Vance, Walz in final preparations before their VP debate

The two vice presidential candidates have been getting ready for Tuesday night’s debate. Both Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz have engaged in traditional preparation, complete with mock debate sessions. Vance was prepping and practicing in Ohio, with Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer standing in for Walz. On the Democratic side, Walz Walz, also worked with a stand-in — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. CBS will host the 90-minute debate Tuesday night at its Broadcast Center in New York City.

NYC mayor accepted harmless ‘courtesies,’ not bribes, his lawyer says

New York City’s mayor wants a judge to toss out the bribery charges against him. Mayor Eric Adams this week launched a legal attack on the federal corruption case against him. His attorney asked a judge to dismiss charges that the Democratic mayor accepted lavish travel benefits and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals in exchange for favors. An attorney for Adams described the gifts as “courtesies,” not a federal crime. And he denied there was any quid pro quo.

Biden hopes to visit Helene-damaged communities soon

President Biden says the damage from Hurricane Helene is “stunning.” The president was briefed again on Sunday evening about the impact of the devastating storm on an enormous swath of the Southeast. Among the tragic stories is the North Carolina county that includes the city of Asheville, where at least 30 people were killed. Mr. Biden says he hopes to visit Hurricane Helene-impacted areas this week as long as it does not disrupt rescue and recovery operations.

Biden “saddened” by Helen’s death, destruction; promises aid

President Biden is expressing sorrow over the loss of life and devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The president said he’s “deeply saddened” by the aftermath of the storm across the Southeast, and that his administration is “focused on life-saving and life-sustaining response and recovery efforts.” “The road to recovery will be long,” he said, but he pledged ongoing support and the necessary federal resources to help communities begin to rebuild.

Trump, Harris send Ukraine’s president different signals

Ukraine’s president is receiving different signals from Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. On Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Vice President Harris, followed by face-to-face talks with former President Trump on Friday. The two meetings offered a contrast. At the White House, Harris emphasized unwavering U-S support for Ukraine’s struggle against the Russian invasion and slammed Trump’s suggestion that Kyiv should give up territory for the sake of peace. In New York, Trump called for a “fair deal” after previously criticizing U-S assistance for Ukraine and praising Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Pentagon not supporting Israel’s operations in Lebanon

The U-S military is not supporting Israel’s operations in Lebanon. The Pentagon confirmed that Israel is not receiving any U-S intelligence support as it carries out strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon. President Biden is calling for a 21-day ceasefire, which has been rejected by Israel so far. During a speech at the United Nations, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to keep up operations against Hezbollah until tens of thousands of Israeli citizens displaced by rocket attacks can return home.

Biden calls Hezbollah leader’s death “measure of justice”

President Biden calls Israel’s killing of Hezbollah’s leader a “measure of justice.” In a written statement, the president said that Hezbollah under Hasan Nasrallah’s watch has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans over the past four decades. While Mr. Biden said the United States “fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself” against Iran-supported terrorist groups, he said his administration’s “aim is to de-escalate the ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means.”

Courthouses warned of possible election-related threats

Courthouses are being told to prepare for possible security threats as the presidential election approaches. The nation’s judges are being warned that courthouses could face security threats as the November election approaches. The warning was issued by a top security official in the federal judiciary, who noted “security concerns related to events and incidents connected to the upcoming election, including recent suspicious letters sent to state officials.” Courts were encouraged to discuss potential local threats with law enforcement and review protective measures.

Biden administration tries to head off strike by port operators

The Biden administration is trying to head off a possible strike by operators at East and Gulf coast ports. With a union contract set to expire after Monday, top administration officials met with port operators ahead of a possible strike. They told members of the United States Maritime Alliance that they should be at the negotiating table with the union. The administration delivered the same message to the union earlier in the week. Unionized workers object to some new technologies that they say could ultimately cause job losses.

US charges three Iranians with hacking Trump campaign

Iranian operatives charged with hacking Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the criminal charges, which accuse three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps of hacking the Trump campaign, sending stolen information to media organizations, and trying to disrupt the November 5th election. Garland said U-S officials have seen “increasingly aggressive Iranian cyber activity during this election cycle.” Iran dismissed the accusations as baseless.

DOJ supports immunity for UN relief workers with Hamas ties

The Biden administration says Palestinian relief workers accused of helping Hamas terrorists should not be prosecuted. Last month, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency fired at least nine of its employees for their connection to the October 7th terrorist attacks on Israel. Massacre victims and families accuse the agency of aiding and abetting Hamas. But in federal court, the Justice Department argued that the UNWRA employees should be immune from prosecution. The DOJ said the U-S “takes no position” on the allegations, but supports United Nations immunity.

FEMA administrator in Florida to assess hurricane damage

The head of FEMA is in Florida to see the impact of Hurricane Helene. FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell says President Biden dispatched her to Florida to survey and assess hurricane damage. Criswell says it’s important for her to be on-the-ground in order to quickly validate damage so the federal government can get major disaster declarations in place faster.

New gun technology executive order signed by Biden

President Biden has signed an executive order on gun technology. The order seeks to restrict new technologies that make guns easier to fire and obtain. It also lays out a plan to help schools create active shooter drills that maximize effectiveness and limit trauma. As he signed the order, the president said, “we can do better.” The president’s action comes just a few days after four people were killed and 17 others were wounded in a mass shooting in Alabama.

Biden announces new military aid for Ukraine

The Biden administration has announced another two-and-a-half billion dollars in weapons for Ukraine’s military. President Biden welcomed Ukrainian President Zelensky back to the Oval Office, where he said additional U-S assistance will boost Ukraine’s efforts to combat Russia’s aggression.  The administration’s ongoing support of Ukraine stands in contrast to Donald Trump’s latest assessment that the Ukrainian people are “dead” and the country itself is “demolished.”

FEMA urges residents to take Hurricane Helene seriously

The Federal Emergency Management Agency warns that Hurricane Helene should not be underestimated. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said this hurricane will be a multi-state event. Speaking at the White House after briefing President Biden, Criswell said Helene’s projected storm surge could be deadly and must be taken seriously.

Biden, Zelensky to discuss “victory plan” for Ukraine

President Biden welcomes Ukrainian President Zelensky to the White House. After meeting briefly in New York yesterday on the sidelines of the United Nations, the two leaders will continue talks in the Oval Office this afternoon. Zelensky is set to present a victory plan in his country’s fight against Russia. And Mr. Biden will announce “a series of actions to accelerate support for Ukraine’s military.”

Ahead of hurricane, Biden approves emergency disaster declaration

President Biden has approved an emergency disaster declaration for Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall. The disaster declaration unlocks additional federal resources to help the state respond to the approaching storm. White House officials say the president has been briefed on the hurricane and its potential impact. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has postponed two campaign appearances by Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance in Georgia because of the severe weather forecast.

Despite dropping out, Biden “confident” he could’ve beaten Trump

President Biden is “at peace” with his decision to end his re-election campaign. Appearing on ABC’s “The View,” the president was asked about Democrats urging him to step aside as the Democratic candidate. He said he never sensed “an overwhelming reluctance” over his campaign. Even though he ended his campaign, Mr. Biden insisted that he could have won in November, saying he was “confident” that he could beat Donald Trump.

Biden says “all-out war” in Middle East is possible

Nebraska will not change electoral votes process before election

Nebraska will not be changing its electoral votes process before the November election. Unlike most states, Nebraska splits their electoral votes, awarding two each to the winner of the statewide vote and one to the winner in each congressional district. Donald Trump and his GOP allies have been urging state lawmakers to change the law to a winner-takes-all system. But Republicans have come up short of the necessary votes and Nebraska’s governor has decided not to not call lawmakers back into session before Election Day.

In October, Biden to make first trip to Africa as president

President Biden will travel to Germany and Angola next month. The White House announced that Mr. Biden’s first stop will be Germany, where he will express appreciation to Germany for supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia, among other issues. He then will travel to Angola for his first visit to Africa as president. He had hoped to visit Angola late last year but the trip was postponed after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

Biden addresses world crises in final U.N. appearance

President Biden delivered his final speech at the United Nations General Assembly. Addressing the U-N for the last time, the president touched on the world’s major crises, including Ukraine’s fight for freedom against Russia. And he renewed his call for peace in the Middle East. On the subject of his decision not to seek re-election, Mr. Biden told world leaders that “some things are more important than staying in power.”

Biden to give final speech at U.N. General Assembly

President Biden makes his last appearance at the United Nations General Assembly this week. The annual speech to world leaders at the U-N gives American presidents a global stage to promote and tout their foreign policy. And Joe Biden is expected to do that with an eye toward his legacy. But the president’s speech and the U-N General Assembly come at a time of continued war in eastern Europe and escalating tensions in the Middle East. Two key goals of the Biden White House remain unresolved — Ukraine defeating Russia and reaching a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Trump to attend long-running charity dinner, but Harris will skip

Donald Trump will attend a long-running charity dinner next month, but Kamala Harris will skip the event.  Since 1960, it’s been a tradition for presidential candidates to attend and speak at the Al Smith charity dinner in New York. Trump has accepted the invitation for the event, which takes place two-and-a-half weeks before the election. Harris, however, will skip the event in favor of campaigning in a battleground state. The dinner benefiting Catholic Charities traditionally has been used to promote collegiality, with presidential candidates from both parties appearing on the same night and trading barbs.