Happening Today: Brett Kavanaugh, China Tariffs, Vaping Marijuana, Emmy Awards

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Brett Kavanaugh’s Nomination Poses Risks for Democrats and GOP

With the fate of President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee suddenly uncertain, emboldened Democrats clashed with cautious Republicans as both parties grappled with an increasingly messy nomination fight weeks before the pivotal midterm elections. The political implications were still being sorted out. But with control of Congress at stake this fall, there were tremendous risks for both sides. The GOP risked further alienating female voters — particularly in the nation’s suburbs — by embracing Trump’s hand-picked Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, after an allegation surfaced over the weekend of decades-old sexual misconduct. Democrats, who seized on the development as justification to delay the high-stakes nomination, could energize complacent Republican voters if they’re viewed as playing politics with the sensitive allegation. Amid the chaos, a key question quietly emerged among some political operatives: Would Republicans force through the Kavanaugh nomination even if it jeopardizes their control of Congress?

China Vows ‘Counter-Measures’ to US Tariff Hike

China said it will take “counter-measures” to President Trump’s decision to raise tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports and an American business group warned a “downward spiral” in their trade battle appears certain. The Commerce Ministry gave no details of a possible response to U.S. tariffs imposed in the fight between the two biggest global economies over Beijing’s technology policy. But China previously released a $60 billion list of American goods for retaliation. The Trump administration announced the tariffs on some 5,000 Chinese-made goods will start at 10 percent, beginning Monday. They rise to 25 percent on Jan. 1.

2 Million Teens Are Vaping Marijuana, Survey Finds

A school-based survey shows nearly 1 in 11 U.S. students have used marijuana in electronic cigarettes, heightening concern about the new popularity of vaping among teens. E-cigarettes typically contain nicotine, but results published mean 2.1 million middle and high school students have used them to get high. The devices are generally considered a less dangerous alternative to regular cigarettes, despite little research on their long-term effects including whether they help smokers quit. The rise in teenagers using them has alarmed health officials. Last week, the Food and Drug Administration gave the five largest e-cigarette makers 60 days to produce plans to stop underage use of their products. Nearly nine percent of students surveyed in 2016 said they used an e-cigarette device with marijuana, according to the report in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. That included one-third of those who ever used e-cigarettes.

One Marvelous Night: Stars Shine at 2018 Emmy Awards

Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” became the first streaming series to win top Emmy comedy honors and HBO’s “Game of Thrones” recaptured the best drama series award at a ceremony that largely slighted its most ethnically diverse field of nominees ever. With the exception of “Saturday Night Live,” broadcast shows were shut out of the top awards as 21st-century platforms continued to overshadow traditional network fare like “This Is Us,” among the also-rans. HBO, which had ceded its top-dog status in total nominations for the first time in 17 years in July (108, to Netflix’s 112), ended up in a tie for wins with the streaming service at 23 each. “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” a freshman sitcom about an unhappy 1950s homemaker liberated by stand-up comedy, earned best actress honors for star Rachel Brosnahan.

Asia Argento Threatens Rose McGowan With Legal Action

Asia Argento is threatening legal action against Rose McGowan. On Twitter, Argento gave McGowan 24 hours to retract claims she made detailing how she discovered that Argento had reportedly paid off actor Jimmy Bennett, who alleges the actress assaulted him when he was 17 years old. “Dear @RoseMcGowan,” Argento tweeted. “It is with genuine regret that I am giving you 24 hours to retract and apologise for the horrendous lies made against me in your statement of August 27th. If you fail to address this libel I will have no option other than to take immediate legal action.” Argento and McGowan had previously been on friendly terms; they were drawn together after both women came forward detailing sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein. However, Argento’s status as a spokesperson for the #MeToo movement has been called into question after reports emerged that the actress reached a $380,000 settlement with Bennett at the end of last year.