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Kentucky active shooter – latest: Police identify fugitive suspected gunman after seven people injured on highway

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/kentucky-active-shooting-highway-london-b2608926.html

An active shooter is at large after opening fire near near I-75 in Kentucky, striking multiple people, to authorities.

Just after 6.30pm, the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office announced that interstate highway at Exit 49 and US 25 — nine miles north of London — was closed due to an “active shooter situation.”

Seven people were injured — not all from gunshot wounds — and none have died as a result of the incident, according to London Mayor Randall Weddle.

As of an hour later, the suspect has not been caught, police said.

“The Suspect has not been caught at this time we are urging people to stay inside!!We will try our best to get you as much information as it becomes available!!” Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington wrote on Facebook.

Governor Andy Beshear urged locals to avoid the area in a post on X: “Kentucky, we are aware of a shooting on I-75 in Laurel County. Law enforcement has shut the interstate down in both directions at exit 49. Please avoid the area. We will provide more details once they are available.”

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https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/06/us/politics/noncitizen-voting-government-shutdown.html

Republicans across the country have spent months pushing the unsubstantiated idea that a swarm of undocumented immigrants is poised to vote illegally and swing the upcoming election to Democrats.

It’s a false narrative, aimed at scoring political points with Republicans’ hard-right base, but it could still create real chaos on Capitol Hill in the run-up to the election.

But House Republicans are hoping to weaponize the idea in their fight with Democrats over funding the government by a Sept. 30 deadline.

Whether the maneuver will give those Republicans the political leverage they are seeking — and how far they are willing to go to try to gain it — is an open question. It may take a government shutdown to find out.
A shutdown showdown

There are plenty of precedents for the coming shutdown showdown, which usually go something like this: Republicans and Democrats reach a stalemate over spending and run out of time for a deal. Republicans demand concessions on a politically charged issue — in this case, addressing illegal voting by immigrants — as the price of agreeing to any more federal funding, gambling that Democrats will fear a voter backlash if they refuse. Democrats balk, gambling that the G.O.P. will shoulder the blame for forcing an unpopular shutdown.

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https://apnews.com/article/russia-trump-harris-putin-election-disinformation-13b15fcd42e52d77c22454c223e85b95

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia has long sought to inject disinformation into U.S. political discourse. Now, it’s got a new angle: paying Americans to do the work.

This week’s indictment of two Russian state media employees on charges that they paid a Tennessee company to create pro-Russian content has renewed concerns about foreign meddling in the November election while revealing the Kremlin’s latest tactic in a growing information war.

If the allegations prove correct, they represent a significant escalation, analysts say, and likely capture only a small piece of a larger Russian effort to sway the election.

“We have seen the smoke for years. Now, here’s the fire,” said Jim Ludes, a former national defense analyst who now leads the Pell Center for International Relations at Salve Regina University. “I don’t wonder if they’re doing more of this. I have no doubt.”

According to prosecutors, the two employees of RT, a Russian outlet formerly known as Russia Today, funneled $10 million to the U.S. media company, which then paid several popular right-wing influencers for their content — in one case $400,000 a month. Two of those influencers said they had no idea their work was being supported by Russia.

Intelligence officials and private analysts say Russia’s disinformation campaigns are designed to cut off American assistance to Ukraine, clearing the way for a rapid Russian victory after more than two years of bitter conflict.
In the presidential race, Russia supports Donald Trump as the candidate perceived as the least supportive of Ukraine, intelligence officials say. Trump has openly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggested cutting funds to Ukraine and repeatedly criticized the NATO military alliance. On Thursday, Putin wryly claimed he was pulling for Vice President Kamala Harris to win.

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https://www.vox.com/politics/370323/tenet-media-russia-what-happened-tim-pool-dave-rubin-benny-johnson-lauren-southern

A cadre of right-wing online personalities including Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, and Lauren Southern have all allegedly become unwitting agents of Russian information warfare and its activities in the United States, according to an alarming 32-page federal indictment unsealed by the US District Court of the Southern District of New York on Wednesday.

The group of far-right and right-leaning influencers, most of whom are known for podcasts and YouTube shows, are all members or former members of Tenet Media, a Nashville-based content creation company co-owned by yet another well-known conservative media pundit, Lauren Chen.

The Department of Justice is alleging that since its founding in 2022, Tenet has served as a front for Russian agents to spread Russian state-directed content using each of these pundits’ platforms.

“The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to exploit our country’s free exchange of ideas in order to covertly further its own propaganda efforts,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

An FBI investigation found evidence that the media outlet RT, previously called Russia Today, which is run by the Russian government, “secretly plant[ed] and financ[ed]” a Tennessee content creation company; the indictment describes Tenet in all but name. The company is then alleged to have stealthily spread pro-Russian, anti-democracy propaganda to millions of people across the internet, primarily via YouTube, TikTok, and other major social media platforms.

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https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/06/politics/judge-delays-trumps-sentencing/index.html
Former President Donald Trump will not be sentenced in his New York criminal case until after the 2024 election, Judge Juan Merchan announced Friday, explaining that his decision to delay the sentencing is in part to avoid any appearance of affecting the outcome of the presidential race.

Merchan wrote in a new four-page letter that he would sentence Trump on November 26 – if necessary – in response to a request from Trump’s lawyers to push back the sentencing.

Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to an adult-film star alleging an affair with the former president. But Trump’s sentencing has been on hold for months after Trump’s lawyers pushed to have the conviction tossed because of the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.

Merchan noted the upcoming presidential election in his decision to delay sentencing, saying that part of his reason for doing so was to avoid the appearance that the sentencing was intended to influence the November election.

“Adjourning decision on the motion and sentencing, if such is required, should dispel any suggestion that the Court will have issued any decision or imposed sentence either to give an advantage to, or to create a disadvantage for, any political party and or any candidate for any office,” Merchan wrote.

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https://nypost.com/2024/09/06/business/time-snubs-elon-musk-from-100-most-influential-people-in-ai/

Time snubbed tech titan and artificial intelligence backer Elon Musk from its annual list of the “100 Most Influential People in AI” – but slapped actress Scarlett Johansson on this year’s cover.

The magazine created a composite image for its 2024 cover showing the photos of 18 AI leaders, topped by Nvidia boss Jensen Huang that also prominently featured the “Black Widow” star.

The second annual TIME100 AI edition, released Thursday, also highlighted leading CEOs, including Anthropic’s Dario Amodei and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, as well as founders and influencers in the fast-growing field.

Yet Musk, who launched xAI last summer and its chatbot Grok has gained traction against rivals like ChatGPT, was conspicuously absent from its pages.

The century-old magazine is now owned by Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, whose software company has been a major investor in AI startup Anthropic, creating a $500 million AI fund to back emerging companies.

“Disclosures are included throughout the TIME100 AI list for any companies mentioned that are backed by Salesforce Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Salesforce, where TIME’s owner and co-chair, is CEO,” a Time spokesperson told The Post in a statement.

Time’s head-scratching decision to snub the Tesla and SpaceX founder led to an uproar on social media.

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https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/ckgw7ln5qwzo

Di second of di US presidential debates go take place next Tuesday and dis go be di first time wey Donald Trump and Kamala Harris go face each oda.

Di presidential debates dey widely watched on television and e fit get big influence on how Americans go decide to vote.

Kamala Harris get record as better debater wey sabi, but Donald Trump also show for di 2016 and 2020 presidential debates say im be big rival.

>Wen be di presidential debate and wetin be di rules?

Di debate go take place for Philadelphia on 10 September. E go start by 9 pm, Eastern Time.

Dis na di second presidential debate of 2024. Di first bin hold for June between Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, bifor e decide to drop out of di race.

Di debate go dey live for ABC and ABC News Live go stream am, Disney+ and Hulu.

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/sep/07/cia-west-russia-nuclear-threats-putin

Western leaders should not be intimidated by Kremlin threats of nuclear escalation, the head of the CIA said on Saturday, amid a debate over whether Anglo-French Storm Shadow missiles should be used inside Russia.

Bill Burns, on a visit to London alongside the head of MI6, said the US had brushed off a previous Russian nuclear scare in autumn 2022, demonstrating that threats from Moscow should not always be taken literally.

“Putin’s a bully. He’s going to continue to sabre rattle from time to time,” Burns said. “We cannot afford to be intimidated by that sabre rattling … we got to be mindful of it. The US has provided enormous support for Ukraine, and I’m sure the president will consider other ways in which we can support them.”

The CIA director also said the US was working very hard on fresh proposals for a ceasefire in Gaza with new “texts and creative formulas”. A new plan, being devised with the help of mediators from Qatar and Egypt, would emerge, he hoped, “in the next several days”.

However, it was unclear, Burns added, whether Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and the Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar were willing to strike a deal. It was a question of political will, he said: “Whether or not leaders on both sides recognise that enough is enough and that the time has come to finally make some hard choices.”

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https://apnews.com/article/northern-california-animal-massacre-man-arrested-b56caee032a9a6d843bf883fac523f36

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A man suspected of going on a three-hour shooting rampage in Northern California and killing 81 animals, including miniature horses, goats and chickens, pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty and other charges.

Vicente Arroyo, 39, made his first court appearance Thursday after Monterey County Sheriff deputies arrested him earlier in the week for allegedly using several weapons to shoot the animals being housed in pens and cages on a lot in the small community of Prunedale.

The animal owners do not want to be identified or speak with the media, Monterey County Sheriff Commander Andres Rosas told The Associated Press Friday.

During its investigation of Osinski, the Office of the Attorney General found he misappropriated $1,041,680 from March of 2019 to April 2024.

The release states he would get checks made payable to the lodge and allegedly deposit them into accounts he opened in the name of the lodge at a different financial institution.

According to the Attorney General's Office, he was the sole owner of those accounts.

In total, it is estimated Osinski stole $1,067,057.82.

Officials say unaccounted funds included checks, which were contributions to a memorial fund for an officer who died in the line of duty.

Cont'd:

https://www.wtae.com/article/mckeesport-officer-million-dollar-theft-fop-lodge/62071442

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https://www.ajc.com/news/crime/colt-gray-charged-with-4-counts-of-murder-in-apalachee-high-school-shooting/5CPMJRIFDVBV7BZKZ5ZT2V6W5Y/

The 14-year-old suspect in the Apalachee High School shooting has been charged with four counts of felony murder and is scheduled to make his first appearance in Barrow County Superior Court on Friday morning, state officials confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Colt Gray is accused of shooting two of his fellow students and two teachers at the school Wednesday morning. Nine others were injured.

Gray is being held in the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice spokesperson Glenn Allen confirmed. Additional charges are expected, the GBI said.

Gray will be tried as an adult, officials have said.

Friday’s 8:30 a.m. hearing will be virtual, with the teenager calling in from the detention center, Allen said.

Two of the victims were identified by the GBI as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. The two adults killed were assistant football coach Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and math teacher Christina Irimie, 53.

The GBI said it will be handling the victims’ autopsies.

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https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/paul-harrell-popular-youtube-firearms-educator-dies-58-rcna169940
>See you Space Cowboy,
>Someday, Somwhere!

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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/sep/05/trump-musk-efficiency-commission
Donald Trump announced in a speech on Thursday that, if elected, he would form a government efficiency commission, a policy idea that Elon Musk has been pushing him to take on. The former president claimed the tech billionaire had agreed to lead the commission.

Trump made the attention-grabbing announcement during a campaign event at the Economic Club of New York, but gave no specific details about how the commission would operate.

He reiterated Musk’s argument that such a commission would cut unnecessary spending, while also saying that he would massively walk back government regulations.

“I will create a government efficiency commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government, and making recommendations for drastic reforms,” Trump told the crowd.

Musk and Trump have forged an increasingly close alliance over the past year, as the SpaceX and Tesla CEO has thrown his full support behind Trump’s presidential campaign. Musk’s backing of Trump has consequently given the world’s richest man a direct line to influence Republican policy – and, if Trump were to actually create an efficiency commission, sweeping powers over federal agencies.

Musk’s potential involvement in Trump’s proposed commission would create obvious conflicts of interest, as his businesses, such as SpaceX and Neuralink, are both regulated by, and have business with, numerous government agencies.

Musk reposted news of Trump’s plans on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, which he bought for $44bn, and suggested he would accept such a position. “I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises,” Musk posted. “No pay, no title, no recognition is needed.”

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Allan Lichtman has correctly predicted every election. And has only been 'wrong' once, and that was in 2000 when the Republican supreme court stole the election for Bush.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4863237-electoral-prediction-kamala-harris-win/

A notable elections forecaster predicted Vice President Harris will win November’s election, according to his model of 13 keys.

Allan Lichtman, a historian who has successfully predicted the outcome of nine of the last 10 presidential elections, revealed in a New York Times video that he believes that Harris will clinch a victory over former President Trump. His election model is based on 13 true-or-false questions that ignore polls and pollsters.

“Kamala Harris will be the next president of the United States — at least that’s my prediction for this race, but the outcome is up to you, so get out and vote,” he said at the end of the video.

The 13 keys include whether:

>The White House party gained seats in the House in midterm elections
>The incumbent president is running
>The White House party avoided a primary contest

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https://jewishinsider.com/2024/09/tucker-carlson-darryl-cooper-holocaust-revisionist-republicans-trump/

As Tucker Carlson faces backlash for airing a friendly interview with a Holocaust revisionist on his online show this week, some prominent Republicans are publicly raising concerns about the far-right pundit’s influential position in former President Donald Trump’s inner circle — as he increasingly imports extreme views and fringe conspiracy theories into party discourse.

In recent months, Carlson has played a key role in assisting Trump’s campaign as an informal adviser. Behind the scenes, he lobbied aggressively for Trump to choose Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) as his running mate — anointing an ideological heir to the MAGA movement. The former Fox News host also helped broker Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s endorsement of Trump, who last week rewarded the former Democrat with a leadership position on his presidential transition team — unnerving some party members.

In July, Carlson, 55, delivered a major primetime address on the last night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he sat with Trump in the former president’s VIP box. Later this month, Carlson is also slated to appear with Vance for a live interview in Pennsylvania, part of a nationwide tour of battleground states in the leadup to the election.

Meanwhile, Carlson, who helms an independent streaming service, has continued to invite a range of controversial figures onto his show, including some guests who have promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories as well as anti-Israel sentiments that he has abstained from challenging. But his decision to host a self-proclaimed podcast historian, Darryl Cooper, who has praised Adolf Hitler and believes Winston Churchill was the “chief villain” of World War II, has drawn unusually fierce criticism from top party members.