Federal health agency recommends easing marijuana restrictions (www.cbsnews.com)
Proud Boy Joe Biggs faces decades in prison in Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy case (www.nbcnews.com)
A Proud Boys leader convicted of seditious conspiracy who the government says “served as an instigator and leader” during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol could face decades in federal prison at his sentencing Thursday....
Fed's preferred inflation gauge shows a modest rise in latest sign of slowing price increases (apnews.com)
Forsyth County schools cancel talks after author says the word 'gay' to elementary school students (www.gpb.org)
School officials in Metro Atlanta’s Forsyth County canceled two talks by a children’s book author last week after he used the word “gay” in a presentation to elementary school students about the history of the superhero character Batman....
Andrew Tate: Chats in 'War Room' suggest dozens of women groomed (www.bbc.com)
Evidence that dozens of women were groomed into online sex work by members of influencer Andrew Tate’s “War Room” group has been uncovered by the BBC....
Ottawa man charged with promoting neo-Nazi terrorist group released on bail (www.cbc.ca)
Patrick Gordon Macdonald charged with terrorism-related and hate propaganda offences...
Massive school satisfaction gap pits parents against everyone else (www.axios.com)
Tropical Storm Idalia threatens flooding in North Carolina after damaging thousands of Florida homes (www.cnn.com)
Tropical Storm Idalia keeps pounding the Southeast’s Atlantic coast, prompting flash flood warnings in North Carolina as parts of Florida’s west coast survey extensive damage from the most powerful hurricane to slam its Big Bend region in more than a century....
US, Indonesia and 5 other nations hold war drills amid China concerns (apnews.com)
Soldiers from the U.S., Indonesia and five other nations began annual training exercises Thursday on Indonesia’s main island of Java while China’s increasing aggression is raising concern....
2 men, 4 children hospitalized after Illinois shooting (abcnews.go.com)
Six people have been hospitalized and two are currently in critical condition after a shooting on the south side of Peoria, Illinois, on Wednesday night, according to the Peoria Police Department....
Microsoft to unbundle Teams from Office, seeks to avert EU antitrust fine (www.reuters.com)
Microsoft (MSFT.O) said on Thursday it would unbundle its chat and video app Teams from its Office product and make it easier for competing products to work with its software, but rivals said it may need to do more to stave off a possible EU antitrust fine....
Texas inmates soaking bedsheets in toilet water to cool off in unairconditioned prisons (www.sacurrent.com)
At least 41 people have died in the Lone Star State’s unairconditioned prisons due to heat-related or unknown conditions this summer, according to the Texas Tribune....
Dying and disabled Illinois prisoners kept behind bars, despite new medical release law (www.wbez.org)
Behind the lower-than-expected numbers is the Prisoner Review Board, a state body appointed by Pritzker and confirmed by the Illinois Senate with final say on medical release requests....
Federal judge says New Jersey law banning immigrant detention contract with private operator unconstitutional (www.politico.com)
The opinion by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Kirsch, sitting in Trenton, could allow the center in Elizabeth run by private corrections company CoreCivic to remain open just days before its contract was set to expire. Federal officials have written in court filings that they “fully intend” to extend the private detention...
Records show California prisons are reporting U.S. citizens to ICE, ACLU says (www.latimes.com)
“In their zeal to collude with ICE, CDCR is not only targeting people who have served their time and are set to return home for detention and deportation but is also sweeping up U.S. citizens and Green Card holders, relying on racist assumptions and ignoring their own records,” the report states
COVID-19 hospitalizations rise in New York State (www.mynbc5.com)
Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced new steps to protect people from COVID-19 in the state of New York, following reports of a new variant, BA.2.86. This comes after COVID-19 hospitalizations increased across the state. So far, the new variant has not been detected in New York....
Houston school libraries turned into 'discipline centers' in 'hostile takeover' by state (youtu.be)
In an unwelcomed assertion of state power, the Texas Education Agency has implemented a "New Education System" in the Houston Independent School District, re...
Driverless Cars Are Worse at Spotting Kids and Dark-Skinned People, Study Says (gizmodo.com.au)
New research shows driverless car software is significantly more accurate with adults and light skinned people than children and dark-skinned people.
Gov. Whitmer says 'it's time' for guaranteed paid family, medical leave in Michigan (www.detroitnews.com)
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called on Michigan lawmakers Wednesday to give all workers in the state “breathing room” by creating a new program to offer them paid family and medical leave, a proposal that some worry could amount to a tax on Michigan’s businesses and workers....
Nebraska volleyball stadium event draws 92,003 to set women's world attendance record (apnews.com)
Nebraska’s fight song begins, “There is no place like Nebraska.” When it comes to volleyball, those words never rang more true than Wednesday night....
Automaker Ford recalls almost 42,000 F250, F350 trucks for safety (scrippsnews.com)
U.S. automaker Ford has issued a recall involving potentially 41,555 trucks, including certain 2023 Super Duty F250 and F350 vehicles “equipped with single rear wheels and a 10.5-inch rear axle shaft,” the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration said....
US approves first-ever military aid to Taiwan through program typically used for sovereign nations (www.cnn.com)
The Biden administration has approved funding for the first-ever transfer of US military equipment to Taiwan under a program typically saved for sovereign nations, according to a notification sent to Congress on Tuesday....
5 million bees fall off a truck near Toronto and drivers are asked to close windows (www.npr.org)
Police west of Toronto on Wednesday warned drivers to keep their car windows closed after a truck spilled crates carrying 5 million bees onto a road....
China's new national map has angered its neighbors (www.cnn.com)
The Philippines has become the latest of China’s neighbors to object to its new national map, joining Malaysia and India in releasing strongly worded statements accusing Beijing of claiming their territory....
4-Year-Old Fatally Shot By Woman Who Was Teaching Her 'Firearm Safety,' Authorities Say (www.huffpost.com)
Warning: Article has detailed accounts of the shooting...
