| Belarus President Sends SOS to Putin, Tells Protesters: You’ll Have to Kill Me to Get New Elections Posted: 17 Aug 2020 03:45 AM PDT  This doesn't sound like a man who's going to go quietly. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko warned protesters Monday that he will not give in to their demands for a new presidential election—unless they assassinate him.Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital city of Minsk over the weekend to protest against the disputed elections held earlier this month. Protesters have been infuriated by alleged poll-rigging and police violence at the ensuing protests, but Lukashenko has defied any suggestion that the vote could be re-run."We held elections already. Until you kill me, there will be no other elections," he was quoted by Belarusian media as saying during a visit to a tractor plant Monday morning. "You should never expect me to do something under pressure... They [new elections] won't happen."Lukashenko did appear to suggest that he would consider some kind of constitutional reform or even power-sharing but insisted his hand would not be forced by the protests. The man known as Europe's last dictator also reportedly told the workers that protesters had been tortured over the past week because they had attacked police. As the president spoke to what he must have thought would be a friendly audience, the workers chanted "Leave," and heckled him. Lukashenko, in the midst of an unprecedented public humiliation, eventually told the crowd he had finished and they could now shout, as he turned and stormed off stage.Lukashenko, Putin's Dictatorship Mentor, Moves to Crush the OppositionLukashenko's incendiary comments came after reports over the weekend that he had appealed to Vladimir Putin for help in saving his 26-year presidency. In calls to the Kremlin on Saturday and Sunday, he reportedly begged for assurance that Russia would help out with military assistance against unspecified external threats.The Kremlin later confirmed that Moscow would help in line with its collective military pact. However, Putin has not yet publicly backed Lukashenko, as the Russian president apparently waits to see how the protests and labor strikes play out this week and whether Lukashenko's position becomes completely untenable.Kremlin-watchers believe Lukashenko remaining in power but in a diminished capacity is Putin's favored outcome.The protests are showing no signs of slowing down. On Monday, state television staff walked out in protest against censorship and the election results. A bizarre state TV broadcast that went out early Monday morning showed nothing but empty news desks.The main challenger in the disputed presidential election released a new video Monday morning to say that she was prepared to take over the country's leadership after the wave of protests.Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who left for Lithuania after she publicly denounced the contested election results, only stood for election after other candidates, including her husband, were jailed.She reportedly said, "I did not want to be a politician. But fate decreed that I'd find myself on the frontline of a confrontation against arbitrary rule and injustice... I am ready to take responsibility and act as a national leader during this period."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.
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| 60% of Americans agree confirmed coronavirus cases are rising because of more infections, but most Republicans blame testing Posted: 17 Aug 2020 09:01 AM PDT  President Donald Trump has called for getting rid of federal funding for tests, even as experts say it helps control coronavirus spread.
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| Transcript: Jared Kushner on "Face the Nation" Posted: 16 Aug 2020 08:24 AM PDT  The following is a transcript of an interview with White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner that aired Sunday, August 16, 2020, on "Face the Nation."
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| Former CIA officer charged with spying for China, conspiring with relative who was also ex-CIA Posted: 17 Aug 2020 02:46 PM PDT  Former CIA officer Alexander Yuk Ching Ma is accused providing U.S. secrets to China in exchange for thousands of dollars in cash and gifts.
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| Letters to the Editor: Call the 'birther' attacks on Kamala Harris racist and false, then ignore them Posted: 16 Aug 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Questions over Kamala Harris' elibility are racist and false. Don't analyze them as if they are part of just another political strategy.
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| A pollution disaster as the stranded Japanese oil tanker off the pristine coast of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean splits apart Posted: 16 Aug 2020 06:40 AM PDT  A huge cleanup operation had been underway in an attempt to pump some of the oil out of the tanker but the condition of the ship worsened on Saturday.
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| Scientists Just Discovered 11 New Emperor Penguin Colonies. From Space. Posted: 17 Aug 2020 11:00 AM PDT  It's a bird breakthrough.
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| Portland: Man left with serious injuries after being kicked in head by protester Posted: 17 Aug 2020 05:14 AM PDT  A man driving near a demonstration in Portland, Oregon has been taken to hospital after being pulled from his car and physically attacked by several protesters – one of whom deliberately kicked him in the head.The attack, which was filmed by various bystanders, occurred late on Sunday night at the intersection of Broadway and Southwest Taylor Street, a few blocks from the federal courthouse and other buildings that have been the focus of recent protests.
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| Proposed effort could revive Mississippi's rebel-themed flag Posted: 17 Aug 2020 11:54 AM PDT  Some Mississippi residents are rebelling against the Legislature's decision to retire a Confederate-themed state flag, and they are being encouraged by conservative legislators who fought the change. Organizers of a group called Let Mississippi Vote said Monday that they are starting an initiative to put the retired flag and three other flag designs on the statewide ballot. "What the legislators did, in my opinion, was 100% wrong," said the group's leader, Dan Carr.
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| Lebanon faces 'biggest danger', needs elections, says patriarch Posted: 16 Aug 2020 03:18 AM PDT  Lebanon's top Christian cleric called on Sunday for early parliamentary elections and a government formed to rescue the country rather than the ruling "political class" after the vast explosion in Beirut's port threw the nation into turmoil. Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, who holds sway in Lebanon as head of the Maronite church from which the head of state must be drawn under sectarian power-sharing, warned that Lebanon was today facing "its biggest danger". "We will not allow for Lebanon to become a compromise card between nations that want to rebuild ties amongst themselves," Al-Rai said in a Sunday sermon, without naming any countries.
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| Restaurant chain in China apologizes for suggesting menu items based on customer weight Posted: 17 Aug 2020 11:25 AM PDT  Customers stepped on a scale to weigh themselves to get recommendations for food before ordering their food.
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| Virginia state senator, NAACP leaders charged with felony 'injury' to Confederate statue Posted: 17 Aug 2020 04:47 PM PDT  A Virginia state senator and other local activists were arrested Sen. Louise Lucas, a Democrat who represents Portsmouth, was charged with felony "injury to a monument" and conspiracy Monday, as were the city's NAACP president and vice president, a school board member, and four others. The charges stemmed from a June protest where protesters tore down a statue of a Confederate soldier, though it's unclear if Lucas played a role in taking it down, per local station WAVY.The timing of the arrest raised suspicion from Virginia House Rep. Lee Carter (D), given that the state legislature was set to reconvene this week for a special session on criminal justice reform. Virginia's constitution bars the arrest of General Assembly members during or 15 days before their sessions, except for "treason, felony, or breach of the peace."> If you're wondering why they dug up an obscure crime like "conspiracy to commit injury to a monument," it's because they need a felony to arrest a Senator within 15 days of a session.> > It's not supposed to stick. The purpose is to prevent her from voting to rein in the cops. https://t.co/RRNHq4EDIo> > — Lee J. Carter (@carterforva) August 17, 2020Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) echoed Carter's suspicion.> It's deeply troubling that on the verge of Virginia passing long-overdue police reform, the first Black woman to serve as our Senate Pro Tempore is suddenly facing highly unusual charges.@SenLouiseLucas, I look forward to seeing you in Richmond tomorrow—so we can get to work. https://t.co/flI9W5HnYH> > — Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) August 17, 2020Virginia lawmakers this week will consider a change to "a law that allows police to charge people with felony assault even if the arresting officers are not seriously hurt," The Virginian-Pilot reports. Bills to bar police from using chokeholds and no-knock warrants, to make it easier to expunge criminal records, and to eliminate jury sentencing are also on the docket this week.More stories from theweek.com John Boehner would 'rather set himself on fire' than get involved in the 2020 election UNC shifts to remote learning 1 week into the semester after coronavirus positive rate spikes The culture war in a tuna fish sandwich
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| China defends detention of Uighur model in Xinjiang Posted: 17 Aug 2020 04:02 PM PDT  Merdan Ghappar sent video and texts about life in Xinjiang's secretive detention system to his family.
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| Fact check: Kamala Harris was part of the second integrated class in elementary school Posted: 16 Aug 2020 10:37 AM PDT  "Sen. Harris is correct in describing her experience as the second class to be part of the busing integration program," Berkeley Public Schools wrote.
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| I'm a public school teacher and I want to return to my classroom. But not like this. Posted: 17 Aug 2020 07:47 AM PDT  My school didn't even have enough toilet paper or soap before the pandemic. How will we implement proper measures to protect against the coronavirus?
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| Trump retweets call to let ‘Democrat cities rot’ over video of NYC protesters Posted: 17 Aug 2020 05:15 AM PDT  Donald Trump has come under fire for appearing to endorse a tweet calling for "Democrat cities" to be left to "rot" amid continuing unrest in several metropolises over the killing of George Floyd.The president retweeted a post by Brandon Straka, a right-wing activist, which called for people to "leave Democratic cities", as Black Lives Matter protesters took to the streets for an 11th week running.
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| Pastor of South Korean church linked to at least 300 coronavirus cases tests positive Posted: 17 Aug 2020 02:25 AM PDT  A conservative South Korean pastor who has been a bitter critic of the country's president has tested positive for the coronavirus.
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| White House chief of staff doubled down on mail-in voting fraud claims, but says USPS won't remove sorting machines before the election Posted: 16 Aug 2020 10:15 AM PDT  Though there is little to no evidence of widespread fraud in mail-in voting, "there's no evidence that there's not either," Meadows said.
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| Huge snake sends tourists running when it bolts from SUV at Yellowstone National Park Posted: 17 Aug 2020 04:50 AM PDT  Screaming can be heard on the video.
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| Jordan to isolate city near Syria after coronavirus spike Posted: 16 Aug 2020 01:06 PM PDT  Jordan will seal off a city near the Syrian border from Monday following the largest daily rise in four months in coronavirus infections, which officials say have come mainly from its northern neighbour. The health ministry said half of the 39 cases recorded in the last 24 hours were from Ramtha city, near the Syrian border. Officials say truck drivers and individuals entering the kingdom from the Jaber border crossing with Syria are spreading the virus.
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| The Kamala Coalition: Kamala Harris inspires a new breed of political players Posted: 17 Aug 2020 07:14 AM PDT  For many immigrants and people of color, Harris' nomination represents the ideal of an inclusive America that is welcoming.
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| Trump says he'll send feds if NYC can't stop bloodshed Posted: 17 Aug 2020 10:14 AM PDT |
| FBI agents arrest Puerto Rican representative for alleged involvement in conspiracy to defraud to government Posted: 17 Aug 2020 01:17 PM PDT  FBI agents have arrested Puerto Rico Representative María Milagros Charbonier over her alleged connection with a long-term conspiracy theory to defraud the government through means of bribery, theft, kickbacks and money laundering.A federal grand jury of the District of Puerto Rico returned a 13-count indictment against Ms Charbonier, as well as her husband Orland Montes-Rivera, their son Orland Gabriel Montes-Charbonier, and her assistant Frances Acevedo-Ceballos for their alleged participation in the conspiracy.
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| Controversial South Korean pastor accused of staging 'unpardonable' rally amid surge in Covid cases Posted: 16 Aug 2020 07:38 AM PDT  A controversial South Korean pastor has been strongly criticised for leading thousands of followers to a rally in central Seoul on Saturday - a move which President Moon Jae-in called "an unpardonable act" amid the sharpest rise in coronavirus cases in five months. South Korea initially performed well in the fight against Covid-19, but the number of new cases has soared recently, with 279 new cases on Sunday - following 103 on Friday, and 166 on Saturday. The surge in Covid-19 cases prompted authorities on Sunday to reimpose tighter social distancing curbs in the Seoul metropolitan area. Most of the new infections were among worshipers at the Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul, where 240 people have tested positive, and at another church in the surrounding province of Gyeonggi. Tightly packed, fervent prayer services in some South Korean churches have made them particularly vulnerable to the virus.
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| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Republican John Kasich trade barbs before they both speak at the Democratic convention Posted: 17 Aug 2020 12:58 PM PDT  Ocasio-Cortez called Kasich "an anti-choice extremist" who's "not a friend to workers" hours before he was scheduled to speak at the convention.
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| Rep. Clyburn: Nobody is beyond needing convincing on who to vote for Posted: 17 Aug 2020 11:10 AM PDT  House Majority Whip Rep. James Clyburn addresses questions about Democrat Party unity heading into the DNC on 'Outnumbered Overtime.'
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| NOW President Steps Down After Racism Allegations Posted: 16 Aug 2020 09:13 PM PDT  Citing health concerns, the president of the National Organization for Women stepped down Sunday, amid a flurry of allegations of racism at the nation's oldest and largest feminist organization.In an email to the NOW board, state presidents, and staff on Sunday night, President Toni Van Pelt announced she would be stepping down with two weeks' notice effective Aug. 28. Vice President Christian Nunes will take her place, and the board will begin the process of appointing a new vice president.In her email, Van Pelt said she had been struggling with a "very painful health issue" over the last year and that her doctor had "implored me for months to stop working.""I have been ignoring my doctor's advice and my health for too long, so I have made the very hard decision to retire and step down as President of NOW," she wrote.Van Pelt's resignation comes on the heels of an internal investigation into allegations of racism and a toxic work environment at the storied feminist group. Ten minutes after Van Pelt's resignation email, the same group of NOW leaders received an email saying the internal investigation had uncovered "governance issues and evidence of a toxic work environment." Allegations of racial discrimination and retaliation, the email said, were not substantiated."NOW is committed to addressing these issues and to working together to move forward and to fight for the equality of all women," the email said.Florida President Kim Porteous, one of 26 chapter leaders who have called on Van Pelt to step down, said she was thrilled with the news of the president's resignation but concerned by her explanation."To hear that Toni is stepping down for health issues is offensive," she said. "We cannot move forward with restorative justice by covering up racism or making excuses for people to leave." NOW and Van Pelt did not immediately respond to a request for comment.NOW Board Member Accused of Claiming to Be Woman of Color to Boost Re-Election ChancesA Daily Beast investigation published in June revealed allegations of racism reaching the highest levels of the organization. Interviews and internal documents showed that Van Pelt was accused of racist behavior by more than 15 former NOW staffers and interns and that her former vice president, Gilda Yazzie, had filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the organization. Among other things, Van Pelt was accused of telling staffers that she only chose Yazzie, who is Native American, as her running mate because she needed a woman of color to win.In the wake of that investigation, Van Pelt sent an email to NOW board members, state presidents, staff, and PAC members apologizing for any hurt she had caused and committing to five action items to improve racial justice within the organization. "All Black Lives matter," she wrote. "As a White woman, I'll never understand the experiences of women of color. I challenge myself to address structural racism and recognize that this is a lifelong, ongoing process."'Don't Forget the White Women!': Members Say Racism Ran Rampant at NOWBut in the weeks following, six more former board members and employees—including Van Pelt's current vice president, Christian Nunes—came forward to accuse Van Pelt of disrespecting and ignoring women of color, and making racially insensitive statements. Two of the three staff members who left NOW this year told The Daily Beast their exits were due in part to how Van Pelt treated staffers of color. (In one instance, a former staffer said, Van Pelt brought employees of color to tears during a diversity training session.)Twenty-six of the 35 NOW state chapters had signed on to a letter asking Van Pelt to resign, and several had submitted their own. The entire Washington, D.C., and Twin Cities boards also quit in protest. The organization's head of college students resigned last month, saying in an email to The Daily Beast that "the organization's actions have completely tarnished my work among many others."Nine of the 15 national board members had also called for Van Pelt's resignation, setting off a tense showdown between the self-titled "Radical Nine" and Van Pelt's supporters. The group needed three more votes in order to force Van Pelt out of her position—a feat they were not able to achieve despite continued pressure from state chapters. The same nine members were recently subjected to an internal grievance process that they claimed was intended to silence them."There is a real strong push to keep us from speaking up, and we cannot be silent anymore," board member and Arizona state Sen. Victoria Steele said at the time. "If we allow this to be silent then we're complicit in racism."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.
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| A 47-year-old man kept getting drunk from alcohol produced in his own gut. Doctors cured him with a poop transplant. Posted: 17 Aug 2020 02:00 PM PDT  Auto-brewery syndrome is an illness where a person's body produces alcohol inside their gut, which can lead to drunkenness without consuming alcohol.
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| 'It’s a little nerve-wracking': Lunchtime for students looks different amid COVID-19 Posted: 17 Aug 2020 09:39 AM PDT  In districts open for in-person instruction during the pandemic, some schools offer prepackaged meals and frequently clean the lunchroom.
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| Rare summer thunderstorm sparks new wildfires across California Posted: 16 Aug 2020 07:33 PM PDT  "This is probably the most widespread and violent summer thunderstorm event in memory," a climate scientist said.
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| DHS chief of staff under Trump endorses Biden, describes 'terrifying' dealings with president Posted: 17 Aug 2020 02:24 PM PDT  One of the Department of Homeland Security's top officials under President Trump is now turning against himMiles Taylor, who worked as DHS chief of staff under Trump, announced in a Monday ad and a Washington Post op-ed that he would be supporting former Vice President Joe Biden this fall. While he once hoped Trump would "soberly accept the burdens of the presidency," Taylor said in the op-ed that "he did not rise to the challenge," and thus Taylor had no choice but to speak out against his re-election.In the ad, Taylor said what he saw "after two and a half years in that administration was terrifying." He described how "we would go in and try to talk to [Trump] about pressing national security issues," but "he wasn't interested in those things." "The president wanted to exploit the Department of Homeland Security for his own political purposes and to fuel his own agenda," Taylor continued. For example, Trump tried to tell FEMA to stop sending aid to wildfire-stricken California because it didn't vote for him, and "wanted to restart zero tolerance" and "have a deliberate policy of ripping children away from their parents" at the border," Taylor said.Taylor goes on to make clear in the ad that he's not a Democrat, and disagrees with Biden on many fronts. But Trump is "actively doing damage to our security," while Biden "will protect the country," he said. Watch the ad below, and find Taylor's op-ed at The Washington Post. > NEW: Testimonial ad from Trump's Former DHS Chief of Staff @MilesTaylorUSA, declaring his support for Joe Biden and describing Trump's presidency as "terrifying" and "actively doing damage to our security." > > WATCH & go to https://t.co/Nz2NiSCquN for more. pic.twitter.com/iChqOdIIew> > -- Republican Voters Against Trump (@RVAT2020) August 17, 2020More stories from theweek.com John Boehner would 'rather set himself on fire' than get involved in the 2020 election UNC shifts to remote learning 1 week into the semester after coronavirus positive rate spikes The culture war in a tuna fish sandwich
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| Ruby Princess: New South Wales premier apologises over cruise ship outbreak Posted: 16 Aug 2020 08:17 PM PDT  State officials made "serious mistakes" in letting 2,650 ship passengers disembark, an inquiry found.
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| Deadly clash reported between U.S. and Syrian forces Posted: 17 Aug 2020 03:41 AM PDT  Syrian media and a war monitoring group say the incident started when American forces were denied passage at a checkpoint near a Syrian air base.
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| Semi truck splits in half after bridge collapses into a Missouri river, photos show Posted: 17 Aug 2020 01:21 PM PDT  The truck was more than four times heavier than the weight limit of the bridge, police say.
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| 'I don't know if I will ever vote Republican again': Former Trump voter Posted: 16 Aug 2020 03:34 AM PDT  Mary Bruce takes a closer look into the swing state of Wisconsin ahead of the 2020 election on "This Week."
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| Louisville police have spent more than $90,000 on security for officers in Breonna Taylor shooting Posted: 17 Aug 2020 03:01 AM PDT  Intense scrutiny and threats surrounding Breonna Taylor case has prompted Louisville police to spend more than $90,000 on security for officers.
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| Privileged parents form COVID pandemic pods that widen education gaps. We can do better. Posted: 16 Aug 2020 10:43 AM PDT  The coronavirus pandemic and privileged parents have broken an already unequal education system. What do we build in its place?
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| Sanders supporters felt burned at the 2016 DNC. This year, Democratic leaders push for unity Posted: 17 Aug 2020 05:30 AM PDT  Bernie Sanders delegates go into the DNC with less animosity and 'more leverage' as Joe Biden and the Democratic Party aim to unify the party.
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| Quarantine requirements may delay return to in-person school Posted: 16 Aug 2020 10:00 PM PDT  Shannon Silver had planned to take her family on a trip from her home in Connecticut to visit relatives in Ohio just before the start of the school year for her two children. As schools in the Northeast prepare to open early next month, officials are urging parents to be mindful of that guidance while planning any Labor Day getaways.
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| U.S. imposes sanctions on four Ugandans over adoption scam Posted: 17 Aug 2020 10:53 AM PDT |
| Authorities near Chicago are searching for a United Airlines executive who was last seen 11 days ago Posted: 17 Aug 2020 09:18 AM PDT  Jake Cefolia, senior VP of worldwide sales at United Airlines, was last seen on August 6. His car was found where he was known to go running.
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| First major Mediterranean cruise liner sets sail since pandemic Posted: 16 Aug 2020 11:24 AM PDT  The first major cruise ship to resume tours of the Mediterranean since the coronavirus pandemic hit Europe set sail from the Italian city of Genoa on Sunday, as the industry tries to regain ground after a bruising hiatus.
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