Fyre Festival II: Billy McFarland’s promise of redemption
The man behind the infamous Fyre Festival, Billy McFarland, said a follow-up will be happening. In fact, tickets are on sale now, with no details shared about what might be involved in the show. McFarland said he doesn’t know when the festival will happen, or who might be performing. Even with the scant information, tickets start at $499.
It has been seven years since the original Fyre Festival, which was supposed to be a luxury concert experience in the Bahamas. Villas, gourmet food and performances by major acts like Blink-182 and Migos were expected. A number of supermodels such as Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber were brought in to promote it.
The luxury experience did not come to pass, with reports of damp tents, cheese sandwiches and no performers. It was such a disaster that McFarland ended up in prison for fraud, spending six years behind bars. He also paid $26 million to investors.
McFarland was released from prison and put on probation last year, and has now started preparations for a second festival. He posted a video online, looking to sell the second festival as a comeback story.
McFarland himself said it’s going to be hard for people to trust him again. The biggest difference this time, according to McFarland, is that he handed over the festival’s finances to an unnamed production company.
DOJ investigates Tennessee prison amid reports of violence and abuse
The Department of Justice launched an investigation into Tennessee’s largest prison after prosecutors said there’s been years of unchecked violence and sexual abuse at the facility. Between July 2022 and June 2023, the Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility reported 196 assaults, 90 incidents of sexual misconduct, two murders, and 15 “accidental” deaths.
The crisis escalated in early 2024, with five stabbings occurring in just three weeks.
The private prison faces a severe staffing crisis with an unprecedented turnover rate, which authorities said has led to dangerous situations. There was one reported instance of a single officer being responsible for watching 360 prisoners.
Despite ongoing issues at the correctional center, Tennessee has repeatedly renewed its contract with CoreCivic — the company which manages the facility.
Tennessee’s investment in private prisons is significant, with $233 million allocated for four CoreCivic-operated facilities in the current budget.
Loved ones of inmates have raised questions about the state’s commitment to prisoner welfare and effective oversight of privately operated facilities and the protection of prisoners’ rights.
UK to release thousands of prisoners following surge of protest arrests
The U.K. is rolling out a major emergency plan called “Operation Early Dawn” to tackle severe overcrowding in its prisons. This decision comes after a surge in arrests related to recent anti-immigration protests.
Starting in August, the U.K. government will release around 5,500 offenders early to make space in its overcrowded jails. For now, recent offenders in northern England and parts of the Midlands will be taken to court only if a prison cell is available for them. Until then, they’ll remain in holding cells.
This will likely cause delays in court proceedings, but police assure the public that it will not affect their ability to make arrests or ensure public safety as protests continue.
The prisons and probation minister acknowledged the system’s struggles and said early release is necessary to manage the current pressures.
Recent data shows more than 1,000 arrests and nearly 700 charges linked to riots that followed a tragic stabbing incident in Southport in July.
The government is also cracking down on misinformation and hate speech online since the incident. Wayne O’Rourke has been sentenced to three years in prison for spreading what officials called “racial hate” online.
In the meantime, ahead of prisoners’ early release next month, the U.K. government said it is working hard to make more room in prisons and address both physical and online threats. The government said it’s aiming to restore order amid what has been the worst unrest seen in the U.K. for more than a decade.
Trial starts for white woman who shot Black neighbor through her door
The Florida woman who shot and killed her neighbor during an argument in 2023 is on trial. A jury will decide whether the 60-year-old white woman, Susan Lorincz, was justified when she fired through the door of her central Florida apartment, killing a Black mother, Ajike “A.J.” Owens, during an ongoing dispute about neighborhood children.
Shortly before Owens was fatally shot, her children had been playing in a small field outside the apartment building where they lived next to Lorincz. Owens went to Lorincz’s apartment and banged on the door after the children claimed Lorincz was harassing them and using racial slurs. That’s when Lorincz fired one bullet through her front door, killing Owens.
The defense said Lorincz feared Owens would break down her door.
“She was trying to break down my door,” Lorincz said in a call to 911. “I didn’t know what to do. I grabbed my gun, and I shot at the door.”
Opening statements for the trial began on Tuesday, Aug. 13. If Lorincz is charged with manslaughter, she faces up to 30 years in prison.
Alleged 9/11 mastermind agrees to plea deal to avoid death penalty
The alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attack and two accomplices reached a plea deal with prosecutors. And former President Donald Trump sparks controversy with comments made about Vice President Kamala Harris at a conference of Black journalists. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024.
Alleged 9/11 mastermind agrees to plea deal in exchange for life in prison
The alleged mastermind terrorist behind plotting the 9/11 attacks against the U.S. has pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty. The Department of Defense said Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his two accomplices accused of planning the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil have agreed to plead guilty in exchange for life in prison.
The pre-trial agreement allows them all to escape being sentenced to death, something that is upsetting some families of 9/11 victims. Prosecutors first notified impacted families of the plea deal reached before it went public.
BREAKING: Pentagon announces that Guantanamo that three of the five 9/11 defendants, including mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, have reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Harris is running unopposed and has already been endorsed by most of the Democratic delegates. She also picked up the endorsement of the United Auto Workers on Wednesday, July 31, giving her the support of one of the country’s largest unions.
I am honored to receive the endorsement of the United Auto Workers. From walking picket lines to taking on big banks, I have spent my entire career fighting for unions and working families—and, as President, I will continue to deliver for organized labor. https://t.co/CQc4K0YOBW
Voting on the virtual roll call ends on Monday, Aug. 5. It’s the same day Harris is expected to announce her running mate. They will then start a series of side-by-side campaigning in battleground states, with their first official event together scheduled in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
On Thursday, Trump’s vice presidential pick Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, will be touring the southern border, and Harris will speak at the funeral of Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Trump sparks controversy after questioning Kamala Harris’ racial identity
Former President Donald Trump attended a conference for Black journalists in Chicago on Wednesday, July 31, that’s creating the most buzz on the campaign trail Thursday, Aug. 1 morning. Trump made controversial remarks after being asked if he agrees with Republicans on Capitol Hill who have said the vice president was a “DEI hire.”
“Do you believe that Vice President Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she is a Black woman?” ABC News’ Rachel Scott asked him.
“Well, I can say no,” Trump said. “I think it’s maybe a little bit different. So, I’ve known her a long time indirectly, not directly very much, and she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black. And now she wants to be known as Black. So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”
“She has always identified as a Black woman,” Scott interjected. “She went to a historically Black college.”
“You know what, I respect either one,” Trump said “I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t. Because she was Indian all the way and then all of a sudden, she made a turn and she went, she became a Black person.”
“We all here remember what those four years were like,” Harris said. “And today we were given yet another reminder. This afternoon, Donald Trump spoke at the annual meeting of the National Association of Black Journalists, and it was the same old show, the divisiveness and the disrespect. And let me just say, the American people deserve better. The American people deserve better. The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth, a leader who does not respond with hostility and anger when confronted with the facts. We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source of our strength.”
During her daily press conference, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to Trump’s comment, saying “it’s insulting.”
The former president defended his comments on his Truth Social platform, saying the questions he was being asked were “rude and nasty” and “often in the form of a statement” rather than question.
The questions were Rude and Nasty, often in the form of a statement, but we CRUSHED IT!@realDonaldTrump Donald Trump Truth Social 03:31 PM EST 07/31/24 pic.twitter.com/wetj11CoG0
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 31, 2024
Some Black Republican lawmakers have also jumped in to defend him — like Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt. Hunt posted a statement on his own Truth Social account reading in part, “He stood strong in the face of vicious attacks and gotcha questions, because that’s what leaders do.”
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., also commented on the former president’s remarks in a post on X.
“Fostering tough conversations and debate is how we make America great again for all Americans,” Donalds said. “Unlike Kamala Harris, President Trump is not afraid of going into any venue, any time, anywhere.”
Unlike Kamala Harris, President Trump is not afraid of going into any venue, any time, anywhere.
Today at the NABJ Convention, President Trump took the incoming fire from hostile reporters, held firm, and articulated his plan to Make America Great Again for ALL AMERICANS. pic.twitter.com/KNEw5yaLmi
Harris is the daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother. She attended the historically Black Howard University and is a member of the nation’s oldest Black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Meanwhile, a debate between the two remains up in the air. Trump has voiced wanting a venue change and said he “probably will” debate Harris, but could also “make a case for not.”
Report: Iran’s supreme leader issues order for Iran to strike Israel
Tensions are rising in the Middle East following the assassination of a senior Hamas leader in Iran. Hamas claims an Israeli missile hit the house of political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The New York Times reported that with the hit happening on Iranian soil, the country’s supreme leader has reportedly issued an order for Iran to strike Israel directly, citing three Iranian officials briefed on the order.
Haniyeh was the Hamas negotiator for a possible hostage deal with Israel. Many fear that deal is now dead.
The strike on Haniyeh came just hours after an Israeli airstrike killed a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon.
Breaking this morning: The Israeli military announced it had killed top Hamas military leader Muhammad Deif during a strike in Gaza earlier in July. Deif is believed to have been one of the masterminds behind the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel.
‘Weapons and Warfare’ goes inside Lockheed Martin’s F-35 assembly facility
In 2001, the Department of Defense awarded Lockheed Martin the contract to develop the F-35 fighter jet to replace aging aircraft. The jet is manufactured in three different variants: one for the Marine Corps, one for the Air Force and one for the Navy.
In a special edition of “Weapons and Warfare,” Straight Arrow News’ Ryan Robertson recently got to take a tour inside the Fort Worth, Texas facility that makes these fighter jets.
You can find this special edition of “Weapons and Warfare” right here.
Katie Ledecky ties record for most gold medals by female swimmer
Team USA now has won five Olympic gold medals in Paris, adding one more to its count after Wednesday’s events — and it was a historic one. Swimmer Katie Ledecky won the women’s 1,500 meter freestyle. She finished more than 10 seconds ahead of her competition to win her eighth Olympic gold medal.
With the victory, Ledecky tied the record for most gold medals by a female swimmer. It was also her 12th Olympic medal of any kind, which tied yet another record.
Ledecky is not done yet. She has a chance to break those records. She’ll be competing in the 4×200 meter relay Thursday, Aug. 1, and the 800 meter freestyle later this week.
Theranos-like blood tests could soon become reality
It seemed too good to be true — and it was: a blood test with just the prick of a finger. That was the revolutionary vision of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Now, it could soon become a reality.
When Theranos was founded in 2003, Holmes promised technology that allowed blood tests to be performed quickly and accurately with only a small drop of blood. That infamously turned out to be a lie and Holmes is currently serving 11 years in prison for swindling investors out of millions of dollars.
A device from another company, Drawbridge Health, that can be self-administered and takes a small amount of blood from the upper arm has gotten FDA clearance.
Truvian Health is developing a device that can process blood samples not far from where they’re drawn, rather than sending the samples to a central lab. The company’s CEO said that’s set to launch commercially in 2025.
Blood tests are a staple of medical testing, used to figure out everything from whether someone is diabetic to whether they have a vitamin deficiency. However, it can be difficult to find a suitable vein on the first try and many people are afraid of needles. These new testing methods could eliminate those issues.
The tests would also be able to be administered by pharmacists instead of dedicated phlebotomists who specialize in drawing blood.
Babson and Becton said clinical studies show lab results from the finger stick blood samples are as accurate as standard blood tests. The companies plan to publish the results in a medical journal. After the Theranos debacle, research proving the tests’ accuracy will be crucial to getting doctors on board with trying the technology.
Arson attacks disrupt train travel ahead of Paris Olympics opening ceremony
With just hours to go before the Olympics opening ceremony, arson attacks disrupted traffic on France’s high-speed train lines. And following a Supreme Court ruling banning sleeping in public spaces, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to remove homeless encampments. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, July 26, 2024.
Arson attacks disrupt train travel ahead of Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Authorities are investigating what’s being called “a malicious attack” on France’s high-speed rail network. According to authorities, arsonists set a series of coordinated fires to disrupt travel just ahead of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
It’s already causing delays and is expected to “severely impact” commuters until at least the end of Sunday, July 28. The railway operator said the fires were deliberately set to damage its installations.
This incident is likely to add some apprehension ahead of the much-anticipated Paris Olympic Games.
France has beefed up its security surrounding the world event in unprecedented levels. There will be more than 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers and 2,000 security agents deployed, as well as several snipers and drones keeping watch from above as the games officially get underway.
Officials: Man pushing burning car into gully started California wildfire
Wildfires are raging in the west and the impact of the wildfire smoke is being felt as far as the East Coast. It’s California’s largest wildfire of the year, dubbed “The Park Fire,” burning north of Sacramento near the city Chico.
Authorities said they know how it started and have a suspect in custody. They said 48-year-old Ronnie Dean Stout II of Chico, California, pushed a burning car into a dry gully just before 3 p.m. local time on Wednesday, July 24. He has been arrested on suspicion of arson.
The Park Fire is larger than the size of the city of Atlanta and is only 3% contained.
It’s also not the only fire consuming the time and energy of firefighters and officials. Hundreds of wildfires are spreading throughout California, Oregon and Canada, forcing thousands of evacuations.
In Oregon, fires have been ablaze for days, burning nearly 1 million acres.
The impact of wildfire smoke across the nation is expected to worsen throughout the weekend.
California governor issues executive order to remove homeless encampments
The order offers guidance on how to remove the encampments in a humane way. It also makes it clear the decision to remove encampments is up to individual cities.
California has the largest unhoused population in the country, with more than 180,000 people experiencing homelessness.
U.S. arrests Mexican drug cartel leaders “El Mayo” and “El Chapo’s” son
U.S. authorities said they’ve arrested a Mexican drug kingpin who’s evaded capture for decades. Federal agents lured Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada across the border into Texas, where they took him into custody.
“El Mayo” is described as the leader of the powerful Sinaloa cartel, which authorities said has been flooding the U.S. with deadly fentanyl.
Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of the cartel’s infamous co-founder and former boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, was also arrested. “El Chapo” is currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized with COVID-19 and double pneumonia
Former Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein — who’s been sentenced to 16 years in prison after being found guilty of rape — has been hospitalized. His representative said Weinstein is facing a “myriad of health conditions,” including COVID-19 and double pneumonia.
The 72 year old is currently awaiting retrial in Manhattan on sex crime charges after his conviction was overturned on appeal in April. He is tentatively set to be retried in November.
His rape sentence comes out of a conviction in Los Angeles, but he’s being held in a New York prison while waiting for retrial.
Ohio court rules ‘boneless’ chicken wings can have bones
According to the Ohio State Supreme court, customers who order boneless wings should not expect them to be boneless. The ruling stems from a case brought on by a man who said he developed medical problems after a tiny bone fragment became lodged in his throat after he ate boneless wings at a restaurant in 2016.
He sued the restaurant for negligence and breach of warranty. However, the Ohio justices ruled that the term “boneless wings” actually refers to the cooking style and said in its ruling that it’s “common knowledge that chickens have bones.”
American canoeist Casey Eichfeld looks for gold at historic 4th Olympics
This is the fifth installment in our weeklong series taking a closer look at Team USA members and their sports as the Paris Olympics get underway.
Casey Eichfeld is many things: a husband, father, Olympian and a self-described Disney fanatic.
“We got married at Disney World in Epcot,” he told Straight Arrow News, confirming he and his wife’s Disney devotion.
Straight Arrow News asked him to explain the rules of the sport. He gave a concise explanation:
“Canoe slalom is a series of gates hanging over a whitewater river. Athletes have to navigate those gates and there will be 18 to 25 of them. Fastest time wins. If we touch a gate we incur a 2-second penalty. If we miss a gate, go through it upside down or the wrong direction, we get a 50-second penalty. And that’s really about it.”
But that’s far from it when we’re talking about Eichfeld who will be making history in his sport for most Olympic appearances. He was, in a way, born for canoeing.
“My parents had a boat waiting for me before I was born so I don’t know if I was really given that much choice,” Eichfeld said with a laugh.
So once he started he said everything clicked — a perfect fit like Cinderella’s glass slipper — and he fell in love with the sport.
In 2008, he qualified for his first Olympics in Beijing at 18 years old. It was an experience he called “super surreal,” especially being part of the opening ceremony.
“That’s one of the memories that will stay with me all of my life, particularly my first opening ceremonies,” Eichfeld said. “There’s 550 of us, we’re walking through the tunnel into the bird’s nest and everyone’s chanting ‘USA!’ ‘USA!’ It gives me chills every time I think about it.”
Eichfeld said it’s not just the memories on the water that stick with him. He said he has plenty of other stories to share.
“I have a memory of hanging out at our athlete’s lounge in our village building, chilling out, watching other sports — Michael Phelps walks in,” Eichfeld recalled. “He’s like, ‘Hey are there any Uncrustables left?’ I said, ‘Dude, I got you.’ I took him right to the fridge that had them, had a coffee together, chatted a little bit. “‘It’s cool to see you. I’m not at all starstruck.’”
After placing 7th at the Rio Games in 2016, his highest placement yet, but then not qualifying for Tokyo 2021, Eichfeld contemplated retirement. He was starting a family and wondering if it was time to turn the page on his Olympic quest, but, like Moana, the water called to him.
“I had to make the decision: if I’m going to do this, I’m going to do this,” Eichfeld said. “There’s no messing around with this. If I’m going to take the time to be away from my family, as much as I need to be, then I really need to put the effort in and it paid off.”
At 34 years old, Eichfeld is now the veteran among his Team USA crew. He’s already thinking ahead, not just about his Olympics dreams, but the ones coming true at home, too.
“I’m really happy with my decision [to compete], now I get to make that decision again,” Eichfeld said. “We got a home Olympics coming and we have a baby boy coming at the end of October. So big, big year for me.”
“I like to add big things to my Olympic years. In 2016, my wife and I got married in December and this time, we’re having a baby two months after the Olympics. So why not make it a big year, a really memorable year?”
With his family in Paris motivating him, Eichfeld is looking to bring home the gold this time around and then celebrate in style.
“I want to prove that I belong here and even in my advanced age that I can still throw it down,” Eichfeld said. “So I’m fighting for the podium. I want to be up there. And then when I get home I want to go Disney.”
Biden speaks at NATO summit, Trump holds rally in Florida
Candidates look to send a message as President Joe Biden delivers a speech at the NATO summit and former President Donald Trump spoke at a Florida rally. And the U.S.-built pier meant to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza looks to be in its final days. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
Biden speaks at NATO summit, Trump holds rally in Florida
With the Republican National Convention days away, the Democratic National Convention in a few weeks, and Election Day fast approaching, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump delivered speeches on Tuesday, July 9. And while their speeches took place in very different settings, each was hoping their message would help make the case they are the better option.
Biden spoke in Washington as the three-day NATO summit kicked off, saying the alliance is stronger than it’s ever been in history.
With the focus of the summit being the NATO nations’ continued support for Ukraine, Biden spoke of the country’s resilience in its fight against Russia.
“In Europe, Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues and Putin wants nothing less nothing less than Ukraine’s total subjugation, to end Ukraine’s democracy, destroy Ukraine’s culture and to wipe Ukraine off the map,” the president said. “And we know Putin won’t stop at Ukraine, but make no mistake, Ukraine can and will stop Putin.”
Biden and the leaders of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Romania announced the delivery of new air defense systems for Ukraine. This comes just days after a deadly attack by Russia on a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
On Tuesday night, Biden held a video call with nearly 200 Democratic mayors as he reiterated that he will remain in the race despite having a “lousy night” on the debate stage and amid growing calls for him to step aside.
Meanwhile, former President Trump was back on the campaign trail, holding a rally in Florida. He commented on the speculation surrounding Biden’s candidacy since debate night.
“Our victory was so absolute that Joe’s own party now wants him to throw in the towel and surrender the presidency after a single 90-minute performance,” Trump told supporters. “They want ‘crooked Joe’ out of the race. It’s a shame the way they’re treating him. But don’t feel sorry for him. He’s a very bad guy.”
And with Trump still needing to pick his vice president, one of the potential choices for a running mate — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio — was in attendance. Trump made mention of Rubio’s presence, teasing that reporters probably expected him to make his VP announcement then and there.
In his speech, Trump said he would give Biden a chance to redeem himself — challenging the president to another debate this week, as well as a golf match, referencing an argument between the two during the first debate.
In response, a Biden campaign spokesperson said Biden doesn’t have time for “Donald Trump’s weird antics.”
U.S. Navy sailor disciplined for trying to access Biden’s medical records
As concerns over President Biden’s health remain a topic of discussion since last month’s presidential debate, word has come down of a Navy sailor who’s been disciplined for trying to access the president’s medical records on multiple occasions. The incidents occurred in late February but were disclosed on Tuesday, July 9.
The Navy said the junior sailor assigned to a medical unit in Virginia searched the military’s health care system for the name “Joe Biden” three times but did not end up pulling any details on the president. A co-worker reported the breach, and the Navy launched an investigation.
The sailor admitted he looked up the president’s name “out of curiosity.” The sailor received administrative discipline and remains in the Navy.
$230M pier created to bring aid to Gaza to be shut down for good
The pier, which has already been moved and fixed repeatedly due to bad weather and rough seas, is set to be put back in place on the coast just west of Gaza city Wednesday, July 10. It had been closed off again on June 28 because of bad weather; its third shutdown since it opened in mid-May.
BREAKING: US-built pier will be put back in Gaza for several days to move aid, then permanently removed https://t.co/VKsFqy7ZtM
U.S. military officials say the $230 million pier is being put back in place to deliver any remaining aid in Cyprus and on the floating dock several miles offshore, then it’ll be permanently removed as soon as next week.
The original plan called for it to remain operational through at least the end of the month.
Russian court issues arrest warrant for late opposition leader’s widow
The court said she would be arrested if she were to ever return to Russia. This comes as part of a Kremlin crackdown on opposition.
Ой, а что не будет обычной процедуры? Иностранный агент, потом заведение уголовного дела, потом уже арест?! Когда будете писать об этом, не забудьте, пожалуйста, написать главное: Владимир Путин – убийца и военный преступник. Его место в тюрьме, и не где-нибудь в Гааге, в уютной…
The charges are widely seen as politically motivated. Navalny was Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most outspoken critic. He died in February in an arctic penal colony while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges.
After her husband’s death, Navalnaya vowed to take up his work and has been lobbying against Putin’s government from abroad.
Opening arguments to begin in Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial
Opening arguments are set to begin Wednesday, July 10, in actor Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial in New Mexico. Baldwin is charged in connection with the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.”
He has pleaded not guilty, claiming the gun fired accidentally. Prosecutors will look to prove that Baldwin failed to follow industry standards for firearms safety.
#BREAKING: The jury has been chosen in the #AlecBaldwin Manslaughter Trial in New Mexico.
Opening statements are set to begin tomorrow LIVE on #CourtTV.
Twelve jurors and four alternates were chosen at Tuesday’s hearing; 11 women and 5 men. If they find Baldwin guilty, he faces up to 18 months in prison.
The trial is expected to conclude by July 19.
Europe rejoins space race with launch of Ariane 6
Europe is back in space. Running years behind schedule, Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket blasted off on its maiden flight Tuesday, July 9, from the European Space Agency‘s launch site in French Guiana.
The flight deployed three sets of micro-satellites for research purposes, prompting European space officials to declare the trip a success.
However, the mission didn’t go entirely as planned. The final batch of payloads — two small capsules designed to test the conditions for surviving re-entry — was not launched after a smaller power unit shut itself down for unknown reasons.
Despite the setback, the European Space Agency said it is on track for another mission by the end of the year.
Biden’s physician responds to reports on Parkinson’s expert visits
President Joe Biden’s physician releases a letter as questions surround a Parkinson’s expert’s repeated visits to the White House. And former President Donald Trump’s deadline to pick a vice president nears with the Republican National Convention just days away. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, July 9, 2024.
Biden’s physician responds to reports on Parkinson’s disease expert visits
Ever since President Joe Biden’s self-described “bad night” at the presidential debate, he and his team have had to field questions about his health. That was no different on Monday, July 8, when the concerns centered on a Parkinson’s disease expert who had recently visited the White House on several occasions.
According to public visitor logs, Dr. Kevin Cannard — a neurologist and “movement disorders specialist” from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center — visited the White House eight times in the eight-month span between July 2023 and March 2024, including a visit with the president’s personal physician.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked repeatedly about the visits during Monday’s press briefing. Jean-Pierre said Biden has seen a neurologist three times as part of annual physicals but would not confirm much else, saying the White House medical unit serves multiple personnel along with the president.
“I can tell you this — just going back to Parkinson’s for a little bit, so, to give you some answers here: Has the president been treated for Parkinson’s? No. Is he being treated for Parkinson’s? No, he’s not,” Jean-Pierre told reporters. “Is he taking medication for Parkinson’s? No. So those are the things that I can give you full-blown answers on but I’m not going to confirm a specialist, any specialist that comes to come comes to the White House, out of privacy.”
Hours later, White House physician Kevin O’Connor released a letter addressing the issue, saying Dr. Cannard was “the neurological specialist that examined President Biden for each of his annual physicals,” including one in February that showed no signs of any neurological disorders. O’Connor also confirmed the president has not seen a neurologist outside of those physicals.
The president himself wrote a letter earlier in the day to Democrats in Congress amid growing calls for him to step aside, saying he is “firmly committed to staying in the race.” He added he “wouldn’t be running again if” he did not “absolutely believe” he was the “best person to beat Donald Trump.”
A defiant Biden joined MSNBC’s Morning Joe shortly after sending the letter, saying it’s the voters who chose him as the Democratic nominee, and he is not concerned about those calling for him to drop out of the race.
“I’m getting so frustrated by the elites — not you guys — the elites in the party, oh, they know so much more,” the president said. “Any of these guys that don’t think I should run, run against me. Announce for president, challenge me at the convention.”
Biden to host NATO summit, will take questions from media
President Biden will look to answer critics’ calls for him to step aside as he welcomes world leaders to Washington, D.C. for the NATO summit that begins Tuesday, July, 9. Leaders from more than 30 NATO countries, as well as partners Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the European Union and Ukraine, will join the president to mark 75 years of the global alliance.
The summit will focus on supplying additional military and financial aid to Ukraine, including new steps to strengthen its air defenses. During the week, Biden will host an event with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and two dozen other leaders. He’ll also take part in his first bilateral meeting with new U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
On Thursday, July 11, the president will hold a press conference where he will take questions from the media.
Trump’s vice president search enters final days
Former President Trump is getting back on the campaign trail with a rally in Florida as the deadline to announce his pick for vice president looms. In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity Monday, July 8 night, Trump did confirm Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, R, are under consideration.
But as to when we’ll find out who the official pick is, it seems even the former president isn’t quite sure.
“I think probably within the next week, week and a half, probably sometime — I’d love to do it during the convention,” he told Hannity. “My people say that’s a little complicated. You know, in the old days, they would announce the vice president during the convention. Today, with modern day technology you can’t do things that you could’ve done 50 years ago very easily. But probably a little before the convention but not much. It could even be during the convention that we’ll do it. I’d love to do it during the convention. I think it would be a very interesting build up and important for the convention and would make it even more exciting.”
The Republican National Convention kicks off Monday, July 15, in Milwaukee.
At least 6 dead in Texas after Beryl, millions without power
At least six people have been confirmed dead and millions are without power after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 storm on Monday, July 8. Dozens of people across the state also had to be rescued from flood waters after Beryl dropped up to ten inches of rain in some areas and tornadoes could be spotted across the state.
Officials in Texas said it’ll take “several days” to restore power, but they should be getting a clearer timeline at some point Tuesday.
Since making landfall, Beryl has weakened to a tropical depression. It’s now moving toward Arkansas, but rain from the storm is expected to hit as far north as Detroit by Tuesday night then dump heavy rain in Vermont by Wednesday, July 10.
Jury selection begins in Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial
On Monday, a judge ruled jurors will not hear evidence related to his status as a producer on the film, only his role as an actor in the movie.
Baldwin admitted he was holding a prop gun when a live bullet discharged. He’d previously stated that he did not intentionally pull the trigger and that the gun “went off.”
If convicted, Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison.
Price of Forever stamps to increase starting next week
The price of stamps is going up again. Starting on Sunday, July 14, one Forever stamp will cost 73 cents — up five cents from its current price.
Steve Bannon begins 4-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress
Steve Bannon remained defiant as he turned himself in to serve four months in a federal prison Monday, July 1. The longtime Trump ally was convicted of contempt for defying a congressional subpoena from the committee that probed the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol attack.
“I’m proud to go to prison,” Bannon said in a press conference before turning himself over to authorities. “I am proud of going to prison today.”
“If this is what it takes to stand up to tyranny, if that’s what it takes to stand up to the [Attorney General Merrick] Garland corrupt criminal DOJ, if this is what it takes to stand up to Nancy Pelosi, if this is what it takes to stand up to Joe Biden, I’m proud to do it,” Bannon said.
“I was on a destroyer for four years in the Navy,” Bannon continued.” I am prepared for whatever prison has, right? Our prisons are run very well. The Bureau of Prisons does a great job. I’m prepared to do this, whatever task I do, I’m totally prepared mentally, physically, everything, for prison.”
In an interview on Monday, July 1, former President Trump blamed President Biden for what he claims is a “weaponization” of the justice system. Trump said Biden is “going to pay a big price” for it. Trump’s campaign told ABC News that Trump’s statement meant Biden will lose the election come November.
In 2022, Bannon was convicted of two misdemeanor counts of contempt of Congress after he refused to cooperate with a House committee investigating the Capitol riot. Bannon, a former chief strategist for Trump and a prominent figure in right-wing media, initially delayed his prison term through an appeal.
However, after the D.C. Circuit Court upheld his conviction, he was ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols to begin his four-month sentence.