SAN DIEGO (AP) — President Donald Trump appears to be ignoring a deadline to establish how many refugees will be allowed into the United States next year, raising uncertainty about the future of the 40-year-old resettlement program that has been dwindling under his administration.

The 1980 Refugee Act requires presidents to issue their determination before Oct. 1, the start of the fiscal year. With only hours to go Wednesday, the Trump administration had not scheduled consultations with Congress that are required before setting the annual figure.

There was no immediate comment from the White House, which usually announces the target numbers, or the departments of State or Homeland Security, which are involved in making the determination.

Democratic lawmakers blasted the administration for not meeting its obligation.

Trump’s violation of the 1980 law “will bring our refugee admissions program to a halt, leaving thousands stranded abroad with their lives at risk," New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler, who's chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and California Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who's chairwoman of the Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee, said in a statement.

Trump froze this year's admissions in March, citing a need to protect American jobs as fallout from the coronavirus crashed the economy. Advocates fear the government is intentionally delaying its plans for the 2021 fiscal year as a way to eventually eliminate the refugee program. No more refugees can be admitted after Thursday until the president sets the ceiling for the new year.

“We’re concerned the administration may delay the announcement indefinitely,” said Jacinta Ma of the National Immigration Forum, an advocacy group.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration is committed to the country's history of leading the world in providing a safe place for refugees.

“We continue to be the single greatest contributor to the relief of humanitarian crisis all around the world, and we will continue to do so," Pompeo told reporters in Rome on the sidelines of a conference on religious freedom organized by the U.S. Embassy. “Certainly so long as President Trump is in office, I can promise you this administration is deeply committed to that.”

But advocates say the government's actions do not show that. Since taking office, Trump has slashed the number of refugees allowed into the country by more than 80%, reflecting his broader efforts to drastically reduce both legal and illegal immigration.

“Our fear is that this could be the death knell for the refugee resettlement program as we know it,” said Krish Vignarajah, president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, a federally funded agency charged with resettling refugees in the United States.

The U.S. allowed in just over 10,800 refugees — a little more than half of the 18,000 cap set by Trump for 2020 — before the State Department suspended the program because of the coronavirus.

The 18,000 cap was already the lowest in the history of the program. In addition, the State Department announced last week that it would no longer provide some statistical information on refugee resettlement, sparking more concerns.

Advocates say the Trump administration is dismantling a program that has long enjoyed bipartisan support and has been considered a model for protecting the world’s most vulnerable people.

Scores of resettlement offices have closed because of the drop in federal funding, which is tied to the number of refugees placed in the U.S.

And the damage is reverberating beyond American borders as other countries close their doors to refugees as well.

“We’re talking about tens of millions of desperate families with no place to go and having no hope for protection in the near term,” Vignarajah said.

Bisrat Sibhatu, an Eritrean refugee, does not want to think about the possibility of another year passing without reuniting with his wife.

For the past 2 1/2 years, he has called the caseworker who helped him resettle in Milwaukee every two weeks to inquire about the status of his wife's refugee case.

The answer is always the same — nothing to report.

“My wife is always asking me: ‘Is there news?'" said Sibhatu, who talks to her daily over a messaging app. “It's very tough. How would you feel if you were separated from your husband? It's not easy. I don't know what to say to her."

He said the couple fled Eritrea's authoritarian government and went to neighboring Ethiopia, which hosts more than 170,000 Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers. Between 2017 and 2019, his wife, Ruta, was interviewed, vetted and approved to be admitted to the United States as a refugee. Then everything came to a halt.

Sibhatu, who works as a machine operator at a spa factory, sends her about $500 every month to cover her living expenses in Ethiopia.

“I worry about her, about her life," Sibhatu said, noting Ethiopia's spiraling violence and the pandemic. “But there is nothing we can do."

Mary Flynn, a Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service caseworker, said she wishes she could give him another answer when he calls.

“It's heartbreaking," she said.

___

Lee reported from Washington.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — They've been fighting in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania over the cutoff date for counting mailed ballots, and in North Carolina over witness requirements. Ohio is grappling with drop boxes for ballots as Texas faces a court challenge over extra days of early voting.

Measuring the anxiety over the November election is as simple as tallying the hundreds of voting-related lawsuits filed across the country in recent months. The cases concern the fundamentals of the American voting process, including how ballots are cast and counted, during an election made unique by the coronavirus pandemic and by a president who refuses to commit to accepting the results.

The lawsuits are all the more important because President Donald Trump has raised the prospect that the election may wind up before a Supreme Court with a decidedly Republican tilt if his latest nominee is confirmed.

“This is a president who has expressed his opposition to access to mail ballots and has also seemed to almost foreshadow the inevitability that this election will be one decided by the courts,” said Kristen Clarke, executive director of the National Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

That opposition was on display Tuesday during the first presidential debate when Trump launched into an extended argument against mail voting, claiming without evidence that it is ripe for fraud and suggesting mail ballots may be “manipulated.”

“This is going to be a fraud like you’ve never seen,” the president said of the massive shift to mail voting prompted by the pandemic.

The lawsuits are a likely precursor for what will come afterward. Republicans say they have retained outside law firms, along with thousands of volunteer lawyers at the ready. Democrats have announced a legal war room of heavyweights, including a pair of former solicitors general.

The race is already regarded as the most litigated in American history, due in large part to the massive expansion of mail and absentee voting. Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt, a former Justice Department elections official, has tallied some 260 lawsuits arising from the coronavirus. The Republication National Committee says it's involved in more than 40 lawsuits, and a website operated by a chief Democrat lawyer lists active cases worth watching in about 15 states.

Democrats are focusing their efforts on multiple core areas — securing free postage for mail ballots, reforming signature-match laws, allowing ballot collection by third-parties like community organizations and ensuring that ballots postmarked by Election Day can count. Republicans warn that those same requests open the door to voter fraud and confusion and are countering efforts to relax rules on how voters cast ballots this November.

“We're trying to prevent chaos in the process,” RNC chief counsel Justin Riemer said in an interview. “Nothing creates more chaos than rewriting a bunch of rules at the last minute.”

But there have been no broad-based, sweeping examples of voter fraud during past presidential elections, including in 2016, when Trump claimed the contest would be rigged and Russians sought to meddle in the outcome.

Some of the disputes are unfolding in states not traditionally thought of as election battlegrounds, such as Montana, where there is a highly competitive U.S. Senate race on the ballot. A judge Wednesday rejected an effort by Trump’s reelection campaign and Republican groups to block counties from holding the general election mostly by mail.

But most of the closely watched cases are in states perceived as up-for-grabs in 2020 and probably crucial to the race.

That includes Ohio, where a coalition of voting groups and Democrats have sued to force an expansion of ballot drop boxes from more than just one per county. Separately on Monday, a federal judge rejected changes to the state's signature-matching requirement for ballots and ballot applications, handing a win to the state’s Republican election chief who has been engulfed with litigation this election season.

In Arizona, a judge's ruling that voters who forget to sign their early ballots have up to five days after the election to fix the problem is now on appeal before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld a six-day extension for counting absentee ballots in Wisconsin as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. The ruling gave Democrats in the state at least a temporary victory in a case that could nonetheless by appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In neighboring Michigan, the GOP is suing to try to overturn a decision that lets the state count absentee ballots up to 14 days after the election.

In battleground North Carolina, where voters are already struggling with rules requiring witness signatures on absentee ballots, the RNC and Trump’s campaign committee have sued over new election guidance that will permit ballots with incomplete witness information to be fixed without the voter having to fill out a new blank ballot.

In Iowa, the Trump campaign and Republican groups have won a series of sweeping legal victories in their attempts to limit absentee voting, with judges throwing out tens of thousands of absentee ballot applications in three counties. This week, another judge upheld a new Republican-backed law that will make it harder for counties to process absentee ballot applications.

Pennsylvania has been a particular hive of activity.

Republican lawmakers asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to put a hold on a ruling by the state's highest court that extends the deadline for receiving and counting mailed-in ballots. Republicans also object to a portion of the state court’s ruling that orders counties to count ballots that arrive during the three-day extension period even if they lack a postmark or legible postmark.

Meanwhile in federal court, Republicans are suing to, among other things, outlaw drop boxes or other sites used to collect mail-in ballots.

The Supreme Court itself has already been asked to get involved in several cases, as it did in April, when conservative justices blocked Democratic efforts to extend absentee voting in Wisconsin during the primary.

There is, of course, precedent for an election that ends in the courts. In 2000, the Supreme Court settled a recount dispute in Florida, effectively handing the election to Republican George W. Bush.

Barry Richard, a Florida lawyer who represented Bush during that litigation, said there's no guarantee the Supreme Court will want to get involved again, or that any lawsuit over the election will present a compelling issue for the bench to address.

One significant difference between then and now, he said, is that neither candidate raised the prospect of not accepting the results.

“There was never any question, in 2000, about the essential integrity of the system. Neither candidate challenged it," Richard said. "Nobody even talked about whether or not the losing candidate would accept the results of the election. That was just assumed."

_____

Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP

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SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) — Nikki and Kevin Conant returned to their home in Northern California wine country Wednesday to find only the charred remains of their home and burned pieces of the wine barrels they used to repurpose into custom-made art and furniture.

“It was like a part of me is gone, burned up in the fire. Everything we built here, everything we made here is gone," Nikki Conant said.

The couple, both 52, were preparing to evacuate Sunday when they saw an orange glow in the hills near their Santa Rosa rental home. Within 45 minutes, they could hear the trees crackling and propane tanks exploding as the blaze reached their community. They jumped in their car, and for what seemed like an eternity they were stuck in bumper-to- bumper traffic.

“I thought we were going to burn alive. I really did. It was horrible,” Nikki Conant said.

Nikki sobbed Wednesday when she spotted her now-burned chicken coop. Her twelve beloved chickens all died in the fire. All the tools for their repurposing business were gone, too.

The Conants are among more than 70,000 people still under evacuation orders in the wine region north of San Francisco where the Glass Fire has incinerated at least 80 homes along with winery installations and other buildings.

Flames were continuing to tear through the region's rolling pastures and tree-dotted hills, toppling renowned wineries and restaurants.

“Every time we try to construct some control lines, the fire is outflanking us, so we have to pull back," Cal Fire Chief Mark Brunton said.

Firefighters were also warily watching for “violent" winds expected to return to the Napa-Sonoma area late Wednesday, with continuing extreme heat and low humidity. Officials said they were requesting more fire crews to join 2,000 firefighters battling the blaze that has charred 76 square miles (197 square kilometers) with almost no containment.

Pacific Gas & Electric also cut power to another 3,100 customers in Napa County at the request of firefighters, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported.

Numerous studies in recent years have linked bigger wildfires in America to global warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas, especially because climate change has made California much drier. A drier California means plants are more flammable.

Some Northern Californians say they are getting fed up with the annual evacuations and fire fears and are thinking of leaving. Despite their latest harrowing experience, the Conants said they plan to stay.

Their landlord already told them the home will be rebuilt and offered them a trailer to stay at on the land while the house is finished, Nikki Conant said.

“This is home,” she said, referring to the Santa Rosa area. “I was born and raised here, my family is here. I don’t have the heart to just give up and leave the area.”

The massive blazes are also becoming harder to fight. On Wednesday, officials said wind-whipped flames led two firefighters to deploy the emergency fire shelters they carry in case of imminent danger from flames

The firefighters were assigned to the Glass Fire in Napa County on Sunday when gusty off-shore winds fanned the fire, forcing them to deploy the shelters after flames overwhelmed them. The firefighters covered themselves on the ground with the space blanket-looking devices. They were not injured, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

It’s the third time fire crews have had to deploy their fire shelters this month — a last-resort effort to save their lives that was once uncommon. On Sept. 8, 14 firefighters deployed emergency shelters as flames overtook them and destroyed the fire station they were defending in the Los Padres National Forest. Three firefighters were hospitalized and later released. A day later, a crew fighting a deadly blaze in Butte County was overrun by flames when winds shifted; its members escaped with only minor injuries after deploying emergency shelters.

About 150 miles (241 kilometers) to the north of wine country, the Zogg Fire, which also erupted during Sunday’s high winds and grew quickly, has killed four people, Shasta County Sheriff Eric Magrini said.

A man evacuated with severe burns Sunday died at a hospital of his injuries Tuesday, Magrini said. Three others died Sunday.

The deadly blaze that spread to neighboring Tehama County has burned 81 square miles (210 square kilometers) and destroyed 146 buildings, about half of them homes. It was 7% contained.

The Glass and Zogg fires are among nearly 30 wildfires burning in California. Fire-related deaths in California this year total 30.

___

Rodriguez reported from San Francisco. Associated Press writer Juliet Williams also contributed to this story.

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NEW YORK (AP) — An heir to the Seagram’s liquor fortune was sentenced Wednesday to an 81-month prison term and immediately thrown behind bars for her role as an unwavering benefactor of Keith Raniere, the disgraced self-improvement guru convicted of turning women into sex slaves who were branded with his initials.

U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis gave Clare Bronfman the harsh sentence at a hearing lasting more than three hours and featuring emotional statements from several victims gathered in a courtroom under strict coronavirus safety protocols. The judge repeatedly scolded Clare Bronfman for standing by Raniere and his upstate New York organization, even after the evidence made clear she eventually became aware of his sex-trafficking scheme.

With that knowledge, she “could have distanced herself from him,” the judge said, his bench fitted with a sheet of plexiglass. “Instead, she chose to double down on her support of Raniere.”

Before hearing the sentence, the 41 year-old Bronfman had told the judge in a soft voice that she was thankful for the prayers of her supporters.

“It doesn’t mean I haven’t made mistakes because I have made mistakes,” said Bronfman without mentioning Raniere.

The sentence far exceeded the three years probation sought by the defense and even the five years the government wanted for Bronfman, who had been under home confinement. She also was fined $500,000.

Bronfman, 41, admitted in a guilty plea last year that she harbored someone who was living in the U.S. illegally for unpaid “labor and services” and that she committed credit card fraud on behalf of Raniere. But her lawyers had argued she deserved leniency because she had no direct involvement in the case's most disturbing allegations against the 60-year-old Raniere.

At trial where Rainere was found guilty last year, prosecutors told jurors his organization, NXIVM — pronounced NEHK-see-uhm — operated like a cult whose members called him “Vanguard.” To honor him, the group formed a secret sorority comprised of brainwashed female “slaves” who were branded with his initials and forced to have sex with him, the prosecutors said.

Bronfman had long been affiliated with NXIVM, giving away tens of million of dollars to bankroll Raniere and his program of intense self-improvement workshops that prosecutors labeled a pyramid scheme. Ex-followers told the judge on Wednesday that for years, Bronfman has used her wealth to try to silence NXIVM defectors.

Barbara Bouchey, a former Raniere girlfriend who worked as a financial planner for Bronfman before quitting the group, described how Bronfman used lawyers to threaten litigation and seek false criminal charges. She claimed the harassment has continued even as the defendant was approaching sentencing.

“You’ve been under house arrest for two years, yet you have never stopped,” Bouchey said through tears. “Will you never stop?”

A victim of the forced-labor scheme, an immigrant who didn’t give her name, described how Bronfman lured her into the group with the promise of a good job, only to find herself being threatened with visa problems if she didn’t do menial chores for little pay and endure Raniere’s exploits.

At one point, Bronfman addressed the woman directly, saying, “I truly hope you can forgive me and live a happy life.” The judge berated Bronfman for the remark while imposing the sentence, suggesting it fit an unchecked pattern of manipulation that left him “speechless.”

Along with Bronfman, Raniere’s teachings won him the devotion of Hollywood actresses like Allison Mack of TV’s “Smallville.” Mack also has pleaded guilty and, like Rainere, is awaiting sentencing.

As part of a plea agreement, Bronfman agreed to forfeit $6 million from a fortune prosecutors have said is worth $200 million.

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- There's not much Democrat Joe Biden and Republican President Donald Trump have in common. Except now, both can say they've been nominated for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

Chris Bryant, member of Parliament of the United Kingdom, told the London Evening Standard he nominated Biden for using the positive power of word instead of resorting to rhetoric that could lead to violence.

“When others have resorted to violent solutions, he has argued that the best force is the force of argument," Bryant told the Standard. “Because guns can stop a heart but well-placed words can change many hearts, and many hearts can change a world.”

This week, it was announced President Donald Trump received his third nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, this time from Australian law professors, on the basis of the “Trump Doctrine” of foreign policy.

Trump's two prior Nobel Prize nominations came from a member of the Norwegian Parliament for the historic Middle East peace deal, and from a member of the Swedish Parliament, for helping to normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo.

Nominations can be made by a select group of people and organizations, including national lawmakers, heads of state and certain international institutions. In 2020, the committee received 318 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize, of which 211 are individuals and 107 are organizations.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama was awarded the prize in 2009 only months into his first term, a move many felt was premature. The Norwegian committee said it honored Obama for his commitment to “seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.”

Last year, Trump predicted he would win the Nobel Prize “for a lot of things if they gave it out fairly, which they don’t.”

The Norwegian Nobel Committee doesn’t publicly comment on nominees. Under its rules, the information is required to be kept secret for 50 years.

The Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded in December.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Border industry is poised for explosive growth in the next few years, as companies take heed of lessons learned in the COVID-19 pandemic and relocate more production to North America, trade experts say.

Many U.S. manufacturers who get supplies from China experienced delays during the pandemic, which added to brewing concerns over already tense trade relations between both countries.

“We have a huge number of U.S. companies doing business with China. […] Any number of consumer goods come from China but all those companies are coming under the realization that there is trade tensions that are going to continue regardless of who wins the (U.S. presidential) election,” said Alan Russell, CEO and co-founder of Tecma Group, which runs 50 manufacturing facilities in Mexico and the U.S.

The specter of trade tariffs or another pandemic cutting into Asia-based production is making many manufacturers who sell parts, materials or goods in the United States consider moving at least some of their operations closer to their target market, he and others say.

“So, if you are going to supply North America with a product, you need to have a significant portion of your production in North America,” Russell said. “And where are you going to go? You are going to go to a border city. So, for the next three to five years, I unconditionally see an unprecedented growth in opportunity at these border zones.”

Russell spoke Wednesday at a virtual U.S.-Mexico trade forum sponsored by Sister Cities International. Experts from both sides of the border say the economic recovery in the manufacturing sector amid the COVID-19 pandemic has been surprisingly  swift.

“We share much more with Mexico than just a border. We share economy, workforce, consumer markets, and integrated supply chains,” said Paola Avila, vice president for international business at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. “The recovery is also interdependent. Supply chains have really shown their strength. (Manufacturing) is bouncing back.”

Cities like San Diego, where thousands of trucks carrying components and goods manufactured in Tijuana cross into the United States, and El Paso, which shares a border with Juarez and its 300 or so U.S.-run factories, are riding the coattails of this industrial recovery.

“We have seen what appears to be a V-shaped recovery, which is quite shocking,” said David Coronado, director of international bridges for the City of El Paso. “We were expecting a slow recovery. When you look back at the Great Recession, we had a long downturn and a long recovery. Here it’s been month-to-month … a really fast recovery and positive signs for the region.”

In El Paso, commercial traffic is approaching pre-coronavirus levels. "We hit bottom in April. Since then, we've seen a recovery in cargo truck traffic but we're still not back to normal," Coronado said.

Maquiladoras leading the recovery

The key to the border's quick industrial turnaround lies in keeping going the U.S.-run plants in Mexico that employ hundreds of thousands of workers.

"We are back to 110% from where we were before the COVID outbreak. It’s an amazing recovery that you could never guess or expect, but we’re back to 100% of our full complement," Russell said.

The Mexican government curtailed economic activity in the spring to contain the pandemic. However, maquiladoras that make auto parts, medical equipment or aerospace components -- which together account for most of the production in Juarez -- were labeled as essential businesses and resumed most of their operations on June 1.

A few COVID-19 outbreaks were reported, and in Juarez at least 25 workers died. However, Russell said health issues have been resolved and production is on high gear.

"We've gone three months without a single case," he said. "We have factories with 11,000 people and we have a total of 20 suspicious cases in Tijuana and 24 in Juarez. What we call a suspicious case is someone getting off a bus or coming into the factory and having a high temperature."

Russell said he's sensitive to the pandemic because he came down with COVID-19 himself back in March.

"We treat vulnerables in a different way. Most are still at home and we continue to pay them, provide them health education and all," he said. "We are passionate in our way forward with (COVID-19) protocols and protecting our vulnerable. Everybody else gets back to work. […] I feel with the protocols we have proven we can go back to work full steam ahead."

Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the United States-Mexico border.

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WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — Dr. Deborah Birx, global health expert and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, speaks exclusively to anchor Marni Hughes Wednesday night only on NewsNation.

Hughes asks Birx about the safety of children returning to schools for in-person learning; the real story behind reports that the White House and task force members pressured the CDC to relax school reopening guidelines; the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine and if children will receive the same vaccine as adults; and what the biggest misconception is about the virus.

Watch Hughes’ full interview with Birx only on NewsNation at 8/7c. If you miss it in primetime on WGN America, check NewsNationNow.com or the free NewsNation Now app later this evening to watch the full interview.

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - Tuesday's presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden was seen by many as one of the few remaining opportunities for the incumbent president to erode the lead of his Democratic challenger.

Mr. Trump hasn't climbed above 44 percent support since April, according to Real Clear Politics' average of the national polls. The former vice president has hovered in the 48 to 51 percent range since late May. Currently, Biden holds a gap of over six percent of potential voters on average, according to RCP's average.

Few likely election scenarios tested by FiveThirtyEight and others show Mr. Trump claiming both a popular vote and an Electoral College victory in November. A far more likely scenario is something similar to 2016, where the president would edge close enough that he would be able to cross the 270 vote total needed in the Electoral College while again losing the popular vote, likely by millions of ballots. But most pundits say Biden's lead is wider than Hillary Clinton's was at this point four years ago, and that both the national and state polls would likely need to shift toward Trump over the next month for the odds of an upset to match 2016.

Wednesday is typically a heavy reporting day for state-level polling in key battlegrounds, but relatively little new info was released this week as pollsters try to account for the verbal sparring voters witnessed at Tuesday's debate.

What little evidence there is from Tuesday night is not favorable for Mr. Trump. In a recap Ipsos panel from before and after the debates, the president's consistent interruptions were not viewed favorably.

"Only about one-third said Trump’s performance was “somewhat good” or “very good,” and 50 percent said it was “very poor," reports the staff of FiveThirtyEight. "Biden’s performance was more positively received, with around 60 percent saying they thought he performed well."

A CBS survey found that 48 percent of poll watchers felt that Biden won while only 40 percent thought Trump was victorious.

While we don't have debate numbers fully baked into national polls yet, numbers released by Rasmussen and USC/Dornsife on Wednesday indicated an eight-point edge for Biden, slightly above the Real Clear Politics running average of 6.4 percent.

Earlier this month, FiveThirtyEight Editor-In-Chief Nate Silver tweeted out his projected likelihood of Electoral College victory based on popular vote margin. According to Silver, a win of more than six points in the popular vote would virtually guarantee that Biden wins the Electoral College.

Chance of a Biden Electoral college win if he wins the popular vote by X points:

0-1 points: just 6%!
1-2 points: 22%
2-3 points: 46%
3-4 points: 74%
4-5 points: 89%
5-6 points: 98%
6-7 points: 99%

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) September 2, 2020

For perspective, Real Clear Politics showed Clinton leading by 3.2 points nationally on election day in 2016, but she ended up winning the popular vote by just 2.1 percent. That margin was close enough to make a state-level upset a more realistic proposition.

Four consecutive weeks of planned debates between the candidates on the Republican and Democratic tickets could create some new movement in the polls. It's not clear yet whether Tuesday night's performance will help or hurt Trump in national polling. The looming confirmation battle of over a third Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justice could also inject new volatility in the weeks ahead.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Well-known right-wing protester and Proud Boys member Alan Swinney is spending the morning in police custody in Oregon, according to Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt.

Portland police arrested Swinney shortly after 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning -- weeks after an indictment was issued on September 11. The 50-year-old is facing 12 total charges, including multiple counts of assault. He also faces charges that include unlawful use of a weapon, pointing a firearm at another person and unlawful use of mace.

According to the district attorney's office, the indictment alleges Swinney fired a paintball gun at another person at a protest on August 15. That paintball shot caused physical harm to the individual. He is also accused of unlawfully using mace or a similar substance against another person and attempting to assault others on the same day.

Swinney also allegedly used the same substance while attending a pro-Trump rally in Portland on August 22. Videos posted on social media show he pointed a paintball gun at counter-protesters on the same day -- at one point, firing off a paintball and hurting another person once again, authorities say.

A short time later, more videos were posted that captured Swinney allegedly aiming a real gun into the crowd. No shots were fired, but he is now facing charges stemming from the incident and his other actions throughout the day.

On Tuesday afternoon, Swinney posted to Twitter asking for people to donate to a fund in order to help him with legal fees.

"Help me fight these people," he tweeted. "Every retweet makes a terrorist lose his or her mind."

Swinney's arrest comes the morning after the first presidential debate of 2020, in which Donald Trump declined to condemn violence from his supporters. Instead, he told the Proud Boys to "stand back" and "stand by."

In early September, Swinney was sued for $250,000 after allegedly shooting a woman in the chest with a paintball gun during the August 22 rally in Portland.

According to court documents, Meg McLain said she was peacefully observing a rally outside the Justice Center on the afternoon of August 22. Shortly before 1 p.m., a man at the rally, identified as Alan Swinney, allegedly “opened fire” and intentionally shot her in the chest with a paintball. In the lawsuit she filed on Monday, McLain says this caused her pain, discomfort, distress and interfered with daily life activities.

Court documents included a photo of a paint-stained jacket McLain was wearing at the time along with a photo of a large, red welt on one of McLain’s breasts, which she says was a result of the paintball.

McLain attested that she quickly notified police of the incident but they did not arrest Swinney. Documents also included a screenshot of a social media post they say is from Swinney — in which he says, in part, “Whoever’s in charge in Portland can f—- all the way off. You’re not going to tell me how I can defend myself.”

The lawsuit alleged Swinney has shown a previous history of irresponsible gun ownership, such as “traveling to Oregon to organize substantial and purposefully violent rallies and events.”

The rally where the incident allegedly occurred brought out hundreds of people — eventually prompting federal officers to declare an unlawful assembly. This followed hours of dueling demonstrations between right-wing and left-wing protesters in the downtown area.

A rally organized by members of right-wing groups including Proud Boys was met by counter-protesters around 12:15 pm. Several afternoon skirmishes turned violent, with demonstrators hurling rocks and other items at each other and getting into fights.

One protester filmed a woman being punched allegedly by a member of the Proud Boys.

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WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — One of the nation's top public health officials said going back to the classroom for students across the country depends on each person's actions and is a school-by-school decision.

"Asymptomatic spread is real, we have to protect one another going into the Fall and we have to ensure we get cases down in these communities," Dr. Deborah Birx said in an exclusive interview with NewsNation.

Dr. Birx, a global health expert and White House-appointed Coronavirus response coordinator, said the decision to go back to the classroom should be a very local decision.

"It matters what’s happening in the community and I think that’s why it was clear that local school districts should make that decision based on their local data," she said.

Wearing masks, physically distancing and stopping parties will all help to lower community spread and thus lead to conditions to open in-person learning, according to Dr. Birx.

The public health expert, who is known to bring data and charts to the White House Press Briefing room, said that county-by-county information will be vital to determining when it is safe for students to return.

"Now New York and the New York City area had been in a very good place and what we have to really assure over these next few weeks, it won’t be because of the schools went back, it will be because of this early data coming out of the Bronx and King County that they may have increased community spread again," she said.

Dr. Birx has said lessons learned from nursing homes and prisons have helped to determine that local data on community spread is vital to determining what to do about schools.

"Everybody in the community needs to work together to stop the spread," she said.

It's not just the classroom. Many parents and high school athletes want to know what's next for sports. As NewsNation reported on Tuesday, some parents have turned to protests and even legal action over high school football.

According to a map from the National Federation of State High School Associations, six states have no Fall competition, 14 have no changes and 31 have modified seasons.

Dr. Birx said she has been traveling across the country since the end of June and discussing Fall sports with college and high school athletic leaders. She said it's not just teachers who should be thanked during the pandemic.

"There have been facility managers and staff rearranging these classrooms and working every day at the universities to really ensure that they’re taking the best CDC guidance and applying it in the classroom and in the sports programs to really not only protect the students but also protect the coaches and staff," she said.

Birx said it's not just the precautions related to gameplay, but even the details of concessions and bathrooms.

The full interview will air Wednesday at 9/8 p.m. (CT) on WGN America.

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met on Wednesday but were unable to reach an agreement on a coronavirus aid package.

House Democrats plan to vote Wednesday evening on a $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package that will be likely rejected by the GOP-controlled Senate.

It's unclear if a possible GOP package would include another round of $1,200 direct payments to most Americans. President Donald Trump has gone on record saying he supports additional checks.

Now, the big question is whether Pelosi will budge by $800 million.

When asked Tuesday if she'd come down from her current position of $2.2 trillion, Pelosi told CNN's Manu Raju that her figure is "what meets the needs of the American people.”

The deal offered by Mnuchin is similar to the pricetag of a package proposed two weeks ago by the Problem Solvers Caucus. The figure of $1.5 trillion was loosely endorsed by Trump.

"I like the larger amount," Trump said after the bipartisan proposal was released. "Some of the Republicans disagree, but I think I can convince them to go along with that. I like the larger number. I want to see people get money; it wasn't their fault that this happened."

The newest $2.2 trillion Pelosi-backed measure would send a second round of $1,200 direct payments to most individuals and revive a $600-per-week pandemic jobless benefit. It would scale back an aid package to state and local governments to a still-huge $436 billion, send a whopping $225 billion to colleges and universities, and deliver another round of subsidies to businesses under the Paycheck Protection Program.

The Democratic proposal represents a cutback from a $3.4 trillion bill that passed the House in May, but remains well above what Senate Republicans are willing to accept. Republicans have endorsed staying in the range of $650 billion to $1 trillion.

“We’ve come down $1 trillion, and they need to come up because we have to crush this virus,” Pelosi said Monday on MSNBC. “It takes money to crush the virus. It takes money to make the schools safe. It takes money to put money in people’s pockets.”

Pelosi said during an interview with CNN Sunday that she expects her conversations with the Trump administration are in "good faith."

"I trust Secretary Mnuchin to represent something that can reach a solution, and I believe we can come to an agreement," Pelosi said.

Talks over the summer broke down in acrimony and name-calling, and conversations this month haven’t produced visible progress. Even if the rival sides could agree on a “top line” figure from which to negotiate details, dozens of difficult issues would remain to be sorted out.

For instance, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is insisting that a liability shield against potential lawsuits brought against businesses, schools and universities that reopen during the pandemic be part of the legislation. Pelosi opposes the idea and didn’t include it in Monday’s legislation.

Democrats say the purpose of the new draft legislation is to show good faith and spark a more meaningful round of talks. But it also comes after party moderates and “front line” lawmakers in swing districts protested that Democratic leaders were being too inflexible.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

from WAVY.com https://ift.tt/2EO3uEn

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- Hours after declining to condemn white supremacist groups and their role in violence in some American cities this summer, President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday he's always denounced white supremacist groups.

The president made headlines during Tuesday's debate when he was challenged to denounce white supremacist groups and told the far-right extremist group called the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”

"I don’t know who the Proud Boys are," Trump told reports Wednesday. "They have to stand down. Let law enforcement do their work."

“Proud Boys” is a male-only group of neo-fascists that describes themselves as “western chauvinists." They have been known to incite street violence.

In his 40-second exchange with reporters Wednesday, Trump doubled down on changing the subject to antifa again saying "the problem is on the left." He also called on Democratic rival Joe Biden to condemn the group.

Biden labeled antifa, which stands for the anti-fascist movement, “an idea, not an organization.”

Trump, a Republican, has tried to tie incidents of violence that have accompanied largely peaceful protests to Biden and the Democrats, running on a “law and order" message that warns people won't be safe under a Democratic president. It's a message aimed squarely at white suburban voters, including women who voted for Trump in 2016 but may not do so again.

“What we saw was a dog whistle through a bullhorn,” California Sen. Kamala Harris, Biden’s running mate, said on MSNBC after the debate. “Donald Trump is not pretending to be anything other than what he is: Someone who will not condemn white supremacists.”

Proud Boys leaders and supporters later celebrated the president’s words on social media. A channel on Telegram, an instant messaging service, with more than 5,000 of the group’s members posted “Stand Back” and “Stand By” above and below the group’s logo.

Biden has said he decided to run for president after Trump said there were “very fine people" on both sides of a 2017 protest led by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a counterprotester was killed.

Trump said Tuesday that Biden was afraid to say the words “law and order" and pressed him to give examples of law enforcement groups that back his campaign. Biden didn't name any, but said he's in favor of “law and order with justice, where people get treated fairly."

At another point in the debate, when discussing a Trump administration move to end racial sensitivity training in the federal government, Biden directly called Trump a racist. He also accused him of trying to sow racist hatred and racist division in the country.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) -- The president's call Tuesday night for election monitors is part of a plan launched months ago as the GOP is trying to find 50,000 people to serve as election monitors.

"I'm urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully because that's what has to happen. I am urging them to do it," said Trump during a chaotic debate Tuesday night at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Not monitors, but supporters for Trump, showed up at a polling place in Fairfax County this month to hold a rally. While Trump claims he is trying to prevent voting fraud, some Democrats say Trump supporters are trying to intimidate voters. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, in a teleconference call with reporters, described crude efforts to intimidate early in-person voters in Virginia.

"We've already seen some of that in early voting in Virginia- efforts by some of the president's supporters to try to get in people's faces -- without masks and yell and shout at them -- sort of like superspreaders [who are] trying to dissuade them from voting," said Sen. Kaine.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, in Virginia a monitor must be a registered voter; only one person per party per polling place can be present at a given time but no more than three total for any organization. Independent candidates can also appoint a poll-watcher. Virginia also prohibits candidates from serving as poll watchers.

Bill Curtis, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia Beach, is working to recruit 100 people to serve as monitors on Election Day.

Curtis, a former Naval officer, told 10 On Your Side he assures the people of Hampton Roads that all rules will be followed when his recruits show up at the polls on Election Day.

"Precinct monitoring happens every election; it's just a cyclical process that we go through. So, there's nothing new or unusual about this," said Curtis.

York County Registrar Walt Latham told 10 on Your Side poll watchers, officially called authorized representatives, must be officially designated by their party chair.

"If they observe issues in the polling places, they should work with the chief of the polling place to resolve those issues," said Latham.

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• Yes, Virginia, there are partisan election monitors
• 'Cake Boss’ star Buddy Valastro fears he won't bake again after grisly bowling injury
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• Hampton Fire honors longtime member, one of first female Hampton Police Division officers
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"Cake Boss" star Buddy Valastro says he worries he won't be able to return to baking after a horrific bowling accident earlier this month left him with severe injuries requiring multiple surgeries.

Valastro, who is recovering at home in Montville, N.J., told People he was informed that a "long road to recovery" likely awaits him.

"I have a thing with my hands," he said. "If I get a paper cut on my hand, I'm pissed off. My hands to me are my lifeline of everything I do, and I wonder, ‘Am I ever going to do what I used to be able to do?’ ”

Valastro was bowling with his family Sept. 20 when there was a malfunction with the bowling pinsetter. During an interview on the TODAY show, Valastro explained how the accident happened.

“The machine was stuck … and I went behind to fix the machine,” Valastro told the TODAY Show. “Before you know it … I turned my head for a second, and my right hand got wedged between a fork. And then this other rod that goes through the fork … pierced through my middle finger and my ring finger. And it was not a sharp object. It was blunt … it just blew out half my hand.”

The 1-1/2-inch metal rod impaled his hand three times.

.@CakeBossBuddy, star of “Cake Boss,” is recovering after two surgeries to treat a severe injury he suffered after his hand was caught in a pin-setting machine in his home bowling alley. He joins us along with his son, Buddy Jr., to give an update on his recovery. pic.twitter.com/Istcqfy2m8

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 28, 2020

“There was blood everywhere … and I was stuck," Valastro said. "The machine … was going back and forth. But something told me to stay calm. And I told my sons … you got to get me off the machine.”

Valastro then told his sons to go get a saw and pliers. Valastro’s brother, who is a fireman, and Valstro's two sons used a saw to cut through the metal rod and free Valastro’s hand from the machine. 

Valastro told ET Monday that the accident left him with "severe nerve damage, severe tendon damage and severe muscle damage" as well as a shattered thumb.

"I might not ever be able to pipe again. I don't know," he said. "Unfortunately, I might have to learn to do it with my other hand, you just don't know. It's one of those things that only time and rehabilitation will [tell]... and God, really."

The "Cake Boss" star has remained positive throughout, however.

"The prayers and support from all over the world has made me feel so special," Valastro said after getting out of surgery earlier this month. "It makes me want to fight to get better for them. It makes me want to be the man that I was."

from WAVY.com https://ift.tt/3jjUfdU

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - To address the rise in unemployment due to the impacts of the coronavirus, the city of Newport News is helping residents get back to work.

The city has launched the CARES Workforce Assistance Program (C-WAP), to offer residents workforce development training in industries that are in critical need of employees and that pay minimum wages of $13.50 per hour.

The Denbigh Workforce Center located at 14851 Warwick Boulevard, will open to those in need on Monday, October 5.

The city’s goal is to help over 215 residents obtain industry credentials and employment by the end of the year.

"This program underscores our city’s belief in our residents and their limitless potential. By investing in those who call Newport News home, we are transforming their circumstances and helping them begin challenging new careers in high-demand industries, said Mayor McKinley L. Price."

The C-WAP program is orchestrated by the Greater Peninsula Workforce Development Consortium. Residents will be offered training in healthcare, information technology, maritime, construction/trades, and truck driving.

The City of Newport News says courses will be led by certified instructors from the following organizations:

• Centura College (truck driving – CDL)
• Shipper’s Choice (truck driving – CDL)
• Healthcare Training Solutions (healthcare)
• Talent Tech South (information technology)
• Hampton Roads Workforce Council/Virginia Ship Repair (maritime)
• Virginia Technical Academy (construction and trades)

The C-WAP Program is open to Newport News residents over the age of 18. The city said residents must be unemployed or underemployed due to COVID-19 and/or experiencing family hardships resulting from the pandemic.

There is no cost for residents to be involved in the program and participants will graduate with national credentials by December 30.

Many of the programs have rolling application deadlines and residents can contact the organizations directly for specific program information:

• Centura College (truck driving – CDL) – 757-874-2121
• Shipper’s Choice (truck driving – CDL) – 757-896-1155
• Healthcare Training Solutions (healthcare) – 757-405-8498
• Talent Tech South (information technology) – 888-909-1542
• Virginia Ship Repair/ Hampton Roads Workforce Council (maritime) – 757-233-7034
• Virginia Technical Academy (construction and trades) – 757-383-9585

Residents are encouraged to visit the center for additional help such as researching, applying for jobs, resume writing support, information on training and workforce development programs, and to use the computer lab.

The Center will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

For more information on the workforce assistance program, the city says residents may email cwapcoordinator@gmail.com or call 757-354-7764.

---

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• 'Cake Boss’ star Buddy Valastro fears he won't bake again after grisly bowling injury
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• Hampton Fire honors longtime member, one of first female Hampton Police Division officers
• SCOTUS nominee meets with more GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill as Democrats decline meetings

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HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) -- The Hampton Fire Department honored 57-year-old Molly Mugler Williams with a Facebook Post on Wednesday.

Williams died Sept. 26 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis and leukemia.

According to her obituary, Williams was born in Hampton on Feb. 14, 1963, and was a lifelong resident.

"She loved and played softball and basketball before female athletes were fashionable," her family said.

After graduating from Kecoughtan High School, Williams became one of Hampton Police Division’s first female officers. She also worked for fifteen years in the Hampton Treasurer’s Office.

Williams was a member of the Buckroe Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad and enjoyed her membership and camaraderie with the Buckroe Beach Volunteer Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary.

Her greatest love in life was family.

A memorial service for Williams was held on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home.

Expressions of sympathy in Molly's honor can be made in the form of contributions to the Buckroe Beach Volunteer Company Ladies Auxiliary @ P.O. Box 3166, Hampton, VA 23663.

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Latest Posts

• Yes, Virginia, there are partisan election monitors
• 'Cake Boss’ star Buddy Valastro fears he won't bake again after grisly bowling injury
• City of Newport News opens Denbigh Workforce Center to assist unemployed residents amid pandemic
• Hampton Fire honors longtime member, one of first female Hampton Police Division officers
• SCOTUS nominee meets with more GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill as Democrats decline meetings

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FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — A conservative legal group has filed lawsuits challenging a new Virginia law that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The lawsuits filed this week in state and federal court by Alliance Defending Freedom argue that the new law infringes on their clients’ religious freedom.

In one case, a northern Virginia photographer filed a lawsuit in federal court in Alexandria alleging that the law will compel him to photograph same-sex weddings in violation of his religious beliefs.

A spokeswoman for Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said the complaints are under review and that he is committed to fighting discrimination.

Stay with WAVY.com for updates.

---

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• Yes, Virginia, there are partisan election monitors
• 'Cake Boss’ star Buddy Valastro fears he won't bake again after grisly bowling injury
• City of Newport News opens Denbigh Workforce Center to assist unemployed residents amid pandemic
• Hampton Fire honors longtime member, one of first female Hampton Police Division officers
• SCOTUS nominee meets with more GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill as Democrats decline meetings

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(WAVY) -- The pandemic has stopped so many running events over the spring, summer, and now the fall.

J&A Racing is responsible for a lot of them, which is why they're getting creative making them virtual. It's not ideal, but a way to keep on running, training and waiting for in-person racing to resume.

Streets packed with runners, post-race celebrations that last for hours -- those are the hallmarks of J&A Racing, created by Jerry and Amy Frostick.

"We really just want to promote fitness and fun," said Jerry Frostick.

They've been at it since 2003, expanding to seven events in three cities, welcoming more than 50,000 runners into Hampton Roads every year.

Unfortunately, that's not something that can happen in a pandemic.

"Like nothing we could have ever even imagined," said Frostick. "You know, it not only took away our livelihood, but also our passion and our enjoyment of seeing people accomplish things and celebrating, so it's been really, really hard."

The first hit came in March, when just seven days before the big Shamrock Marathon Weekend at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, they had to cancel the race.

Because set-up was already underway, they couldn't offer refunds. They've changed that for upcoming in-person races, like the Norfolk Harbor Half Marathon race weekend.

They've also gotten creative with new, "virtual" challenges, ones that Frostick says people have really supported.

"After 20 years, it's nice knowing that people know that we do care and even in this crazy time, they're still choosing to support us," Frostick said. "I wish we could reach out to each one of them and air hug them or just let me know that sincerely, we really, really appreciate the support."

Frostick says canceling in-person racing has also impacted their charity partners and local businesses, so he's asking for people to continue to extend their support as much as possible, as they work to bring racing back.

"Stay motivated, be kind, be positive, be kind to not just J&A Racing, to small businesses," said Frostick.

Frostick hopes they can hold this year's Shamrock Weekend in March as it would mark their 20th. He also says they are hoping to hold the Bayport Credit Union Surf-n-Santa 5 Miler in December. They are giving themselves until Nov. 15 to make that decision.

---

Latest Posts:

• Yes, Virginia, there are partisan election monitors
• 'Cake Boss’ star Buddy Valastro fears he won't bake again after grisly bowling injury
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) - Emergency child care is making a big difference for some parents during the coronavirus pandemic but many families are still struggling to access these resources.

The Virginia General Assembly is planning to commit more funding to support community sites for school-aged children taking virtual classes while their parents work. The question is how much.

Janet Kelly, mother of three and founder of the foster care non-profit Virginia's Kids Belong, said she knew early on schooling her son Ashton while working remotely wasn't going to work.

"He doesn't really like sitting still," Kelly said. "As I was thinking about it this summer my chest just started to tighten. I was like there is no way this is going to work for him or for me."

Since virtual learning started back up again in Richmond, Kelly has been able to drop her 4th-grader off at Battery Park Christian Church where the YMCA of Greater Richmond is running an emergency child care program for 50 students. It's one of 15 sites the organization is currently operating throughout the region.

"I feel like for the first time since March I can breath," Kelly said

But many parents are still holding their breath.

YMCA Senior Operations Director of Youth Development Pam Smith said many of the communities they serve have waiting lists. As of Wednesday, Smith said Richmond's is 39 families long.

"It's not just the YMCA whose providing student learning support," Smith said. "There just aren't enough spaces for students and so we are furiously working at the YMCA to hire new staff."

Smith said taking on additional supervisors will ensure students are getting more one-on-one support in a safe environment. She said additional funding from the state or federal government could help them pay for that staff and set up new locations.

"Some of our sites have capacities we cannot exceed due to social distancing," Smith said.

Smith said increased funding could also allow them to provide more financial assistance to families who need it.

Kelly said she's paying $33 weekly for the YMCA program. She said it's still an expense that the family wouldn't normally have with in-person learning but it's much less than some private providers she was looking at with costs exceeding $200 weekly.

"That's a really nice car payment or a mortgage. I honestly have no idea how we would've made that happen," Kelly said.

The budget that advanced in Virginia's House of Delegates earlier this week allocates more than $33 million in general funds to support emergency childcare programs--doubling Gov. Ralph Northam's original proposal of $16.6 million. A House Appropriations Committee presentation noted that this will preserve resources after December 30th, when federal CARES Act funding expires.

That presentation also proposed an additional $60 million in stabilization payments to be directed towards childcare providers for younger children in financial jeopardy due to the pandemic. According to the Virginia Department of Social Services, 2,008 programs were reported closed as of September 28--about a third of the state's 6,076 documented providers. Of these programs, VDSS said 903 have said they plan to reopen.

The office of Senate Finance Committee Chair Janet Howell didn't respond Wednesday to clarify the chamber's proposal but a recent presentation shows the body is pitching at least $20 million in additional federal CARES Act funding towards child care stabilization grants.

The House and Senate will have to come to a consensus before the budget can be finalized.

Additional resources could also come from Congress. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine signed onto a letter calling on leadership to include $50 billion for child care in a future COVID-19 relief package. The Child Care is Essential Act--if passed--would grant Virginia approximately $986 million of these funds, according to Kaine's office.

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WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — The U.S. House of Representatives will not vote on a stimulus bill Wednesday night as originally planned, but Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said the two sides reached an agreement on direct payments to Americans if there is a deal.

Mnuchin said on Fox Business Network that the Trump administration would not accept Democrats' proposal for a $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package, and indicated he wanted a deal closer to $1.5 trillion.

"We're not going to do a $2.2 trillion dollar deal," Mnuchin said.

Asked if a compromise of $1.5 trillion would be acceptable, Mnuchin said: "It's in that neighborhood."

The Democratic-controlled House was originally expected to vote Wednesday night on a partisan $2.2 trillion virus relief bill that is strongly opposed by Republicans.

This comes after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Mnuchin met on Capitol Hill Wednesday to negotiate the next aid package. They are delaying to hopefully continue negotiations, sources confirmed to NewsNation.

The House will be proceeding with our vote tonight on the updated #HeroesAct in order to formalize our proffer to Republicans in the negotiations to address the health and economic catastrophe in our country.

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) September 30, 2020

"The House will be proceeding with our vote tonight on the updated #HeroesAct in order to formalize our proffer to Republicans in the negotiations to address the health and economic catastrophe in our country," Pelosi had said on Twitter Wednesday afternoon.

“We made a lot of progress over the last few days. We still don’t have an agreement," Mnuchin said

One of the areas of differences is another round of $1,200 direct stimulus payments, restoring bonus pandemic jobless benefits, speed aid to schools and extend assistance to airlines, restaurants and other struggling businesses.

A $2 trillion relief bill in March passed with sweeping support.

Mnuchin said Wednesday morning that he would tender a new offer resembling a plan released a couple of weeks ago by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. That proposal was previously rejected by Pelosi and other top Democrats as inadequate. It totals about $1.5 trillion and would provide additional jobless benefits if unemployment remains unacceptably high.

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SAN FRANCISCO (NEXSTAR) - If you've been longing for a boba tea emoji to add to your text messages, the anguish is nearly over. A sneak peek at the next Apple operating system indicates that it will feature plenty of new food items and cute animals, but also a number of icons clearly aimed at making messages more inclusive.

As the emojipedia blog was first to report, iOS 14.2 is still testing, but when it is ready for prime time users can expect to find several new emojis that counter existing gender norms. Perhaps most notably, emojis will now exist for men in a wedding veil and women in a tuxedo.

iPhones are about to get 117 new emoji including transgender flag and male bride https://t.co/GsDSHukvIh pic.twitter.com/EPrqs8gHSD

— Mirror Tech (@MirrorTech) September 30, 2020

On the list below you'll also find both men and women bottle-feeding a baby, female Santa, a transgender flag, and a transgender alternative to the common symbols for male and female.

Here Are New Emoji Coming in iOS 14.2. https://t.co/pyeRT4XmyN pic.twitter.com/NSjxXHgIDy

— AppAdvice (@AppAdvice) September 30, 2020

The new emojis were approved by a governing body known as Unicode in January, but each platform vendor has some ability to create its own designs. This beta release is our first full look at what will be available on iPhone, according to Emojipdedia.

The Unicode consortium has previously added skin tones, the LGBT pride flag and multiple genders of various career emojis in an effort to make the icons more representative of all users.

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ALLIANCE, Ohio (KXAN/CNN) -- Joe Biden is responding to Pres. Donald Trump's seeming refusal to disavow white supremacists during Tuesday's Presidential Debate.

During the debate, moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump whether he'd condemn white supremacists and tell them to "stand down" during racially volatile demonstrations across the country.

While Trump responded to Wallace that he was willing to tell them to stand down, Wallace appeared unsatisfied with Trump's answer, urging him to "Say it. Do it. Say it."

"Who would like me to condemn?" Trump asked.

"White supremacists," said Wallace. Biden meanwhile, could be heard saying, "Proud Boys."

Trump responded: "Proud Boys -- stand back and stand by," Trump said. "But I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. Somebody's got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem."

On Wednesday morning, Joe Biden was asked by reporters about Trump's comments and the Proud Boys' celebration of the President's remarks, saying:

"Cease and desist. Cease and desist. The American people will decide who the next president of the United States will be. Period. So I'm urging the American people to go out and vote. Show up... I promise you: if we win this election, the President will step down. It's a lot of bravado. He has no alternative. The American people will not stand for it."

.@mikememoli: Do you have a message for the Proud Boys?

Joe Biden: "Cease and desist. Cease and desist. The American people will decide who the next president of the United States will be. Period ... This is not who we are as Americans.” pic.twitter.com/waqinzRvcQ

— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 30, 2020

Who are the Proud Boys?

The Proud Boys are an all-male far-right group that's been called "extremist" by the Anti-Defamation League and considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The group was founded in 216 by Gavin McInnes and is known for anti-Muslim and disparagement of "apology culture," CNN says.

On Wednesday morning, Trump campaign spokesperson Hogan Gidley told CNN's John Berman that Trump did condemn the Proud Boys, saying, "He wants them to not do the things they say they want to do."

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- Judge Amy Coney Barrett is making her rounds on Capitol Hill after being picked as President Donald Trump's nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Barrett had her first day of meetings with Republican lawmakers on Tuesday. On her second day of meetings Wednesday, she met with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and Georgia Senator David Perdue. Both Republican senators re-affirmed their support for the conservative judge and mom of seven.

Republican women lawmakers also rallied Wednesday around President Trump's pick and encouraged other women - Democrat or Republican - to do the same.

"Folks, this is what a mom can do,” Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) said.

"I just pray that this moment does not tear our country apart,” Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) added.

Loeffler, who met with Barrett on Wednesday, said Trump's nominee will protect the Second Amendment and religious liberties.

Barrett has already met with 18 Republican senators. But many Democrats said they won't sit down with President Trump's selection.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he already knows here she stands.

“She is so far away from where America should be that no discussion will change any of that,” Schumer said Wednesday.

Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) said there is only one thing that will change her mind.

"When the president gives the American people the courtesy of not lying to us every single day, including during a debate last night, I will extend the courtesy to meet with his nominee for a lifetime appointment,” Hirono said.

North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis said if they got to know her, they might feel differently.

“Because if you get to know her, you’d recognize that she’s an outstanding nominee for the Supreme Court," Sen. Tillis said.

Barrett will continue meeting with senators leading up to her confirmation hearing on Oct. 12.

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SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Marine Corps fighter jet collided in mid-air with another plane during a refueling operation in a remote desert area of Southern California Tuesday afternoon. But the pilot ejected and the other aircraft landed safely, the military said.

The F-35B jet collided with a Lockheed Martin KC-130J tanker around 4 p.m., according to a statement from the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in nearby Arizona.

The jet pilot “ejected successfully and is currently being treated," the statement said. It didn't provide other details.

The other plane reportedly had eight crew members on board. None were injured.

The F-35B is a single-seat combat aircraft that can take off and land conventionally and vertically. That plane crashed near the Salton Sea, an inland lake about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of downtown San Diego.

The four-engine turboprop tanker landed in Thermal, a small desert city in Riverside County about 125 miles (200 kilometers) northeast of downtown San Diego.

Photos from the scene posted online by NBC Palm Springs show a military plane on its belly in a farm field near Thermal Airport.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the planes were on a routine mission or a training exercise.

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CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — Results from an early safety study of Moderna coronavirus vaccine candidate in older adults showed that it produced virus-neutralizing antibodies at levels similar to those seen in younger adults, with side effects roughly on par with high-dose flu shots, researchers said on Tuesday.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, offers a more complete picture of the vaccine's safety in older adults, a group at increased risk of severe complications from COVID-19.

The findings are reassuring because immunity tends to weaken with age, Dr. Evan Anderson, one of the study's lead researchers from Emory University in Atlanta, said in a phone interview with Reuters.

The study was an extension of Moderna's Phase I safety trial, first conducted in individuals aged 18-55. It tested two doses of Moderna's vaccine - 25 micrograms and 100 micrograms - in 40 adults aged 56 to 70 and 71 and older.

Overall, the team found that in older adults who received two injections of the 100 microgram dose 28 days apart, the vaccine produced immune responses roughly in line with those seen in younger adults.

Moderna is already testing the higher dose in a large Phase III trial, the final stage before seeking emergency authorization or approval.

Side effects, which included headache, fatigue, body aches, chills and injection site pain, were deemed mainly mild to moderate.

In at least two cases, however, volunteers had severe reactions.

One developed a grade three fever, which is classified as 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit or above, after receiving the lower vaccine dose. Another developed fatigue so severe it temporarily prevented daily activities, Anderson said.

Typically, side effects occurred soon after receiving the vaccine and resolved quickly, he said.

"This is similar to what a lot of older adults are going to experience with the high dose influenza vaccine," Anderson said. "They might feel off or have a fever."

Norman Hulme, a 65-year-old senior multimedia developer at Emory who took the lower dose of the vaccine, said he felt compelled to take part in the trial after watching first responders in New York and Washington State fight the virus.

"I really had no side effects at all," said Hulme, who grew up in the New York area.

Hulme said he was aware Moderna's vaccine employed a new technology, and that there might be a risk in taking it, but said, "somebody had to do it."

For transparency, NewsNation looked into the funding of the study:

"Moderna provided mRNA-1273 for use in this trial but did not provide any financial support. Employees of Moderna collaborated on the development of the protocol, contributed to the Investigational New Drug application, and participated in weekly team meetings regarding the study."

New England Journal of Medicine

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