Obama Ponders Afghan 'exit Plan'

“Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) did not directly answer multiple questions about whether he’d accept the results of the 2024 presidential election, regardless of who wins,” NBC News reports. Said Scott: “At the end of the day, the 47th president of the United States will be President Donald Trump.”

A new ABC News/Ipsos poll finds Joe Biden edging Donald Trump among registered voters, 46% to 45%. Among likely voters, it’s Biden 49%, Trump 45%. In a five way race, Trump edges Biden, 42% to 40%, followed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. At 12%, Cornell West at 2% and Jill Stein at 1%.

Israel has ordered the closure of Al Jazeera in the country, a move the Qatar-based news network called a “criminal act,” CNN reports.

“Donald Trump is privately trashing South Dakota’s MAGA Gov. Kristi Noem for executing her puppy and writing about it in her forthcoming memoir — a matter that appears to have closed the book on the idea of selecting her as a vice presidential nominee,” Rolling Stone reports. “During conversations with close political allies and other confidants, sources say, the former president has repeatedly brought up the incident, including as recently as in the past couple days, to criticize Noem and question her political acumen.”

This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. On the evening of August 8, hours after a wildfire ravaged West Maui, Maui County’s top emergency management official, Herman Andaya, texted his secretary to ask about the status of other fires across the island. “Still burning,” she replied.

What if I had grown up as a Palestinian in Gaza? What if you had? Would you still oppose Hamas?