Obama torches Trump like American democracy depends on it  —  Barack Obama went high.  —  On the third night of the Democratic convention — a word that seems increasingly absurd to describe what is really just two hours of nightly programming from the DNC — the former president delivered …

Putin Critic Alexey Navalny Allegedly Poisoned by Toxin in His Tea  —  The Russian anti-corruption activist was rushed to the hospital in an unconscious state on Thursday morning, according to his press secretary.  —  MOSCOW—Vladimir Putin's nemesis, corruption fighter Aleksey Navalny …

Scoop: Jon Meacham to speak on Democratic convention's last night  —  For the finale of the Democratic National Convention, historian Jon Meacham will speak from Nashville, urging Americans to remember that “history, which will surely be our judge, can also be our guide. ...

For the Democrats' sake, I hope the DNC viewership is low  —  I almost gave tonight's DNC performance a miss. How could they top the fey chap pretending to be a bat while miming to a poor rendition of Buffalo Springfield's 'For What It's Worth' as a collage of kneeling athletes in ‘Black Lives Matter’ t-Shirts flitted by behind him?

Trump embraces QAnon conspiracy because ‘they like me’  —  Tapper: Greene's videos indicate detachment from truth and decency  —  (CNN)After skirting the issue for weeks, President Donald Trump offered an embrace Wednesday of the fringe internet phenomenon QAnon, praising its followers …

The Trump Campaign Accepted Russian Help to Win in 2016.  Case Closed.  —  “Cooperation” or “collusion” or whatever.  It was a plot against American democracy.  —  The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values.

Kemp lashes out at coverage of White House COVID report critical of Georgia  —  Gov. Brian Kemp accused The Atlanta Journal-Constitution of playing “pandemic politics” and sparking panic at a testy press conference Wednesday, a day after a confidential report from President Donald Trump's …

Mail-order chicks are arriving dead, costing Maine farmers thousands of dollars  —  Several Maine poultry farms have received shipments of hundreds of chicks that died while being delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, either because the shipments were delayed or mishandled.  —  RELATED COVERAGE

A 1,000 square foot mosaic of Ida B. Wells is being installed at Union Station in DC  —  (CNN) — It's been 100 years since American women were granted the right to vote.  To commemorate this milestone, a massive mosaic of suffragist and civil rights leader, Ida B. Wells …

Rand Paul: No incentive to open economy “if you soften the amount of suffering”  —  Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told Fox News Wednesday that he opposes Congress passing more stimulus funding because “if you give people money and you make it less painful to be in a recession,” governors “will not have an incentive” to reopen the economy.

Trump Administration Pushes Arms Sale to U.A.E. Despite Israeli Worries  —  The Trump White House is quietly planning sales of F-35 stealth fighters and advanced drones to the Emiratis as part of a wider plan to realign the Middle East, but Israel and Congress may object.

US Warship Arrives in Crete as Greece-Turkey Standoff Escalates  —  ATHENS, GREECE - The massive American warship, the USS Hershel Woody Williams, has arrived in the Greek island of Crete, on a mission to keep an eye on escalating tensions between NATO allies Greece and Turkey over energy rights in the eastern Mediterranean.

How Voters View the Major Parties' Competence Has Hardly Changed Since 2016  —  Nearly four years after Trump's election, voters remain slightly more likely to deem Democrats capable of governing and tackling big issues  — 48% of voters said the Democratic Party is capable of governing …

A Constitutional Weapon for Biden to Vanquish Trump's Army of Judges … We are now less than 90 days away from an election that President Donald Trump is openly attempting to steal.  From that vantage, it may seem premature—bordering on presumptuous—for Democrats to start worrying now about what will happen if Joe Biden wins.

Pompeo's housing request set off legal alarm bells, memo shows  —  In his early months on the job, Mike Pompeo sought an unusual perk for a secretary of State: permission to rent a Washington, D.C.-area house that was controlled by the U.S. military.  —  Pompeo and his aides initially tried …

School Reopenings Linked to Union Influence and Politics, Not Safety  —  School closures have affected over 55 million K-12 students in the U.S. since March as the nation deals with the coronavirus pandemic.  Although numerous private schools and day care centers have adjusted to the pandemic and reopened …

Fearing coronavirus, a Michigan college is tracking its students with a flawed app  —  And students have no way to opt out  —  Schools and universities across the United States are split on whether to open for the fall semester, thanks to the ongoing pandemic.

The GOP Should Shun Laura Loomer  —  Laura Loomer, the far-right gadfly and conspiracy theorist, has prevailed in her bid to become the Republican Party's candidate for Florida's 21st Congressional District.  She will face incumbent Rep. Lois Frankel, a Democrat, in the general election.

Mnuchin Pushed DeJoy Appointment, USPS Pricing Changes  —  Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin met with the United States Postal Service Board of Governors in February to discuss the search for a new Postmaster General as part of his larger campaign to exert influence over the USPS, according to documents obtained by CREW.