Month: August 2022

With the Senate Democrats' last remaining holdout -- Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema -- tentatively signing onto a $739 billion modified reconciliation deal, her party leaders are looking forward to a first procedural vote on their historic tax, climate and drug-pricing bill as early as Saturday. The Senate is expected to eventually pass The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 through using a fast-track budget process known as reconciliation as early as this weekend. If all Democrats stick together, they'll be able to clear the hefty legislative package by their razor-thin majority and avoid a Republican threat of a filibuster. In a surprise move in late July, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin announced he had brokered a deal on a revised version of a Democrat-only spending bill with Majority Leade...

Federal prosecutors are recommending an eight-year prison sentence for an off-duty Virginia police officer who was convicted by a jury of storming the U.S. Capitol to obstruct Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. Former Rocky Mount Police Sgt. Thomas Robertson used his law enforcement training to block police officers who were trying to protect the Capitol from a mob's attack on Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutors said in a court filing Thursday supporting their sentencing recommendation. “Instead of using his training and power to promote the public good, he attempted to overthrow the government,” they wrote. An eight-year prison sentence would be the longest among hundreds of Capitol riot cases. The lengthiest so far is seven years and three months for Guy Reff...

All roads in and out of Death Valley National Park are closed after unprecedented amounts of rainfall caused substantial flooding in the area, park officials said Friday. Approximately 500 visitors and 500 staff are currently unable to exit the park, which straddles the California-Nevada border, the officials said in a statement. No injuries to staff or visitors have been reported. The California Department of Transportation Hoka Shoes Canada expects it will take several hours to open a road on Highway 190 east of the park to allow an exit, park officials said. Unprecedented rainfall caused California's Death Valley National Park to close to visitors on Aug. 5, 2022. Death Valley National Park Dozens of cars belonging to visitors and staff are buried in several feet ...

Two Wisconsin residents celebrating their wedding anniversary died following a lightning strike near the White House on Thursday night, police confirmed to ABC News Friday. A third victim -- a 29-year-old man -- has also died in the incident, police said Friday afternoon. A fourth person is still in critical condition following the lightning strike, police said. Police said 76-year-old James Mueller and 75-year-old Donna Mueller, both from Janesville, Wisconsin, died after being injured in the strike in Lafayette Korkease Shoes Park in front of the White House. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Contee confirmed Friday that the Muellers were married and Madison.com reported they were in Washington to celebrate their 56th wedding anniversary. The identity of the third victim is...

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea on Saturday called U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “the worst destroyer of international peace and stability,” accusing her of inciting anti-North Korea sentiment and enraging China during her Asian tour earlier this week. Pelosi traveled to South Korea after visiting Taiwan, which had prompted China to launch military exercises including missile strike training in waters near the self-governed island. China views Taiwan as part of its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary. While in South Korea, Pelosi visited a border area with North Korea and discussed the North’s nuclear program with South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin Pyo. According to Kim, the two agreed to support their governments’ push for denuclearization and peace on the ...

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Efforts by Myanmar’s neighbors to help restore peace and normalcy to the strife-torn Southeast Asian nation were hindered by the country’s recent executions of four political activists, Cambodia’s foreign minister said Saturday. Prak Sokhonn, speaking in his capacity as special envoy to Myanmar of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, warned that further executions would force the regional grouping to reconsider how it engages with fellow member Myanmar. Cambodia is the current chair of the regional grouping, and Myanmar is not welcome to send members of its ruling military government to ASEAN meetings because of its failure to cooperate with a plan agreed upon last year to work toward restoring peace. Myanmar’s military rulers initially agreed to...