World Sports

Mattis: Today’s political divide threatens our democracy – Washington Examiner

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Former Defense Secretary James Mattis deplored today’s political climate, saying it poses more of a threat to our democracy than our adversaries abroad. In an essay published Wednesday in the Wall Street Journal, Mattis warned Americans that democracy is an experiment “that can be reversed” if the divisiveness continues. “We are dividing into hostile tribes cheering against each other, fueled by emotion and a mutual disdain that jeopardizes our future,…

Sacklers Would Give Up Ownership of Purdue Pharma Under Settlement Proposal – The New York Times

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

[“The Weekly,” our new TV show, examines why a confidential government document containing evidence so critical it had the potential to change the course of the opioid crisis was kept in the dark for more than a decade.] The settlement talks were first reported by NBC. Purdue emailed a statement in response to the reports: “While Purdue Pharma is prepared to defend itself vigorously in the opioid litigation, the company…

Donald Trump vs. Puerto Rico, round 2 – CNN

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

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Government attorneys, OxyContin maker in settlement discussions as it faces billions in lawsuits – Fox News

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Video Oklahoma judge finds Johnson & Johnson helped fuel state’s opioid drug crisis Judge orders company to pay $572 million; Casey Stegall reports. The maker of OxyContin—Purdue Pharma, which is owned by members of the Sackler Family— is reportedly offering a $10 to $12 billion payout to settle more than 2,000 lawsuits brought by state, local and tribal governments that claim the company is responsible for the nationwide opioid crisis. State…

Amazon fires: By the numbers – Fox News

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Video Fox News Flash top headlines for August 27 Fox News Flash top headlines for August 27 are here. Check out what’s clicking on Foxnews.com The raging fires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest have captured the public’s imagination worldwide for the last few weeks and recently prompted the country to declare a state of emergency in the region. The blazes, which are actually visible from space, are generally thought to be…

University invites New York Times columnist offended by being called bedbug to ‘speak about civil discourse’ – Washington Examiner

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The George Washington University’s provost responded to New York Times columnist Bret Stephens after he emailed one of their professors who called him a bedbug on Twitter. In the email, Forrest Maltzman told Stephens, “as an academic, Professor [David] Karpf speaks for himself and does not take direction from me. His opinions are his own” because of the school’s commitment to free speech. “I see on Twitter that you invited…

Trump willing to pardon wrongdoing if it relates to building the wall faster – Washington Examiner

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

President Trump is reportedly willing to pardon subordinates if they break laws in an attempt to build the wall along the U.S. southern border faster. Officials told the Washington Post that Trump wants hundreds of miles of the border barrier erected before the 2020 election and is willing to pardon wrongdoing if laws are broken in the process. “Don’t worry, I’ll pardon you,” Trump told officials during a meeting about…

Jeffrey Epstein accusers testify in New York City courtroom today – CBS News

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

New York — A succession of women who said Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused them voiced anger and defiance in a packed New York courtroom Tuesday, expressing raw emotions during an unprecedented two-and-a-half hour hearing. Their emotional statements came as the judge moved to dismiss Epstein’s sex trafficking case after his recent suicide. More than a dozen alleged victims of the convicted pedophile finally had their day in court and detailed…

George Conway slams ‘silly’ Washington Post report on Barr booking holiday party at Trump Hotel – Washington Examiner

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

George Conway, husband to White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, is not impressed with the Washington Post‘s latest scoop about Attorney General William Barr. Conway, a conservative lawyer who routinely criticizes President Trump, argued with people on Twitter about Barr holding a family holiday party for 200 people at Trump International Hotel in December. He reasoned that it is an inconsequential story in comparison to the attorney general’s role in the…

Tropical Storm Dorian nears Puerto Rico: Live updates – CNN

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The Carnival Breeze is pictured in 2012 Andy Newman/Carnival Cruise Lines via Getty Images Carnival Cruise Line is making some itinerary modifications to avoid the current path of Tropical Storm Dorian, the company announced today. “Our Fleet Operations Center continues to monitor the storm and will make any adjustments as needed as the safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority,” the cruise line said in a statement….

Trump says ‘no bedbugs’ at his Doral resort. But inspectors have found a host of other problems. – The Washington Post

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Michael Brice-Saddler August 27 at 9:54 PM When President Trump conveyed his unprecedented desire to host next year’s Group of Seven summit at his own luxury golf resort in Doral, Fla., it took mere hours for a 2016 lawsuit to resurface, raising questions about the property’s cleanliness. It was bedbugs, former guest Eric Linder alleged, that left him with “welts, lumps and marks over much of his face, neck, arms…

Tropical Storm Dorian could strengthen if it passes through Mona Passage near Puerto Rico, heading to Florida, forecasters say – CBS News

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Tropical Storm Dorian poses the first big threat of the hurricane season to the Caribbean and Florida. While this storm is not expected to become a behemoth like Hurricane Maria or Irma, there is a chance this could be a significant system when it reaches Florida this weekend. The future of Dorian largely hinges on one key factor called the Mona Passage. This 80-mile wide ocean corridor, which sits between…

Some footage taken outside Jeffrey Epstein’s cell on the night of his death deemed unusable by investigators – AOL

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

One of the cameras in the hallway outside of Epstein’s cell captured footage that was deemed unusable, though it is unclear what about the footage investigators deemed not usable, The Washington Post reported. Epstein died by suicide in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center earlier this month, prompting a federal investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Epstein’s defense team blasted the “medieval conditions” of the federal prison, blaming…

Dana Milbank: Is Trump a president or a timeshare salesman? – Salt Lake Tribune

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Trump, who had been asked to clarify his earlier (inappropriate) remarks promoting his Miami-area property at the international gathering, instead expanded on them: “We have incredible conference rooms, incredible restaurants. And we have many hundreds of acres so that in terms of parking, in terms of all of the things that you need, the ballrooms are among the biggest in Florida, and the best.”

SAT Is Dropping Its ‘Adversity Score’ Meant to Level the College Admissions Playing Field – TIME

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

(BUFFALO, N.Y.) — The company that administers the SAT college admissions test is replacing the so-called adversity score with a tool that will no longer reduce an applicant’s background to a single number, an idea that the College Board’s chief executive now says was a mistake. Amid growing scrutiny of the role wealth plays in college admissions, the College Board introduced its Environmental Context Dashboard about two years ago to…

Purdue Pharma offers $10-12 billion to settle opioid claims – NBC News

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

The maker of OxyContin, Purdue Pharma, and its owners, the Sackler family, are offering to settle more than 2,000 lawsuits against the company for $10 billion to $12 billion. The potential deal was part of confidential conversations and discussed by Purdue’s lawyers at a meeting in Cleveland last Tuesday, Aug. 20, according to two people familiar with the mediation. Brought by states, cities and counties, the lawsuits — some of…

Brazil Rejects G-7’s Offer Of $22 Million To Fight Amazon Fires – NPR

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

After the G-7 nations pledged millions to help Amazon countries fight wildfires, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he’s not interested unless he gets an apology from French President Emmanuel Macron. Eraldo Peres/AP hide caption toggle caption Eraldo Peres/AP After the G-7 nations pledged millions to help Amazon countries fight wildfires, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he’s not interested unless he gets an apology from French President Emmanuel Macron. Eraldo Peres/AP…

Some footage taken outside Jeffrey Epstein’s cell on the night of his death deemed unusable by investigators – AOL

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

One of the cameras in the hallway outside of Epstein’s cell captured footage that was deemed unusable, though it is unclear what about the footage investigators deemed not usable, The Washington Post reported. Epstein died by suicide in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center earlier this month, prompting a federal investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Epstein’s defense team blasted the “medieval conditions” of the federal prison, blaming…

Trump pushes back on ‘nasty rumor’ of bed bug infestation at his Doral golf resort – The Washington Post

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

John Wagner August 27 at 12:33 PM President Trump on Tuesday blamed “Radical Left Democrats” for spreading a “false and nasty rumor” about a bedbug infestation at his golf resort in Doral, Fla., after he said he would like to hold next year’s Group of Seven summit at the property. “No bedbugs at Doral,” Trump wrote in a midmorning tweet. “The Radical Left Democrats, upon hearing that the perfectly located…

Oklahoma’s $572 million opioid judgment against Johnson & Johnson: Here’s what comes next – USA TODAY

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

CLOSE Oklahoma lawyers argued Johnson & Johnson aggressively marketed opioids that overstated their effectiveness and underplayed the addiction risk. USA TODAY Oklahoma’s $572 million judgment against Johnson & Johnson will likely be followed by more trials and legal settlements seeking to hold a drug company accountable for a U.S. opioid crisis that has ripped apart lives, families and communities. Monday’s ruling could help shape negotiations over roughly 1,500 similar lawsuits filed by…