After violence in Charlottesville, cities rush to take down monuments as white supremacists gear up to fight

In Kentucky and Maryland, city officials promised to swiftly tear down Confederate monuments after years of debates, drawing cheers from supporters but also galvanizing the white supremacists and fanning fears of more protests and more violence.

To the white supremacists who gathered from across the country, the havoc in the Virginia college town and the international attention it earned them marked a win.

Donald Trump to be greeted by thousands of protestors when he arrives home in NYC

Thousands of protesters and heavy security were ready to greet President Donald Trump as he headed for his home in the city on Monday for the first time since his inauguration.

Trump, under pressure after initially condemning what he called an “egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides,” on Monday declared that “racism is evil” and described members of the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and white supremacists who take part in violence as “criminals and thugs.”

Japan PM sends ritual offering to war dead shrine on WW2 surrender anniversary

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to a controversial shrine to war dead on Tuesday, the anniversary of Japan's World War Two surrender, but did not visit in person in an apparent effort to avoid increasing regional tensions.

"After the war, our country has consistently taken steps as a country that abhors war and treasures peace, and has made efforts to promote the peace and prosperity of the world," Abe said at a national ceremony to honor war dead on Tuesday. "We intend to keep this immovable policy firmly, throughout the ages, while facing history with humility."

Australia Plans More Barriers in Public Spaces After Attacks in Spain

A few days after the vehicle attacks in Spain that killed 14 people, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia has unveiled a counterterrorism strategy to protect crowded public spaces.

The strategy identifies how to “make crowded places as resilient as possible to terrorist attacks while preserving our use and enjoyment of these places,” according to the text of the plan, which means it is essentially a guide for business owners on how to help prevent attacks or mitigate harm should one happen. The plan includes “information to help owners and operators better understand terrorist weapons and tactics,” which can include explosive devices, chemical weapons and vehicles, Mr. Turnbull said in a statement.

The scheme to pump desert water to L.A. could destroy the Mojave. California's Legislature needs to block it

All of this could be lost unless California’s Legislature acts quickly to block the Cadiz water extraction project, a scheme that would drain vital aquifers in the Fenner, Bristol and Cadiz valleys — the heart of the Mojave.

Introduced into the state Legislature in July, the bill would help protect the Mojave from projects like Cadiz by bolstering state reviews and requiring the California State Lands Commission, in consultation with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, to ensure that any transfers of desert groundwater do not adversely affect the region’s natural or cultural resources.

How to watch today’s solar eclipse in Washington, Va., and Md.

In the Washington area, we will see a partial solar eclipse, beginning at 1:17 p.m., peaking at 2:42 p.m., and ending at 4:01 p.m.

Here’s a short set of questions and answers to guide you through today’s partial solar eclipse in Washington:. Eclipse glasses are scarce as most retailers have sold out. However, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (downtown) and Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Chantilly, Va.) should have some Monday morning.

Trump's Charlottesville moment was a long time coming, hate group experts said

President Donald Trump’s slow response to the deadly clash in Charlottesville, Virginia sparked by a white nationalist rally was shocking to political observers, experts on extremism and even members of his own party, but nobody could call it surprising.

Related: Trump Condemns Hate Groups, Calls Racism ‘Evil’ Days After Charlottesville Violence. While Greenblatt said Trump’s remarks condemning racism on Monday were positive, he added that Trump should have to “step above the lowest possible bar” and pair his words with action.

10 sailors missing, 5 injured after Navy destroyer collides with tanker near Singapore

Ten U.S. sailors were missing and five injured after a guided-missile destroyer collided with an oil tanker Monday morning near Singapore, the second accident involving a ship from the Navy’s 7th Fleet in two months.

Researchers find wreckage of famed Navy cruiser, 72 years after it was torpedoed. ???????Trump to announce new strategy — and probably more troops — for Afghanistan. ???????Iraqi forces launch offensive that could cost Islamic State a strategic stronghold. Aug. 21, 3:45 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details, including the ship’s damage and conditions of the injured.

Two top CEOs quit Trump advisory panel over Charlottesville controversy?

The move by Kenneth Frazier, one of corporate America’s leading African American executives, came after President Trump was criticized for not explicitly condemning white supremacists after violent clashes with counter-protestors turned deadly in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday.

Many on Twitter noted that Trump responded more quickly and specifically to Frazier’s resignation than he did to the violence in Charlottesville.

North Korea's Kim to assess 'foolish Yankees' before deciding on Guam missile attack

Kim Jong-un appeared on Tuesday to signal a pause in the escalating war of words with Donald Trump, saying he was prepared to watch US actions in the region “a little more” before ordering a planned launch of North Korean missiles aimed at the US territory of Guam. But he warned he could still order a missile launch aimed at the seas around Guam if there were further provocations from “foolish Yankees”.

Charlottesville car attack suspect James Fields previously accused of beating mother

– The driver charged with killing a woman at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville was previously accused of beating his mother and threatening her with a knife, according to police records released Monday.

Fields, 20, is accused of ramming his car into a crowd of counter-protesters on Saturday in Charlottesville, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. Fields, described by a former high school teacher as an admirer of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany, was charged with second-degree murder.

North Korea warns Australia that supporting Trump is a 'suicidal act'

North Korea has warned Australia it has committed a “suicidal act” by committing its troops to help the US in any conflict over Pyongyang’s nuclear program and by joining military exercises with US and South Korean forces.

“This right now is an exercise to make certain that we’re ready to defend South Korea and our allies over there,” Mattis told reporters aboard an aircraft flying to Amman, Jordan.

Trump has been slow to call out white nationalists before, critics say

Other instances include the neo-Nazis and white supremacists sometimes spotted at Trump campaign events, a white nationalist super PAC making robocalls on Trump's behalf, and a prominent member of an alt-right group expressing his support of Trump.

Though President Donald Trump condemned hate groups today following the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, this past weekend, for some the remarks were too little, too late.

Fire in Los Angeles River burns itself out

The fire, which appeared to be burning some type of substance on the river floor, sent black smoke into the air that could be seen for miles.

Second CEO quits Donald Trump's advisory council over Charlottesville

A second prominent CEO has stepped down from Donald Trump’s business advisory council in the wake of the president’s controversial response to the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia that left one dead and several injured.

Kenneth Frazier, the CEO of pharmaceutical giant Merck, was the first to step down from the council, which focuses on the economy and job creation, as Trump came under intense criticism for initially failing to condemn white supremacists and neo Nazi groups following the Charlottesville attack.