Michigan mom is charged with buying guns for son who threatened top Democrats (apnews.com)
Former Catholic priest admits to sexual misconduct with 11-year-old boy he took on beach vacation (apnews.com)
Jamie Adolfo Gonzalez-Farias, 68, plead guilty to a federal charge that he transported a minor intending to engage in criminal sexual activity, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina announced this week.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appoints a special counsel in the Hunter Biden probe (apnews.com)
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday he has appointed a special counsel in the Hunter Biden probe, deepening the investigation of the president’s son ahead of the 2024 election.
Tensions rise as West African nations prepare to send troops to restore democracy in Niger (apnews.com)
Tensions are escalating between Niger’s new military regime and the West African regional bloc that has ordered the deployment of troops to restore Niger’s flailing democracy.
Kentucky school system closes after ‘transportation disaster’ leaves kids on buses and in schools for hours (www.cnn.com)
The largest school system in Kentucky closed schools Thursday and Friday following what the superintendent called a “transportation disaster” that left some children on buses until just before 10 p.m. Wednesday, the first day of school.
Illinois Supreme Court finds assault weapons ban constitutional (abcnews.go.com)
The Illinois State Supreme Court found a strict assault weapons ban passed after the Highland Park shooting to be constitutional in a ruling issued Friday.
US suicides hit an all-time high last year (apnews.com)
Months into new job at Amtrak, Andy Byford blasts boss’s Penn Station plans (gothamist.com)
Judge Chutkan says Trump’s right to free speech in January 6 case is ‘not absolute’ (www.cnn.com)
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan said that she plans to put serious limits over how sensitive evidence is handled in the Donald Trump 2020 election interference case, in a dramatic hearing Friday in Washington, DC, that could set the tone for the upcoming trial....
This doctor said vaccines magnetize people. Ohio suspended her medical license. (www.cleveland.com)
“I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures all over the internet of people who have had these shots and now they’re magnetized,” Tenpenny said to the panel of lawmakers....
A catastrophic breach of the United Kingdom electoral register affects tens of millions of residents following a cyberattack at the U.K. Electoral Commission (techcrunch.com)
The Guardian: Record-breaking mountaineer denies climbing over dying porter on K2 (www.theguardian.com)
In over 15 states, schools can still paddle students as punishment (www.washingtonpost.com)
Corporal punishment remains legal, especially in the South. It still has its defenders. But the costs can be steep.
As Louisiana’s coast washes away, the dead are the first to go (www.aljazeera.com)
Hurricanes and rising seas are displacing caskets. What do you do when the climate crisis comes for the dead?
Why Elon Musk Fought a Federal Search Warrant to Help Trump (www.thedailybeast.com)
Twitter, owned by Musk, fought for months for the right to tell Trump about Special Counsel Jack Smith’s search warrant for his account.
Search for survivors continues as Maui death toll rises to 55 (www.theguardian.com)
With eyes on Taiwan, new China ban shows the U.S. may be learning lessons from mistakes with Russia (www.cnbc.com)
U.S. moves to de-risk from China with a new investment ban suggest that Western allies may be learning from national security failings in Russia, according to analysts.
China property giant Country Garden warns of up to $7.6bn loss (www.bbc.com)
Country Garden, which is one of China’s biggest property developers, has warned that it could see a loss of up to $7.6bn (£6bn) for the first six months of the year.
Amazon starting to track and penalize workers who work from home too much (www.theguardian.com)
Notice sent to employees who were not in office at least three times a week, after other tech firms’ efforts to get workers back on site
China a ‘ticking time bomb’ because of economic woes, Joe Biden warns (www.theguardian.com)
At Utah fundraiser, US president says China’s employment and workforce issues pose a risk, because ‘when bad folks have problems, they do bad things’
Florida education commissioner pulls out of Black history town hall in Miami Gardens (www.miamiherald.com)
Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. has pulled out of Thursday’s town hall in Miami Gardens to discuss the state’s controversial new Black history curriculum, State Sen. Shevrin Jones said Wednesday evening.
Trump’s Truth Social tipped FBI to man killed during arrest attempt for Biden threats (www.cnbc.com)
The social media company owned by former President Donald Trump in March tipped off the FBI about threats made by a Utah man who was fatally shot Wednesday by FBI agents as they attempted to arrest him for threatening to kill President Joe Biden, NBC News reported.
Iran transfers 5 Iranian-Americans from prison to house arrest in step toward deal for full release (apnews.com)
Iran has moved five Iranian-Americans from prison to house arrest in exchange for billions of dollars frozen in South Korea, U.S. and Iranian officials said Thursday, as part of a tentative deal that follows months of heightened tensions between the two countries.
‘Corrupt as hell’: Clarence Thomas faces fresh calls to resign after more billionaire gifts revealed (www.independent.co.uk)
Congressional Democrats have pushed for ethics reform legislation, efforts publicly rejected by Samuel Alito
Clarence Thomas’ 38 Vacations: The Other Billionaires Who Have Treated the Supreme Court Justice to Luxury Travel (www.propublica.org)
The fullest accounting yet shows how Thomas has secretly reaped the benefits from a network of wealthy and well-connected patrons that is far more extensive than previously understood.
