Early in-person voting kicks off in West Virginia
West Virginia kicks off early in-person voting Wednesday, 13 days from Election Day. In addition to the U.S. presidential race, voting also begins Wednesday in several down-ballot races. For a full list of competitive elections, see the latest Senate and House rankings. NEW DOJ GUIDANCE MEANT TO SCARE ELECTION OFFICIALS FROM CLEANING UP VOTER ROLLS, SAYS EXPERT DEM LOSES IT ON ‘UNINFORMED’ WORKERS AFTER POWERFUL UNION REFUSES TO ENDORSE VP HARRIS This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for West Virginia. West Virginia began absentee voting in late September. Applicants must provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The county must receive a ballot application by Oct. 30, and that ballot must be submitted by Nov. 5. Early in-person voting begins Wednesday and will continue through Nov. 2. Absentee ballots can be submitted in person through Nov. 4. The voter registration deadline in West Virginia was Oct. 15.
Suspected drunk driver drove wrong way toward Kamala Harris’ motorcade in Milwaukee
A suspected drunk driver drove on an interstate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, toward Vice President Kamala Harris’ motorcade. The incident happened at about 8:20 p.m. Monday on I-94 near the Marquette Interchange, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office said, according to Fox 6. A 55-year-old man was observed driving an SUV westbound in the eastbound lanes when he was approaching Harris’ motorcade and came close to striking a vehicle in her motorcade. HARRIS AIDE WALKS BACK PROMISE NOT TO SUPPORT NEW DRILLING As the vehicle came closer to the motorcade, deputies stopped the man and determined he was impaired before taking him into custody on recommended charges of operating while intoxicated and recklessly endangering safety, although he has not yet been formally charged. When officers told the driver he almost struck a vehicle in Harris’ motorcade, he was “extremely surprised” and had “no recollection” of entering the freeway or coming close to hitting another vehicle, the arrest report stated, according to WISN. HARRIS SENIOR SPOKESMAN SILENT ON WHETHER HE STILL THINKS LIZ CHENEY IS ‘CRAZY,’ A ‘WARLORD’ The man also said he did not have any intention of harming Harris or anybody related to her campaign. According to the arrest report, he failed several field sobriety tests and had an open beer can in his vehicle. The man remained in jail Tuesday night without bail. Nobody was injured in the incident. The U.S. Secret Service said it was aware of the incident and that it is grateful to deputies for their response. The agency “is aware of the incident involving a motorist traveling in the opposite direction on the highway while the Vice President was in her motorcade. We are grateful to the Milwaukee Sheriff’s Office for their response which allowed them to stop the motorist and take the driver into custody for DUI,” Secret Service spokesperson Joe Routh told WISN.
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee smashes bottle, hurls it towards Chair in row over Waqf meet
Pal said he and other members tried to calm things when the Trinamool Congress leader picked up a glass bottle, smashed it and threw it towards him.
SC slams Centre as Delhi air worsens, calls environment laws…
The Supreme Court also said the provision under the CAQM Act, which deals with penalty for stubble burning, was not being implemented
North Carolina environmental rules are ‘insult to injury’ for Helene recovery efforts, lawmaker says
A state lawmaker who represents part of North Carolina hit hard by Hurricane Helene said rules on the books of the state’s environmental agency will sandbag recovery. State Rep. Jake Johnson of the North Carolina General Assembly told Fox News Digital the current regulations by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hamper rebuilding efforts after Helene ravaged parts of the state’s northwest. He said the general assembly already targeted rules on debris removal via burning but said policies like those dictating how close to a river developments can be built up could also impede rebuilding after the storm. “Where a lot of the rebuilding is going to have to be done — and a lot of the cleanup, obviously, is near the river — one thing we need to look at is, you know, at least temporarily suspending some of the [regulations], how close you can work to a river and making sure that, you know, they’re not cracking down on that,” Johnson said. WHAT ARE ELECTION BETTING ODDS? EXPERT EXPLAINS WHY TRUMP IS CURRENT FAVORITE “They’ve got enough on their plate. … You’re going to have people working in areas where they wouldn’t normally be working,” Johnson said of recovery teams in the area. “And, I mean, that would just be insult to injury for them to come in and be cracking down on these contractors when they’re just in there trying to do a good job and clean things up.” He suggested the GOP-held general assembly would work to roll back several regulations that Johnson sees as barriers to rebuilding. “But, at the end of the day, the enforcement mechanism and the permitting is still done by a department head that is appointed by Roy Cooper, a very liberal Democrat governor,” he said. “I don’t really see them doing too much of that on their own without us directing it.” However, Johnson conceded that Cooper would likely put politics aside to sign multiple regulatory rollbacks if they were put on his desk. DOJ DEPLOYS DISTRICT ELECTIONS OFFICERS TO HANDLE ‘THREATS AND INTIMIDATION’ “We had, I believe it was, a unanimous vote in both chambers for the first bill, and it did include some rolling back those regulatory boundaries on burning,” he said. “So, yes. I mean, I believe — if anything we have in there to expedite the cleanup, I think he would sign.” North Carolina state Rep. Ray Pickett did not name a specific policy he was most concerned about but said he was worried about DEQ’s permitting and approvals process in general. “I absolutely share those concerns,” Pickett told Fox News Digital. “I see it with some of our infrastructure that’s going to have to be replaced. DEQ … has not always been the quickest agency we have. “We have wastewater treatment plants that are going to have to be rebuilt. They’re going to have to speed those things up, and they’re going to have to get along with the program.” DEQ told Fox News Digital, however, that it requested the regulatory rollbacks recently passed and would utilize “flexibility” to assess further needs. NC FAMILY THAT LOST 11 IN HURRICANE HELENE MUDSLIDES SAYS COMMUNITY SACRIFICED ‘LIFE AND LIMB’ TO SAVE EACH OTHER “The department is utilizing all available flexibility and discretion in regulatory, funding and enforcement decisions to ensure the focus is on restoring critical infrastructure and services to the people of North Carolina. DEQ requested the regulatory changes in the recent legislative package and will continue to do so as needed to support recovery efforts,” an agency spokesperson said. But Johnson also told Fox News Digital he was “frustrated” by delays in DEQ staff getting to certain parts of the state after Helene, specifically in the first week after the storm, which DEQ denied. “That’s usually the department — if you’re doing any kind of building or development … if there’s even mud on the road or something, you know, any kind of minor erosion, they’re all over it,” he said. Johnson said he did not see DEQ personnel on the ground for at least the first week after the storm. “Ideally, they would have personnel helping clean it up. But even something as simple as taking levels of how, you know, maybe how toxic the water is, the estimated amount of spillage that is in there and helping get quotes for cleanup – I mean, all those things would be great first steps that would certainly at least help,” he said. Pickett said of his experience the week after the storm, “I had to make a few phone calls to get things moving a little quicker. … I shouldn’t have had to made those phone calls. They should have understood that we’ve got to move fast.” DEQ, however, told Fox News Digital its staff was “on the ground during the storm and in the days immediately after providing emergency response, support and assessments.” “Our staff have been working — and will continue to work — directly with water and wastewater systems, along with our federal and state partners, to assess damages, coordinate resources and provide technical assistance to restore services to western North Carolina,” the agency said. The DEQ’s mission is “providing science-based environmental stewardship for the health and prosperity of all North Carolinians,” according to its website. The agency is dedicated to helping the state improve air and water quality as well as issuing and overseeing permits for development, water storage and other initiatives. “The governor has taken meaningful action to bolster the state’s unprecedented response to this storm, including issuing an executive order that waives regulations in order to ensure that water systems and environmental needs can be met quickly during recovery,” Cooper’s spokesperson, Jordan Monaghan, told Fox News Digital in response to Johnson’s comments. Cooper’s executive order empowers DEQ to expedite repairs related to drinking water and wastewater issues. It also grants DEQ the discretion to waive certain requirements related to projects “that require an individual water quality certification”
‘Utter betrayal’: New report reveals DHS official used social media to promote illegal immigration
FIRST ON FOX: An official at the Department of Homeland Security has been promoting illegal immigration into the U.S., using platforms like YouTube and TikTok to provide advice to border crossers, according to a new report by a conservative organization. Wilson Osorio is listed online as an associate counsel with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s (USCIS) Office of the Chief Counsel. Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and USCIS to confirm his employment and for comment on the report. After Fox reached out, what appeared to be Osorio’s YouTube and TikTok accounts were made private and his LinkedIn profile appeared to have been removed. MIGRANTS CAUGHT AT BORDER BUSED, FLOWN OUT OF SAN DIEGO IN POSSIBLE ‘COVER UP’ BEFORE ELECTION: OFFICIAL The American Accountability Foundation is publishing the report, obtained first by Fox News Digital, which looked at his videos and translated Spanish-speaking content. “Osorio uses his TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram channels to post video content, mostly of conversations with illegal immigrants, where he asks the individuals to tell those watching how much money they make, how they came to the United States, and how wonderful it is to illegally enter and settle in the U.S.,” the report says. Osorio began posting in July and has posted dozens of videos to YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, the report says. In one video, he purportedly shows an illegal immigrant who now owns a restaurant. “The American Dream is alive and well. This is the story of a Honduran immigrant who entered the United States illegally ~20 years ago. With hard work and dedication, he is now the owner of an expanding restaurant which brings in over $1 million in sales,” his Instagram description said. WHAT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS LEFT OUT ABOUT BIDEN ADMIN’S ROLE IN BORDER CRISIS: A TIMELINE Other examples include a video that identified a migrant as earning $1,000 a week selling fruit. In another video, an illegal immigrant is asked if he has any advice or tips for others who want to cross illegally into the U.S. The man responds by warning about the dangers, including smugglers and the heat of the desert. “In 3 years my daughters and I already have papers in the USA,” another video is titled. The report says that the woman in the video says she crossed illegally, but having three daughters helped her get protection from deportation, and she ultimately received a work permit. For another video, the description says, “In the [US] you work hard for your money but crossing the border was worth it. Thanks to my work here, I built a house in Honduras and I will soon be moving back.” Someone else in a separate video is described as having received Reagan-era amnesty and is now a citizen. “I got papers through amnesty, and now I am a citizen,” the person says. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Another video identified the “important role” undocumented immigrants play in construction, while highlighting the money they can make in various occupations. One video gives advice to illegal immigrants if they are owed money at work. “Wilson Osorio personifies the plague of unelected radical leftist bureaucrats turning this country upside down,” American Accountability Foundation President Thomas Jones said in a statement. “Even as he collects his taxpayer-funded salary, Osorio pushes his radical open borders agenda that is endangering the safety, stability and livelihoods of millions of Americans. It is an utter betrayal of the American people. He must be fired immediately.” DHS declined to comment on the official’s social media activity. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said federal employees encouraging lawbreaking was a “severe breach of public trust” but connected it to the policies of the Biden administration. “Unfortunately, this is unsurprising for the Biden-Harris administration and Mayorkas’ DHS, which has worked for four years to destroy America’s borders and invite illegal aliens, including thousands of violent criminals, to our shores,” he told Fox News Digital. “Americans desperately need real leadership in the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and across the federal government.”
Kamala Harris’ closing message is unclear, Donald Trump dominates media by going off script
Donald Trump has settled on a closing message, but it’s not clear what final impression Kamala Harris wants to leave with voters in the last two weeks. Trump, as I’ve reported, has boiled it down to immigration and the economy. Of course, the former president has also wandered off script to talk about Arnold Palmer’s genitalia and calling Harris a “s*** vice president,” as well as stealing the limelight with his fry-cookery at McDonald’s. Harris is running a conventional Democratic campaign and not making much news, which is a problem for her – even as National Review’s Jim Geraghty says the GOP portrayal of her as a dunce is wrong and she could win. As best I can piece together, the vice president is emphasizing two things in this final stretch. One is abortion rights, a post-Roe wild card that obviously favors Democrats, accusing Trump of lacking compassion. INTERVIEWING DONALD TRUMP: A LAST-MINUTE BLITZ AND NEW CLOSING MESSAGE The other is, well, that she’s not Trump. Harris now calls him “unstable and unhinged” in nearly every appearance. That’s fair game, as candidates have slimed their opponents since the beginning of the republic. And struggling candidates often use fear to discredit their opponents, on the theory that you may not love me, but this other guy is far worse and will destroy our country. But we’ve known since the day after Joe Biden stepped aside that the now-60-year-old veep was running as the anti-Trump. And it’s not like her opponent doesn’t hurl invective at her. But even with her amped-up rhetoric, and the fodder that Trump himself provides, saying he’s a threat to democracy has been in her playbook all along. HARRIS CLAIMS TRUMP WIN WOULD BE ‘CATASTROPHIC’ FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, BUT FIRST TERM TELLS DIFFERENT TALE And it just so happens that the media are suddenly filled with pieces questioning the 78-year-old’s mental acuity. What a contrast with the journalistic silence over Biden’s declining fitness until his disastrous debate with Trump, which forced him, under Democratic pressure, out of the race. I can tell you from my Trump Tower interview that he did not seem tired, and whether you liked his answers or not, he was cogent. What made the biggest news was his defense of describing Jan. 6 as a “day of love” and naming Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff as “the enemy within,” the latter being two clips that set up punchlines for Jon Stewart at the “Daily Show.” Schiff fired back with an X posting, and a spokesman for Pelosi denied his remarks about her turning down the National Guard in a statement to Rolling Stone. Her chief surrogate at the moment is Liz Cheney, who sacrificed her political career to crusade against Trump. This is ironic, of course, since most Democrats despised Cheney and her father, Dick Cheney (who has also endorsed Harris), both for the Iraq War and their hard-right views. At a town hall meeting in Michigan – three questions from the audience – Harris also took three questions from the press, though the journalists had been preselected by her staff. Cheney’s pitch: “If people are uncertain, if people are thinking, well, you know, I’m a conservative, I don’t know that I can support Vice President Harris, I would say: I don’t think anybody’s more conservative than I am, and I understand the most conservative value there is, is to defend the Constitution.” She added: “We all know, everyone who watched January 6 knows, you know, what Donald Trump is willing to do. He lost the election — he tried to overturn it and seize power.” Cheney is the symbol of other prominent Republicans who are backing Harris, including several former Trump administration officials, almost as a permission slip for crossing party lines. But Harris, while moving to the center, hasn’t changed one policy that would appeal to such voters, or challenged liberal orthodoxy, and hasn’t been able to name one major thing she would do differently than Biden. After her testy exchange with Bret Baier, Harris did an interview with activist/pundit Al Sharpton, who openly supports her, that made no news. She denied having a problem with Black men, though everything she has been doing – visiting Black churches and restaurants, sitting down with Charlamagne Tha God, rallying with Lizzo – shows her campaign believes she does. TRUMP LAMBASTES LIZ CHENEY AS ‘CRAZED WARHAWK’ AS SHE CAMPAIGNS FOR KAMALA HARRIS The upshot is that Harris is having trouble making news, or at least new news, against a man who can seize headlines every couple of hours. Trump acknowledged to me in our Mar-a-Lago interview that he sometimes uses inflammatory language to generate media attention. That’s why he does it. With Politico dubbing this “the genitalia campaign,” Trump knew his discussion of Arnold Palmer’s junk would cause cries of outrage by the other side, but that locker-room talk would also appeal to some men. The Donald’s brief stint at McDonald’s was so striking that it was replayed again and again. Harris was adept enough to say that she supports an increase in the federal minimum wage and Trump does not. And, yes, it was a totally staged stunt. News flash: Politicians have been using symbolic backdrops or doing working-class jobs roughly forever. Big deal. The New York Times shed new light by finding a friend who says she worked with Harris at a specific Bay Area McDonald’s in 1983. And yet, media detractors cited this, and his profanity, and him swaying to music after turning a town hall interrupted by two medical emergencies into a concert, as evidence he is “losing it.” Trump has now scored an upcoming interview with Joe Rogan, guaranteed to make news with the incredibly influential podcaster who once vowed never to put him on; I don’t know what became of Harris’ discussions to sit down with Rogan. SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE’S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY’S HOTTEST STORIES Harris, for her part, did sit down with Hallie
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 971
As the war enters its 971st day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Wednesday, October 23, 2024: Military Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on allies “not to hide” in the face of evidence of North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine, as Kyiv claimed to have information about two North Korean units – up to 12,000 troops – set to take part in the war. The head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence said that Kyiv expected North Korean forces to arrive on Wednesday in Russia’s southern Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched an incursion in August. Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin has announced his resignation amid a scandal involving dozens of officials alleged to have abused their position to receive disability status and avoid military service. Finances Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia hopes for increased financial cooperation with BRICS members – which account for 45 percent of the world’s population and 35 percent of the global economy – as a meeting of nearly two dozen world leaders kicked off in the Russian city of Kazan on Tuesday. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal has called on NATO to raise the alliance’s defence spending target to at least 2.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025, saying the current 2 percent no longer fits the “reality of today’s security situation”. The European Parliament has voted to use frozen Russian assets to lend more than 35 billion euros ($38bn) to Ukraine, clearing the last legislative hurdle before the funds are handed over. A total of 518 members of parliament supported the plan, while 56 voted against and 61 abstained. Moscow has accused the European Union – which holds about 210 billion euros ($227bn) of frozen Russian money under sanctions imposed since its war on Ukraine started – of committing an economic crime on a global scale. United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has announced that Washington plans to contribute $20bn to a $50bn G7 loan package for Ukraine and could soon announce new sanctions targeting Russian weapons procurement. G7 leaders are close to finalising the plan, with policymakers set to meet later this week. Diplomacy Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the BRICS summit that he wanted peace in Ukraine and that his country was ready to help achieve a truce. United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accused Putin of “harming millions of vulnerable people”, as new British intelligence suggests Russian attacks on ships carrying food are causing delays to vital supplies reaching Palestinians and the Global South generally. Poland has said it is closing the Russian consulate in the city of Poznan and expelling its staff after Polish investigators discovered Russia’s secret service was recruiting people to conduct arson attacks in the EU and US. Adblock test (Why?)
Taiwan says blockade would be act of war as China holds more drills
Taiwanese defence chief says a blockade would have far-reaching consequences for international trade. Taiwan’s defence chief has warned that a Chinese blockade would be an act of war and have far-reaching consequences for international trade after Beijing held military exercises to encircle the self-governed island. Taiwanese Defence Minister Wellington Koo made his comments on Wednesday as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continued exercises near the democratically-ruled island after last week carrying out war games that included a simulated blockade. “If you really want to carry out a so-called blockade, which according to international law is to prohibit all aircraft and ships entering the area, then according to United Nations resolutions it is regarded as a form of war,” Koo said in remarks to reporters at parliament. “I want to stress that drills and exercises are totally different from a blockade, as would be the impact on the international community,” Koo added. China claims Taiwan as its territory and has said it reserves the right to use force to bring it under its control, with the PLA regularly holding drills – including simulating blockading key ports and assaulting maritime and ground targets – around the island. Taiwan, also known by its official name the Republic of China, has never been ruled by the People’s Republic of China and rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims. Beijing also asserts jurisdiction over the entirety of the Taiwan Strait, a 180km-wide (110-mile) waterway separating mainland China from Taiwan. Taiwan and other members of the international community reject Beijing’s claim, with the United States, Japan and several European countries asserting its status as an international waterway. The US navy, in particular, regularly sails through the strait to maintain freedom of navigation rights. Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te visits a military base in Taoyuan in response to Chinese military drills on October 18 [Tyrone Siu/Reuters] Koo, who noted that one-fifth of global freight passes through the strait, said that the international community “could not sit by and just watch” if China were to impose a blockade. Taiwan’s defence ministry announced earlier on Wednesday that Chinese aircraft carriers, led by the Liaoning carrier, travelled north through the waterway after passing through waters near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas islands. During the previous 24 hours, Taiwan’s military detected 15 Chinese military aircraft and six navy vessels in the skies and waters around the island, the defence ministry said. “The Liaoning is passing through the Taiwan Strait now, sailing north along the west of the median line and we are closely monitoring it,” Koo said. Taiwan has reported almost daily Chinese military drills around the island for the past five years, but activity has intensified since April’s election of outspoken President William Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing has labelled a “dangerous separatist”. On October 14, Beijing launched large-scale military drills – code-named “Joint Sword-2024B” and involving the army, navy, air force and rocket force – in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan. Beijing said the drills, which came soon after Lai delivered his National Day speech on October 10, were issued as a “stern warning to the separatist acts of ‘Taiwan Independence’ forces”. Adblock test (Why?)
LeBron and Bronny James share court, make NBA history as Lakers beat Wolves
LeBron James shared the court with his 20-year-old son Bronny and later called the moment ‘one of the greatest gifts’. LeBron James and his son Bronny have made history by becoming the first father-son duo to play together in a regular season NBA game in the Los Angeles Lakers’ season-opening win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The sold-out crowd let out a roar when 20-year-old Bronny came on alongside LeBron, who was reentering with four minutes to play in the first half of the game on Tuesday. Bronny, who like many first-year players is not expected to see significant floor time this season, grabbed a rebound in his three minutes of action while LeBron contributed 16 points in the Lakers’ 110-103 win. “It’s always been family over everything,” LeBron said alongside Bronny after the game. “I lost a lot of time because of this league … so to be able to have this moment where I am working still and I can work alongside my son, it’s one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever got from the man above and I’m going to take full advantage of it.” No father-son duo has ever played during the same NBA season, let alone on the same team. The pair appeared together during a preseason game earlier this month. LeBron, 39, had long said one of his remaining goals in basketball was to play with his son, a guard selected with the 55th pick of the NBA Draft in June after one season at the University of Southern California. History & a W pic.twitter.com/zKwrxGjjv3 — NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2024 LeBron, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a four-time champion and three-time Olympic gold medallist, is now in his 22nd NBA season and has yet to say when he plans to call time on his career. Bronny, meanwhile, is looking to make a name for himself in the league he has grown up around with a father who has also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. “Going up to the scorer’s table and checking in for the first time was a crazy moment I will never forget,” Bronny said. “I’m just extremely grateful for everything. I was given an amazing opportunity to come into this league and get better every day and learn every day.” LeBron said he reminds his eldest son how fortunate they are to play in the NBA. “This is not promised every day that you get to play in this beautiful league,” he said. “There’s only 450 of us and you have to understand it’s not given to you, you have to earn every moment. I think he knows that and he looks forward to the process of getting better every single day to be the player he ultimately wants to be. “I’m super proud of him. He’s my lifeline, that’s for sure.” Adblock test (Why?)