43% of Americans say a civil war is at least somewhat likely in next 10 years
More than 2 in 5 Americans say a U.S. civil war is at least somewhat likely in the next decade, highlighting the deepening political divisions in the country heading into the midterms.
A recent poll by YouGov and The Economist found that 43% believe a civil war was either “very” or “somewhat likely.” People who identified as “strong Republicans” were the most likely to anticipate a conflict. One in 3 of total respondents said it’s not very or at all likely, and 22% are unsure.
“Polarization right now is at the highest level in decades, if not going all the way back to the civil war,” Thomas Gift, director of the University College London’s Center on U.S. Politics said in an interview. But he urged caution interpreting the data; he noted this type of conflict doesn’t typically break out in wealthy, democratic countries and it’s unclear what respondents imagine when they think of a “civil war.”
The survey, conducted among 1,500 U.S. adults, also found that two-thirds of Americans — 66% — believe political divisions have gotten worse since the beginning of 2021. In comparison, only 8% said the United States has grown less divided.
—Bloomberg News
First responders get new training tool to save people who jump from Golden Gate Bridge
As construction continues on attaching a steel web underneath San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge to help prevent suicides, first responders will now be able to practice saving people who jump onto the net.
On Friday, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District approved an $824,000 project to construct a rescue training net at the Southern Marina Fire Department facility in Mill Valley.
The construction of a suicide prevention net at the Golden Gate Bridge was first approved in 2014 with a set completion date of 2021, but the project is two years behind schedule due to staff turnover and changes with the lead contractor, according to district general manager Denis Mulligan. The net is now slated to be completed in November 2023, after the construction company was bought and sold twice.
Costs have also increased, from the project’s original $76 million budget to about $215 million, Mulligan said, because costs have gone up since the project was first envisioned.
—Los Angeles Times
The Satanic Temple is holding a fundraiser in the Pa. school district that denied its 'After School Satan Club'
PHILADELPHIA — After rejecting the formation of a hotly contested "After School Satan Club" earlier this year, a Central Pennsylvania district will rent out its high school cafeteria next month for a fundraiser sponsored by The Satanic Temple.
The Northern York School District board voted last week to rent space for a Saturday evening to The Satanic Temple of Philadelphia and Eastern PA to host a "Back-to-School Community Fundraiser" — a function billed as "a family-friendly night filled with arts & crafts, science experiments, live demos, refreshments, and fun for all ages," according to an event flier.
Proceeds from the $10 at-the-door suggested donation will be given to an undetermined local Dillsburg community organization, said June Everett, campaign director of the After School Satan Club and an ordained minister of The Satanic Temple.
The event was approved by the York County school board on Aug. 23 amid a slew of other facilities requests, including the use of gyms for cheerleading practice, fields for youth soccer and football, and a parking lot for an event hosted by a Hindu temple.
—The Philadelphia Inquirer
Deadly turmoil erupts in Iraq after top cleric’s resignation
Iran closed its border crossings with Iraq after deadly clashes erupted in Baghdad over a prominent cleric’s decision to resign from politics, deepening a government crisis in the OPEC-member state.
At least 22 protesters were killed after supporters of Moqtada Al-Sadr clashed with Iraqi security forces, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday, citing medical officials. The cleric has appealed for calm and instructed his supporters to immediately leave the government palace, which they’d stormed late on Monday, according to comments shown on Al Jazeera TV.
Oil exports remain uninterrupted, state-run oil marketing company SOMO said.
The unrest forced officials suspend cabinet sessions earlier on Tuesday and prompted the military to enforce a nationwide curfew. United Arab Emirates carrier, Emirates, canceled flights to Baghdad and the oil-producing hub of Basra.
—Bloomberg News
