He is an imperfect vessel - to say the least - but the country needs change
_______________

I wasn’t planning to write this.

Two years ago, I said I would vote for a Democrat over Donald Trump in 2024. I wrote that during a Republican primary I hoped Florida governor Ron DeSantis would win; DeSantis had stood almost alone against Covid lockdowns and vaccine mandates, forever earning my respect.

But Trump crushed DeSantis in the primary. Ever since, I have struggled over what to do in this election.

In one sense, my vote doesn’t matter. I live in New York, which Kamala Harris is sure to win. But it must at least a little, because many of you - a surprising number - have asked or urged me to repudiate my 2022 words and endorse Trump.

With three days left in this most brutal of campaigns, I am.

(Many of you will like this. Some of you won’t. No matter, I pledged to tell you the truth, and this is the truth.)

In some ways, this choice pains me.

Donald Trump’s rhetoric is vicious. His unwillingness to promise to abide by the results of Tuesday’s election is dangerous. His friendly attitude towards dictators like Vladimir Putin disheartens me. And though I hate abortion I do not support overturning Roe v Wade.

Yet.

Yet when I pull back and consider the issues, I see:

It is the Democratic Party that stands against free speech; that forced mRNA vaccines on tens of millions of healthy adults; that opened America’s southern border until public outcry forced it closed; that supports decriminalization of drugs and “decarceration” of violent criminals; that presides over one giveaway after another to its favored interest groups; and that is willing to risk the American economy over its fears of climate change - it has, with little notice, pushed through regulations that will make gasoline-powered vehicles all but unaffordable within a decade.

What exactly does Kamala Harris stand for, if not more of the same?

That’s not a rhetorical question. I truly don’t know. But she is happy to take the endorsement of Dick Cheney, the chickenhawk warmonger who for 50 years has stood for everything wrong with American elites and American politics.

And if Donald Trump’s words have grown more vicious, he has his reasons.

In the last year, prosecutors in his former home state launched not one but two trials against him, the first aimed at bankrupting him over loans he repaid in full, the second at imprisoning him for the crime of winning in 2016. In front of juries in Manhattan, a county that voted against Trump by nearly 9 to 1 in 2020, both succeeded.

And - though the media rarely sees fit to mention this - Trump was almost assassinated in July, under circumstances that remain somewhat murky.

In response, Trump did NOT stop campaigning.

He is working harder to win votes than he ever has, in the face of an elite media that hates him more than ever. For all his complaints about rigged elections, he wants to win this one quite badly.

So, yes, Donald Trump is angry. He has the right to be.

We ALL have the right to be. For too long, our self-appointed betters - in the media, in public health, in academia - have told us they know best. They have told us that men can be women if they just click their heels three times, that the United States is an evil nation founded mostly to protect slavery, that there’s no such thing as an illegal immigrant. Most of all they have tried to shut down - to cancel, to censor -anyone who disagrees.

They’ve gone too far. And with their lawfare, they have proven that they will do anything to stop the man they abhor.

So I will be voting for Donald Trump.

It is not an easy choice - not for me, anyway - but it is the only choice.

by Alex Berenson

Attachment 2448948


With Election Day bearing down, guarding against misinformation is more vital than ever.

Joedy McCreary USA TODAY

In the coming days and weeks, election officials across the country will tally millions of ballots and declare the winners and losers. That means your social media feed likely will be filled with baseless claims of fraud – many of which we've seen before. Some common narratives:

The election was stolen due to voter fraud
Noncitizens are voting in large numbers
Votes were added/subtracted due to the "hacking" of machines
Changing vote totals prove cheating occurred
Partisan election officials skew vote tallies
There were more votes than registered voters

USA TODAY has debunked dozens of such claims in recent election cycles. Here's a rundown of what these narratives miss, so you're prepared when they crop up again.

Claim No. 1: Voter fraud

Experts call claims of widespread voter fraud deeply exaggerated.

"By and large, fraud is largely a made-up problem," said Paul Smith, senior vice president at the Campaign Legal Center, a government watchdog organization.

There were no indications of systemic problems with voter fraud during either the 2020 election or the midterms two years later, according to state-level reviews of those elections. Still, former President Donald Trump and his allies in the Republican Party made persistent, baseless claims about it.

Many states pushed through election-related changes to address those concerns. Some now require voters to show photo identification. Others created state-level units to look for potential problems.

Trump also raised questions about voting by mail, baselessly claiming in a Feb. 20 interview with Fox News that "if you have mail-in voting, you automatically have fraud." That's not true: Mail-in voting comes with several additional security measures to prevent fraud. Those range from verifying that the only people who can request ballots are registered voters, to a process that links every ballot to an eligible voter, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.

Trump has since reversed course and voiced his support for voting by mail, even as GOP lawyers continue fighting against it, as USA TODAY previously reported.

Prior fact checks on voter fraud:

2022 claim: Democrats used 47 million mail-in ballots to steal every U.S. midterm election (False)
2022 claim: The 2020 election was declared ‘illegal’ (False)
2020 claim: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the 2020 election was rigged (False)

Claim No. 2: Large numbers of noncitizens voting

This specific type of voter fraud merits separate mention because claims about it have been so prevalent in the 2024 race, with many of those claims linked to the crisis at the southern U.S. border.

Trump, for example, baselessly asserted in January that Democrats have encouraged migrants to flow into the U.S. illegally to register them to vote. Some House Republicans then threatened to shut down the government if Democrats didn't agree to legislation saying noncitizens couldn't vote – even though they are already barred from voting in federal and state elections.

Anyone caught lying about their citizenship status when they register to vote faces punishments that include fines, incarceration and deportation. States must audit their voter rolls and remove anyone who is ineligible, which includes immigrants in the country illegally.

That makes it remarkably rare for noncitizens to cast ballots.

"I looked it up. It's literally more likely that you'd get hit by lightning in Ohio than find a noncitizen voting there," said David Becker, the executive director of the nonprofit Center for Election Innovation and Research.

Of the 23.5 million votes in the 2016 presidential election counted across 42 jurisdictions studied, researchers at the Brennan Center for Justice found just 30 suspected cases of noncitizens voting. Other studies and analyses around the country found similarly low levels. That includes Georgia, where an audit of the state voter rolls by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger found just 20 noncitizens among the state's 8.2 million registered voters.

“Despite its resurgence as an issue, in Pennsylvania it was extremely rare," said Secretary of State Al Schmidt.

Yet it remains a key talking point and has been the subject of multiple lawsuits after Republican-led states attempted to remove suspected noncitizens from their voting rolls in the weeks before the election. For example, GOP officials in Virginia on Oct. 28 asked the Supreme Court for permission to proceed with a purge of voter registrations for those suspected to be noncitizens.

Prior fact checks on noncitizens voting:

2024 claim: Biden's executive order allowed ineligible convicts and 'illegal immigrants' to vote (False)
2024 claim: Biden opposing SAVE Act is 'cheating'; Walz is allowing 'illegals' to vote in Minnesota (False)
2020 claim: Joe Biden received extra votes in battleground states from noncitizens (Missing context)

Claim No. 3: The election is ‘hacked’

Election officials at the federal, state and local levels have safeguards in place at three stages – before, during and after Election Day – to prevent hacking from taking place, according to the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The agency was part of a joint statement in November 2020 calling that year's election the "most secure in American history."

“There are multiple layers of security there that we’re constantly checking,” said Lawrence Norden, the senior director of elections and government at the Brennan Center for Justice.

Among them, according to CISA: States routinely test and certify their voting machines and conduct checks to make sure ballots are properly counted before election results are finalized. And the overwhelming majority of people who vote do so on paper. Becker said 97% of all ballots cast are paper ones. That creates a document trail that may be checked for accuracy.

“We audit those paper votes after the election to make sure that they match what the machine is telling us the vote total is,” Norden said.

To further limit the possibility of cyber interference, many states do not allow voting machines to connect to the Internet or even be equipped with modems.

Concerns about hacking sparked false claims from conservative pundits that voting machines deleted Trump votes and changed them to President Joe Biden. That led to lawsuits from voting technology companies such as Dominion Voting Systems, which sued Fox News for defamation and ultimately settled the case for $787.5 million.

Prior fact checks on hacking allegations:

2024 claim: Voting machines in Georgia are changing people’s votes
2022 claim: 'Corrupt electronic voting machines’ gave Tammy Duckworth a vote spike, helping her win reelection (False)
2023 claim: Malware, remote access caused printer problems; 200,000 'ejected' ballots in Arizona (False)
2022 claim: Results of Arizona gubernatorial race aired ahead of Election Day show attempt to steal election (False)

Claim No. 4: Rapidly changing vote totals

An abrupt increase in a candidate's vote count as ballots are tallied on Election Day does not mean something fraudulent happened. It's important to remember that not all votes are counted at the same time, experts say.

Several factors can affect tabulation times, according to CISA. Those include administration policy changes at the state or local level and protocols put into place during the pandemic. The agency noted that all election night results are unofficial, having not yet completed the various reviews and doublechecks.

The pace at which votes come in for both parties also changes based on when a state is allowed to begin counting its mail-in ballots.

False claims of “ballot dumps” circulated in 2020 after mail-in ballots were counted late in the day in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. With few exceptions, those states do not allow workers to open mail ballots before Election Day.

"It was a natural phenomenon of different categories of votes showing up at different times, in a world in which mail voting ... was skewed very (Democratic) because the Republicans had been told not to do it," Smith said.

While mistakes do happen at times when votes are counted, those are typically a result of simple human error, not foul play, and there are processes in place to catch and fix them, officials said. Sometimes, that happens on Election Day. Other times, mistakes aren’t spotted until the canvass, which is part of the certification process. Those typically take place in the days or weeks that follow the election.

Prior fact checks on vote totals:

2022 claim: The U.S. ‘could easily count every vote in every state on election night until a few years ago’ (False)
2022 claim: Biden announced ‘they are going to cheat by dumping ballots’ (False)
2022 claim: Ballots found in Pennsylvania drop boxes show cheating in the election (False)
2020 claim: 100K votes in Michigan were 'magically' added to Biden's vote tally during the night (False)

Claim No. 5: Partisan election officials

No two states run their elections exactly the same way, and there's even plenty of variation between the setups within a state. But experts point to established checks and balances that prevent election officials from taking partisan actions.

In most states, voters choose the chief election official. That is most often the secretary of state, but in some states it's the lieutenant governor or an appointee of the governor, lawmakers or the state’s elections board.

Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have a board or commission that oversees elections. Those are constructed to keep out politics and to have both parties represented, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

“Election administration is – even if there is a top official – conducted in a bipartisan way,” Norden said. “And you have, again, multiple, multiple checks to ensure that no one person can do anything that’s going to cause problems in the system.”

Many states incorporate partisan balance into various stages of the process. For example, Arizona requires pairings of one Democrat and one Republican to review each absentee ballot that the tabulator can't read to determine how it should be counted.

Prior fact checks on election officials:

2024 claim: Votes cast on ballots marked by poll workers are disqualified (False)
2023 claim: A software company's contract allows officials to override election results (False)
2023 claim: Maricopa County, Arizona, officials admitted to breaking the law, improperly certifying machines that failed during election (False)
2020 claim: Video of election workers filling out blank ballots in Delaware County is voter fraud (False)

Claim No. 6: More votes than voters

Several versions of this claim have circulated since 2020. They’re all baseless, and they tend to rely on numbers that are incomplete or just plain wrong.

"To suggest that there's more votes cast than registrations is absurd, and it has never happened," Smith said.

For example, Trump’s false claim that the number of votes in Pennsylvania in 2020 exceeded the number of voters by more than 200,000 was based on an incomplete voter registration database that was missing the state's two largest counties – Philadelphia and Allegheny counties – The New York Times reported in 2021.

Some of these claims fail to factor in states that allow same-day voter registration, so they're comparing vote totals to outdated registries. Sometimes, a claim is both false and based on an inadequate set of data.

For example, a U.S. Senate candidate in Ohio wrongly asserted that in 2020 there were 5 million more votes cast than voters, and pinned the claim on U.S. Census Bureau data, according to a PolitiFact fact check. In reality, numbers from the bureau show 168 million registered voters and 155 million votes, a difference of about 13 million.

But there's a better source of election-related figures than the Census Bureau: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission collects data directly from the states and reported more than 209 million active registered voters that year compared to 161 million ballots cast.

Prior fact checks on voter counts:

2024 claim: 105% of Michigan's population is registered to vote (False)
2022 claim: A New Hampshire Senate candidate won 1,100 votes from a town with fewer than 700 people (False)
2022 claim: Washington state had 590,000 'excess votes' in the 2020 election (False)
2020 claim: Pennsylvania recorded more mail-in votes than ballots requested (False)
2020 claim: Wisconsin shows more counted votes than registered voters (False)
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Diet plays a pivotal role in cancer prevention, with research showing that certain foods—especially plant-based options—can reduce cancer risk. By incorporating nutrient-rich foods into daily meals, you can support immune health, reduce oxidative stress, and aid the body in toxin elimination. Here’s a rundown of top foods recommended by experts to help prevent cancer:

Fruits & Vegetables You Enjoy
Including a variety of plant-based foods is essential. Nutrition expert Nichole Andrews suggests prioritizing fruits and veggies you enjoy, as they provide antioxidants, fiber, and phytochemicals to combat inflammation and eliminate toxins.

Soy Foods
Andrews debunks the myth that soy increases breast cancer risk, highlighting soy’s anti-inflammatory benefits and its association with reduced cancer risk. Adding soy milk, tofu, or edamame is a great way to introduce soy into your meals.

Whole Grains
Whole grains, such as brown rice and whole-grain pasta, are beneficial for cancer prevention due to their fiber, phytochemicals, and antioxidants, which protect cells and reduce inflammation. Andrews suggests aiming for 30 grams of fiber per day.

Chia and Flax Seeds
Seeds are packed with nutrients beneficial for cancer prevention, especially for colon and breast cancers. Andrews recommends grinding flax seeds to release omega-3s, known for their anti-inflammatory effects, which can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, or salads.

Beans and Lentils
Legumes, like beans and lentils, provide fiber and plant-based protein, both of which stabilize blood sugar and aid digestion, supporting cancer prevention. One cup of these legumes can contain 16 grams of fiber, promoting healthy digestion.

Nuts
Nuts, especially almonds, are nutrient-dense and linked to both weight management and reduced cancer risk. Almonds provide vitamin E, fiber, and healthy fats, with antioxidants that combat oxidative stress—a known cancer risk factor.

Fatty Fish
Fatty fish like salmon and sardines offer omega-3 fatty acids, which have potent anti-inflammatory properties and may inhibit cancer cell growth. Omega-3s also modulate immune function, playing a role in cancer prevention.

Incorporating these foods into a balanced diet can enhance overall health and support the body in defending against cancer.

Do Thi Kim Tien, a 25-year-old from Vietnam, closely monitors her calorie intake each meal to keep it below her calorie expenditure, a habit that has helped her shed 20 kg. She started gaining weight after the Covid-19 pandemic, reaching over 90 kg at 1.6 meters tall and facing frequent body-shaming remarks. The weight gain caused health issues, including shortness of breath, joint pain, snoring, high visceral fat levels, and irregular periods.

Determined to live a healthier life, Tien researched weight loss methods, finally choosing the calorie deficit approach as it allows her to eat scientifically without feeling deprived. The calorie deficit method, which balances eating lower-calorie foods with physical activity, is recognized by experts as an effective, sustainable way to lose weight. Dr. Do Thi Ngoc Diep, a Vietnamese nutrition expert, emphasizes that a balanced diet including all essential nutrients is vital for health, cautioning against restrictive diets.

Tien maintains a daily intake of 1,500-1,700 calories, balancing 40% carbs, 35% protein, and 25% fats. She avoids added oils and sugar, opting for water-based cooking methods and limiting fatty meats. She prioritizes vegetables and lean proteins and drinks plenty of water to reduce cravings, improve skin health, and flush out toxins.

Instead of rigid meal plans, Tien adapts her intake daily, reducing portions if she overindulges one day. Initially, hunger was challenging, but she managed by drinking warm water and eating light snacks like cucumbers or yogurt. Today, she feels healthier, her menstrual cycle has normalized, and she has more stamina.

Tien also exercises an hour each day, focusing on cardio and resistance band workouts. She aims to lose an additional 10 kg in time for the Tet Lunar New Year. “I used to blame my weight on genetics,” she says, “but with the right approach, no woman has to stay overweight.”

A fire erupted Saturday evening at The Eratown apartment complex in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate. The fire started around 7:30 p.m. on the 24th floor of block A3, located on 15B Street in Phu My Ward. Smoke quickly spread, prompting the building's fire alarm to sound and residents to rush down emergency stairs.

Mai Huong, a 5th-floor resident, shared that she heard neighbors shouting about the fire and hurriedly evacuated with her young child. "Everyone was packed together in the emergency staircase, panicking," she recalled. The fire generated thick black smoke visible from afar. Nearly ten fire trucks and ambulances arrived, and firefighters, with the building management's support, worked to contain the blaze.

Due to the high floor where the fire originated, it took firefighters time to reach the flames. By 8:30 p.m., the fire was controlled, and rescue teams searched for any trapped residents. Authorities determined an electrical short circuit in the corridor on the 24th floor was the cause.

Firefighters safely guided over ten residents from nearby apartments, and no injuries were reported. As of 10:30 p.m., block A3 remained without power, with residents still awaiting clearance to return to their homes. The Eratown complex, which began construction in 2010, includes nine buildings with more than 3,000 apartments.

Two gold businesses in Ho Chi Minh City—K.H Gold and Pawn Private Enterprise and K.B.N Gold Trading Co., Ltd., both located in Hoc Mon District—have been fined VND200 million (approximately US$7,900) for selling gold with unclear origins through social media platforms like TikTok and Zalo. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Market Surveillance Department, the businesses had been actively promoting gold sales online.

After a coordinated inspection by the market surveillance team and the local economic police, four gold jewelry items valued at over VND100 million were temporarily confiscated. The inspection is part of the city's effort to monitor e-commerce activities in the second half of the year, with social media trading of 24K gold growing popular on platforms like TikTok, where some gold groups have attracted over 65,000 members. Posts on these platforms often list prices higher than the market rate, sometimes reaching VND92 million per tael.

In addition to individual sellers, major gold companies and banks have also been under inspection. In May, the State Bank of Vietnam announced a 45-day inspection plan for four major enterprises—SJC, DOJI, PNJ, and Bao Tin Minh Chau—and two banks, TPBank and EximBank. These inspections target compliance with gold trading laws, anti-money laundering regulations, proper documentation practices, and tax obligations.

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, announced on Friday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic and member of the Kennedy family, would hold a “big role” in his administration if elected. Speaking in Dearborn, Michigan, Trump praised Kennedy’s health-related knowledge, suggesting he would be well-suited for a senior role in health care. While Trump did not directly endorse Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views, he indicated alignment with some of Kennedy’s perspectives.

Kennedy, who initially ran as an independent earlier in the election, dropped out in August to support Trump. Rumors suggest he could be a candidate for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Last week, Trump hinted at a rally in New York that Kennedy would have significant leeway in handling health policies, with further comments on “women’s health” raising concerns among Democrats, especially given recent restrictions on abortion rights across more than 20 states.

Kennedy has been a major figure in the anti-vaccine movement, previously describing Covid-19 vaccines as exceptionally dangerous and claiming the virus was designed to target certain ethnic groups. Formerly recognized as a climate lawyer, Kennedy was once considered for a top role in the Environmental Protection Agency under Barack Obama’s administration.

Seeing the distress of countless Spaniards searching for news of missing loved ones after the country's worst flooding in decades, 38-year-old marketing expert Vanesa Molina decided to take action. She now manages the Instagram account "@dana.desaparecidos," where people can share photos and details of missing relatives in hopes of reaching more people.

In the eastern Valencia region, Spanish authorities report that dozens remain missing as rescue teams work through mud and debris. Over 200 fatalities have been confirmed. “The idea was to help however I could,” Molina shared, explaining that her social media posts aim to spread these messages as widely as possible.

Families send her photos, clothing descriptions, phone numbers, and vehicle details since many were trapped in cars during Tuesday’s floods. Messages on Molina’s account—run from her home in the Balearic Islands—include pleas like, “His name is Ramon Garcia Gisbert...He’s my brother. His phone has been off since Tuesday. Please, share to find him.”

In Paiporta, a Valencia suburb and flood epicenter, many are still missing. For two days, Chayma Bouchafra’s uncle Aziz was unaccounted for. After posting an appeal on X that went viral, with over 4,000 shares and 216,000 views, Aziz was found within a day.

Alongside social media, other media outlets have joined the effort. Public broadcaster TVE and Cadena SER radio have provided airtime for appeals. However, as days pass, hopes of finding survivors wane, and some families receive tragic confirmations from morgues. Two temporary morgues have been established in Valencia, with the regional authorities advising relatives not to visit in person due to staff limitations.

Online solidarity has played a significant role, filling in information gaps. Volunteers in flood-hit areas update accounts dedicated to the missing. In Benetusser, nurses relay real-time information to Molina, who updates her page whenever someone is found. “We’ve had dozens of good news stories and touching messages of thanks,” she said.

One creative user even developed a Google Maps tool, pinpointing each missing person’s details and location. The account also posts missing pets, with some reunions, such as that of an injured Bull Terrier found in Benetusser, providing moments of relief in the community.

Nearly 200,000 people in western Japan were advised to evacuate on Saturday due to threats of landslides and flooding, as remnants of a tropical storm continued to affect the region. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that “warm, moist air” from former typhoon Kong-rey, now an extratropical low-pressure system, was bringing heavy rains and thunderstorms to the area.

In Matsuyama, authorities issued a top-level evacuation alert for 189,552 residents across 10 districts, urging them to evacuate and seek safety immediately. Although not mandatory, this highest-level warning is typically given when a disaster is highly probable or has likely already occurred.

Forecasters cautioned that heavy rains could lead to landslides and flooding in western Japan on Saturday and eastern Japan by Sunday. Shinkansen bullet trains were temporarily halted between Tokyo and Fukuoka due to rain but later resumed service with delays.

Earlier in the week, Kong-rey made landfall in Taiwan, marking one of the island’s strongest storms in decades. The storm claimed at least three lives and injured 690 people, as reported by Taiwan’s fire agency. Power outages initially impacted 957,061 households, with 27,781 homes still without electricity as of Saturday.

Scientists indicate that human-driven climate change is increasing the likelihood of severe rainfall events, as a warmer atmosphere retains more moisture.

Attachment 2448495

The president couldn’t resist taking a direct shot at Donald Trump over economic policy: “These are the kind of guys you like to smack in the ass."

By Adam Cancryn


Far removed from the blitz of major campaign rallies this weekend, President Joe Biden on Saturday made a final plea for Americans to support Vice President Kamala Harris, calling next week's election the most important “any of us have ever voted in. “

“More is at stake for the direction of this country than ever before,” he told a crowd of union workers at a get-out-the-vote event here. “We need to elect Kamala.”

Biden used what will likely be his final extended remarks before Election Day to make an economic case for Harris in the city where he spent a chunk of his childhood, touting the progress of the last four years in bolstering union rights, expanding health care and reviving the economy.

Those gains, he warned, could all be reversed or ripped away if Donald Trump ends up taking the White House. And though he did not make explicit mention of House Speaker Mike Johnson, he drew on the Republican’s recent suggestions that the GOP would try to repeal the Affordable Care Act — spending a significant chunk of his speech detailing the millions who would lose their health care.

“This is not personal, just the facts,” Biden said. “[Trump] wants to take away the Affordable Health Care Act. That would have a devastating impact on the kids you grew up with, on the people you grew up with.”

Biden throughout his speech mostly stuck to comparing the two candidates’ policy agendas. But he couldn’t resist taking a direct — if somewhat confounding — swipe at the former president after warning he would seek to cut taxes for the rich.

“These are the kind of guys you like to smack in the ass,” Biden said, to laughter.

Scranton is a key swing area of this crucial battleground state. When he flipped the state in 2016, Trump lost Lackawanna County by only 3 points to Hillary Clinton. But four years later, Biden’s hometown appeal helped him carry the county by 9 points en route to a narrow statewide victory.

Still, in an acknowledgment that many union members may still be undecided or skeptical of Harris, he urged them to leave questions of character aside and vote based on who would leave them and their friends and families better off.

“This other guy doesn’t care about us,” Biden said. “I have vast disagreements with Trump and his personality, but we’re not talking about that. What will happen? What will happen if you trade in my administration for his?”

For those who remain skeptical even so, Biden added in a personal appeal to union members he’s known and worked with for decades, they should at very least put their faith in his judgment.

“You may disagree with some of the things in a Harris-Walz administration,” he said. “But I wouldn’t have picked her if I didn’t think she had the exact view that I had about hard-working people.”

Attachment 2448443

A steady stream of false and misleading information is circulating online around the 2024 election. A Kentucky voting machine that registered a vote for Vice President Kamala Harris when the voter meant to select former President Donald Trump has been found to be user error, not fraud, according to officials in Laurel County, where the issue occurred. A video circulating widely on social media that shows a man who says he is a Haitian immigrant claiming he is planning to vote multiple times in Georgia is fake. U.S. intelligence officials confirmed on Friday that the video is the work of Russian influence creators.

Here’s a look at the facts.

Marjorie Taylor Greene

stated on October 18, 2024 in an X post:
"Reports from Whitfield County, GA that Dominion machines are flipping votes. This is exactly the kind of fraud we saw in 2020."

Whitfield County’s Board of Elections said there were no problems with the county’s voting machines. In the case of a voter whose choices were not accurately reflected on the printed ballot, a poll worker helped the voter and the problem was resolved on-site.

The Whitfield County Board of Elections said "no machines have been taken out of service."

There’s no evidence that Dominion voting machines flipped votes in Whitfield County, Georgia. And the statement that what happened at one of the county’s election sites amounted to "the kind of fraud we saw in 2020" is baseless; mountains of evidence show 2020 saw no widespread fraud and election officials said this case was one of user error. We rate this claim Pants on Fire!

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Instagram posts

stated on October 20, 2024 in an Instagram post:
Voting machines in Shelby County, Tennessee, are swapping votes from Kamala Harris to Donald Trump.

Election officials said there were no voting machine malfunctions. Voters had inadvertently touched the wrong area of the ballot when using the touchscreens.

The county received three complaints about the issue at polling sites; eventually, each person who had the issue cast a ballot for the candidates of their choice.

We rate the claim Pants on Fire!

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X posts

stated on October 21, 2024 in a post:
There are “180,000 registered new Amish voters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.”

About 93,000 Amish people live in Pennsylvania and that figure includes children who are not eligible to register to vote.

In Lancaster County, there are about 38,000 Amish people.

Pennsylvania’s voter registration form does not ask about religious identity. The Pennsylvania Department of State told NewsGuard, a company tracking online misinformation, that claims about 180,000 Amish voters in Pennsylvania were inaccurate.

Amy Gulli, a Pennsylvania Department of State spokesperson, told NewsGuard, a company tracking online misinformation, that claims about 180,000 new Amish voter registrations in 2024 in Pennsylvania were "misinformation and disinformation."

We rate this claim that 180,000 Amish people registered to vote in Lancaster, Pennsylvania False.

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Facebook posts

stated on October 22, 2024 in a photo:
In Fordyce, Arkansas, voting machines changed votes from Republican to Democrat.

Arkansas uses Nebraska-based Election Systems & Software voting machines, which the state and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission have approved.

Voting machines in Fordyce, Arkansas, are not flipping votes from Republican to Democrat.

Election workers examined the voting machine in Fordyce after a complaint was made and found no problems with it.

Chris Madison, director of the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners, told PolitiFact such complaints often result from voter mistakes. In such instances, poll workers are notified, the ballots are spoiled and the voters are allowed to vote again.

We saw similar claims that machines messed with votes during the 2020 election, and they have resurfaced in 2024. They were not true then, and they are not true now. We rated recent claims by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., of vote flipping in Georgia and social media claims of vote flipping in Tarrant County, Texas, Pants on Fire!

We also rate this claim that voting machines in Arkansas changed votes from Republican to Democrat Pants on Fire!

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Facebook posts

stated on October 22, 2024 in a post:
"Breaking: Voters in Tarrant County, Texas are reporting that the voting machines are flipping their votes from Trump to Kamala Harris."

Machines aren't flipping votes in Texas, either, so we rate the claim that they changed Trump votes to Harris in Tarrant County Pants on Fire!

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X posts

stated on October 25, 2024 in X posts:
Video shows an election worker destroying mail ballots with votes for former President Donald Trump in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

This video does not show an election worker destroying ballots in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The materials being ripped are not authentic.

The Bucks County Board of Elections issued a bipartisan statement saying "this video is fake."

A media forensics expert told PolitiFact that the video's narrative is the work of a Russian network called Storm-1516.

The video doesn’t show real mail ballots in Bucks County being destroyed. We rate that claim Pants on Fire!

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Facebook posts

stated on October 26, 2024 in a post:
In Glynn County, Georgia, it was 'voter fraud' when poll workers found no record of a person who already voted.

We rate the claim that it was "voter fraud" in Glynn County, Georgia, when poll workers found no record of a person who already voted False.

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Instagram posts
stated on October 28, 2024 in an Instagram post:
Video shows a ‘Democratic operative’ making credible allegations of fraud during the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

Secretly recorded video showed a man identified as Joel Caldwell making unspecific, unsubstantiated allegations of election malfeasance and reviving long-debunked claims about Georgia’s 2020 presidential election.

The 2020 presidential election ballots in Georgia were counted three times and Joe Biden won each time. Republican state officials deny allegations of widespread fraud.

We found no news reports or other information supporting social media posts’ assertions that Caldwell was involved with Georgia’s Democratic Party, and a party spokesperson said no one named Joel Caldwell was on the party’s payroll during the 2020 election cycle.

We rate the claim False.

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Instagram posts
stated on October 29, 2024 in a post:
Video shows “illegal ‘voters’ cutting the line” to vote in Pennsylvania.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, election officials said in a statement that a viral video captured a brief conversation between a group of voters, their translators and a local election official at a polling location.

The voters in the video were there to apply for mail-in ballots. The older and disabled voters were allowed to sit, rather than stand in line, as their applications were processed, which is standard procedure, the county said.

Only U.S. citizens who are registered to vote in Pennsylvania would have been able to apply for a mail-in ballot, the county said.

We rate the claim that a video shows "illegal ‘voters’ cutting the line" to vote in Pennsylvania False.

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Donald Trump

stated on October 29, 2024 in a rally in Allentown, Pa.:
In Lancaster, Pa., “We caught them with 2,600 votes. We caught them cold, 2,600 votes. ... And every vote was written by the same person."

By the time Trump spoke days later, it was clear from official statements and media reports that the Lancaster investigation was about registration applications, not ballots. Trump has provided no evidence of 2,600 fraudulent or fake ballots being cast in Lancaster.

We rate this claim False.

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Facebook posts

stated on October 30, 2024 in a Facebook post:
Data shows some voters cast multiple votes, meaning "at least 164,568 illegal votes have been cast” in Michigan.

A formatting error in a report showed multiple addresses for some voters who had cast ballots, but only one vote per ID had been counted. We rate the claim that there were 114,545 illegal votes cast in Michigan False.

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X posts

stated on October 30, 2024 in in X posts:
Video shows “ballot mule in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, (dropping) off a large amount of ballots.”

He’s no mule, a USPS spokesperson and Pennsylvania state and local officials said. He’s a postal worker doing his job and dropping off mail ballots at the courthouse, which houses the county’s elections department.

The claim is Pants on Fire!

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Social Media

stated on October 31, 2024 in a post:
Video shows “voting machines in Kentucky are not allowing voters to select” Donald Trump for president.

Kentucky election officials investigated a problem with a voting machine and found it to be an isolated incident.

A voter using a ballot marking device tapped a small check box in the corner of the text field that included the presidential and vice presidential candidates’ names, inadvertently selecting the wrong candidates.

We rate this claim Pants on Fire!

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------------To be continued --------

Attachment 2446997

As Richard Lardner in Washington started reporting on former President Donald Trump’s for-profit ventures, he got a tip that Trump’s Bibles were printed in China, leading him to a labyrinth of ironies, conflicts of interest and even accusations of blasphemy.

By Richard Lardner and Dake Kang

As Richard Lardner in Washington started reporting on former President Donald Trump’s for-profit ventures, he got a tip that Trump’s Bibles were printed in China, leading him to a labyrinth of ironies, conflicts of interest and even accusations of blasphemy.

Teaming up with Beijing’s Dake Kang, the pair verified the tip through interviews with a printing company in China. Based on databases that use customs data to track exports and imports, Lardner and Kang calculated the estimated value of three separate shipments at $342,000, or less than $3 per Bible. The minimum price for the Trump-backed Bible is $59.99, putting the potential sales revenue at about $7 million.

While it is not news that China is one of the world’s leading producers of Bibles, it may be news to readers that Trump’s administration chose to exempt Bibles from tariffs imposed on billions of dollars of Chinese goods.

This exclusive story explained how selling products at prices that exceed their value may even be considered a campaign contribution. It also noted that there’s an opportunity for Trump to sell thousands of his Bibles to the state of Oklahoma which plans to spend $3 million on Bibles that are a close match to Trump’s edition.

The story uncovered that a U.S. publisher backed away from the project under pressure from religious scholars who denounced the merger of Scripture and U.S. founding documents as a “toxic mix” that would fuel Christian nationalism sentiments in evangelical churches. Others called it blasphemous.

Personalities from Mark Cuban to J.B. Pritzker to Bill Maher and George Takai mentioned it publicly.

Best of the Week judges were impressed that Lardner and Kang were able to track down actual shipments and values of the Bibles and that the story surfaced in the campaign.

For a focused investigation that became a talker, Lardner and Kang earn this week’s Best of AP — Second Winner.

Attachment 2446996

“This is somebody who committed an insurrection against our government. This is a 34 time convicted felon who was also found liable of sexual abuse.”

There are “millions” of Republican voters who will vote for Kamala Harris because they recognise that she is the one who will “protect the Constitution”, says John Conway.

Despite all the concerns raised by Democrats about former President Donald Trump’s age, it seems that Vice President Kamala Harris is the one running out of steam with less than a week before Election Day. The Trump War Room social media account shared a video of Harris on an aircraft that appears to be one of the administration’s helicopters, yawning and staring blankly while an aide talks to her as she works on her phone.

Trump’s campaign claimed that Harris is “cracking” after just three months as the Democratic Party’s nominee, a position she was “installed” into, they added. “Kamala is exhausted — cracking under the rigors of a presidential campaign after she was installed as a nominee who didn’t earn a single vote. Yikes!” read the post on X.

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Just earlier this week, Harris, 60, criticized Trump, 78, as “exhausted,” telling a crowd in Atlanta that the former president is “more confused, more unstable, and more angry” than he was four years ago, according to The Hill. Former President Barack Obama echoed these sentiments, describing his successor as “older and loonier.” However, despite the criticism, Obama seemed less optimistic about Harris’s chances during a private conversation with President Joe Biden, where the two were observed frowning and engaging in brief exchanges.

Embedded Tweet

Before Biden dropped out, Republicans effectively drove home the message that the sitting president, at 81, was too old for the demands of a national campaign. Following his exit, Democrats felt optimistic that a younger Harris would be able to handle the grueling schedule of a three-month campaign against a former president who had been campaigning since mid-2023. “There’s such a contrast between the youthful energy that she brings to this campaign and the joy that she brings to this campaign compared to him being a miserable old man,” Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist and former senior adviser to Harris, told The Hill.

Now, however, it appears she is slowing down, an opinion shared by X users. “I’m not surprised seeing her like that. Spreading lies and hate all day wears you out,” one wrote. “Poor lady. No one should be burdened with so much garbage,” another wrote in reference to Biden’s claim on Tuesday that Trump’s supporters are “garbage.”

Oct 28, 2024
Welcome back to The Daily Aviation for a feature on a special military organization responsible for the development of robots and autonomous systems.

US Army Testing Brand New Scary Robot Dogs for Combat Operations

Here are nine foods that skin specialists recommend to support collagen production, improve hydration, and maintain a youthful glow:

Blueberries
Rich in antioxidants, blueberries help protect skin from environmental damage, promote collagen synthesis, and reduce inflammation, which is linked to conditions like acne and eczema. The vitamin A and C content in blueberries is especially beneficial for skin health.

Egg Whites
Egg whites provide collagen and essential amino acids, supporting skin elasticity and reducing wrinkles. Dermatologists suggest consuming up to seven eggs a week, as they provide protein without harming heart health. Some prefer eating only the whites for protein benefits without the cholesterol.

Avocados
High in vitamin E and healthy fats, avocados protect against aging and sun damage while also making skin appear more youthful. Experts suggest enjoying half to a whole avocado daily for skin benefits or using avocado oil for both cooking and skincare.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene and vitamin C, which can protect skin from UV damage and boost collagen production. Their easy addition to daily meals makes them a versatile choice for a skin-healthy diet.

Fatty Fish
Salmon and other fatty fish are packed with collagen-boosting amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids, which support skin elasticity and hydration. Fish skin is particularly rich in collagen, while the omega-3s help reduce inflammation and support overall skin health.

Spinach
Spinach contains an array of vitamins and minerals, including A, C, E, and K, all of which contribute to skin’s hydration, elasticity, and vibrancy.

Sweet Potatoes
With high levels of beta carotene that convert to vitamin A, sweet potatoes help support collagen production and protect skin from sun damage, maintaining an even tone and smooth texture.

Almonds
Almonds are rich in vitamin E and fatty acids, which boost skin’s hydration and elasticity. Experts recommend a handful of almonds each day to benefit both skin and general health.

Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are high in vitamin C, essential for collagen production and protection against skin-damaging free radicals. Adding citrus to your diet can reduce fine lines and enhance skin’s texture over time.

Including these foods in your daily routine can help support collagen levels, improve skin hydration, and protect against environmental damage, all contributing to a healthy, youthful complexion.

Vietnam's ambitious high-speed railway project, designed to serve the primary long-distance route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, is spurring discussions about potential extensions to Lang Son in the north and Ca Mau in the south. Spanning 1,541 kilometers and crossing 20 localities, the line is a major infrastructure undertaking. However, the TEDI-TRICC-TEDI SOUTH consortium responsible for the project argues that high-speed rail’s high cost and capacity requirements mean it’s most suitable for longer routes, with planned speeds of 250 kph or more.

A 2021 railway network planning scheme endorsed by the Prime Minister already outlines alternative lines for Lang Son and Ca Mau. This includes a Lang Son-Hanoi line in the north and an HCMC-Can Tho line in the south, in areas where waterways and existing transportation infrastructures reduce the need for additional high-speed rail. Southern Vietnam’s well-developed waterways and the ongoing North-South expressway from Can Tho to Ca Mau are expected to fulfill regional transportation needs effectively.

The design also deliberately bypasses northeastern provinces like Hai Phong and Quang Ninh. The consortium notes that short-haul demand from these regions to Hanoi, usually under 200 kilometers, is more efficiently met by conventional trains and roads.

To address connectivity in these areas, plans include the development of the Hanoi-Hai Phong line by 2030 and a Nam Dinh-Thai Binh-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh coastal line by 2050, both of which will integrate with the high-speed railway. By 2030, the national network will add nine new railways covering 2,362 kilometers, expanding to 25 lines totaling 6,354 kilometers by 2050. This comprehensive expansion will bolster Vietnam’s railway capacity, serving both long-haul and regional travel needs across the country.

Severe flooding from Tropical Storm Trami has led to the closure of schools and kept approximately 100,000 students home in the Vietnamese provinces of Quang Binh and Quang Tri. After days of heavy rainfall, waters have submerged numerous areas, making travel and safety a concern. Duong Hoai Phuong, head of the Education Department in Quang Binh, confirmed that all students in Le Thuy and Quang Ninh districts have been told to stay home, with other flood-impacted areas like Dong Hoi City following suit.

In neighboring Quang Tri, four high schools—including Vinh Linh and Cua Tung—three schools in Dong Ha City, and all schools in Vinh Linh District suspended classes as well. Floodwaters have left some schools under one to two meters of water, impacting nearly 15,000 homes across Le Thuy, Quang Ninh, and Dong Hoi City.

Trami, which made landfall between Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang with winds up to 88 kph, has resulted in three fatalities and one missing person. Rainfall has exceeded 500 mm in some areas, with forecasted rains expected to continue at 150-250 mm over Monday and Tuesday, and up to 400 mm in areas from southern Ha Tinh to Thua Thien-Hue. Flooding is predicted to persist in Quang Binh as water levels on the Kien Giang River recede gradually.

Actor Timothée Chalamet made a surprise appearance at a look-alike contest held in Lower Manhattan, where fans and Chalamet doubles gathered, only to be met by police intervention and at least one arrest. The event, organized by YouTube personality Anthony Po, attracted hundreds of people to Washington Square Park, where eager fans dressed as Chalamet’s characters, including Wonka and Paul Atreides from Dune. Chalamet posed briefly with his look-alikes before the police ordered the group to disperse, citing a lack of permit for the costume contest and issuing a $500 fine to organizers.

The police detained at least one participant, though details on charges were not immediately available. Paige Nguyen, one of the event's producers, remarked on the unexpected chaos, which had started out as a lighthearted gathering but quickly escalated with the crowd.

Despite the disruption, the contest resumed nearby in a playground, where fans gathered to cheer on contestants. Attendees were assessed on their resemblance to Chalamet, from his distinctive bone structure to his fashion sense, and judges asked contestants quirky questions about their French skills, philanthropic plans, and thoughts on Chalamet’s rumored romance with Kylie Jenner.

Ultimately, 21-year-old Miles Mitchell from Staten Island, dressed in a purple Willy Wonka costume, was crowned the winner. He accepted a giant novelty check and posed for photos with fans who lined up to congratulate the “Best Tim.” Reflecting on the experience, Mitchell expressed both excitement and surprise, saying, "There were so many good look-alikes. It was really a toss-up."

The Washington Post, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced on Friday that it will not endorse either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. CEO William Lewis said the decision was a "return to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates." This marks a significant shift, as the newspaper has endorsed Democratic candidates in every election for nearly four decades. The decision reflects The Post’s stance in one of the most polarizing elections in U.S. history.

Despite the diminished influence of editorial endorsements, The Washington Post's choice is noteworthy due to the paper’s lasting impact among Washington insiders, coupled with its slogan, "Democracy dies in darkness." Trump’s campaign responded immediately, asserting that Harris’s candidacy was so weak it prompted The Post to renounce endorsements altogether.

The Washington Post Guild, representing unionized staff, expressed "deep concern," noting subscription cancellations from formerly loyal readers. Reportedly, editor-at-large Robert Kagan resigned in protest over the decision. This move follows a similar stance by the Los Angeles Times, where owner Patrick Soon-Shiong allegedly blocked an endorsement for Harris, leading editorial editor Mariel Garza to resign.

Although Bezos is rumored to have blocked The Post's editorial board from endorsing Harris, sources close to the leadership have disputed this. In contrast, The New York Times endorsed Harris in September, calling her "the only patriotic choice for president" while criticizing Trump as unfit for office. Similarly, The Philadelphia Inquirer, a major paper in Pennsylvania, endorsed Harris, describing the election as “an easy but tectonic choice.” The New York Post, owned by Rupert Murdoch, endorsed Trump, calling him “today’s heroic leader.”

In a statement, Lewis emphasized The Post’s dedication to nonpartisan news and informed, thought-provoking opinions. Former executive editor Marty Baron criticized the decision, calling it "cowardice" that could harm democratic principles and embolden Trump’s influence over Bezos.

This shift highlights the complex dynamics at play as major U.S. media outlets weigh their role in a highly divided election season.