US Domestic News Roundup: Political campaign ads, Albanian dam protest, Mega Millions lottery

Many political ads in this year's U.S. elections pack an unusually harsh and personal punch - some with racial overtones. In Arkansas, a radio ad this week suggests white Democrats might start lynching black men.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 20-10-2018 18:52 IST | Created: 20-10-2018 18:27 IST
US Domestic News Roundup: Political campaign ads, Albanian dam protest, Mega Millions lottery
President Donald Trump reiterated his support for a Montana congressman who body-slammed a reporter last year, even as he came under criticism on Friday from U.S. lawmakers and press organizations. (Image Credit: Twitter)
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Russian charged with conspiring to interfere in U.S. congressional elections

The U.S. government on Friday charged a Russian national with playing a key financial role in a Kremlin-backed plan to conduct "information warfare" against the United States, including ongoing attempts to influence next month's congressional elections. Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova, 44, became the first person charged with a crime for attempting to interfere in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, according to a government official with knowledge of the investigation.

Black 'lynching' ad illustrates race overtones, anger in U.S. campaign ads

Many political ads in this year's U.S. elections pack an unusually harsh and personal punch - some with racial overtones. In Arkansas, a radio ad this week suggests white Democrats might start lynching black men. In New York, a congressman's supporters drew attention to his black rival's history as a rapper. In California, Ohio and Virginia, candidates and their supporters cast their opponents as terrorists. In Pennsylvania, a Republican state senator threatened to "stomp all over" his Democratic rival's face with golf spikes.

Remains of more than 60 babies, fetuses found stashed in Detroit funeral home

The remains of more than 60 infants and fetuses were found stashed in a Detroit funeral home, police said on Friday, calling the discovery "deeply disturbing." The incident comes about a week after the badly decomposed bodies of 11 babies were found hidden in a false ceiling at a different funeral home in the Michigan city.

Montenegrins protest against Albanian dam on the shared river

Dozens of environmental activists cycled from Montenegro's capital to the Albanian border on Saturday to protest over the neighbouring nation's construction of a dam on the Cijevna river that flows through both countries. As governments hurry to meet renewable energy goals set by the Paris climate change agreement, plans to build almost 3,000 small hydro-power plants have sparked protests across the Balkans this year.

Mega Millions lottery hits a record $1.6 billion after no winners in Friday's draw

At least $1.6 billion, the largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history, will be up for grabs during the next Mega Millions draw after no winning tickets were sold for Friday night's draw, the lottery said on Saturday. No one hit all of the numbers of 15, 23, 53, 65, 70 and the Mega Ball 7 during Friday night's draw.

New York witches aim hex at Supreme Court's Brett Kavanaugh despite death threats

Melissa Madara was not surprised to receive death threats on Friday as her Brooklyn witchcraft store prepared to host a public hexing of newly confirmed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh this weekend. The planned casting of an anti-Kavanaugh spell, one of the more striking instances of politically disgruntled Americans turning to the supernatural when frustrated by democracy, has drawn the backlash from some Christian groups but support from like-minded witch covens.

Pennsylvania law to make hazing punishable as a felony

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf is expected to sign legislation on Friday raising the maximum penalty for fraternity hazing to a felony, carrying up to seven years in prison. Named the “Timothy Piazza Anti-Hazing Law” after a Penn State freshman who died during hazing activities at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house in February 2017, the bill unanimously passed the Legislature.

Trump criticized for praising congressman who body-slammed reporter

President Donald Trump reiterated his support for a Montana congressman who body-slammed a reporter last year, even as he came under criticism on Friday from U.S. lawmakers and press organizations. Trump's praise for Greg Gianforte, a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives who pleaded guilty to an assault charge for the incident involving the reporter, coincides with an international outcry over the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Texas toddler left at stranger's house, instead of with dad

A woman who intended to drop off a 2-year-old boy with his father instead left the toddler at the wrong address in suburban Houston and ran off after ringing the bell, police said late Thursday. The woman who left the child, a friend of the mother, was initially suspected of child abandonment after video, shared widely on social media, showed her hoisting the toddler by the arm to a stranger's house in the northern Houston suburb of Spring on Thursday, authorities said.

USC agrees to $215 million settlement in California gynaecologist case

The University of Southern California has reached a $215 million proposed settlement with former patients of a gynaecologist at the school who was accused of sexual abuse, the president of the university said in a letter on Friday seen by Reuters. The settlement centres on the conduct of George Tyndall, who practised at USC until he was suspended in 2016 after a complaint from a health worker accusing him of making sexually inappropriate comments to patients. More than 400 women have since accused Tyndall of sexual abuse, some in a federal lawsuit covered by the settlement and others in state lawsuits that are still pending.

(With inputs from Reuters)

(With inputs from agencies.)

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