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Mississippi
Mississippi's new flag won't have Elvis on it, but it could feature a mosquito

Despite the best efforts of some creative residents, Mississippi's new flag will not feature Elvis Presley, Kermit the Frog, or beer cans.Mississippi's old flag - the last one in the U.S. to feature a Confederate battle emblem - was retired in late June amid public outcry and anti-racism protests sparked by the death of George Floyd. A nine-member commission appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor, and state House speaker was tasked with selecting a design for a new flag. There are just two rules: It cannot include the Confederate battle emblem and it must have the phrase "In God We Trust."The public was invited to send in designs, and nearly 3,000 were submitted; the 147...

Israel closes Gaza goods crossing after balloon attacks
Israel closes Gaza goods crossing after balloon attacks

Israel will close its goods crossing with the Gaza Strip, authorities said Monday, after militants in the Hamas-run territory fired rockets into the Mediterranean and launched incendiary balloons towards the Jewish state. The Kerem Shalom crossing will be closed to all traffic except humanitarian equipment and fuel from Tuesday, COGAT, the defence ministry unit that oversees the crossings, said in a statement. The move comes in response to the "continued launching of incendiary balloons" from Gaza, it added.

India Air crash survivor recounts final minutes in plane
India Air crash survivor recounts final minutes in plane

Yuojin Yusuf was one of 190 passengers aboard an Air India Express plane that skidded and crashed.

Chicago protests: Restrictions imposed after chaotic night of unrest
Chicago protests: Restrictions imposed after chaotic night of unrest

Chicago officials say over 100 arrests have been made after a night of violence and looting.

Photos show the oil spill in Mauritius that
Photos show the oil spill in Mauritius that's leaking 4,000 tons of fuel into the pristine, azure waters of the Indian Ocean

More than 1,000 tons of oil has leaked into the Indian Ocean, and environmentalists worry it may be too late to undo the damage.

Police searched a United Airlines jet after a reportedly hallucinating passenger claimed there was a bomb on board
Police searched a United Airlines jet after a reportedly hallucinating passenger claimed there was a bomb on board

Police officers searched the plane with passengers still on board and offloaded each piece of luggage on the plane to be checked by canine units.

Florida reports record COVID-19 hospitalizations
Florida reports record COVID-19 hospitalizations

Team Trump's conflicting messaging on mask led to preventable deaths, 100,000 children caught Covid-19 in July

Top Navy official: Sailor burnout a concern amid COVID-19 crisis
Top Navy official: Sailor burnout a concern amid COVID-19 crisis

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday told NBC News the pandemic has forced ships to remain at sea for longer periods of time.

Protesters met with jeers by crowd with guns in Nevada city

Several dozen Black Lives Matter demonstrators at a weekend protest in rural Nevada were greeted by a far larger group of counter-demonstrators, including some bearing military-style weapons and tactical gear, but a sheriff who had made controversial remarks earlier about the racial injustice movement

'It's literally impossible to stop': Sturgis, South Dakota, braces as hundreds of thousands of bikers arrived in the middle of a pandemic

The annual 10-day Sturgis Rally can bring up to 700,000 bikers into the small city. This year, that could be especially dangerous.

Senate cafeteria workers reportedly face layoffs if Congressional stalemate continues
Senate cafeteria workers reportedly face layoffs if Congressional stalemate continues

Up to 80 people who are part of the Senate cafeteria staff in the capitol could face layoffs by October if Congress can't emerge from its coronavirus relief deadlock, CNN reports.The company that employs the workers, Restaurant Associates, did not confirm the number, but did not deny issuing warnings of potential layoffs, which are the result of having to close some of its restaurants because of the pandemic.Senators told CNN they believe they will pass a bill that will fund the Architect of the Capitol - the federal agency that oversees the day-to-day function of the Capitol and has a private contract with Restaurant Associates - in time, allowing employees to continue to receive their...

Washington, D.C., police union moves to block release of body cam footage
Washington, D.C., police union moves to block release of body cam footage

The Washington, D.C., police union said on Monday it asked a court to block the mandatory release of body camera footage and names of police officers involved in shootings. The federal district passed a police reform law in July after weeks of protests in the nation's capital and across the globe against systemic racism and police brutality, sparked by the killing of African-American George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis.

Tom Bevan: Joe Biden
Tom Bevan: Joe Biden's VP pick represents the Democratic Party's bridge to the future

Real Clear Politics co-founder and president Tom Bevan joins Bill Hemmer with insight on the significance of Joe Biden's choice of running mate.

Want to keep spoiling your pets during the coronavirus pandemic? Here
Want to keep spoiling your pets during the coronavirus pandemic? Here's the latest in 'pet tech'

During the COVID-19 crisis, pets get plenty of attention. Some pet tech can help you keep spoiling your cat or dog when you are with them or away.

Can scientists predict earthquakes? Not exactly - but here
Can scientists predict earthquakes? Not exactly - but here's what they can do

"Earthquakes have nothing to do with clouds, bodily aches and pains, or slugs," the U.S. Geological Survey says of people who believe they can predict an oncoming quake.

Sturgeon sorry for exams fiasco and admits student outrage a
Sturgeon sorry for exams fiasco and admits student outrage a 'bigger problem' than grade inflation

Nicola Sturgeon has issued an apology to teenagers hit by this year's results day fiasco and promised to fix the "unfair" system. After spending much of last week defending the arbitrary downgrading of 124,000 qualifications, under a "moderation" process put in place following the cancellation of this year's exams, the First Minister on Monday confirmed a government u-turn over results. Opposition parties said the First Minister's apology did not go far enough, and claimed the reversal was motivated by a desire to keep her under-fire Education Secretary and deputy, John Swinney, in his job. The furious row over school qualifications threatened to overshadow the reopening of...

Lebanon
Lebanon's prime minister resigns amid protests over port explosion, says corruption has 'paralyzed' the state

Before his resignation, Prime Minister Hassan Diab's government referred the matter of the port explosion to the Supreme Judicial Council, which handles crimes related to national and state security.

Trump says his GOP acceptance speech will take place at Gettysburg or the White House
Trump says his GOP acceptance speech will take place at Gettysburg or the White House

Either location would be controversial, given both are historic, public sites and Trump's speech will be inherently partisan.

Royal Caribbean floats testing passengers for COVID-19 when cruising resumes
Royal Caribbean floats testing passengers for COVID-19 when cruising resumes

For likely the first time in Royal Caribbean Group's 52-year history, the company has gone nearly four months without a passenger cruise. It's no surprise then, that the company's second quarter earnings were the worst on record as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps the industry largely paralyzed.

TSA Is Finding Guns in Passengers
TSA Is Finding Guns in Passengers' Carry-Ons at 3 Times the Usual Rate Amid Massive Drop in Air Travel

As air travel remains seriously depressed amid the pandemic

Retired US police officer tracks down man who shot him and escaped jail after 50 years on the hunt
Retired US police officer tracks down man who shot him and escaped jail after 50 years on the hunt

A retired US police officer has revealed how he finally managed to track down a man who escaped jail after shooting him almost five decades ago. Officer Daril Cinquanta first encountered Luis Archuleta in Colorado in 1971, when the notorious criminal shot him in the stomach. Archuleta was jailed over the shooting, but managed to escape from prison three years later after feigning an illness to secure a hospital visit. "It was an escape from a Hollywood script," Mr Cinquanta said, complete with "a hostage, a getaway car, an accomplice with guns." When Mr Cinquanta learned of his attacker's escape, he made it his mission to track him down. Years of calling contacts for potential leads led...

Lebanon
Lebanon's prime minister and his entire cabinet have resigned following last week's deadly explosion in Beirut

Lebanon Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced that his government would resign from power after the August 4 explosion.

Man says he wasn
Man says he wasn't allowed into an Arkansas casino because 'men do not carry purses'

The casino has since apologized.

Women who use marijuana during pregnancy are 1.5 times more likely to have a child with autism, according to the largest study of its kind
Women who use marijuana during pregnancy are 1.5 times more likely to have a child with autism, according to the largest study of its kind

In the largest study of its kind, marijuana use in pregnancy was linked to a 50% higher risk of having a child with autism.

As fewer students choose to enroll in the wake of coronavirus, some colleges are promising tuition-free semesters
As fewer students choose to enroll in the wake of coronavirus, some colleges are promising tuition-free semesters

Some colleges are making "ninth-semester-free" promises to students, as a new survey says many students may not enroll in the fall.

Gunfire erupts inside main prison in Somalia's Mogadishu - inmate

Gunfire erupted inside the main prison in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Monday, an inmate said. A senior police officer, who did not want to be named, confirmed the incident without giving any details.

Climate change: Satellites record history of Antarctic melting
Climate change: Satellites record history of Antarctic melting

European spacecraft track in fine detail the thinning that's occurred at the continent's edge.

Mexico
Mexico's coronavirus outbreak is now the third worst in the world

The U.S., by a wide margin, leads the globe in COVID-19 cases. But its neighbor to the south has its own alarming spike, making it the third worst outbreak in the world.Mexico has had 52,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths, The New York Times reported Monday. A widespread distrust of hospitals has made the pandemic even deadlier, as Mexicans are reportedly frequently refusing to seek treatment until their COVID-19 symptoms have worsened past the point of possible recovery, or not at all. Additionally, the tendency to avoid hospitals has made it difficult to confirm the true number of coronavirus deaths - those who die at home often aren't tested, so their deaths aren't counted as part of the...

Iran closes down newspaper after expert doubts official coronavirus tolls
Iran closes down newspaper after expert doubts official coronavirus tolls

Iran shut down a newspaper on Monday after it quoted a former member of the national coronavirus taskforce as saying the country's tolls from the epidemic could be 20 times higher than official figures, state news agency IRNA reported. "The Jahan-e Sanat newspaper was shut down today for publishing an interview on Sunday," the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Mohammadreza Saadi, told IRNA. On Sunday, the newspaper published an interview with Mohammadreza Mahboubfar, in which he said: "The figures announced by the officials on coronavirus cases and deaths account for only 5% of the country's real tolls".

Lightning strike explodes tree as shrapnel flies toward Louisiana woman, video shows
Lightning strike explodes tree as shrapnel flies toward Louisiana woman, video shows

"God was definitely with us! One step closer and I would have been seriously injured!"

Where to Buy Wallpaper Online: 23 Stores With Unique Designs
Where to Buy Wallpaper Online: 23 Stores With Unique Designs

Big Tech Allies Join Biden Campaign
Big Tech Allies Join Biden Campaign

The Biden campaign has enlisted several allies of big tech companies as part of its policy planning initiatives, the New York Times reported on Monday.While the campaign is facing pressure from more progressive advisers to take a combative stance against companies such as Apple, Facebook, and Amazon, a number of former consultants for and senior employees of those companies are now advising the campaign.The advisers include Avril Haines, a former Obama administration national security official who worked as a consultant for data-mining firm Palantir; Antony Blinken, a veteran of the Obama State Department and co-founder of lobbying firm WestExec, which has worked with Google; and Cynthia...

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says gig economy companies should be required to establish
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says gig economy companies should be required to establish 'benefits funds' for workers instead of treating them as full-time employees

The ridesharing company is facing mounting pressure from drivers and labor activists to extend more benefits to gig workers.

Number of Americans giving up US citizenship skyrocketing in 2020, report says
Number of Americans giving up US citizenship skyrocketing in 2020, report says

The number had been in steep decline over the last few years, according to the report.

Trump
Trump's own campaign ads erase the virus - and the candidate

First Read is your briefing from "Meet the Press" and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.

Chicago
Chicago's 'Magnificent Mile' Looted after Police Shooting

Looters ransacked shops in downtown Chicago early on Monday morning following a shootout between a suspect and police officers.According to police, officers were called to the Englewood neighborhood on Sunday afternoon after receiving reports of a man with a gun. Officers found a suspect who matched the description, however the suspect attempted to flee and fired at officers giving chase. Police then shot and wounded the suspect, who was brought into custody.However, police said rumors spread in the neighborhood that the suspect was a child, when in fact the man is in his 20's. A crowd gathered at the sight of the shooting and confrontations with police ensued. One officer was sprayed...

Susan Rice on the Biden ticket would be dangerous for America, Rep. Waltz warns
Susan Rice on the Biden ticket would be dangerous for America, Rep. Waltz warns

Republican Rep. Michael Waltz says Obama's former national security adviser as vice president would be a 'total debacle' and 'slap in the face' to the U.S. military.

Biden teases VP pick:
Biden teases VP pick: 'Are you ready?'

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden is expected to announce his running mate this week, teasing a reporter on Sunday by asking, "Are you ready?"Biden has said he will choose a woman as his vice presidential pick, with Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and former National Security Adviser Susan Rice having emerged as frontrunners. Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and California Rep. Karen Bass have also been floated by analysts as potential picks."[Biden] has a very difficult decision to make … but it's almost an embarrassment of riches," Howard University political science professor Niambi Carter told USA Today, while others have...

Lindsey Graham Claims Declassified Docs Show FBI
Lindsey Graham Claims Declassified Docs Show FBI 'Misled' Congress on Steele Dossier

Newly declassified documents show that the FBI misled Congress regarding the reliability of the Steele dossier, Senator Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) said on Sunday.The Senate Intelligence Committee, which Graham chairs, is currently conducting an investigation into the origins of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane probe, whose stated aim was to uncover alleged collusion between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russian operatives.One document released by the committee on Sunday is an FBI draft of talking points for a February 2018 Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on the Russia investigation. The talking points, uncovered by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, seek to give the...

Algerian court jails journalist three years

An Algerian court on Monday sentenced a journalist and activist to three years in prison on charges of harming national unity, a rights group that defends detainees said. The court in the capital, Algiers, also handed a four-month jail sentence to two other activists for the same charges, according

Wild bear that sniffed woman
Wild bear that sniffed woman's hair is caught and castrated

The black bear was captured after he was filmed approaching a visitor at an ecological park.

The Georgia school that punished students for posting photos of a packed hallway says it will close for 2 days after multiple students and staff got COVID-19
The Georgia school that punished students for posting photos of a packed hallway says it will close for 2 days after multiple students and staff got COVID-19

North Paulding High School superintendent Brian Otott told parents Sunday that the school would shut on Monday and Tuesday for deep cleaning.

China sanctions 11 Americans in retaliation for US move
China sanctions 11 Americans in retaliation for US move

China on Monday sanctioned 11 Americans, including senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, in retaliation for similar US moves prompted by Beijing's crackdown in Hong Kong. Washington last week accused 11 officials of suppressing "freedom and democratic processes" in Hong Kong, including city leader Carrie Lam, and announced plans to freeze their US assets. It was the toughest US action yet in response to Beijing's introduction of a sweeping and controversial new national security law for the territory.

'We're going to go over the cliff': Evictions in S.C. signal housing crisis for renters nationwide

"It ain't no fun when your stomach hurts from hunger. It ain't no fun - especially in a pandemic," said one South Carolina woman who lost her home.

Why Black and white Americans see the justice system differently (audio)
Why Black and white Americans see the justice system differently (audio)

Perceptions of fairness are based on experiences. Our reporters explore what happens when our encounters with the justice system are shaped by our race.

US angers China with high-profile Taiwan visit
US angers China with high-profile Taiwan visit

Health Secretary Alex Azar is the highest-ranking US politician to visit the island for decades.

Texas doctor delivers baby boy of woman he delivered 25 years ago
Texas doctor delivers baby boy of woman he delivered 25 years ago

When Lauren Cortez found out she was pregnant, there was one person she wanted to deliver her baby: Dr. Bryan Cox, the same OB/GYN who helped welcome her to the world 25 years ago.Cox has been an OB/GYN at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, for 33 years. Cortez's mother, Isabel Luna, has been one of his patients for decades, and spoke highly of him. When Cortez arrived at her first appointment, she was "excited, because her mom loves me, so it was a great situation," Cox told Good Morning America. "It was fun the whole pregnancy."Cortez's son, Logan James, was born on July 26, weighing six pounds, one ounce. Cox had a special greeting for Logan -- the same one...

At least 97,000 U.S. kids tested positive for coronavirus over last 2 weeks of July
At least 97,000 U.S. kids tested positive for coronavirus over last 2 weeks of July

During the last two weeks of July, at least 97,000 children in the United States tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a new report released Sunday by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association.More than seven out of 10 infections were reported in southern and western states, with the highest percent increase occurring in Missouri, Oklahoma, Alaska, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana. Since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 338,000 kids have been infected.The report included data from 49 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, and Puerto Rico, but not Texas or any part of New York outside of New York City, meaning the true count is likely higher. The age...

Why the fuss? The US, Taiwan and China -- a guide
Why the fuss? The US, Taiwan and China -- a guide

Why has the United States' highest-level visit to Taiwan for four decades sparked such anger from Beijing? Here is a recap of the key issues surrounding the delicate relations between the US, China and Taiwan. The deep rift between China and Taiwan dates back to China's civil war, which erupted in 1927 and pitted forces aligned with the Communist Party of China against the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) army.

BBC Apologizes For Use of N-Word in July Broadcast
BBC Apologizes For Use of N-Word in July Broadcast

BBC director general Tony Hall has issued an apology after the N-word was used in a news report in July, stating that the outlet would be "strengthening" its guidance on the use of offensive language. The report had covered a racist attack on a United Kingdom National Health Service worker in Bristol, England. The BBC had initially defended the use of the word, stating they felt they needed "to explain, and report, not just the injuries but, given their alleged extreme nature, the words alleged to have been used" in the report. More than 18,600 complained about the use of the word in the reporting. BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ Sideman quit over the incident, stating "the action and the defence of...

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