| QAnon follower wins Senate primary in Oregon Posted: 20 May 2020 08:38 AM PDT  Jo Rae Perkins is a former county chairwoman for the party who prevailed in a four-candidate race and will face incumbent Democrat Jeff Merkley in November.
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| White House says the Trump administration is 'keeping people safe' at airports despite a lack of coronavirus screening Posted: 20 May 2020 04:14 PM PDT  Amid growing concerns over a lack of screening for the coronavirus at U.S. airports, WH press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Wednesday the Trump administration was taking the issue seriously.
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| Bolivia's health minister has been arrested on corruption charges for overspending millions on ventilators that don't even work right Posted: 21 May 2020 06:08 AM PDT  Suspicions around Marcelo Navajas arose after doctors complained the ventilators weren't good enough for intensive care units.
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| Michael Flynn asks appeals court to intervene in his case and assign him to a different judge Posted: 21 May 2020 02:24 PM PDT  Former Trump adviser Michael Flynn's attorneys argued that U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan has abused his discretion.
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| China does not seem to understand independence of Canada's judiciary: Trudeau Posted: 21 May 2020 09:46 AM PDT  China does not appear to understand that Canada's judiciary is independent, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday, taking a rare public swipe at Beijing at a time when bilateral ties are poor. China says Canada must free Huawei Technologies Co Ltd Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is fighting extradition to the United States.
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| Crump wants Ahmaud Arbery prosecutor to see young man as someone who ‘could have been her child’ Posted: 20 May 2020 05:07 PM PDT  Ahmaud Arbery family attorney Benjamin Crump is "cautiously optimistic" that the newly appointed prosecutor, Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes, will ensure justice. "We want this black woman to think of Ahmaud as somebody who could have been her child," Crump said.
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| Amphan: Kolkata devastated as cyclone kills scores in India and Bangladesh Posted: 21 May 2020 08:43 AM PDT  One of India's major cities is reeling as more than 80 deaths are confirmed along the Bengal coast.
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| India-Nepal territorial dispute flares over road to Tibet Posted: 21 May 2020 02:36 AM PDT  A long-running territorial dispute between India and Nepal has flared over a new Indian-built road to a revered Hindu pilgrimage site in Tibet that Nepal says passes through its territory. India has issued a strongly worded statement in which it objected to a new map issued by the Nepalese government showing the disputed areas as part of Nepal. "This unilateral act is not based on historical facts and evidence," India said in the statement late Wednesday.
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| Griffin ‘extremely skeptical’ of airborne lasers for missile defense Posted: 20 May 2020 01:36 PM PDT  "I'm extremely skeptical that we can put a large laser on an aircraft and use it to shoot down an adversary missile, even from fairly close," says Mike Griffin.
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| Trump threatens to withhold aid to 2 states over expanded voting by mail Posted: 20 May 2020 07:53 AM PDT  President Trump on Wednesday threatened to halt federal funding to Michigan and Nevada over the distribution of absentee ballots in those swing states amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak that has left more than 90,000 Americans dead.
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| Biden's vice president shortlist emerges, as Demings says she's being vetted Posted: 21 May 2020 03:49 PM PDT  Biden has said he expects the vetting process to take five to eight weeks, which would point to an announcement occurring no sooner than July.
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| Korean ‘comfort women’ groups accused of embezzling donations for victims Posted: 20 May 2020 01:41 AM PDT  A second support group for South Korean women forced to work in Japanese military brothels during World War II is being investigated over claims that senior officials have embezzled millions in donations that were meant for the women. A manager and six staff at the House of Sharing - a shelter for the dwindling number of former sex workers euphemistically known as "comfort women" - have claimed that around $5 million in donations has been siphoned off for unrelated projects and that the residents of the facility do not receive the care that they require. The accusations come just days after the other major support organisation for former comfort women was similarly accused of embezzling donations. Those allegations have lead to demands for an official investigation into Yoon Mee-hyang, a former head of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan. Ms Yoon was elected as a member of the ruling Liberal Party to the South Korean parliament in last month's elections, but opposition parties are now claiming that the organisation and Ms Yoon personally exploited surviving comfort women and embezzled donations. Korean media have reported that Ms Yoon is suspected of pocketing donations and government subsidies and using those funds for her own purposes. One outlay that has attracted attention was the payment of more than £22,000 to a bar for an event allegedly to promote the council's work. The operator of the bar has stated, however, that the cost of the event was only £6,440 and that it returned more than £3,500 as a donation.
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| The US father-son duo accused of masterminding Ghosn's Japan escape Posted: 20 May 2020 12:39 PM PDT  The American men accused of smuggling former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn out of Japan are a former US special forces operative who spent time in prison and his football-playing son. On the surface, Michael Taylor, 59, and Peter Taylor, 27, appeared to be living a quintessential American middle-class life in the small, wealthy town of Harvard, Massachusetts.
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| Next U.S. coronavirus rescue package not too far off, McConnell says Posted: 21 May 2020 04:30 PM PDT  U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday another stimulus package to deal with the impact of the coronavirus was "not too far off." "I think there is a high likelihood we will do another rescue package," McConnell told Fox News Channel in an interview.
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| Terrorism Motive Suspected in Naval Base Shooting, Second Suspect at Large Posted: 21 May 2020 05:21 AM PDT  Authorities believe a shooting that injured one person at a south Texas naval base on Thursday morning was terrorism-related.The suspect attempted to ram a security gate at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi with a vehicle at around 6:15 a.m., a U.S. defense official told CNN.Security guards deployed a barrier to stop the vehicle but the suspect then got out and started firing, the official said.The gunman was then "neutralized" by a security guard, the FBI said. One member of the naval security forces was injured but was in "good condition," the U.S. Navy said. It wasn't immediately clear if the injured person was also the person who took the shooter down.FBI Senior Supervisory Agent Leah Greeves said in a Thursday afternoon briefing that the agency believed the incident was motivated by terrorism, and they were looking for a second person of interest.The base sounded the alarm with a Facebook post early Thursday, writing that an apparent shooter had been sighted near the station's north gate. The warning instructed anyone who was close to the gate to "get out and away to safety" as the rest of the base was ordered to go into its lockdown procedure.Shortly after the initial statement, the base confirmed in a separate Facebook post that the immediate danger appeared to be over.The statement read: "Naval Security Forces at NAS Corpus Christi responded to an active shooter at approximately 6:15 a.m. this morning. The shooter has been neutralized. All gates on the installation remain closed while first responders process the scene. NCIS and local law enforcement are on scene."In a further update, the base wrote, "The active shooter is neutralized, however the scene is not clear. Remain in a lockdown status. For your safety, do not move around the base unless cleared to do so."It's the second terrorism-related attack on a U.S. naval base in less than six months.In December, a gunman killed three men and injured eight others at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. The shooter, Saudi Arabian aviation student Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, was participating in a training exchange program with the U.S. Navy. He was killed at the scene.Prior to the shooting, he'd reportedly hosted a dinner party with three other Saudi students and had watched videos of U.S. mass shootings.Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the December shooting. The FBI had confirmed just three days ago that it was the first terrorist attack on American territory that had been directed by a foreign actor since 9/11.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Colombia: outrage as warlord's son picked to lead victim support project Posted: 21 May 2020 03:15 AM PDT  * Jorge Rodrigo Tovar's appointment 'offensive' – survivors * Father 'Jorge 40' terrorised civilians along Caribbean coastThe son of a notorious death squad leader has been appointed to run the Colombian government's programmes for victims of the country's long civil war, prompting fury among survivors.Jorge Rodrigo Tovar was this week put in charge of a scheme for compensating victims of the conflict – many of whom were terrorised by his father, Rodrigo Tovar, better known in Colombia as "Jorge 40".During the late 90s and early 2000s, the elder Tovar led the Northern Bloc of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (or AUC) – which was responsible for a string of massacres and the murder of hundreds of civilians along Colombia's Caribbean coast.In February 2000, militiamen under his command tortured and dismembered over 60 peasant farmers in the isolated village of El Salado, in one of the worst single acts of violence in the five-decade war. Victims – including a six-year old girl and an elderly woman – were stabbed, beaten and strangled to death.Iveth Jiménez's father, Víctor Manuel, a union leader, was forcibly disappeared in 2002 by members of Jorge 40's militia. She was aghast at the news that his son was now coordinating the government's response to victims."They have no right to play with the memory of all those that Jorge 40 has murdered, tortured, disappeared and displaced," said Jiménez. "It's offensive, it's insensitive and it's plain wrong."Her sentiments were echoed by Luz Marina Hache, the spokeswoman for Movice, a group representing victims of crimes committed by state agents."What justice can victims hope for with this announcement?" Hache asked.The conflict between the Colombian state and leftist rebel groups including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (or Farc) left 260,000 dead and displaced over 7 million. State-aligned paramilitary groups, like the one led by Jorge 40, committed some of the bloodiest atrocities of the 52-year civil war.In 2004, Jorge 40 participated in a controversial demobilisation programme and confessed to about 600 crimes, though he took no blame for any murders. Evidence on his laptop showed that the AUC often collaborated with members of the government.Jorge 40 was extradited to the US in 2008 and is serving a 16-year sentence for drug trafficking offenses. He did not face any charges in American courts related to his militia's conduct during the war.Little is known about the younger Tovar, 30, a lawyer who has participated in several events with former members of the Farc, who themselves demobilised in 2016 following a historic peace deal.Speaking to local magazine Semana, Tovar said he has no intention to resign from his new job. "Everything that is going on fills me with the promise," he said, "to show that I do good work and that the work can speak for me."Some observers saw his new post as evidence of reconciliation in action. Political scientist Katherine Miranda described his appointment as "an example of reconciliation and peace", tweeting: "He shows that hatred and useless wars cannot be inherited, instead turning the page and moving on."
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| This Stunning Home in the Middle of Los Angeles Was Inspired by Louis Kahn Posted: 21 May 2020 01:42 PM PDT |
| Guatemala president fumes over infected deportees from US Posted: 21 May 2020 10:24 AM PDT  Guatemala's president questioned his country's relationship with the United States, revealing frustration over the U.S. continuing to send deportees infected with COVID-19 to a country struggling to manage the crisis. "This of allies with the United States isn't true," President Alejandro Giammattei said Thursday.
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| Whitmer says she's not ready to welcome Trump, but he's coming to Michigan anyway Posted: 20 May 2020 02:22 PM PDT  Virtually every poll has found that most of Michigan supports the measures Whitmer has implemented, with one placing her approval rating for coronavirus response at 72 percent.
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| Biden asks Amy Klobuchar to undergo vetting to be running mate Posted: 21 May 2020 01:25 PM PDT  She's one of several potential contenders now being scrutinized by Biden aides ahead of a final decision.
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| White House defends airport screening efforts to prevent coronavirus Posted: 20 May 2020 02:29 PM PDT  White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended what the administration has done to screen airport passengers for the coronavirus, and to protect TSA workers from it.
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| N.J. woman accused of fatally beating wife with wine chiller captured in Texas Posted: 21 May 2020 01:01 PM PDT  Officials said Mayra Gavilanez-Alectus traveled to Houston by bus from New York City.
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| China will not flinch in face of U.S. confrontation: government official Posted: 21 May 2020 08:50 AM PDT  China will not flinch from any escalation in tensions with the United states, but believes economic cooperation and recovery should be the top priority, a Chinese government official said on Thursday. Bilateral ties between China and the United States have soured as Washington has accused Beijing of mishandling the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and blamed it for job losses and business closures caused by the pandemic. "China won't start any trouble, but won't flinch from trouble either," Zhang Yesui, spokesman for the Chinese parliament, told reporters at a media briefing ahead of the start of the annual parliamentary session on Friday.
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| Saudi Ramadan TV dramas invite scrutiny of Israel ties Posted: 21 May 2020 08:35 AM PDT  Two Ramadan dramas on a Saudi-controlled TV network have stirred controversy as they test public perceptions of quietly warming relations between the Gulf kingdom and Israel. Most Arab states including Saudi Arabia have no official diplomatic ties with Israel. Now, two taboo-busting series during the holy fasting month —- the peak television season —- have fuelled speculation that Riyadh is trying to openly normalise closer ties with the Jewish state.
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| The CDC says coronavirus 'does not spread easily' on surfaces or objects. Here's what we know. Posted: 21 May 2020 09:58 AM PDT  This new CDC update may quell some major concerns about how COVID-19 is transmitted, but plenty of questions still remain. Here's what to know.
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| An Apple whistleblower has publicly slammed the company, claiming it violated 'fundamental rights' after Siri recorded users' intimate moments without consent Posted: 20 May 2020 01:51 AM PDT  Thomas le Bonniec revealed last year that while working for Apple he overheard Siri users' private moments including drug deals and people having sex.
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| Mexico faces continued drug gang violence despite pandemic Posted: 20 May 2020 05:24 PM PDT  Homicides in Mexico dropped only slightly in April despite widespread lockdowns and social distancing measures for the coronavirus outbreak, suggesting the pandemic has done little to stem drug gang violence. One bright spot is that mass looting events that authorities feared might happen during the pandemic have not materialized. The state of Guanajuato, where the Jalisco and Santa Rosa de Lima cartels are fighting for control, once again led in total homicides, with over 1,500 registered so far this year.
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| Michigan declares an emergency after 2 dams collapse threatening a town with 9 feet of flooding Posted: 19 May 2020 08:19 PM PDT  Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency Tuesday evening and deployed the National Guard.
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| Trump steps up anti-China rhetoric threatening 'very strong' response if Hong Kong law passes Posted: 21 May 2020 11:20 AM PDT  Donald Trump warned China that the US would respond "very strongly" if Beijing imposed tighter control over Hong Kong, as tensions rise between the two countries amid fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. China's government announced that national security legislation for Hong Kong will be proposed at its annual 'rubber stamp' parliamentary sessions, which opened yesterday, in the latest sign from Beijing plans to crack down on pro-democracy protests in the semi-autonomous territory. "If it happens, we'll address that very strongly," Mr Trump said as he took questions from the White House on Thursday. Mr Trump has stepped up his attacks on China over the coronavirus pandemic in recent days, appearing to directly blame Chinese president Xi Jinping for a campaign of "disinformation" that helped spread Covid-19 around the world. In a rare shot at his Chinese counterpart, the US president tweeted on Wednesday night: "It all comes from the top. They could have easily stopped the plague, but they didn't!" Mr Trump's comments came as a study suggested that around 36,000 fewer Americans would have died from the pandemic if the US had imposed social distancing measures just one week earlier than it did in mid-March.
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| Grandmother ordered to delete Facebook photos under GDPR Posted: 21 May 2020 10:09 AM PDT  Privacy laws mean a grandmother needs her daughter's permission to post photos of her grandchildren.
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| Man who recorded Ahmaud Arbery shooting charged with murder Posted: 21 May 2020 04:25 PM PDT  Two men, 64-year-old Gregory McMichael and his 34-year-old son, Travis, have already been arrested and charged with murder.
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| Brazil delays vote on land bill amid threat of environmental boycott Posted: 20 May 2020 11:11 AM PDT |
| US warns India of China 'aggression' at border Posted: 20 May 2020 01:34 PM PDT  The United States on Wednesday accused China of employing border clashes with India to try to shift the status quo, and encouraged New Delhi to resist. Alice Wells, the top US diplomat for South Asia, drew parallels between the growing skirmishes in the Himalayas and Beijing's years of increasing assertiveness in the dispute-rife South China Sea.
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| In an orange swirl, astronomers say humanity has its first look at the birth of a planet Posted: 20 May 2020 10:14 AM PDT  Astronomers said the dramatic scene could help scientists better understand how planets come to exist around stars.
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| How Joe Biden is working to win over progressive voters Posted: 21 May 2020 02:18 PM PDT  While Biden is making inroads with top progressive groups, several leaders noted they still want to know more about Biden's plans for incorporating their values into his agenda.
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| The Voices of Black and Brown People Matter–and They're Finally Being Heard Posted: 21 May 2020 03:24 AM PDT  The voices of black and brown people matter--and they're finally being heard
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| Photos and videos show the destruction after 2 dams collapsed in Michigan, threatening a town with 9 feet of flooding Posted: 20 May 2020 09:32 AM PDT  The Edenville and Sanford dams in central Michigan collapsed on Tuesday night, sending floodwaters into nearby towns.
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| White House senior staff wore face masks with 'Made in Taiwan' tags, signaling a diplomatic victory for the country over China Posted: 20 May 2020 06:53 AM PDT  Jared Kushner and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany wore face masks from Taiwan, despite China's demand Taiwan be kept out of WHO.
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| Israeli military says Iran is slowly pulling out of Syria Posted: 21 May 2020 07:40 AM PDT  Iran is slowly pulling out of Syria in response to Israeli strikes, as well as growing domestic discontent linked to the economy and its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the Israeli military said Thursday. Israel and Iran have for years been engaged in a shadow war that has recently been playing out in Syria, where Israel says Iran has been boosting its military presence along the frontier. Amid the chaos of the Syrian civil war, Israel has carried out repeated strikes aimed at pushing back Iranian forces and preventing the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group that is also fighting in Syria.
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| U.S. aircrafts gather in Japan Posted: 21 May 2020 09:17 AM PDT  U.S. Air Force transport aircraft on Thursday massed at Washington's key Asian military air transportation hub, Yokota Air Base in Japan, to show potential foes and allies it was ready for action despite the coronavirus emergency.
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| China supports "improvement" of Hong Kong's political system Posted: 21 May 2020 12:54 AM PDT  China said on Thursday it supports improving the system and mechanism related to the constitution and basic law of Hong Kong and Macau, in comments likely to stir concern that it could take measures to tighten its grip on Hong Kong. "We will push for the long-term stability of one country, two systems ... and continue to support the improvement of implementing the systems and mechanisms of the constitution and basic law," Wang Yang, the ruling Communist Party's fourth-ranked leader and head of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said in a speech.
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| Parents reunite with son who was kidnapped 32 years ago Posted: 19 May 2020 06:08 PM PDT  "This is the best gift I have ever got," said the missing man's mother, who found out about the news on Mother's Day.
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| Chechen leader hospitalised with suspected coronavirus: reports Posted: 21 May 2020 01:11 PM PDT  The strongman leader of Russia's southern Chechnya region, Ramzan Kadyrov, was in hospital in Moscow on Thursday suffering from suspected coronavirus, news agencies reported. News agency RIA Novosti also quoted a medical source as saying that Kadyrov, 43, was in hospital in Moscow, while Interfax quoted a Moscow medical source saying he was being treated and was "suspected of having coronavirus".
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| Woman 'knocked to the ground and injured' by bison at Yellowstone, two days after national park's reopening Posted: 20 May 2020 08:12 PM PDT  Two days after Yellowstone National Park reopened amid the coronavirus outbreak, the park reported its first bison-related injury of the year.
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| Coronavirus: Brazil's daily death toll hits 1,000 for first time Posted: 20 May 2020 04:41 AM PDT  Experts say the outbreak's peak is still weeks away but President Bolsonaro plays down the risks.
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| A man shot a Waffle House cook after being told he needed a face mask to get served, police say Posted: 20 May 2020 06:00 AM PDT  The customer was turned away after being told he had to wear a protective mask to get served — and returned with a firearm, according to police.
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| Mark Cuban Trashes Trump on Hannity: ‘He Just Plays the Victim’ Posted: 20 May 2020 08:48 PM PDT  Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban blasted President Donald Trump during an interview with pro-Trump Fox News host Sean Hannity Wednesday night, claiming the president is constantly playing the "victim card."Cuban, who until recently had been weighing a possible third-party presidential run, ostensibly appeared on Hannity's show to discuss sports leagues reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic. The conversation, however, quickly turned to politics and Cuban's apparent support for former Vice President Joe Biden."Let's start with coronavirus alone. You tell me all the things 'Bunker Joe' did on coronavirus that you admire and then I will tell you what I think Trump did that I admire," Hannity said."Well, Joe is not in charge of anything right now, right? He's a candidate, so we can't really put him in that category," Cuban responded before turning the question right back around on Hannity. "But I will listen. What do you think—I mean, what have we got to lose to listen to what you said that Donald did right?"Apparently taken aback, the Trump confidant briefly sputtered before recovering by naming the one decision that he and the president consistently tout as critical during the early days of the pandemic—the partial China travel restrictions.After Cuban agreed that the travel ban was a good idea, Hannity went on to credit the president for the work the administration did in New York, the epicenter of the crisis where nearly 30,000 people have died from the virus."You went on saying that Donald Trump hasn't done a good job with this," Hannity huffed. "I would argue he did a phenomenal job and saved New York's ass."Cuban countered that the administration was caught flat-footed when hospitals suffered personal protective equipment shortages early on, insisting the White House had the chance to fix it but didn't "because no one was truly in charge."Hannity later circled back to the Shark Tank billionaire's support of Biden, suggesting that the ex-veep is in the throes of cognitive mental decline before asking Cuban if he was scared of Biden leading the country."You know what, both sides scare me," Cuban said. "Joe Biden scares me in some areas and President Trump scares me in more areas right now, and I will tell you why. Because I think that Donald doesn't put the best people in place any longer. He did at the beginning and I was proud of him at the beginning, but now he just wants people who are loyal to him. That's a problem and it's created more problems in this pandemic."After Hannity defended Trump's reliance on sycophants, Cuban hit the president for his persistent whining and victimhood."He's the most powerful man in the world and he always plays the victim card," Cuban said. "'The Dems are out to get me, the media is out to get me.' You've got to be the leader, you've got to be the strongest man in the game.""They spied on the guy!" Hannity protested, prompting the Mavs owner to shoot back: "Who cares? He's the most powerful man in the world! Be powerful, be a leader!"Dismissing Trump's claim that he is the "world's best counter-puncher," Cuban concluded by observing that "Trump hasn't been able to knock anybody out—he just plays the victim."Kayleigh McEnany: Trump Supports Vote by Mail 'For a Reason'—Just Not a PandemicRead more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Stacey Abrams endorses candidates in 7 US Senate contests Posted: 21 May 2020 05:00 AM PDT  Alongside discussions of her own national political ambitions, former Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams is wading into elections outside her home state, endorsing the campaigns of seven Democrats vying for U.S. Senate seats. On Thursday, Abrams announced that she was backing Democratic candidates in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. In statements provided ahead of her official endorsement, Abrams called Jaime Harrison, the associate chair of the Democratic National Committee who is seeking to block Sen. Lindsey Graham from a fourth term, "a strong leader for the people of South Carolina" who "will work hard to address inequalities" such as in rural health care and infrastructure.
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| Wuhan has banned eating wild animals and nearby provinces are offering farmers cash to stop breeding exotic livestock Posted: 21 May 2020 04:30 AM PDT  China's fur trade will continue, though, and farmers can still raise wild animals for medicine, entertainment, or research.
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| Judgment on key aspect of Huawei CFO's extradition trial in Canada due next Wednesday Posted: 21 May 2020 02:32 PM PDT  Meng was arrested in December 2018 at Vancouver International Airport at the request of the United States on charges of bank fraud, and is accused of misleading HSBC about a Huawei Technologies Co Ltd-owned [HWT.UL]company's dealings with Iran. Meng, 48, has said she is innocent and is fighting extradition.
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