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FBI says it investigated suspect and his father a year ago. Plus, con artist Anna Sorokin to don ankle monitor on Dancing With the Stars

Officials from civil rights division to investigate two prisons that have been plagued by allegations of endemic' abuseThe US justice department has opened a civil rights investigation into sexual abuse by staff at California's women's prisons, which have for years been plagued by misconduct scandals.The department said on Wednesday that it was investigating the state's two women's prisons - the Central California Women's Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women (CIW) in Chino - and would evaluate whether the state protects incarcerated residents from sexual abuse by correctional employees. Continue reading...

What happens to our hearts when we are encased in a field of malevolence and hatred that daily threatens our stability and peace?I have been thinking about fascism long before I even knew I was thinking about it. I lived for years inside the mind, the home, the terror of my tyrannical father who used violence as the methodology to sustain his power over every aspect of our existence. In order to achieve that power he separated and divided us. He isolated us, used us against each other and made us lonely.Hannah Arendt wrote about loneliness in the Origins of Totalitarianism, published in 1951: What prepares men for totalitarian domination in the non-totalitarian world is the fact that loneliness, once a borderline experience usually suffered in certain marginal social conditions like old age, has become an everyday experience." Continue reading...

The NFL season kicks off on Thursday night. Which rookies will impress? Will Aaron Rodgers make it out of the first quarter? And who will win it all?Who else? Patrick Mahomes, pretty much like he has been the last five seasons, will be the NFL's main focal point. Mahomes, entering his eighth NFL season, has led the Chiefs to three Super Bowl victories and another AFC title, and he won't turn 29 until next month. He is prolific, intelligent, inventive - and, as important, durable. Dave Caldwell Continue reading...

The Conservative leadership race reveals a party still banging the same old drums. Natural Tory voters are looking on askanceTwo months on from the Tories' worst election result in its history, none of its prospective leadership candidates inspire confidence in a fast bounce-back. Research by More in Common found that 70% of the public either didn't know who could win the next election for the Tories, or thought none of them could. James Cleverly, third place in Wednesday's vote among MPs, did best: 8% of respondents believed he could turn things round. Results are starkest for Mel Stride (still in the contest by the skin of his teeth): 1% of general voters and 1% of 2024 Conservative voters polled think he stands a chance. Priti Patel is now out of the race, but Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick all hover around 5% of general voters, perhaps reflecting the fact they've done little to distinguish themselves from one another - instead chasing the same fervid, anti-immigrant dreamscape. But surely the worst finding is that voters are starting to find the party weird".It's a word that's been deployed to devastating effect in the US, where Tim Walz detonates it folksily against Donald Trump and the entire Republican party. That stuff is weird. They come across weird," he said. It is a line he has repeated in slightly different iterations across the pre-campaign trail. Walz could be talking about anything: Trump's rambling speeches, or his hair, or the spectacle of a billionaire blatantly fighting for the interests of capital with grand, pugnacious rhetoric about the working man. It's all weird. A poster doing the rounds on social media reads: We're not perfect, but they're nuts! Vote Democrat". It's close, but it's no bullseye: often the Republican stance is perfectly sane, in the sense that self-interest is sane and seeking victory is sane. But it's still, objectively, weird.Zoe Williams is a Guardian columnistThis article was corrected on Thursday 5 September 2024 to say that James Cleverly came third in Wednesday's leadership vote. Previously, the article said he had come second. Continue reading...

I feel safe in the capital. An hour's drive away, white-pride tattoos remind me that we Berliners can't take our safe, hedonistic lives for granted any moreI live on an island. I tend to forget this, but now with the last days of summer still perfect for a swim, I decide to drive an hour out of Berlin to a lake - and I'm instantly reminded of it. The first things I notice: idyllic nature, clean air - and a lot of neo-Nazis. It's not even hard to recognise them: in many parts of eastern Germany they stroll around with a puffed-out chest and unambiguous symbols tattooed on their arms, printed on their shirts or stuck to their cars.Of course, in Berlin we have neo-Nazis, too, but their presence is more subtle. It certainly gives you a greater sense of security when you are not constantly confronted with white-pride slogans and you are not the only person of colour in a 500-metre radius. You will always find someone in this island to make eye contact with. Outside, it's better if you don't.Fatma Aydemir is a Berlin-based author, novelist, playwright and a Guardian Europe 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...

Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson addressed allegations that a company they were associated with had been paid to publish videos with messages in favour of Russia

Two students and two teachers were killed at a Georgia high school in the US, in a mass shooting authorities say was committed by a 14-year-old male student at the school. At least nine others were taken to the hospital following the incident at Apalachee high school in Winder, about 50 miles north-east of Atlanta. Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia bureau of investigation, said the suspect would be charged as an adult with four counts of murder

Authorities say suspect, 14, also wounded nine others, with FBI later saying they had investigated him and his father a year ago

Ex-president repeats false claims to Sean Hannity of asylum seekers and crime and says: We're going to heal our world'Donald Trump lobbed his usual insults and accusations at Kamala Harris and Tim Walz during a town hall aired on Fox News and then falsely claimed that migrants from around the world are pouring into the US.The pre-taped interview aired Wednesday evening. The former president walked onto the stage in a Pennsylvania arena to cheers, applause and chants of USA" from his supporters. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. Here is our full story on US conservative influencers saying they are victims' of a Russian disinformation campaign.Half of gen-Z voters said they will vote for Kamala Harris in November, according to a new NBC News poll published today.The poll shows one-third of gen-Z voters said they plan to vote for Donald Trump, and 1 in 10 said they do not plan to vote in the presidential election. Continue reading...

Daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney is the latest GOP member to publicly renounce ex-presidentLiz Cheney, the Republican former representative of Wyoming, has endorsed Kamala Harris for president. The former legislator made the pronouncement on Tuesday at an event at Duke university in North Carolina. This move makes her the latest Republican to publicly say that they will not be supporting Donald Trump.I don't believe we have the luxury of writing in candidates' names, particularly in swing states," Cheney, daughter of former Republican vice-president Dick Cheney, told the crowd. And as a conservative, as somebody who believes in and cares about the constitution, I have thought deeply about this and the present danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, I am voting for Kamala Harris." Continue reading...

Campaigns had clashed over whether candidates should be audible while opponent is speakingKamala Harris and Donald Trump have accepted the rules for the presidential debate in Philadelphia, due to air on ABC next week, the network said on Wednesday - including muted mics when the other candidate is speaking.ABC News said in a release that Harris, the Democratic nominee, and Trump, her Republican rival, have qualified for the debate under the established criteria, and both have accepted the following debate rules". Continue reading...

US vice-president and Democratic nominee for president makes remarks before campaign stop in New Hampshire

Kamala Harris has called a deadly shooting at a high school in Georgia a 'senseless tragedy' during a speech in North Hampton, New Hampshire. The US vice-president and Democratic nominee for president paused before she began a speech about economic matters on the election campaign trail to address the incident. Four people have been confirmed dead and multiple others injured. The suspect, a 14-year-old boy, is currently in custody

The British No 1 continued his breakthrough run in New York as he defeated an injury-affected Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5, 6-2Muchova breaks: Haddad Maia 0-2 Muchova* (*denotes next server)Muchova leads their head-to-head 3-0, by the way, and Tim Henman says on Sky that he has her down as a comfortable winner today in straight sets. Both are big talents, both are former top-10ers - but I'd give Muchova the edge too. And she's likely to stay calmer under pressure if this match does get closer than Henman expects. Continue reading...

After judge found evidence was intentionally withheld in July, involuntary manslaughter charges were dismissedA prosecutor who led the case against Alec Baldwin has asked a New Mexico judge to reconsider the decision to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the western movie Rust.The case against Baldwin was dismissed in dramatic fashion in July when, halfway through the trial, a judge found the prosecution and law enforcement had intentionally withheld evidence in the case that could have been favorable to the actor. Continue reading...

A Georgia high school has been put on lockdown amid reports of a deadly shooting. Helicopter footage from WSB-TV showed crowds gathered in and around Apalachee high school's football stadium as students were evacuated. The county sheriff's office said police and fire service personnel rushed to the school after a reported active shooting and that a suspect was in custody

Group Poder NC Action seeks to create culturally relevant voter engagement initiatives that speak directly to LatinosUna chingona always knows when to use her own voice."So begins the first installment of a telenovela geared toward young Latina voters. Chingonas, which means empowered women in Mexican Spanish, are the target audience for the non-profit Poder NC Action - a Latino North Carolina-based voter engagement group. This year, the largest ever cohort of young North Carolina-born Latinos will be eligible to vote in a presidential election. Continue reading...

This Democratic campaign isn't about breaking the glass ceiling'. Maybe that's the best way of beating TrumpThere are lots of differences between the presidential candidacies of Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton, but, rhetorically at least, there's one disparity that stands out. In 2008, when Clinton lost to Obama in the Democratic primaries, she referred to putting 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling". Accepting the Democratic nomination in 2016, she said: We just put the biggest crack in the glass ceiling." And later that year, when she held what would turn out to be her terrible, deflated election night party, it was at the Jacob K Javits Centre, a convention hall in Manhattan that has, er, a glass ceiling. It's notable, therefore, that several weeks into Harris's candidacy, she's not touching Clinton's ceiling with a 10ft barge pole.As a piece of imagery, the glass ceiling got very old very quickly, so that even by the time Clinton had it on heavy rotation, it was already emptied of meaning. Even without the phrase's all right, Grandma" vibe, it makes basic political sense for Harris to avoid using an image associated with the failed candidacy of the only other woman to be a major-party nominee for president. What's curious is the decision her team has apparently made not only to eschew that particular phrase, but to handle with slightly more delicacy the nature of her candidacy. If Harris wins, she will, of course, not only be the first female president, but the first Black female president, and the first president, woman or otherwise, of south Asian descent. Pointing out this fact is not a major rhetorical part of the campaign.Do 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...

Michael Royce Sparks was arrested last week after he was found under a home at Olive Dell RanchA southern California man has been charged with the murder of two of his neighbors in a local nudist community.Michael Royce Sparks, 62, was charged on Tuesday with two counts of murder with special circumstances in the deaths of Stephanie Menard, 73, and her husband, Daniel, 79, court records show. Continue reading...

Tim Sheehy, locked in tight race with incumbent Democrat John Tester, repeatedly referred to Crow tribe at fundraisers

Instead of banning arms sales, the Labour government should show Israel's far right ministers that they cannot act with impunity Azriel Bermant is a senior researcher at the Institute of International Relations PragueDavid Lammy's announcement that the UK would be suspending 30 arms export licences to Israel kicked off a storm in the UK, in Israel and even in the US. Boris Johnson accused the Labour government of abandoning" Israel and handing victory to Hamas. Back in April, Johnson claimed that a UK ban on arms sales to Israel would be the death wish of western civilisation."Johnson and his fellow Conservatives ought to know that Tory governments in particular have followed a longstanding tradition of banning arms to Israel - from Edward Heath blocking the provision of spare parts for Israeli tanks and denying access to US air force planes resupplying arms to Israel in 1973, to Margaret Thatcher's blanket ban on arms sales to Israel in the wake of its invasion of Lebanon in 1982.Azriel Bermant is a senior researcher at the Institute of International Relations Prague and a visiting researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), Tel Aviv UniversityDo 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...

Family of William Bryan alleges Dr Thomas Shaknovsky removed liver instead of spleen during surgical procedureThe family of a 70-year-old man from Alabama who died last month say that his death was a result of a doctor removing the wrong organ during a surgical procedure in Florida.William Bryan, 70, and his wife Beverly were visiting their rental property in Okaloosa county this summer when Bryan suddenly began experiencing left-sided flank pain, according to law firm representing his wife, Beverly. Bryan then went to hospital, and was admitted for further studies pursuant to concern for an abnormality of the spleen. Continue reading...

Republican Voters Against Trump is rolling out new advert featuring ex-Trump voters vowing to never again back him

Ginni Thomas writes thank you so, so, so much' to group for fighting effort to rein in wayward supreme court justices

As Benjamin Netanyahu refuses to bow to pressure, the US charges Hamas's top leaders over their roles in the 7 October attack

Jettisoned by Fox News, the rightwing gadfly has a reduced audience but was still influential in the rise of JD VanceIn spring of last year, Tucker Carlson was on the outs.The former prime-time host had been booted from the Fox News channel where he had made his name. Ensconced in his remote Maine home, Carlson launched a new show on what was then called Twitter, but as his viewer figures quickly plunged, consensus opinion was that Carlson's position as a news and political tastemaker, someone capable of creating Republican stars and taking down careers, was over. Continue reading...

Epidemiologists push newly approved booster vaccines as current virus strain threatens at-risk groupsInfectious disease experts say many people are not taking the latest Covid-19 wave in the US seriously enough and are not getting vaccinated or using antiviral drugs when sick, despite a summer wave that was larger and came earlier than anticipated.Epidemiologists are saying that while symptoms of this wave are more mild than earlier strains, the virus remains a threat - particularly for older adults and people with underlying health conditions. Continue reading...

Lion of Judah enrolls poll workers in Trump-aligned swing state tour, which experts say could be hazard to democracy'A Christian political operative has teamed up with charismatic preachers to enroll election skeptics as poll workers across the country, using a Donald Trump-aligned swing state tour to enlist support in the effort.Joshua Standifer, who leads the group called Lion of Judah, describes the effort as a Trojan horse" strategy to get Christians in key positions of influence in government like Election Workers", which will help them identify alleged voter fraud and serve as the first step on the path to victory this Fall", according to his website. Continue reading...

Strike started on 16 August over firm's delays in bargaining a new contract since the process began in JuneMore than 17,000 AT&T workers in the US south-east remain on strike as the Communications Workers of America have accused the company of unfair labor practices for attempting to further delay bargaining a new union contract.The workers, technicians, customer service representatives and others who install, maintain and support AT&T's network have been on strike since 16 August in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Continue reading...

After all that violence, we face the choice that confronted Cameron and Thatcher: to seek real explanations or move blindly forwardIt is just over a month since the first riots broke out in Southport - seemingly provoked by rumours containing false information about the alleged identity of the attacker who killed three children and injured eight others, as well as two adults, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.Five further days of disorder followed in a number of English towns and cities and in Northern Ireland - with the rioters apparently taking their lead from what happened in Southport. Violence was aimed at immigrants, at mosques, at Asian-owned businesses and at hotels and other locations where immigrants were thought to be housed.Tim Newburn is professor of criminology and social policy at the London School of EconomicsDo 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...

Before Biden dropped out, Trump thought he had this election in the bag. Now his smears against Harris aren't workingKamala, you're fired!" shouted Donald Trump. Then he pleaded: You're fired. Get out. Get out. Get out, Kamala!" The crowd cheered at his rally on 26 August in Glendale, Arizona, as though approving his order. But the invocation of the magic words he recited at the climax of every episode of The Apprentice failed to make her phantom disappear.Trump's advisers sneak policy material into his stump speech that he must read as it scrolls on his teleprompter. They want to channel him into speaking about the issues". But he has revolted against them and the issues". They always say, Sir, please stick to policy, don't get personal," he complained to a rally. He turned to his Maga masses to give him license. Should I get personal, or should I not get personal?" The crowd cheered as he knew it would. It was the poll result he wanted. My advisers are fired!" Continue reading...

Analysis of 2024 polling and previous elections involving Donald Trump suggests race is still too close to callNational polls for the US presidential race have been upended ever since Kamala Harris took over from Joe Biden to run against Donald Trump.While Biden was trailing the Republican former president nationally and in many crucial swing states, Harris has gained about three points in national polls since becoming the nominee. Continue reading...

Polio is a contagious disease that thrives on misery - and Israeli bombardment has destroyed 70% of Gaza's sewage pumpsAbdul Rahman Abu Al-Jidyan was born in Gaza in September 2023. Like 90% of Gaza's population, the little boy and his family have been displaced multiple times since the war began in the month following his birth. Then, a few weeks before his first birthday, baby Abdul Rahman developed a fever and began vomiting. He was diagnosed as Gaza's first polio victim in 25 years.Polio is a highly contagious disease that thrives on misery, of which there is plenty in Gaza. As of 3 June 2024, Israel has destroyed five water and sanitation sites every three days since the start of the war, according to a July report published by Oxfam. What possible military necessity justifies such catastrophic destruction that punishes the entire Palestinian population of Gaza indiscriminately? Israeli bombardment, the report details, has destroyed 70% of Gaza's sewage pumps, all of Gaza's wastewater treatment plants and Gaza's two main water quality testing laboratories. Continue reading...

A new NFL season marks the peak sports betting months. Recent studies show the strain legalized gambling is putting on financially constrained households and young menOn Thursday night, the NFL season will kick off in a rematch of last year's AFC Championship Game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs, as fans tune in to see if Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes can lead his team to a fourth Super Bowl victory in seven years - possibly, even, to an unprecedented three-peat".It's about as enticing a storyline as the league could hope for. And yet, it seems that most of the action will be taking place off the field, as Thursday also marks the beginning of the busiest time of year for those who play the game-within-the-game: sports bettors. Continue reading...

Amanda C Riley - also known as Scamanda' - pleaded guilty in 2022 to defrauding over $100,000 from donorsThe woman who earned the derisive nickname Scamanda" by faking a prolonged fight with terminal cancer and raising money for herself may have Munchausen syndrome - a psychological disorder involving the feigning of illness to win others' nurturing, according to prosecutors.That finding about Amanda C Riley - who pleaded guilty in a California federal courthouse in 2022 to defrauding more than $100,000 from hundreds of donors - surfaced as prosecutors successfully argued against an effort by her legal team to secure an early release from prison, as first reported recently by the San Francisco Chronicle. Continue reading...

The US Justice Department announced criminal charges against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other senior militants in connection with the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel, marking the first effort by American law enforcement to formally call out the masterminds of the attack. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department would pursue those accused 'for the rest of their lives.'

Unnamed suspect is facing three felonies for a robbery attempt in the city's shopping district, district attorney saidThe San Francisco district attorney has charged a 17-year-old with five offenses for allegedly shooting San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Pearsall on 31 August during a robbery attempt in the city's shopping district.During a press conference on Tuesday, Brooke Jenkins, the district attorney, announced that an unnamed suspect is facing three felonies: attempted murder, attempted robbery and assault with a semi-automatic firearm. He faces two enhancements for intentional discharge of a firearm and personal use of firearm. He has not been publicly identified. Continue reading...

State refused to comply with health and human services department's order to give abortion providers' informationThe US supreme court will allow the Biden administration to withhold millions of dollars in grant money from the state of Oklahoma over its refusal to provide information about abortion providers to patients who seek it. In an order released on Tuesday, the nine-member court said an injunction filed by the state had been denied in a 6-3 decision. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch were the three who would have granted Oklahoma's application for relief.Tuesday's order reaffirms two previous lower-court decisions in which judges determined a lawsuit filed against the Biden administration by the state of Oklahoma over the taking back of the funds was unlikely to succeed. Continue reading...

Linda Sun, Kathy Hochul's former deputy chief of staff, arrested for furthering' Chinese interests, attorney saysA former New York state government official who worked for the former governor Andrew Cuomo and current governor, Kathy Hochul, was charged on Tuesday with acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government, federal prosecutors revealed in a sprawling indictment.Linda Sun, who held numerous posts in New York state government before rising to the rank of deputy chief of staff for Hochul, was arrested on Tuesday morning along with her husband, Chris Hu, at their $3.5m home on Long Island. Continue reading...

Attorneys for Lawrence Hecker, charged with raping teen in 1975, urge judge to declare him incompetent to stand trialRetired Catholic priest and self-acknowledged child molester Lawrence Hecker's trial on rape and kidnapping charges - scheduled for 24 September - could be significantly delayed yet again after a medical report on the 92-year-old's mental health has been filed in court.A court-ordered psychiatric evaluation diagnosed Hecker with dementia, saying he has good days and bad days", according to a statement from his defense team. Defense attorneys Matthew McLaren and Eugene Redmann issued a statement Tuesday urging judge Benedict Willard to declare Hecker incompetent to stand trial. Continue reading...

This blog is closed. You can find the latest US politics and election coverage here.Kamala Harris is expected to announce new proposals meant to boost small businesses and entrepreneurs ahead of a campaign speech on Wednesday in New Hampshire, according to a report.With days until her first debate with Donald Trump, Harris is aiming to draw a contrast with her Republican opponent's calls for a lower corporate tax rate, the Washington Post reported, citing sources.This is a stark choice in front of us, and I'm confident that as voters start to get more engaged in this upcoming election, that they'll see Kamala Harris's agenda is about making their lives better, and Donald Trump's about making Donald Trump's life better. Continue reading...

Alvin Hellerstein ruled ex-president didn't have burden of proof in latest attempt to overturn his felony convictionA federal judge on Tuesday rejected Donald Trump's request to intervene in his New York hush-money criminal case, thwarting the former president's latest bid to overturn his felony conviction and delay his sentencing.US district judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled that Trump had not satisfied the burden of proof required for a federal court to take control of the case from the state court where it was tried. Continue reading...

Emma Navarro beat Paula Badosa in three sets and Taylor Fritz beat Alexander Zverev in four, both reaching their first grand slam semi in their home eventTremendous backhand winner for Badosa makes 15-0 but then Navarro seizes upon a slightly short ball, landing a backhand on to the baseline before coming in to clobber a forehand winner. But she then nets a forehand and disburses a double - P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E! - meaning she faces two break points - and another double cedes the early break! Navarro leads 2-0!Terrific start from Navarro, who plays a really solid point for 15-0, directing Badosa about the court, then closes out to love. She's in the match and if she can get her first return in, she'll give her opponent something to think about about which to think. Continue reading...

Jimmy McCain, a national guard lieutenant, says he can't overlook' Trump's criticism of his late fatherThe son of the late Republican senator John McCain - whose war record was disparaged by Donald Trump - has added his voice to criticism of the former president's controversial Arlington cemetery visit, accusing him of violating a sacred burial site for political purposes.First Lieutenant Jimmy McCain, an intelligence officer in the 158th infantry regiment of the national guard, said Trump's behaviour at the cemetery - America's most revered burial ground for fallen military personnel and military heroes - was in line with previous acts of disrespect. Continue reading...