickets in different counties.
Here’s video of Trump’s comments after today’s agreement signed between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain at the White House:Here’s video of Trump’s comments after today’s agreement signed between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain at the White House:
Michael Caputo, the US health department’s top spokesman who has been under fire for making false comments on Facebook, apologized in an emergency staff meeting today and signaled he might soon depart his role, according to a report in Politico.Michael Caputo, the US health department’s top spokesman who has been under fire for making false comments on Facebook, apologized in an emergency staff meeting today and signaled he might soon depart his role, according to a report in Politico.
The Trump appointee, who has faced accusations of trying to muzzle an important scientific report amid the pandemic, apologized for his Facebook live video in which he said scientists battling the virus were conspiring against the president. In the widely criticized social media comments, he also warned of shooting in the US if Trump loses the election.The Trump appointee, who has faced accusations of trying to muzzle an important scientific report amid the pandemic, apologized for his Facebook live video in which he said scientists battling the virus were conspiring against the president. In the widely criticized social media comments, he also warned of shooting in the US if Trump loses the election.
More from the AP:More from the AP:
More here:More here:
The US government has deported a key witness in an ongoing investigation into sexual assault and harassment at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention center, according to a new report in the Texas Tribune.The US government has deported a key witness in an ongoing investigation into sexual assault and harassment at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention center, according to a new report in the Texas Tribune.
Late Monday, Ice deported a 35-year-old woman who was held at an El Paso immigrant detention center for a year and spoke up about a “pattern and practice” of abuse that included guards assaulting her and other detainees, the paper reported, citing the witness’s lawyers.Late Monday, Ice deported a 35-year-old woman who was held at an El Paso immigrant detention center for a year and spoke up about a “pattern and practice” of abuse that included guards assaulting her and other detainees, the paper reported, citing the witness’s lawyers.
The Department of Homeland Security launched an investigation into her accusations after the Texas Tribune and ProPublica reported on them in August. She filed a complaint alleging several guards assaulted her, and at least two more women have since come forward, the journalists reported today.The Department of Homeland Security launched an investigation into her accusations after the Texas Tribune and ProPublica reported on them in August. She filed a complaint alleging several guards assaulted her, and at least two more women have since come forward, the journalists reported today.
The news comes one day after a whistleblower complaint filed on behalf of a nurse in Georgia alleged that immigrants in Ice detention were subjected to horrific conditions and treatment, including “jarring medical neglect” and a high rate of hysterectomies:The news comes one day after a whistleblower complaint filed on behalf of a nurse in Georgia alleged that immigrants in Ice detention were subjected to horrific conditions and treatment, including “jarring medical neglect” and a high rate of hysterectomies:
Hi all - Sam Levin here, taking over from Los Angeles.
Kamala Harris is continuing her tour of fire damage here in California, which is continuing to suffer from unprecedented infernos and terrible air quality.
Standing at a burned-down elementary school playground in the Fresno area, which has been hit hard by the devastating Creek fire, the vice-presidential nominee said, “The chimneys remind me of tombstones.” Next to her, Governor Gavin Newsom pointed out that it was “snowing ashes”.
Harris didn’t mention Trump by name, but said ideology shouldn’t play a role in the response to wildfires and the climate crisis.
That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague Sam Levin will take over the blog for the next few hours.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed agreements to normalize relations. Speaking shortly before the agreements were signed at the White House, Trump said, “We’re here this afternoon to change the course of history. After decades of division and conflict, we mark the dawn of a new Middle East.”
The mayor of Louisville announced the family of Breonna Taylor would receive a $12m settlement. Mayor Greg Fischer also outlined reforms to the city’s police force amid ongoing outcry over the death of Taylor, who was shot and killed by officers as they carried out a no-knock warrant in March.
Trump claimed a coronavirus vaccine would be available “within weeks”, contradicting experts. Dr Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, has said he is cautiously optimistic a vaccine will be developed by the end of the year or early next year. But even if that happens, the vaccine will probably not be widely distributed until well into 2021.
The justice department has reportedly opened a criminal investigation into the publication of John Bolton’s book, which was released in June. The Trump administration previously claimed the former national security adviser had illegally disclosed classified information in the book, but Bolton’s publisher has dismissed those allegations as politically motivated.
A new poll showed Joe Biden opening up a small lead in the crucial swing state of Florida. According to the new Monmouth University poll, Biden leads Trump by 5 points among Florida’s registered voters, 50%-45%. Among likely voters in Florida, Biden has a 3- to 5-point lead depending on the level of voter turnout.
Sam will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris traveled to California today to see some of the damage from the recent wildfires.
Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom toured the area surrounding Pine Ridge Elementary School in Auberry. The school still stands, but the building is now surrounded by burned trees and a destroyed playground.
Speaking at the site, Harris praised the firefighters who have worked to control the blazes, and she said, “It is incumbent on us, in terms of the leadership of our nation, to take seriously these new changes in our climate, and to do what we can to mitigate against the damage.”
On a lighter note, when Newsom greeted Harris, he delivered this severe understatement: “What a year, you guys.”
Ahead of Trump’s ABC News town hall in Philadelphia tonight, Joe Biden released a statement condemning the president’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and its effect on Pennsylvania.
“After four years of failed leadership and broken promises from President Trump, Philadelphians see this president for what he is,” Biden said in the statement.
“Long before COVID-19 spread to Philadelphia, President Trump’s failed leadership was felt in every corner of the city. Pennsylvanians deserve better.”
Biden is scheduled to hold his own town hall in the pivotal swing state later this week. CNN will host the event with the Democratic nominee in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Thursday.
Trump won Pennsylvania by less than 1 point in 2016, and Democrats hope Biden will be able to flip the state in November. A recent Marist College poll of Pennsylvania showed Biden leading by 9 points among the state’s likely voters, 53%-44%.
Trump is en route to Philadelphia, where he will participate in an ABC News town hall with voters in the key swing state of Pennsylvania.
Before boarding Marine One, the president took some questions from reporters on climate change and the wildfires devastating the west coast.
Trump doubled down on his previous comments blaming the wildfires primarily on poor forest management. Climate experts have said the surge in deadly wildfires in recent years is due to record levels of heat and drought, which have been attributed to climate change.
“I’m a big believer in forest management,” Trump said. “When you let the floors of the forest build up with leaves and build up with broken timber that’s dry as a bone, you’re causing forest fires.”
He added, “So I believe in a lot of things, but I definitively believe in forest management.”
Receiving a wildfire briefing in California yesterday, Trump suggested (with no evidence) that climate change would soon subside. When a California official noted science does not support that claim, Trump said, “I don’t think science knows.”
A new poll shows Joe Biden with a small lead in the swing state of Florida, which is considered a must-win state for Trump.
According to the new Monmouth University poll, Biden leads Trump by 5 points among Florida’s registered voters, 50%-45%. Among likely voters in Florida, Biden has a 3- to 5-point lead depending on the level of voter turnout.
The results should provide some relief to Biden’s team, considering an NBC News/Marist poll released last week showed the Democratic nominee tied with the president among the state’s likely voters, 48%-48%.
Interestingly, the Monmouth poll also found that Biden has a 16-point lead among Florida’s Latino voters, while the NBC survey indicated Trump had an advantage with that demographic. The new Monmouth poll also showed the president performing better with senior voters than other recent surveys had indicated.
Trump carried Florida by 1 point in 2016, and election experts say the president has virtually no path to reelection unless he can carry the Sunshine State again.
Democrats are clearly aware of the significance of Florida in the presidential race. Biden traveled to Florida today for a roundtable with veterans and a celebration of Hispanic heritage month.
The Guardian’s Sam Levine reports:
Ohio’s top election official acted “arbitrarily” and unlawfully when he issued an order in August only allowing each of the state’s 88 counties to offer a single drop box for voters to return their absentee ballot, a judge in the state ruled Tuesday in a significant decision for this fall’s presidential election.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, acted unreasonably when he issued an August directive blocking county election officials from setting up absentee ballot drop boxes at locations other than the board of elections, Judge Richard Frye of the Franklin Court of Common Pleas.
Election officials around the country are turning to ballot drop boxes as an alternative for voters to return their ballots amid an expected surge in mail-in balloting and expected mail delays. Ohio is one of a handful of key battleground states in America that could swing the presidential election.
“The factual record contains no evidence from which one can reasonably question the wisdom of allowing local boards of elections to consider additional ballot drop boxes, or perhaps other ways that permit voters to safely deliver absentee ballots,” Frye wrote.
“No evidence has been produced that allowing additional boxes or other new means for delivery of ballots will result in a partisan advantage to one party over another.”
Frye added LaRose’s decision was “unreasonable and unlawful.” While he noted there was no legal requirement in Ohio that counties offer just one ballot drop box, he stopped short of striking down LaRose’s August directive entirely.
While he suggested he may do so in the future, he noted that LaRose had previously said he supported allowing additional drop boxes in counties, if a court clarified he had the authority to do so.
But on Tuesday, a LaRose spokeswoman, suggested LaRose would appeal the ruling.
“Today’s ruling didn’t change anything and the Secretary’s Directive remains in place. The law is clear: absentee ballots must be delivered by mail or personally deliver[ed] to the director’ of their county board of elections and ‘in no other manner’,” she said in an email. “Ohioans are fortunate that the judicial branch offers the opportunity to appeal a single trial judge’s opinion.”
The ruling is a victory for the Ohio Democratic Party, who sued the state in August over LaRose’s restriction. Had the restriction remained in place, it would have meant only allowing a single drop box for hundreds of thousands of voters in some of the state’s most populous counties.
LaRose had also said the drop boxes could only be located at board of election offices, which are not always located in convenient locations. This week, LaRose blocked a plan in Cuyahoga County, home of Cleveland, to allow drop boxes at county libraries.
Charles Booker has said that Breonna Taylor’s family “has endured more pain than most of us can imagine”, in comments on the settlement with Taylor’s family over her fatal shooting by police in Louisville, Kentucky.
The progressive politician who surged through and ran Amy McGrath to a close finish in the Democratic primary for the chance to challenge Senate majority leader and leading Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell for his seat, issued a statement a short time ago.
Booker said of the Taylor family:
Booker said that justice is still sought for Breonna Taylor and the federal and state investigations into her killing continue.
He added that being Black in America:
Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor, briefly spoke at the press conference in Louisville, where the mayor confirmed a financial settlement for the family and police reforms in response to the shooting of Taylor.
Palmer said, “It is time to move forward with the criminal charges because she deserves that and much more.”
Taylor was fatally shot by police in March, while officers were carrying out a no-knock warrant. No criminal charges have yet been filed in the case.
Activist Tamika Mallory also spoke at the press conference, and she demanded that the mayor of Louisville, Greg Fischer, fire the officers involved in the shooting if they are not indicted.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, another lawyer representing Breonna Taylor’s family, said the $12 million settlement was the largest ever distributed in a wrongful death lawsuit involving a black woman killed by police.
Crump said the settlement and the police reforms announced by Louisville officials were “very significant,” but he reiterated demands for Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron to “immediately” bring charges against the officers involved in the shooting of Taylor.
Crump emphasized that African Americans are currently suffering from the coronavirus pandemic as well as “the 1619 pandemic,” referring to the year when the first enslaved Africans were brought to America.
“Breonna Taylor is a light to help heal what is happening in America,” Crump said.