STORM LEAVES 2 DEAD IN MIDWEST
IOWA CITY, IOWA» Hundreds of thousands across the Midwest remained without electricity on Tuesday after a powerful storm packing 100 mph winds battered the region a day earlier, causing widespread damage to millions of acres of crops and killing at least two people.
The storm, known as a derecho, tore from eastern Nebraska across Iowa and parts of Wisconsin and Illinois, blowing over trees, flipping vehicles and causing widespread damage to property and crops. The storm left downed trees and power lines that blocked roadways in Chicago and its suburbs. After leaving Chicago, the most potent part of the storm system moved over north central Indiana.
IG: State Department failed to limit civilian deaths from Saudi Arms sales. WASHINGTON» The State Department inspector general issued a report Tuesday criticizing the agency as failing to take proper measures to reduce civilian deaths from American-made bombs used by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the catastrophic Yemen war.
The report, released 14 months after Congress asked the inspector general to start an investigation into the agency’s role in arms sales, “found that the department did not fully assess risks and implement mitigation measures to reduce civilian casualties and legal concerns associated with the transfer” of precision-guided bombs to the Persian Gulf Arab nations.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed the $8.1 billion sale of those munitions, mostly made by Raytheon, despite a two-year bipartisan congressional hold on the proposed transfer of the arms, comprising 22 packages. Pompeo did that by declaring an “emergency” in May 2019 over Iran’s activities in the region.
QAnon supporter wins House primary in Georgia. Conspiracy theorists won a major victory Tuesday as a Republican supporter of the pro-Trump movement QAnon triumphed in her House primary runoff election in Georgia, all but ensuring that she will represent a deep-red district in Congress.
The ascension of Marjorie Taylor Greene, who embraces a conspiracy theory that the FBI has labeled a potential domestic terrorism threat, came as six states held primary and runoff elections Tuesday.
Those races included a Democratic primary challenge to Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who emerged victorious to secure a clean sweep of re-election fights for the group of first-term Democratic congresswomen of color known as “The Squad.”
Virginia man who drove into protesters gets 6 years in prison. A man who prosecutors described as a Ku Klux Klan leader was sentenced to six years in prison after driving into a group of Black Lives Matter protesters outside Richmond, Va., in June.
Harry H. Rogers, 36, was convicted Monday by a judge in Henrico County District Court of six misdemeanors, including assault, destruction of property and hit-and-run charges. He was handed the maximum penalty on each count.