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Ramone Alston will be charged with felony escape from prison after fleeing from van on way to hospitalA prisoner serving a life sentence for murder was captured at a North Carolina hotel early on Friday, three days after his escape on the way to a medical appointment, and authorities say he had help from at least one person.Ramone Alston, 30, escaped from a van on Tuesday as it arrived at the UNC Gastroenterology hospital in Hillsborough, where he was being taken for a medical appointment. He freed himself from his leg restraints and fled into the woods with handcuffs on, according to the North Carolina department of adult correction. Continue reading...

Large-scale smash-and-grab thefts have become a crisis in California as Gavin Newsom calls bill the real deal'Gavin Newsom, the California governor, on Friday signed a bipartisan package of 10 bills that aims to crack down on smash-and-grab robberies and property crimes, making it easier to go after repeat shoplifters and auto thieves and increase penalties for those running professional reselling schemes.The move comes as Democratic leadership works to prove that they are tough enough on crime while trying to convince voters reject a ballot measure that would bring even harsher sentences for repeat offenders of shoplifting and drug charges. Continue reading...

Democratic nominee unveils proposals to lower cost of living and advocates ban on price-gouging by big companiesVice-president and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris unveiled her economic campaign proposal in North Carolina to build what she called an opportunity economy" focused on the middle class.She said in Raleigh: Your salary should be enough to provide you and your family with a good quality of life ... such as, no child should have to grow up in poverty. Such as, after years of hard work, you should be able to retire with dignity, and you should be able to join a union if you choose." Continue reading...

Governor Ron DeSantis and financial chief call on University of Florida board to investigate Ben Sasse's hiresIncreased spending by the recently resigned University of Florida president Ben Sasse is coming under scrutiny after a student-run newspaper found that he awarded secretive consulting contracts and gave high-paying jobs to former members of his US Senate staff and Republican allies - actions that he defended on Friday.Both Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida's chief financial officer are calling on the state university system's governing board to investigate after the Independent Florida Alligator reported this week that as school president, Sasse gave six former staffers and two ex-Republican officials jobs with salaries that outstripped comparable positions. Most did not move to Gainesville - but work remotely from hundreds of miles away. Continue reading...

Susan Lorincz faces up to 30 years for manslaughter in a case that provoked outrage from civil rights advocatesA jury on Friday convicted a white Florida woman for shooting and killing a Black mother of four through her front door in a case that provoked outrage from civil rights advocates and the victim's family.Susan Lorincz denied the manslaughter of Ajike AJ" Owens, who came to her house to remonstrate after the defendant assaulted two of Owens' children on 2 June last year. Lorincz could receive a prison sentence of up to 30 years in prison at a hearing on a date to be determined. Continue reading...

Kamala Harris's running mate has been accused of stolen valor' but his record shows 24 years' service in various rolesAl Bonnifield was an armorer for the 1st Battalion, 125 Field Artillery, when then Command Sergeant Major Tim Walz buttonholed a couple of the guys on drill in 2005 at the national guard unit in New Ulm, Minnesota, to talk about whether he should retire to run for Congress or not.I was in that room," Bonnifield said. Governor Walz is a very hard person to figure out. He's all game until something like this comes up, and then he's, Well, what should I do?'" Continue reading...

At least 50 women in the UK have allegedly been killed by men so far this year. This violence must be acknowledged - and acted uponIt is around half a century since the idea of femicide was introduced by feminists. It is, wrote the activist and scholar Diana Russell, who was key in its development, a term that specifically points to and politicises the sexist, patriarchal, misogynistic killing of women and girls by men". The point was not merely to identify a problem: it was to challenge people to recognise and act upon it.The concept was rapidly taken up by campaigners globally. Although men are the most common victims of homicide, women are far more likely to be killed by men than by other women. Most frequently they are killed by current or former partners, often after sustained domestic abuse or coercive control. As of this week, in the UK alone, at least 50 women have allegedly been killed by men this year. Continue reading...

Cobb county officials approved the devices as safety concerns for poll workers have mounted since 2020A key swing county in suburban Atlanta approved nearly $50,000 this week to purchase panic buttons" for election workers, a move that comes as those who administer elections have faced increased threats and harassments.Commissioners in Cobb county approved the purchase of about 200 of the devices, which are about the size of a credit card, according to NBC News, which first reported on the purchase. Continue reading...

Trump unexpectedly closed a gap in the polls to a photo-finish in 2020. History has taught us it is far too soon to celebrateEverything is going right for her and wrong for him. Kamala Harris has the encouraging poll numbers and, more precious still, the momentum. Donald Trump has the serial errors, the maudlin introspection and wobbling campaign team. In less than three weeks, the Democrats have pulled off one of the most extraordinary turnarounds in US political history, replacing a candidate who was shuffling towards near-certain defeat with one apparently soaring towards possible victory. And yet, even as Harris speaks of bringing the joy, contained within is a lurking danger - a peril that should be all too familiar.The sources of joy are not mysterious. Democrats are heading to Chicago for a convention that will feel like a party but was set to be a wake. Before 21 July, they were tied to Joe Biden, a man whose presidency has proved far more consequential than most predicted but who was on course to lose and lose badly in November. His passing of the baton to his number two has gone better than anyone had any right to expect.Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Financial disclosure shows presidential nominee owes $500m in civil penalties but sheds little light on solvencyDonald Trump made hundred of thousands from his branded Bible and millions from his properties - but also owes millions for defamation and fraud cases, according to his latest financial disclosures that shed little light on the perennial question of whether the Republican presidential nominee is, in fact, solvent.Voluminous disclosure documents to the US Office of Government Ethics to comply with election campaign laws show that, in addition to Trump's US real estate holdings, he has global financial interests, including registered trademarks in China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ukraine and Israel. Continue reading...

Vice-president grows newly competitive in four southern Sun belt states Trump once dominatedKamala Harris's surge in popularity since replacing Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee has opened up a surprise second path to victory in November, according to a fresh analysis of recent voter surveys.An aggregate of polls modelled by the Washington Post shows that the US vice-president has become newly competitive in four southern Sun belt states that were previously leaning heavily towards Donald Trump, the Republican nominee and former president. Continue reading...

Ex-president criticized after comment about Medal of Honor, given to those who go above and beyond' call of dutyDonald Trump has been criticized after he claimed that the civilian Presidential Medal of Freedom, which he bestowed on people including Republican supporters and donors during his time in office, is much better" than the top military award for those killed or wounded in action: the Medal of Honor.Speaking at a campaign event on Thursday, Trump made the claim as he addressed Miriam Adelson, the widow of the Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson. Trump awarded Miriam Adelson the Medal of Freedom in 2018. Continue reading...

Apparently size does matter

Exclusive: Coordination and strategy are being ramped up despite academic suspensions, doxing attempts and arrestsStudent activists are planning a fresh wave of pro-Palestine protests at US colleges this fall, boosted by a summer school" led by organizers over the break, ramping up coordination and strategy in the wake of police crackdowns on campuses this past spring.Despite academic suspensions, doxing attempts and the arrests of more than 3,000 students nationwide, the students who occupied their campuses' lawns with tents last semester are gearing up for another - possibly bigger - round of demonstrations on all fronts, by all means", calling once again for a ceasefire in Gaza and for their colleges to divest from financial ties to Israel. Continue reading...

The Guardian followed key congressional races affected by Aipac and similar groups for the past few monthsThe progressive US representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota easily overcame a primary challenge on Tuesday, delivering a major victory for progressives after a primary season marked by mixed success amid an onslaught of spending from pro-Israel lobby groups.The progressive Squad" in the House were early to embrace calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and criticize Israel's offensive for its toll on civilians, drawing the ire of groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac). Omar and Summer Lee of Pennsylvania were still able to easily cruise to victory in their primaries, but pro-Israel groups successfully picked off its two biggest Squad targets of this primary season: Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri. Continue reading...

Tens of thousands are expected to march in Chicago next week to pressure the party to stop the war in GazaOutside the Democratic national convention next week, organizers expect tens of thousands of people to march in Chicago to pressure the party to stop the war in Gaza. Inside the convention, uncommitted delegates plan to push anti-war demands in hopes of winning more allies to the cause.The two movements show the continued fractures among Democratic voters, even at a time of increased unity. Continue reading...

Law would empower state officials to arrest, prosecute and deport suspected violators sparking concerns of profilingArizona voters will be able to decide this November whether to approve a measure that would make it a state crime for migrants to cross the Mexico border into Arizona other than through an official US entry point, the state supreme court has ruled.If the controversial new law, currently known as Proposition 314, wins voters' favor when they cast their ballots in the presidential election, Arizona would empower local law enforcement officials to arrest and prosecute suspected violators. State judges would also be allowed to issue de facto deportation orders. Continue reading...

US Secret Service plans to surround podium with ballistic glass after former president survived assassination attemptThe US Secret Service will use bulletproof glass to protect Donald Trump at future outdoor campaign rallies, according to reports, after the former president survived an assassination attempt in July.The agency plans to surround Trump's podium with ballistic glass, multiple news outlets reported, a measure typically reserved for serving presidents and vice-presidents. Continue reading...

Republican nominee, who holds Wilkes-Barre rally on Saturday, believes he holds advantage in electoral collegeDonald Trump and his campaign remain laser-focused on Pennsylvania as the key swing state they have to win to beat Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, according to people familiar with the matter. The former president is preparing to hold a rally in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday afternoon.The Trump campaign believes it still holds the advantage in the electoral college and has the easier paths to victory, despite a torrid month that has seen Harris ride a wave of Democratic enthusiasm and draw roughly level in several polls. Continue reading...

Plus: Zuckerburg's tribute to his wife, Clooney's non-tribute to Tarantino and an ode to VelamintsMondayWithout realising it, the Olympics provided a happy background to our lives and, on Monday, after Sunday night's closing ceremony, the comedown is hard. The drama of the medals table aside, it was three weeks of constant low-key good cheer, drawing us into conversations with our kids about who could get up that wall fastest and who would call 999 if you ever attempted to do anything on the beam. Continue reading...

There is a support system around every big star, but his turned out to be made up of predatory yes menI loved the way I dedicated my services to her," wrote Dr Conrad Murray of his most noble" patient. It was totally selfless because when I agreed to serve her, I literally had no idea that she was then widely known." Sure, sure. And the name of that patient, which I feel certain this most self-effacing physician might be persuaded to offer up? The world renowned quintessential nun who is now a saint: Mother Teresa."Well, that would have been quite the two-fer. Because, of course, Dr Murray - who has yet to be canonised but who recently opened his new medical institute - is arguably better known for being the treatment professional who repeatedly bunged Michael Jackson a general anaesthetic so the singer could avoid his well earned sleepless nights. After one of these ministrations killed Jackson, Murray eventually served jail time for involuntary manslaughter, after which he wrote the book in which that Mother Teresa anecdote appears. Don't take that as a recommendation - it's a namedropping word salad/self-justification that was sadly not titled Celebrities I Didn't Kill.Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnistDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Global gag rule' and funding cuts will be on different scale' if Republicans win again, family-planning providers sayProviders of women's healthcare around the world are preparing for potentially disastrous consequences should Donald Trump win the US presidential election in November.Policies pursued during Trump's last presidency caused devastating" harm in a number of countries, said Beth Schlachter, a senior director at MSI Reproductive Choices in the US. It meant clinics shuttered, health teams closed, women dying ... but a second Trump term will be on a different scale". Continue reading...

Karen Bass, the mayor, pledged to make the Games car-free, but the sprawling city's public transit falls far behind that of previous host citiesLos Angeles is world famous for its gridlocked traffic and endless highways. So when the city's mayor Karen Bass pledged to make the 2028 Olympics a no-car" games, more than a few eyebrows were raised.As Paris handed over the Olympics flag, Bass touted her vision at a press conference: parking will not be available at many of the venues and sports fans will need to take public transit to reach the sites, which will range from downtown to Inglewood to the beach in Santa Monica. Continue reading...

The flagging Israeli leader has every reason to involve the US in a regional conflict, but this would be a huge mistake for Tehran Continue reading...

Trump and Vance are keeping extremist election-deniers in the fold to challenge the fall election,' warns watchdogThe people who served as fake electors in an effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election have continued to donate to Donald Trump, JD Vance and other Republicans since then, campaign finance records show, underscoring the role they continue to play in US politics.Some fake electors face criminal charges for their actions. Some continue to hold key government roles. Continue reading...

As Minnesota governor he took action on school meals, climate, family leave, guns and more - how does that compare with other developed countries?Within hours of Minnesota's governor, Tim Walz, being chosen by Kamala Harris to be her Democratic presidential running mate, Donald Trump and team began attacking him as a dangerously liberal extremist".Trump surrogates seized on Walz's record of expanding voting rights for former felons, combatting the climate crisis, and other measures as proof that Harris-Walz would be the most radical ticket in American history". Continue reading...

Elephant in the arena will be the memory of what happened to another female Democratic nominee who seemingly had the measure of TrumpThe Democratic national convention opens at the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls, on Monday, as a renascent party embraces its new leader Kamala Harris and attempts to supercharge her bid for the White House.Up to 50,000 visitors are expected to descend on Chicago through the week, buoyed up by a Democratic presidential ticket that is currently in the driving seat. As the Republican grandee Karl Rove put it to Fox News recently: Donald Trump is clearly in a subordinate role here." Continue reading...

Another 10,000 people believed to remain entombed in collapsed buildings. Plus, five arrests made in death of actor Matthew Perry

The late Queen apparently brought her own pillows. There are plenty of ways for ordinary passengers to improve their experience, tooOne of the greatest perks of my job as cabin crew is observing all the little quirks and rituals of passengers up close. If I'm working in first class, I sometimes even have the honour of waking up celebrities for breakfast before landing - including one very famous rock star with a reputation for irritability who, to my extreme relief, rolled over all bleary eyed and politely asked for a cup of tea.I was interested to read, then, that the late Queen preferred not to be disturbed if she was still sleeping when her plane landed. I imagine that was a huge relief to the crew. How would one wake her majesty? A gentle whisper in the ear? A slight nudge to the shoulder? Perhaps a delicate sprinkling of Dubonnet over the royal head? It's not a role for which there is any specific training.Meryl Love is the pseudonym of a crew member working for an international airline. She hosts the podcast The Bad Air Hostess Continue reading...

Prominent advocate for child abuse survivors said sentence for former New York officer Shawn Jordan is dangerous'It is the epitome of injustice" as well as dangerous" for a judge to have given a sentence of 10 weekends in jail to a former upstate New York police officer who pleaded guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl before his forced resignation, according to a prominent advocate for child sexual abuse survivors.This sentence is the epitome of injustice and a dangerous nod to child sexual predators letting them know, No worries, we won't go too hard on you,'" Kathryn Robb, the national director of the Children's Justice Campaign at the Enough Abuse organization, said on Thursday. This little girl will be imprisoned by her memories for life, while [the rapist] loses a mere 20 days of his liberty." Continue reading...

I smugly assumed I was offering my children a crash course in wholesomeness. The reality was quite differentEarlier this week, I dropped my kids off at a day camp in a park in London and then congratulated myself all the way home. The summer holiday is long and camp programmes are expensive, and when you sign up for one, there is a hard-to-resist expectation that the kids will be not only entertained but improved - physically (swimming lessons), morally (team games - specifically rounders) and, in the case of the camp we signed up for, spiritually. By which, of course, I refer to two sacred words in the middle-class lexicon: forest school.I should say I'm completely down with the broad mission of forest school. Adults and children are improved by spending time in nature; studies and experience show this. There is a difference, however, between forest school the movement, a laudable push to get kids learning outside based on ideas that stretch back to the 19th century and popularised in the 1950s by, of course, the Scandinavians, and forest school, the modern marketing and business initiative. It reminds me of the catnip status latterly occupied by Mandarin lessons in the New York state primary system, which, when my three-year-olds started pre-school in 2018 - one of them still wearing pull-ups - saw them slogging each week through a mandatory class. There is nothing wrong with learning Mandarin, but it is perhaps not a priority for people who can't use the toilet yet.Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

The recent conviction of an activist who used the phrase at a rally in Berlin has widened a rift in German societyIs it legal to say the words From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" in Germany? The answer appears to be yes: you can shout them from the rooftops in German, English, Arabic or Hebrew, so long as a court accepts that you are not doing so to indicate support for Hamas or its murderous assault of 7 October.This distinction came to bear on the activist Ava Moayeri last week, when she was convicted of condoning a crime" for leading a chant of the slogan at a Berlin rally on 11 October. If the speaker of the phrase is understood to mean, for instance, that they support the peaceful liberation of Palestinians, then the utterance would be protected. But the presiding judge, Birgit Balzer, didn't think that was possible in this case, citing the date of the protest in her decision. Moayeri is expected to challenge the verdict in a higher court.Peter Kuras is a writer and translator based in Berlin

General Hospital star, 37, was shot dead in downtown LA in May after interrupting men taking car's catalytic converterPolice have arrested four suspects in the fatal shooting of Johnny Wactor, the actor best known for his role on General Hospital.The four suspects were arrested in Los Angeles, and range in age from 18 to 22. Three of the suspects were booked on arrest warrants for murder and the fourth was booked as an accessory. Continue reading...

Former president also says in press conference he is entitled to personal attacks' against Democratic rivalDonald Trump expanded his circle of senior advisers on Thursday, adding five new aides including his former 2016 presidential campaign chief as the campaign attempts to find effective attacks against Kamala Harris, according to people familiar with the matter.The former president brought Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer and Alex Bruesewitz from the Trump-aligned Maga Inc political action committee, as well as previous Trump campaign veterans Corey Lewandowski and Tim Murtaugh. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed. For the latest on the 2024 US election, you can read our full coverage here.Donald Trump's campaign has made a slew of new hires as he looks to get his footing against Democrat Kamala Harris, including bringing Corey Lewandowski, who managed part of his 2016 run, on to its leadership team.Other hires on the team include Washington Times columnist and communications strategist Tim Murtaugh, political consultant Alex Bruesewitz and Taylor Budowich and Alex Pfeiffer, both of whom are associated with the Make America Great Again Super Pac. Continue reading...

President declares we finally beat big pharma' as he joins Harris on stage in Maryland for first time since exiting raceJoe Biden and Kamala Harris on Thursday cast themselves as the champions of American seniors in a David-and-Goliath fight against big pharmaceutical companies, at a joint event touting a landmark deal to lower the cost of prescription drugs.We finally beat big pharma," the US president declared, sharing the stage with his vice-president for the first time since he abandoned his re-election bid in late July and Harris replaced him as the Democratic nominee. Continue reading...

VP nominees to face off on 1 October as Vance challenges Walz to an earlier debate in SeptemberJD Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, has accepted an invitation by CBS to debate Tim Walz, his Democratic counterpart, on 1 October after initially appearing to hedge.Vance, Donald Trump's running mate, also said he was accepting another invitation from CNN to debate Walz on 18 September, although it was unclear whether the Democratic nominee had agreed to the challenge. Continue reading...

Five people have been arrested and charged over the death of Matthew Perry, prosecutors said, including the actor's personal assistant and two doctors. Martin Estrada, US attorney for the Central District of California, told a press conference doctors supplied the Friends actor, who died at his Los Angeles home in October 2023, with a large amount of ketamine and 'took advantage of Mr Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves'

Two men charged with robbing luxury watch had firearm of Christopher Dorner, who killed four people and died in 2013Authorities are investigating how a gun registered to an infamous Los Angeles police officer ended up at the Airbnb of two men recently charged in the robbery of a $1m watch in Beverly Hills.Investigators discovered the weapon earlier this month after they connected the Airbnb to a vehicle involved in another Beverly Hills theft, authorities said. The weapon was registered to Christopher Dorner, a former Los Angeles police department (LAPD) officer who killed the daughter of a former LAPD captain and her fiance as well as two others over nine days in 2013 before dying in a dramatic standoff with law enforcement. Dorner had felt he had been wrongly fired by LAPD, and accused the department of racism and corruption. Continue reading...

Four board members stepped down at Florida A&M University upon interim president Timothy Beard's requestJust two weeks before the 2024-2025 school yearbegins and one week into his tenure, the interim president of Florida A&M University, Timothy Beard, has called on the board to resign.As you know, our University (Famu) is at a critical juncture, where we must align our leadership, vision, and strategies to meet the evolving challenges and opportunities ahead," Beard wrote in his letter, first reported by HBCU Gameday. Continue reading...

Ex-president's lawyer says September sentencing would be election interference and there's no basis' for rushing'Donald Trump is asking the judge in his New York hush-money criminal case to delay his sentencing until after the November presidential election.In a letter made public on Thursday, a lawyer for the former US president and current Republican nominee suggested that sentencing Trump as scheduled on 18 September - about seven weeks before election day - would amount to election interference. Continue reading...

Democratic VP nominee pushes back against his rival's abortion comments as they agree to 1 October debate

Rowlands, best known as the star of groundbreaking movies directed by her husband John Cassavetes, has died aged 94. Here we look back on her career highs

Make the Road Action supports Kamala Harris in its first-ever general election presidential endorsementThe immigrant rights group Make the Road Action is backing Kamala Harris in its first-ever general election presidential endorsement.The 15-year-old organisation dedicated to Latino voter engagement in key swing states including Nevada and Pennsylvania, had previously supported Bernie Sanders in the 2020 presidential primaries but has otherwise avoided endorsing any presidential candidates. The voter mobilization group's endorsement on Thursday, provided first to the Guardian, comes amid a rush of enthusiasm for Harris's nascent campaign. Continue reading...

In a world of swiping and DMs I hoped to be able to put myself out there more - but it turns out the comfort zone is really comfyLast December, after consuming a few red wines, my friend Hana and I set ourselves the new year resolution to ask someone out in person each month.With Hana visiting Melbourne from Canberra a couple of times a year, it was typical for our boozy biannual catch-ups to end in questions about our dating lives. This night was not much different. Continue reading...

NBC News finds major Democratic-run cities have not seen any buses of asylum seekers from Texas governor this yearThe controversial effort by Greg Abbott, the Texas governor, to bus people seeking asylum to Democratic-run cities has reportedly been foiled - because there are not enough migrants crossing the border.Abbott claimed at the Republican national convention in July that he had continued bussing migrants to sanctuary cities all across the country", adding: Those buses will continue to roll until we finally secure our border." Continue reading...

After opening his Famous Amos bakery in 1975, the entrepreneur and literary advocate built a cookie empireWallace Wally" Amos, the entrepreneur and founder of Famous Amos cookies who later became a children's literary advocate, died on Tuesday at the age of 88, his family said.With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride," said a statement from his children, Sarah, Michael, Gregory and Shawn Amos. Continue reading...

Independent presidential candidate reportedly reached out to campaign to discuss dropping out and endorsing HarrisRobert F Kennedy Jr, the beleaguered independent presidential candidate, reached out to the Kamala Harris campaign last week to discuss dropping out of the race and endorsing the Democrat, according to multiple reports.Kennedy attempted to set up a meeting with Harris to propose him serving in her administration, possibly as a cabinet secretary, in exchange for his endorsement, the Washington Post reported. Continue reading...