TRUMP CRITICIZES PUERTO RICO, SAYS NO ON STATEHOOD
President Donald Trump on Monday declared himself an “absolute no” on statehood for Puerto Rico as long as critics such as San Juan’s mayor remain in office, the latest broadside in his feud with members of the U.S. territory’s leadership.
Trump lobbed fresh broadsides at San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, a critic of his administration’s response to hurricanes on the island last year, during a radio interview with Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera that aired Monday.
“With the mayor of San Juan as bad as she is and as incompetent as she is, Puerto Rico shouldn’t be talking about statehood until they get some people that really know what they’re doing,” Trump said in an interview with Rivera’s show on Cleveland’s WTAM radio.
Russia to provide Syria with new S300 air defense missiles.
» Russia announced Monday it will supply Syria’s government with sophisticated S300 air defense systems after last week’s downing of a Russian plane by Syria forces responding to an Israeli air strike, a friendly fire incident that stoked regional tensions.
The Russian Il20 military reconnaissance aircraft was downed by Syrian air defenses that mistook it for an Israeli aircraft, killing all 15 people on board. Russia laid the blame on Israel, saying Israeli fighter jets were hiding behind the Russian plane, an account denied by the Israeli military.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the S300 missile defense systems will be delivered to Damascus within two weeks. Earlier in the war, Russia suspended a supply of S300s, which Israel feared Syria could use against it.
Judge appears likely to toss Stormy Daniels’ defamation suit.
LOS A
NGELES» A federal judge appeared poised Monday to toss out a defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump by porn actress Stormy Daniels.
Judge S. James Otero said in U.S. District Court that a tweet the president wrote in April appears to be “rhetorical hyperbole” and speech protected under the First Amendment. Otero said he would rule later.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, sued Trump in April after he said a composite sketch of a man she said threatened her in 2011 to keep quiet about an alleged affair with the real estate mogul was a “con job.”
Trump tweeted that the man was “nonexistent” and that Daniels was playing the “fake news media for fools.” He retweeted a sidebyside photo comparing the sketch with a photo of Daniels’ husband.
Coroner: L.A. mail carrier died of overheating on broiling day.
The coroner’s office says a Los Angeles mail carrier found dead inside her postal truck amid scorching temperatures died primarily from overheating.
Temperatures reached 117 degrees during the week in July that Peggy Frank died in the Woodland Hills neighborhood.
The Orange County Register reports Monday that the 63yearold died of hyperthermia, or abnormally high body temperature. Investigators say she had preexisting health conditions including obesity and heart disease.
The USPS said in July that its employees undergo required training about working during extreme weather.
Virginia prisons to ban tampons for female visitors.
Women who visit inmates at Virginia prisons will be barred from wearing tampons or menstrual cups under a new policy stemming from concerns about contraband, the state Department of Corrections said Monday.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections said the policy set to become effective next month is aimed at preventing contraband — including drugs —from being smuggled into prisons.