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Trump: 'George Washington would have had a hard time beating me before the plague came in'

President Trump suggested that even an opponent as formidable as the nation’s first commander in chief would have had difficulty unseating him before the coronavirus pandemic.

Police officers set dog on black man and say ‘good boy, good boy’ as it bites his leg

A police dog in Salt Lake City was ordered to attack an African American man who was on his knees with his hands in the air.Police officers arrived at Jeffery Ryans’s house in April in Salt Lake City, Utah, after they responded to a call made by someone who said they had heard him arguing with his wife, according to the Daily Mail.

Agnes Chow: Hong Kong activist hailed as the 'real Mulan'

The 23-year-old democracy activist arrested under a new security law is a folk hero to her supporters.

Mother says son with autism was 'kicked out' of church by priest

Julia Vicidomini said her son, Nicholas, was instructed to leave the church after he dropped a toy.

Air Force helicopter shot at from ground while flying over Virginia, crew injured

FBI investigating shot fired at UH-1N Huey flying over Virginia which injured a crew member.

New Zealand rocked by 13 new coronavirus cases as officials scramble to find source

New Zealand officials are scrambling to trace the source of an outbreak of coronavirus, reporting 13 new cases on Thursday. Long queues of people have formed to escape a renewed lockdown in the country's biggest city and be tested. The discovery of four infected family members in Auckland two days ago shocked a country that had not recorded a case of Covid-19 for more than three months, raising some criticism of the government's handling of the crisis. New Zealand announced on Thursday that there were 13 new cases in the community, bringing the total number of active cases to 36. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has swiftly reimposed tight movement restrictions in Auckland and social distancing measures across the rest of the country, echoing her early response to the pandemic, which was praised for its apparent effectiveness. However, doubts over the origin of the latest cases have raised some questions about that strategy. Officials reported on Thursday that three more people at a refrigerator-storage facility, where one of the family members worked, had tested positive. Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said health officials were getting "closer every hour" to finding the patient zero of the outbreak. "We are working flat out to do the contact tracing we need to do and trace back to find out what the source of this infection is," Mr Bloomfield told Newstalk ZB radio. Mr Bloomfield raised the possibility on Wednesday that the virus had arrived in New Zealand via freight, given one of the infected family members works in a cool store that takes imported frozen goods from overseas.

Fact check: Viral post claiming Dems didn't wear masks at John Lewis' funeral uses photo from 2015

A viral post falsely claims Democrats were maskless at Rep. John Lewis' funeral but actual photos of the event show what really happened.

Fauci has questioned whether Russia's coronavirus vaccine is safe amid concerns nations are cutting corners to win the vaccine race

President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia had approved a COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday. Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke of his concerns on July 31.

Americans might face a long wait for the COVID economic relief Trump promised in executive order

Trump's plan to give $300 per week in unemployment benefits faces a number of legal, logistical and funding hurdles.

Pro Poker Player Was Bound, Sexually Assaulted, ‘Lit on Fire’ After Motel Meeting

Susie Zhao, the professional poker player whose charred remains were found in a remote Michigan park in July, was allegedly bound with zip ties and sexually assaulted before she was “lit on fire until she died” after meeting with a convicted sex offender, according to new court documents. Zhao, 33, was last seen around 5:30 p.m. on July 12 by her mother, the White Lake Township Police Department previously told The Daily Beast. The next day, her “badly burned” body was discovered at around 8:05 a.m. in a parking lot near the Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, about an hour outside of Detroit. Last week, Jeffrey Bernard Morris, 60, was charged from his hospital bed with first-degree premeditated murder. Authorities discovered the convicted sex offender allegedly met Zhao in a motel room the night before her body was found. Morris, who is homeless and has a “lengthy criminal history” is currently in jail after being denied bail. A Pro Poker Player Was Found ‘Badly Burned.’ Was She Murdered Over Gambling?“This is not the end of the investigation into Susie’s death but the beginning of the pursuit of justice for her and her family,” White Lake Township Detective Chris Hild said in a press conference. “We can only hope that where we are today brings some level of comfort to the healing process.”In new court documents, first obtained by WXYZ, authorities revealed what occurred the night the pro poker player, known on the circuit as “Susie Q,” went missing. Cell phone records indicate Morris and the rising poker star first met on July 12. In an interview with police the night of his arrest on July 31, Morris admitted to picking up Zhao on Watkins Lake Road before they both checked into the Sherwood Motel at around 9:26 p.m.  Morris told investigators the pair left the motel at some point to buy some alcohol and that Zhao left the motel at around midnight and took everything with her. Cell phone records, however, show the 33-year-old’s phone didn’t leave the motel until around 5 a.m on July 13, according to the court documents. Surveillance footage near the motel and cell phone records also show Morris left the room at around 5 a.m., before driving to a secluded section of the Pontiac Lake Recreation area—where Zhao was found. Court documents say that evidence suggests Morris was at the 3,745-acre park for about seven minutes. When Zhao was found the following morning, she was identified by fingerprints and was bound with zip ties. She had been sexually assaulted with a large object before being "lit on fire until she died,” the court documents state. A spokesperson for the Oakland County Medical Examiner told The Daily Beast that Zhao’s cause of death is currently unknown, pending an autopsy and toxicology results. When authorities pulled Morris over on a warrant in Ypsilanti weeks later, investigators found several hairs and other evidence with possible bloodstains. They also found duffle bags with a fitted bed sheet that appeared to have blood on it and a wooden baseball bat that also appeared to have a bloodstain. The items were taken to Oakland County Crime Lab for testing. Authorities are now scrambling to understand the motive behind the “mysterious death” that occurred just weeks after Zhao moved back to her home state of Michigan from California on June 9. Two childhood friends of Zhao previously told The Daily Beast that the poker player bounced between several cities—including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Florida—both for her job and because she was “a jet-setter.” According to PokerNews.com, Zhao was successful in the professional worker world, garnering several deep runs in the World Series of Poker Main Event—placing 90th in 2012 to earn $73,805. Over the course of her career, Zhao won $224,671, according to the poker database The Hendon Mob. Despite earlier speculation, authorities have said there is no evidence that Zhao’s death was connected to her gambling.“I don’t think there was ever anything else that she wanted to do. She was playing poker from a very young age,” Meredith Rogowski, a childhood friend, told The Daily Beast. “It was not a surprise. She was very bold and did whatever she wanted to do. Whenever we talked about her job, she was very nonchalant. But I do know it was exhausting to be in that world—it was long hours and some of the people she met weren’t always genuine.”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.

Kamala Harris: How the former prosecutor who skewered Biden in the debates built her career on being first

Kamala Harris has made her political career out of being the first.When she was just 40 years old, Ms Harris – who started out as a prosecutor in Alameda County, California – was elected as the district attorney for San Francisco, making her the first woman and first person of colour to hold that position.

An admitted KKK leader has been sentenced to 6 years in prison after driving a truck through a crowd of protesters in June

A Virginia man who boasted to police of his Ku Klux Klan rank was sentenced to six years in prison after driving his truck into a crowd of protesters.

South Dakota Governor to get $400,000 security wall around residence

South Dakota officials said Wednesday they plan to build a security fence budgeted for $400,000 around the official governor’s residence to protect Gov. Kristi Noem.

Mysterious shark frozen at Smithsonian to study its ‘big mouth with a lot of secrets’

Little is known about the “elusive” species, experts say.

'Kicked in the teeth': Devastation mounts from Midwest storm

The impact of a wind storm that tore through the Midwest continued to grow Wednesday, as widespread power outages kept businesses closed, limited communication, spoiled food and caused long lines at gas stations. It produced winds of up to 112 mph near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and toppled trees, snapped poles, downed power lines and tore off roofs from eastern Nebraska to Indiana. “It feels like we got kicked in the teeth pretty good,” said Dale Todd, a member of Cedar Rapids' city council.

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

New Zealand was scrambling to trace the source of its first coronavirus outbreak in more than three months, reporting 13 new community infections on Thursday, bringing the total number of active cases to 36. Tight movement restrictions have been reimposed in Auckland and social distancing measures across the rest of the country. The resurgence of COVID-19 comes just weeks before a scheduled general election, increasing pressure on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to get the outbreak under control amid growing criticism.

The Perseid meteor shower, which NASA says is the best of the year, peaks Tuesday night. Here's how to catch it.

The Perseids meteor shower, considered the year's best, peaks Tuesday night. Here's how to watch the show.

Seattle police chief blames City Council as she steps down after vote to cut $4 million in budget, 100 officers

Carmen Best announced she would be retiring after the city council approved cutting nearly $4 million from the budget and reducing 100 officers.

Op-Ed: If Biden wins, don't expect Trump to accept defeat and head for the exit

The only way to guarantee Trump doesn't ignore election results is a Biden win so decisive it's apparent on election night.

Cop posted "Kill em all" on protest livestream, investigation finds

The CSPD police chief chose not to fire Sergeant Wrede, calling his actions "an isolated incident of an error in judgment."

Satellite Images Reveal Beirut Explosion's Devastation

The full extent of the damage is staggering.

Salmonella in shrimp ignites a recall at Costco, Fresh Market, BJ’s Wholesale and others

The FDA found salmonella in shrimp imported by Kader Exports, causing a recall of various frozen shrimp products, including those sold under the house brands Costco, BJ’s Wholesale and Tops grocery chains.

Tiger King's Carole Baskin faces lawsuit from family of husband Don Lewis

The family of Don Lewis, who disappeared in 1997, file a lawsuit against his wife Carole Baskin.

3 charged with threatening R. Kelly accusers

Federal prosecutors announced charges Wednesday against three men accused of threatening and intimidating women who have accused R&B singer R. Kelly of abuse, including one man suspected of setting fire to a vehicle in Florida.

Taiwan says discussing purchase of U.S. mines, cruise missiles

Taiwan is in discussions with the United States on acquiring underwater sea mines to deter amphibious landings as well as cruise missiles for coastal defense, Taiwan's de facto ambassador to United States said on Wednesday. Speaking to the Washington's Hudson Institute think tank, Hsiao Bi-khim said Taiwan was facing "an existential survival issue," given China's territorial and sovereignty claims over the island and needed to expand its asymmetric capabilities. Hsiao said Taipei was currently working with the United States on acquiring a number of hardware capabilities, including cruise missiles that would work in conjunction with Taiwan's indigenous Hsiung Feng missile system to provide better coastal defense.

A broken cable smashed a hole 100 feet wide in the Arecibo Observatory, which searches for aliens and tracks dangerous asteroids

The cable ripped through the observatory's reflector dish and damaged the dome that directs the telescope to its targets in space.

Trump criticizes Joe Biden's VP process, saying he disagreed with pledge to consider only women

Trump declared Biden had "roped himself" into choosing a woman as a running mate and said he would have been "inclined to go a different route."

Protesters in Minneapolis say they won't clear barricades around the George Floyd Memorial until the city leaders meet their 24 demands

Some of the demands include recalling Hennepin County Attorney, Mike Freeman, and ending qualified immunity.

Belarus cuts off internet as EU says it's considering action in response to disputed election

In an attempt to disrupt nationwide protests following this week's disputed election, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko cut off internet across the country, forcing demonstrators to use VPNs and proxies to get online and share whatever news they can, The Guardian reports.Katsiaryna Shmatina, a political analyst at the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies, called the move "unprecedented" and said that while the internet has been blocked in the past in Belarus, the current ban has been longer and more aggressive than in previous years.The European Union, meanwhile, is prepared to take action — likely meaning sanctions — against Minsk, noting the elections were neither "free nor fair" and describing the actions taken against protesters as violent and unjustified.> JUST IN: The EU's @JosepBorrellF notes Belarus elections were "neither free nor fair" and says the "people of Belarus deserve better."> > The bloc is considering action vs. "those responsible for the observed violence, unjustified arrests and falsification of election results." pic.twitter.com/TL0JA6ZYcy> > — Teri Schultz (@terischultz) August 11, 2020Several other European countries, including Ireland, Lithuania (where Lukashenko's challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is staying for safety reasons), and the other Nordic and Baltic states have spoken out against Lukashenko's response. Read more at The Guardian.More stories from theweek.com Trump has reportedly privately said he intends to replace Mark Esper after November election The case against American truck bloat Trump has pretty much eliminated daily intelligence briefings. Biden has already started receiving them.

Thunderstorms have hospitalized 52K Americans for breathing issues, study says. Why?

As global warming continues, more respiratory hospitalizations are expected.

Georgia high school closes 8 days after reopening, confirms 14 coronavirus cases

"We know all parents do not believe the scientific research that indicates masks are beneficial," said the district chief.

Bill Cosby files new appeal over sexual assault conviction

US comedian Bill Cosby, who is serving three and a half years in jail, has filed a new appeal against his conviction for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman 15 years ago. In court documents filed Tuesday with Pennsylvania's Supreme Court, Cosby's lawyers argue that five women should not have been allowed to give evidence at his trial as witnesses. The attorneys also argue it was "fundamentally unfair" that deposition testimony Cosby gave in a civil case regarding his use of sedative drugs and his sexual behaviors in the 1970s was heard in court.

China port warns public after coronavirus found in Brazilian chicken wings

A sample of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen from Brazil has tested positive for coronavirus, the city government said on Thursday, raising fears that contaminated food shipments could cause new outbreaks. Local disease control centres tested a surface sample taken from the chicken wings as part of routine screenings carried out on meat and seafood imports since June, when a new outbreak in Beijing was linked to the city's Xinfadi wholesale food centre. China has been stepping up screenings at ports amid the concerns over food imports.

Americans, go home: Tension at Canada-US border

Fears about spikes in US Covid-19 cases have led to some hostility between Canadians and Americans.

N95 respirators can be sanitized using crockpots and rice cookers, study finds

Researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign say this new method can help hospital workers safely disinfect their N95 respirators.

Fact check: Kamala Harris quote about 'vengeance' is fake, created by satire website

The alleged speech by the Democratic vice presidential nominee was fabricated by a satirical site. Harris never vowed to "come for" Trump supporters.

There's been a huge spike in Democratic voter registration in the epicenter of Black Lives Matter protests

Voter registration surged among Democratic voters following national unrest over police brutality, according to a new analysis.

US contractor told Lebanese port official of chemicals risk

About four years before the Beirut port explosion that killed dozens of people and injured thousands, a U.S. government contractor expressed concern to a Lebanese port official about unsafe storage there of the volatile chemicals that fueled last week's devastating blast, American officials said Tuesday. There is no indication the contractor communicated his concerns to anyone in the U.S. government. The cable, labeled sensitive but unclassified, dealt largely with the Lebanese responses to the blast and the origins and disposition of the ammonium nitrate, which ignited to create an enormous explosion.

Party with 400 people shut down during students’ first weekend back at ECU, cops say

Police say the number of parties was still a far cry from past opening weekends at East Carolina University.

Couple assaults teen Sesame Place employee after he reminds them to wear a mask

The teen employee will recover after surgery to his jaw following the couple's assault on him.

Scientists, UC San Francisco develop COVID-19 antiviral nasal spray, inhaler

Scientists and UC San Francisco announced an inhalable protection against COVID-19 with the goal of being produced into an affordable, over-the-counter antiviral medication in the coming months. UCSF is working to start human trials on what they have called “AeroNabs.” Get the full story in the video above.

‘It Was a Planned Attack.’ Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Says Looting Was Organized

A day after looters overwhelmed police officers in Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says the violence was an organized raid

Delay routine dental checkups, WHO urges, until COVID risk is known

Dental patients and staff need to be protected from any potential infection by aerosol-generating procedures, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, as dentists return to work in areas where the COVID-19 pandemic is easing. "WHO guidance recommends in case of community transmission to give priority to urgent or emergency oral cases, to avoid or minimise procedures that may generate aerosol, prioritise a set of clinical interventions that are performed using an instrument and of course to delay routine non-essential oral health care," Benoit Varenne, a WHO dental officer, told a news briefing. The WHO last month released general guidelines on the transmission of the coronavirus which acknowledged some reports of airborne transmission, but stopped short of confirming that the virus spreads through the air.

MBS is stamping out the final threat to his rule, bringing an end to his 3-year coup marked by power grabs, forced disappearances, and assassinations

Crown Prince Mohammed is gunning for Saad al-Jabri and Mohammed bin Nayef, but they are old friends of the US, who want answers from the kingdom.

Family removed from Southwest flight after 3-year-old son with autism would not wear a face mask

A Texas woman and her family were forced off a Houston-bound Southwest flight after her three-year-old son with autism would not wear a face mask.

DeVos publicly absent as critical decisions are made on public school reopenings

As public schools grapple with the challenge of reopening during a pandemic, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is getting criticism for her low profile.

Israel strikes Hamas positions in Gaza over fire balloons

The Israeli military said Wednesday it carried out overnight strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip after incendiary balloons were launched across the border from the Palestinian enclave. Jets, attack helicopters and tanks struck a number of Hamas targets including "underground infrastructure and observation posts," a statement said. Fire services in southern Israel said the balloons caused 60 fires on Tuesday alone but reported no casualties.