TYB
Chief of Texas' largest county takes medical leave for depression
HOUSTON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Lina Hidalgo, chief executive of the third-largest U.S. county and the largest one in Texas, has checked in to a medical facility outside the state to be treated for clinical depression, she said on Monday.
Hidalgo, a Democrat elected in 2018 to lead the county of 4.9 million residents, has battled Republican state officials over election administration and police funding. Last November, she won re-election as Harris County judge against a well-funded political novice with a slim margin of about17,000 votes.
Hidalgo has also clashed with county's district attorney, Kim Ogg, and in June cursed during a public commissioners' meeting in a discussion related to Ogg.
Three of Hidalgo's former aides have been indicted for helping steer COVID-outreach contracts to a party consultant.
"I am one of the over 21 million American adults that is suffering from clinical depression," Hidalgo said in a public letter, adding she was diagnosed and entered a treatment facility last month. She hopes to resume a normal schedule by early September, Hidalgo wrote.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/chief-texas-largest-county-takes-medical-leave-depression-2023-08-07/
Washington shuts US government offices due to threatening weather
By David Shepardson
August 8, 20231:56 AM UTC Updated an hour ago
WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - U.S. government offices in the Washington D.C. area closed early on Monday because of threatening weather as forecasters warned people across the eastern U.S. of possible tornadoes, damaging winds and large hailstones.
Fast-moving thunderstorms and powerful winds toppled trees and knocked out power for nearly 200,000 homes and businesses in neighboring Maryland and Virginia, according to tracking website PowerOutage.us. As many as 800,000 customers had lost power in the southern and mid-Atlantic states.
Though drenched with rain and pelted with some hail, the nation's capital had escaped any twisters by the time a National Weather Service tornado watch expired at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT).
A coastal flood advisory remained in effect for Washington until 4 a.m. 08000 GMT).
The National Weather Service said more than 29.5 million people from Alabama to western New York state had been at risk of tornadoes on Monday, but none had been reported as of 9 p.m. EDT.
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered departing flights grounded at airports in New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Baltimore because of thunderstorms. The FAA said it was rerouting aircraft around the storms as much as possible.
Libraries, museums, the National Zoo, pools and other municipal and federal services in the Washington area were also closing early. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management said federal employees had to depart no later than 3 p.m.
FlightAware, a flight tracking site, said more than 2,600 U.S. flights had been canceled, including 102 at Washington Reagan National Airport and 35 at Washington Dulles. Another 7,700 U.S. flights had been delayed.
Reporting by David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York and Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, David Gregorio and Cynthia Osterman
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-government-offices-close-dc-due-severe-storm-threat-2023-08-07/
US deploys more than 3K sailors, Marines to Middle East following Iran’s targeting of ships
Navy says pre-planned deployment will aid US 5th Fleet
The U.S. Navy announced the arrival Monday of more than 3,000 sailors and Marines to the Middle East following a call by the Department of Defense for additional troops after "recent attempts by Iran to seize commercial ships in the CENTCOM area of operations."
The forces from the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in the Middle East on Sunday, according to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (CENTCOM).
"Amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 50) and dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) entered the Red Sea after transiting from the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. Bataan ARG/26th MEU units bring to the region additional aviation and naval assets, as well as more U.S. Marines and Sailors, providing greater flexibility and maritime capability to U.S. 5th Fleet," CENTCOM said in a statement.
"An amphibious assault ship can carry more than two dozen rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft, including MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and AV-8B Harrier attack jets in addition to several amphibious landing craft," the statement added. "A dock landing ship also supports operations for various rotary-wing aircraft, tactical vehicles and amphibious landing craft."
The Navy said the Bataan ARG departed Norfolk on July 10 while the 26th MEU, which is based in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, "is capable of conducting amphibious missions, crisis response," and "designated special operations," among other abilities.
On July 20, CENTCOM said that "in response to recent attempts by Iran to seize commercial ships in the CENTCOM area of operations, the Secretary of Defense has ordered the deployment of an Amphibious Readiness Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) into the CENTCOM area of responsibility."
"In the past two years, Iran has attacked, seized, or attempted seizure of nearly 20 internationally flagged merchant vessels in the CENTCOM area of operations," CENTCOM added at the time.
The situation has led the U.S. military to consider placing armed personnel onboard commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, American officials told The Associated Press last week.
"The Strait of Hormuz is a vital seaway that has a huge impact on seaborne trade around the world," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said, according to AP. "It’s a critical chokepoint in the maritime world. And we have seen threats by Iran to affect that chokepoint."
https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-deploys-more-than-3000-sailors-marines-middle-east-following-irans-targeting-ships
>CENTCOM
More than 3,000 🇺🇸 Sailors & Marines of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group & 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived in the Middle East, Aug. 6, as part of a pre-announced Department of Defense deployment.
Read more ⬇️
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/450816/3000-sailors-and-marines-arrive-middle-east-aboard-uss-bataan-uss-carter-hall
https://twitter.com/US5thFleet/status/1688427366266073089
It's the middle of the night
Why are shills fucking losing it?
I think the womans soccer indictment is just keks from babylonbee. however it is a Dan poast, just clarifying
Nightshift be like