Andrew Gillum, former Florida Democratic candidate for governor, was acquitted Thursday of lying to the FBI in a corruption case. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on charges that Gillum funneled tens of thousands of dollars in campaign money to personal accounts. Gillum has maintained his innocence throughout the case and expressed relief at the jury's decision, thanking his supporters and looking forward to continuing to serve the public.
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Drew Barrymore has withdrawn from hosting duties for the upcoming MTV Movie & TV Awards in order to show solidarity with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) members who are on strike. The WGA is seeking higher pay and better benefits for its members, as well as more transparency and fair compensation for streaming services. Barrymore’s decision to step down as host is a powerful show of solidarity with the striking writers.
Jordan Neely, a homeless man in New York City, was killed in a subway station on Monday after an altercation with a 24-year-old Marine veteran. Protests have been held in response to the death, with demonstrators calling for accountability and justice. The suspect has been arrested and charged with manslaughter, but protesters are continuing to call for further action to be taken.
On Thursday night, a 13-year-old shooter opened fire in the town of Mladenovac, Serbia, killing at least eight people and wounding 13. The shooter, a 21-year-old male, is currently being sought by police and the Interior Minister has called the shooting “a terrorist act.” This is the second mass killing in Serbia in two days, and the government is taking steps to ensure the safety of its citizens.
Former President Donald Trump defended his infamous "grab 'em by the pussy" comments in a recorded deposition for a civil case filed by writer E. Jean Carroll, who is suing him for defamation after he denied her claims of rape. Trump denied the claims, saying they were "pure fiction" and accused Carroll of making up the story to make money. The jury heard the deposition as part of the trial, but it is unclear when they will reach a verdict.
The Davis Police Department has arrested Carlos Dominguez, a 21-year-old former student at the University of California, Davis, in connection with three recent stabbings, two of which were fatal. He was taken into custody Wednesday after 15 people called in reports of a person matching the suspect's description and was found with a large knife in his backpack. He is being held in Yolo County Jail on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, but the police are still investigating and asking anyone with information to contact them.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has defended her absence from the Senate due to shingles, stating that there has been no slowdown in confirming President Joe Biden's judicial nominees. She has blamed Republicans for blocking a few nominees from moving forward in the Senate judiciary committee, and expressed confidence that when she returns, the remaining qualified nominees will be able to move quickly to the Senate floor for a vote. Despite her absence, the Senate has confirmed over 100 judicial nominees since Biden took office in January.
Avril Haines, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, has warned that a domestic debt default could lead to global uncertainty, and that Russia and China would likely take advantage of the situation to portray the U.S. as a chaotic and unstable nation. She also noted that the Russian military is facing significant shortfalls and would be unable to sustain its current operations without a mandatory mobilization and third-party ammunition supplies.