Threats of Violence Against FEMA Workers Hamper Hurricane Aid Effort
Federal aid workers & meteorologists face safety concerns following hurricane conspiracies
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Good morning,
Panda-monium is back! DC’s National Zoo is getting two new giant pandas, Qing Bao, a 3-year-old female, and Bao Li, a 3-year-old male. They’re set to arrive from China at Dulles International Airport this morning.
It’s been just under a year since the zoo’s giant pandas— a huge tourist attraction— returned to China. “Panda diplomacy” began with the Nixon administration, but amid heightened tensions with China, it was unclear if it would continue.
The Biden administration viewed Chinese President Xi Jinping's sending more pandas to the U.S. as a “goodwill gesture.” They’re back on a 10-year lease.
How will they get here? The bears are riding high on FedEx’s Boeing 777 cargo jet— nicknamed the “Panda Express”— with bamboo shoots, carrots, and Chinese cornbread.
Bad news: It’s going to be some time until the bears make their debut to the public. They need to quarantine for a month, and then will need time to adjust to their new habitat and the zookeepers.
Panda news always gives us an excuse to play clips from Anchorman:
Have a good one!
Mosheh, Jill, & Lauren
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📌 HURRICANE CONSPIRACY THEORIES SPUR VIOLENT THREATS
Some FEMA crews had to pause work over the weekend in hard-hit Rutherford County, NC, because of concerns over an armed militia threatening government workers in the region.
On Saturday afternoon, an official with the US Forest Service sent an urgent message to numerous federal agencies “to stand down and evacuate the county immediately” after National Guard troops reportedly spotted armed militias looking for FEMA. Officials said that by Sunday, FEMA personnel were back in place, but no longer visiting storm victims door-to-door.
One man from North Carolina, who officials said was carrying two guns, was arrested Saturday in connection to the threat.
On Sunday, “due to threats occurring in some counties,” some FEMA operations were also paused in Ashe County— but restarted Monday.
THE THREATS
Meteorologists across the US have also reported receiving death threats for their hurricane coverage, accused by conspiracy theorists of helping the government cover up allegations it is creating and routing hurricanes into the US. (That’s not scientifically possible nor logical.) Federal officials have said that the level of public misinformation following Hurricane Helene two weeks ago and Milton last week has been unprecedented. And they have real impacts on workers’ safety and people seeking help.
Lies that government officials planned to seize properties in certain parts of North Carolina and bulldoze bodies under the rubble led some people on social media to implore militias to go after FEMA.
Other false rumors spread that land was being seized by the government to steal valuable lithium mines nearby.
“Stopping misinformation is becoming an exhausting part of the job which is taking away from spending time forecasting or sending out other information that could be helpful,” says Meteorologist Katie Nickolaou.
Riva Duncan, a former Forest Service official who lives in Asheville, said, “It’s terrible because a lot of these folks who need assistance are refusing it because they believe the stuff people are saying about FEMA and the government.”
Here is our interview with a top FEMA official last week, where we discussed the disinformation and its impact.
📌 INSIDE HARRIS’S BLITZ FOR BLACK MALE VOTERS
We are just three weeks until election day, and Vice President Kamala Harris is targeting a group that former President Trump has gained support from over the last four years: Black men.
The latest NBC News poll of registered voters had both candidates getting 48% of the national vote. It is going to boil down to who can rally their base to show up on election day and get that small percentage (4%) of undecided voters. 10% of voters say they still might change their minds.
DAMAGE CONTROL
Looking at the poll numbers, the Harris campaign is seeing getting data that she’s in trouble with Black male voters based on historic numbers. While she will likely win 8 in 10 Black men, that is down from Biden and Clinton numbers in 2020 and 2016. With a razor-thin margin expected to determine the winner, every vote will matter. She’s now launching a new policy agenda with that group in mind.
‘Opportunity Agenda’ for Black Men: On Monday, Harris rolled out a new economic plan aimed directly at Black men. They include:
One million loans that would forgive up to $20,000 to start a business.
Supporting federal marijuana legalization.
New federal rules to protect cryptocurrency assets, which more than 20% of Black Americans own or have owned.
Creating more mentorship and apprenticeship programs.
Investing in research on health issues that disproportionately affect Black people like sickle cell, diabetes and prostate cancer.
Black media: Harris is also being interviewed this week by Black media personalities CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD of “The Breakfast Club” and Justin Carter of “The Shade Room.”
The Obama lecture: Former President Obama hit the campaign trail in the battleground state of Pennsylvania last week. Among his audiences: Black men.
“We have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all parts of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running. Now, I also wanna say that that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers,” he said.
Via: NY Times
THE NUMBERS
A New York Times poll of Black voters found that up to 20% of Black men and 12% of Black women plan to vote for Trump.
The growing support for Trump among Black men comes as the GOP has gained traction with working class white and latino men in recent elections. There is a feeling among some disenchanted Black voters that loyalty to the Democratic party hasn’t paid off in recent years.
Issues like the border, crime and the economy appear to be resonating with the Black Trump supporters.
Across all demographics, the race is deadlocked. Harris had a five point lead a month ago, 49% to 44%, but Trump has regained support among registered voters after last month’s rough debate.
Who shows up: NBC’s poll hypothesized that Trump could beat Harris by two points if more men, white voters and voters without college degrees cast ballots during this election. On the other side, Harris leads Trump by three points if more women, white voters with college degrees and voters of color show up to the polls.
The gender divide: One of the defining features of the election is a historic 30 point gender gap between Harris and Trump, with women supporting Harris by a 14-point margin (55%-41%) and men backing Trump by 16-points (56%-40%).
Rewind to 2016: White suburban women were seen as the reason Hillary Clinton lost to Trump. Now, Black men could be this election’s make-or-break group.
⏳ SPEED READ
🚨NATION
📌 Federal officials say Trump was not in danger after man arrested with illegal weapons near campaign rally in California (CNN)
📌 Trump ends campaign rally early and jams to music playlist with the crowd for 45 minutes (MO NEWS)
📌 Harris to sit down with chief political anchor Bret Baier Wednesday for first formal Fox News interview (FOX NEWS)
📌 Trump campaign tries to push immigration issue over Bill Clinton’s comments on Laken Riley (CNN)
📌 US to send 100 troops to operate anti-missile system in Israel (NBC NEWS)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
📌 China deploys record 125 warplanes in large scale military drill in warning to Taiwan (AP)
📌 India and Canada expel top diplomats over murder accusations (BBC)
📌 North Korea to blow up cross-border roads with South amid drone dispute, Seoul says (REUTERS)
📌 Hezbollah drone attack on army base kills 4 Israeli soldiers and injures dozens (CNN)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
📌 Dow, S&P 500 score record closes to kick off first full week of third-quarter earnings season (MARKETWATCH)
📌 NASA spacecraft is on its way to Jupiter's Europa moon (NPR)
📌 SpaceX pulls off unprecedented feat, grabs descending rocket with mechanical arms (CBS NEWS)
📌 Acting US labor secretary to meet with both sides of Boeing strike after company announces job cuts (REUTERS)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
📌 "Game of Thrones" famed Iron Throne sells for $1.49 million at auction (CBS NEWS)
📌 Lip reader reveals what Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek said to each other during icy fashion show interaction (PAGE SIX)
📌 Sean 'Diddy' Combs accused of sexually assaulting minor, multiple rapes in new civil suits (USA TODAY)
📌 Jelly Roll says he wants to ‘have a conversation’ with the people he robbed 24 years ago (YAHOO)
🗓 ON THIS DAY: OCTOBER 15
1951: Lucille Ball and her real-life husband, Desi Arnaz, starred in ‘I Love Lucy,’ which aired for the first time on American television.
1959: A final conference on the Antarctic Treaty convened. The pact was signed by 12 countries, establishing Antarctica as a demilitarized zone for peaceful purposes and scientific research.
1993: South Africans Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk received the Nobel Peace Prize “for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa.”
2000: Larry David’s ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ premiers on HBO.