The storm damaged nearly 200 homes in the Dominican Republic and knocked out water supply systems, affecting more than half a million customers. It also downed trees and traffic lights, unleashed a couple of small landslides and left more than two dozen communities isolated by floodwaters. The Bahamas Department of Meteorology said Melissa could bring tropical storm or hurricane conditions to islands in the southeastern and central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands by early next week. Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-normal season with 13 to 18 named storms.

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President Donald Trump warned Saturday he was “watching very closely” to ensure Hamas returns more bodies. CAIRO — Hamas expanded its search for the bodies of hostages in new areas in the Gaza Strip Sunday, the Palestinian group said, a day after Egypt deployed a team of experts and heavy equipment to help retrieve the … Read more

Melissa strengthens into Category 4 hurricane, threatening catastrophic flooding in Jamaica, Haiti

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“I urge Jamaicans to take this weather threat seriously,” said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. KINGSTON, Jamaica — A strengthening Melissa grew into a Category 4 hurricane Sunday and U.S. forecasters said it could reach Category 5 status, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica, … Read more

Trump’s bet pays off as chainsaw-wielding Milei wins big in Argentina midterm election

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“BIG WIN in Argentina for Javier Milei, a wonderful Trump Endorsed Candidate! He’s making us all look good,” U.S. president cheers. Argentinian President Javier Milei’s party scored a decisive win in Sunday’s legislative elections, sparking celebrations from U.S. President Donald Trump. With more than 99 percent of the ballots counted, according to local media, Milei’s … Read more

Virginia Democrats are the next surprising entrant into the redistricting battle

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State lawmakers are launching a rushed effort to overhaul the state’s maps, which currently have a 6-5 split. Virginia Democrats are poised to enter the nationwide redistricting battle, according to three Democrats familiar with the plans, taking on an effort to redraw the state’s congressional lines just days before closely watched elections in the state. … Read more

National Democrats nudge Maryland on redistricting

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The DCCC commissioned a new poll finding that Maryland Democratic voters would respond positively to the move. National Democrats are trying to push recalcitrant Marylanders into redrawing the state’s congressional lines, arguing that the party’s base would support Free State leaders jumping into the nationwide fray. A Change Research polling memo commissioned by the Democratic … Read more

Flights to Los Angeles International Airport halted due to air traffic controller shortage

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LAX is one of the world’s busiest airports. Flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility, the Federal Aviation Administration said Sunday, when the agency also reported staffing-related delays in Chicago, Washington and Newark, New Jersey. The FAA issued a temporary … Read more

A federal judge weighing an appeal in a terrorism case seizes on Trump’s Ellipse speech before Jan. 6 attack

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Stephanie Thacker, an Obama appointee, said a convicted scholar’s speech in a terrorism case and Trump’s remarks sound “the same.” It’s been almost five years since President Donald Trump stood on the Ellipse and exhorted his followers to march on the Capitol as lawmakers were preparing to certify Joe Biden’s election victory. But that jarring … Read more

The East Wing of the White House is gone. Here’s a look at some of the history made there.

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“Tearing down those walls doesn’t diminish the significance of the work we accomplished there.” WASHINGTON — Betty Ford reportedly said that if the White House West Wing is the “mind” of the nation, then the East Wing — the traditional power center for first ladies — is the “heart.” That “heart” beat for more than … Read more

‘King-like powers’: Chris Murphy says Trump prefers the government to remain closed

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The government is heading into its fourth week of a shutdown. Democrats are accusing President Donald Trump and GOP congressional leadership of refusing to negotiate as the country heads into week four of a government shutdown, with one senator saying Trump prefers the government to be closed. In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on … Read more