Nation and world news in brief for August 30

Federal government restarts parole program for Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela and Nicaragua

(TNS) — The Biden administration is restarting a humanitarian parole program that allows Cubans, Nicaraguans, Haitians and Venezuelans to come to the United States after it temporarily paused it because of fraud concerns.

The Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday that it would start approving travel documents again so people from the four countries could fly to the U.S. under the immigration program, which allows people from the four countries to live and work here for a period of two years if they pass health and background checks.

Homeland Security had announced a halt to the program earlier this month after the review of sponsorship applications had raised worries of fraud. As part of the temporary pause to review applications, it analyzed specific trends to determine whether there had actually been fraud. However, in most cases, the concerns were resolved without further issue, though some cases of fraud or unqualified sponsors were also identified. Only a very small number of people were referred to law enforcement for investigation because of suspected fraud or criminal activity.

The program will now have enhanced security measures such as additional scrutiny of sponsors’ financial records and criminal backgrounds.

Military blames Trump campaign for Arlington Cemetery photo op debacle

(TNS) — The U.S. military rebuked former President Trump’s campaign on Thursday over an “unfortunate” graveside photo op at Arlington National Cemetery, extending the controversy over the politically charged incident.

Trump campaign aides “abruptly pushed aside” an Arlington National Cemetery official when she tried to enforce federal laws and cemetery rules that prohibit campaign activities in some areas of the revered Virginia burial ground.

The incident was reported to the police, but the employee decided not to immediately pursue the matter, reportedly because she fears retaliation from Trump or his supporters.

The Army said it considered the matter closed although it remains to be seen if further investigation may take place.

The incident has raised hackles with some veterans who accuse Trump of intentionally violating federal law and showing a lack of respect for America’s slain heroes who are buried at Arlington.

ABBA demands Donald Trump stop using their music at rallies

(TNS) — ABBA is the latest musical act to go after Donald Trump for the unauthorized use of their music on the campaign trail.

The Swedish pop group behind disco-era hits like “Dancing Queen” and “Mamma Mia” have taken umbrage with the former president playing their songs and videos while stumping for the Oval Office.

The Trump 2024 campaign reportedly played “Dancing Queen,” “Money, Money, Money” and “The Winner Takes It All” at an event in Minnesota in July, according to Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.

Germany tightens weapons and deportation rules after fatal attack

(TNS) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling coalition agreed on a package to strengthen regulations on weapons including knives and to lower hurdles to deport criminal asylum seekers following a deadly knife attack last week.

A Syrian man identified by prosecutors as Issa Al H., who had eluded deportation after a failed asylum application, is in custody accused of carrying out the attack at a festival in the western German city of Solingen on Aug. 23.

Three people were killed and eight injured. The suspect is also accused of being a member of the extremist Islamic State.

“Knives have no place at festivals, sporting events or other public events. That is why there will be a knife ban here,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, a senior member of Scholz’s Social Democrats, told reporters on Thursday.

The package also includes tougher migration rules that would allow authorities to deport teenage asylum seekers if they attack or threaten other people, Justice Minister Marco Buschmann, a member of the co-governing Free Democrats, said at the press conference.

Boeing’s uncrewed Starliner could return by late next week, NASA says

(Reuters) — NASA will proceed with the undocking of the uncrewed Boeing Starliner capsule not before Sept. 6, the space agency said on Thursday after concluding a review.

Last week, the space agency said its two astronauts who flew to the International Space Station (ISS) in the Starliner in June will return to Earth in a SpaceX vehicle early next year.

Starliner’s propulsion system issues were deemed too risky for crewed return after the capsule experienced a series of glitches within the first 24 hours of its flight to the ISS.

The journey back to Earth for the Starliner is expected to take approximately six hours from undocking to landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, NASA said in a blog post.

6 more dead linked to Boar’s Head listeria outbreak

(TNS) — Six new deaths are now linked to a multistate listeria outbreak traced to Boar’s Head deli meat, as new records released by the Food Safety and Inspection Service show the agency found nearly 70 instances of “noncompliances” at the company’s plant in Virginia over the past year.

The six new fatal cases of Listeria monocytogenes infections, or listeriosis, include one person in New York, Florida, Tennessee and New Mexico, as well as two people in South Carolina, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement Wednesday.

That brings the total of reported listeria-linked cases this summer to 57 — the largest listeriosis outbreak since 2011, when 33 people died from eating contaminated cantaloupes.

The announcement comes as new documents released by FSIS, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for the safety of meats, poultry and eggs, found 69 violations at the company’s plant in Jarratt, Virginia.

Trump mocks Harris’ interview, claiming she was incoherent

(NYT) — Even before Vice President Kamala Harris’s interview with CNN aired Thursday night, former President Donald Trump began attacking it.

In the morning, he criticized her for having her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, on hand beside her. After seeing a clip of the interview, he criticized her for rambling “incoherently.” And about half an hour before the interview was broadcast, he told a crowd in Wisconsin that the setting — a table for four at a restaurant in Savannah, Georgia — made Harris look unpresidential.

After the interview concluded, the usually loquacious Trump reduced his take to a single word on Truth Social, his social media platform: “BORING!!!”

Trump and his campaign have spent weeks criticizing Harris for not holding a news conference with reporters or sitting for a major interview. After she became the Democratic nominee, Trump held two news conferences aimed at taunting Harris and showing his willingness to address the media. Last week, he granted a number of interviews to mainstream media outlets.

But after Harris agreed to an interview with Dana Bash on CNN, Trump began criticizing her almost immediately.