1. OFFICIALS TELL THOUSANDS TO FLEE ISAAC
Authorities urged thousands of residents in towns outside of New Orleans to flee their homes early Thursday as hurricane-turned-tropical storm Isaac continued to pound the Gulf Coast. More than two feet of rain is expected in some areas by the end of the week, which could cause serious flooding. Isaac, which mostly spared New Orleans, is believed to have triggered three tornadoes overnight in Mississippi and Alabama. And approximately 840,000 people in those states, in addition to Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas, are without power. President Obama declared a federal emergency in parts of Louisiana and Mississippi late Wednesday. [CNN]
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2. FIERY PAUL RYAN DELIGHTS GOP CONVENTION
Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) played the role of attack dog during a fierce keynote speech at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night. The vice presidential candidate ripped Obama's federal health care legislation, arguing that ObamaCare comes "at the expense of the elderly." He called the president's stimulus plan the "worst case of political patronage, corporate welfare, and cronyism." The 42-year-old congressman also made an appeal to young voters, a demographic Obama dominated four years ago. Struggling "college graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life," he said. [Associated Press]
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3. CONDI WOOS CROWD, HITS OBAMA
Condoleezza Rice also electrified the crowd at the RNC on Wednesday, skewering President Obama's foreign policy. The former secretary of state, who was often considered the face of George W. Bush's foreign policy, did not call Obama out by name, but accused the White House of forsaking its past and leaving behind potential allies. She charged the president with not doing enough in Libya and Syria. That, Rice said, has left the world wondering, "Where does America stand? When our friends and foes alike do not know the answer to that question, the world is a chaotic and dangerous place." [Reuters]
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4. EX-UVA ATHLETE TO BE SENTENCED IN BEATING DEATH
George W. Huguely, a former University of Virginia lacrosse player who was convicted of beating his ex-girlfriend to death, will be sentenced on Thursday. The 24-year-old could face up to 26 of years behind bars for the May 2010 attack. According to court testimony, Huguely and 22-year-old Yeardley Love — both lacrosse players — had a rocky relationship that ended in Huguely beating Love in her apartment after he had spent the day drinking and playing golf. [Associated Press]
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5. NCAA TO PENN STATE: GIVE BACK YOUR TROPHIES
Penn State, still a major target of condemnation for its longtime cover-up of ex-assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky's child sexual abuse, must give back all of the college football team's trophies won during a 14-year period. The team earned six bowl trophies between 1998 and 2011. The punishment is the latest blow to hit the college, which has been fined $60 million by the NCAA. The team has also been prohibited to play in bowl games for four years. [CNN]
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6. AYATOLLAH: IRAN HAS NO INTEREST IN NUKES
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted his country has no interest in nuclear weapons but will not stop pursuing nuclear energy for peaceful means. "Our motto is nuclear energy for all and nuclear weapons for none," he said at a summit of the 120-nation Non-Aligned Movement on Thursday. [Reuters]
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7. U.S. WEST NILE CASES JUMP 40 PERCENT IN A WEEK
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that there are a reported 1,590 cases of West Nile virus in the U.S. — a spike of more than 40 percent in just one week. So far, 66 people have died from the mosquito-borne illness. Officials predicted the number of cases would increase through the fall. "This increase is not unexpected," said the CDC's Dr. Lyle R. Petersen. "In fact, the total numbers will continue to rise through October." [ABC News]
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8. OBAMA DOES SURPRISE REDDIT CHAT
While Republicans were busy in Tampa, President Obama surprised webbies by holding an "ask me anything" chat on Reddit, the popular social networking site, on Wednesday afternoon. Obama stuck largely to campaign platforms, but answered a few catchy questions, including his most difficult decision in office (sending troops to Afghanistan), who the best NBA player is (Michael Jordan), and when the secret White House beer recipe will be revealed (soon). [The Atlantic]
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9. CHOCOLATE MAY LOWER STROKE RISK FOR MEN
Another reason to love chocolate: Men who indulge in the sweet treat may actually be lowering their risk of having a stroke, according to a new Swedish study. More than 37,000 men were followed for 10 years, and those who consumed the most (about one-third of a cup of chocolate chips each week) had a 17 percent lower risk of stroke than men who had little to none. The study was published in the journal Neurology. [Reuters]
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10. MCCONAUGHEY SHOWS OFF DRAMATIC WEIGHT LOSS
Hollywood heartthrob Matthew McConaughey is looking frail and sickly. But don't worry, it's on purpose. The actor has lost more than 15 pounds, and hopes to lose a total of 30, for a new role in which he plays a man diagnosed with HIV. McConaughey will play Texan Ron Woodruff in the movie The Dallas Buyers Club. Woodruff became famous in the 1980s for smuggling homeopathic HIV medications into the U.S. [E! Online]
