July 2, 2020 2:28 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is promising one of the largest fireworks displays in recent memory in Washington on July Fourth. It also plans to give away as many as 300,000 face masks to those who come down to the National Mall for the festivities, although they won’t be required to wear them. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Wednesday detailed President Donald Trump’s plans for this Saturday’s Independence Day in the nation’s capital, which he says include a mile-long detonation of 10,000 fireworks. Trump and first lady Melania Trump plan to host events from the White House south lawn and from the Ellipse. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser is warning that the plans run counter to established health guidelines.
July 1, 2020 5:40 pm
PHOENIX (AP) – Arizona recorded more coronavirus deaths, infections and emergency-room admissions in a single day than ever before in a rapidly deepening crisis Wednesday across the Sunbelt that sent a shudder through other parts of the country and led a number of states to put their reopening plans on hold. Coronavirus cases continued to increase in hard-hit states like Arizona and Florida where expanding outbreaks have shifted the pandemic’s epicenters to the South and the West ahead of the July Fourth holiday. On Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence planned to visit Arizona, where cases have spiked after stay-at-home orders expired in mid-May.
July 1, 2020 8:58 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is dismissing as “Fake News” allegations that Russia offered bounties for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Trump tweeted Wednesday that the allegations were made up to damage him and the Republican Party. Democrats have accused Trump of bowing to Russian President Vladimir Putin. House Democrats returning from their own briefing at the White House said they learned nothing new about assessments that suggested Russia was making overtures to militants as the U.S. and the Taliban held talks to end the war in Afghanistan. Republicans largely defended the president, arguing along with the White House that the intelligence was unverified.
July 1, 2020 4:03 am
UNDATED (AP) – Dr. Anthony Fauci said coronavirus cases could grow to 100,000 a day in the U.S. if Americans don’t start following public health recommendations. The nation’s leading infectious disease expert made the remark at a Senate hearing on reopening schools and workplaces. Asked to forecast the outcome of recent surges in some states, Fauci said he can’t make an accurate prediction but believes it will be “very disturbing.”
July 1, 2020 3:59 am
A New York state judge has temporarily blocked publication of a tell-all book by President Donald Trump’s niece after the president’s brother sued to stop it. Judge Hal B. Greenwald in Poughkeepsie ordered Tuesday that no portion of the book can be distributed before he decides the validity of Robert Trump’s claims. The president’s brother says niece Mary Trump had agreed not to publish such a book without permission from the family. Mary Trump’s lawyer appealed immediately. Simon & Schuster chief executive said in a court filing late Tuesday that the book has already been shipped. A lawyer for Robert Trump said his client was very pleased with the ruling.
July 1, 2020 3:57 am
NEW YORK (AP) – New York state’s attorney general and lawyers in a class-action lawsuit say Harvey Weinstein and his former studio’s board have reached a nearly $19 million settlement with dozens of sexual misconduct accusers. The agreement was announced late Tuesday by New York Attorney General Letitia James and Chicago attorney Elizabeth Fegan. The deal lets women make claims of between $7,500 and $750,000. It would resolve claims in a New York state lawsuit and a class-action lawsuit pending in federal court. The former Hollywood producer was convicted earlier this year of rape and sexual assault against two women. Accusations by dozens of women in 2017 destroyed his career and gave rise to #MeToo, the global movement to hold powerful men accountable for their sexual misconduct.
July 1, 2020 3:55 am
NEW YORK (AP) – New York City lawmakers have approved a plan to shift $1 billion from policing to education and social services in the coming year. The spending plan passed by the City Council early Wednesday came as lawmakers struggled to deal with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, which has sapped the city of billions of dollars in revenue. The cut to police spending fell short of what activists sought. Mayor Bill de Blasio supports the $88.2 billion spending plan. Council Speaker Corey Johnson called the budget a disappointment, saying he wished he was able to negotiate a bigger police budget cut.
July 1, 2020 3:54 am
MOSCOW (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin is wrapping up his main political project of the year. That’s the constitutional vote that would allow him to extend his rule until 2036. The nationwide balloting on the amendments that would reset the clock on Putin’s tenure and enable him to serve two more six-year terms enters its final day Wednesday. For the first time in Russia, the polls were open for a week to help reduce crowds on election day and to bolster turnout amid the coronavirus pandemic. Putin is all but guaranteed to get the result he wants following a massive campaign to get Russia’s voters to say “yes” to the changes.
July 1, 2020 3:52 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania’s high court has ruled against an effort by Republican state lawmakers to end Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s shutdown orders. A divided court ruled Wednesday that a resolution passed with mostly GOP votes was a “legal nullity” because it was not sent to Wolf to sign or veto. The resolution would have ended Wolf’s emergency disaster declaration that led to the closure of “non-life-sustaining” businesses, bans on large gatherings and orders for people to isolate at home.
June 30, 2020 10:14 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Carl Reiner, the ingenious and versatile comedy writer, actor and director, has died, according to reports. Reiner’s assistant Judy Nagy says he died Monday night of natural causes his home in Beverly Hills, California at 98 of natural causes. Reiner, the father of actor-director Rob Reiner, broke through as a “second banana” to Sid Caesar and rose to comedy’s front ranks as creator of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and straight man to Mel Brooks’ “2000 Year Old Man.” One of show business’ best liked men, the tall, bald Reiner was a welcome face on the small and silver screens.
