News Headlines - 22 August 2017

▽McConnell, in Private, Doubts if Trump Can Save Presidency - The New York Times

The relationship between President Trump and Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, has disintegrated to the point that they have not spoken to each other in weeks, and Mr. McConnell has privately expressed uncertainty that Mr. Trump will be able to salvage his administration after a series of summer crises.

▽When You Already Have 35 Political Parties, What’s 63 More? - WSJ

Over the past year, a deluge of 63 wannabe political parties have jumped in line to get official status that would allow them to put up candidates for office. Some are hoping to become official in time for the general elections in October next year... Political scientists say the country’s problem is too many parties. With 35 official political parties in existence, and 26 of them represented in Congress, most lawmakers just spend their time coalition-building.

▽Former Libyan prime minister released after being 'kidnapped in Tripoli'

A former prime minister of Libya has been released after being held for a week by an armed group linked to the country’s UN-backed government, sources said.
Ali Zeidan, 61, had not been seen since the evening of August 13 as he was detained by armed men in at a Tripoli hotel.

▽Ischia earthquake: Three brothers freed from rubble - BBC News

Rescuers have freed the last of three brothers who were trapped under rubble after a deadly earthquake on the Italian holiday island of Ischia.
The fire service confirmed they had rescued the 11-year-old at 14:12 local time (12:12 GMT), some 16 hours after the quake struck.

▽Trump Stares at the Sun During the Eclipse: Will It Harm His Eyes?

But on Monday afternoon (Aug. 21), President Donald Trump was spotted breaking the cardinal rule of eclipse viewing: Don't look at the sun without eye protection. For a brief moment, Trump took off his eclipse glasses and stared straight into the sun — even as an aide shouted, "Don't look," according to Ted Mann, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal.