5 things to know for August 4: Trump, Parkland, Immigration, Ukraine, Wells Fargo
By Alexandra Meeks, CNN
(CNN) — All Louisiana public schools are now required to display the national motto of “In God We Trust” inside every classroom, according to a new law that went into effect this week. Some critics fear the law will further blur the lines separating church and state, which follows a pattern seen in Southern legislatures in recent years.
Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
1. Trump
Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Thursday to four criminal charges related to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. It was the third occasion that Trump was arraigned this year, in which he was arrested and released pending trial. Federal prosecutors in the latest indictment allege that Trump “was determined to remain in power” after losing the election and that he and six unindicted co-conspirators orchestrated a plot to reverse the results — leading up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. After Trump left the courthouse Thursday, he railed against the indictment to reporters, describing it as “persecution of a political opponent.” Trump’s next hearing is set for August 28.
2. Parkland
The 2018 Parkland school shooting will be reenacted with live gunfire today as part of a civil lawsuit against a former sheriff’s deputy who remained outside during the massacre. At least 140 bullets will be fired inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where a gunman killed 17 people and injured 17 others in what remains the deadliest high school shooting in the US. Families of the victims want to reenact the shooting with live rounds instead of blanks in an effort to prove that Scot Peterson, the former deputy, heard “upwards of 70 shots and knew where they were coming from” but chose to not confront the shooter, an attorney for the families said. Peterson was found not guilty in June of criminal charges after prosecutors accused him of ignoring his training and failing to make contact with the gunman, instead taking cover while the victims were gunned down.
3. Immigration
An appeals court will allow the Biden administration to keep a controversial asylum policy in place for now. The policy at the heart of the court battle largely restricts migrants who passed through another country from seeking asylum in the US, marking a departure from decadeslong protocol. The policy and a similar Trump-era policy have received criticism from Biden allies, Democrats and immigration advocates. A district court judge had blocked the policy last week but put that ruling on hold for 14 days for a possible appeal. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday extended that pause and said it would expedite its consideration of the case. Additionally, Mexico’s president has condemned Texas’ floating barriers on the Rio Grande river, calling the state’s border enforcement tactics “inhumane.”
4. Ukraine
Ukrainian forces said they attacked a ship at a Russian naval base today which had about 100 servicemen aboard. A sea drone struck the ship with nearly 1,000 pounds of TNT, causing serious damage to the point that it is “not able to fulfill its duties,” a Ukrainian source said. Social media images showed the ship being towed near the Novorossiysk naval base, despite earlier claims by the Russian defense ministry that the attack had been repelled. The strike today comes as tensions continue to rise in the Black Sea after Russia withdrew from a grain deal crucial to global food supplies and resumed its blockade of Ukraine’s ports, as well as launching a prolonged bombardment of its infrastructure and grain storage facilities.
5. Wells Fargo
It may be a good time to check your Wells Fargo accounts. The bank is working to resolve a technical glitch that caused direct deposits to disappear from some customers’ bank accounts. On Thursday night, a torrent of customers contacted Wells Fargo via Twitter, now officially branded as ‘X,’ claiming they could not access money that they deposited into the bank. CNN reached out to Wells Fargo to determine how widespread the problem is, but the company has not said how many accounts are affected or when the issue will be resolved. Instead, a company spokesperson shared the following statement: “Wells Fargo is aware that some customers’ deposit transactions are not showing on their accounts. The issue will be resolved as soon as possible. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.”
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Everyone is in Europe this summer
Popular European cities are seeing droves of international travelers. These are the top destinations where strong demand is lifting fares.
Cardi B will not be charged related to microphone-throwing incident
Police say the rapper will not face charges related to throwing her microphone into the crowd at a concert in Las Vegas last weekend.
Papa Johns’ prices are driving some customers away
Another one bites the crust … Papa Johns is the latest pizza chain to take a hit as consumers pull back on discretionary spending.
87-year-old fends off home intruder, offers snacks to distract him
An 87-year-old woman offered a robber a late-night snack to keep him busy until police arrived. Read how she devised the clever plan.
What to know when your child starts school during a heat wave
Many children are heading back to school this month amid scorching temperatures — and not all facilities have air conditioning. Here’s what parents and guardians need to know.
QUIZ TIME
Which type of lunar phenomenon lit up the night sky this week?
A. Blue moon
B. Sturgeon supermoon
C. Blood moon
D. Lunar eclipse
Take CNN’s weekly news quiz to see if you’re correct!
TODAY’S NUMBER
$395 million
That’s how much revenue Bud Light’s parent company lost in US sales in the second quarter after being swept into a marketing controversy. The brewer received backlash from right-wing media and anti-trans critics after sponsoring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in April. At the same time, the beer giant was slammed by LGBTQ advocates who said it failed to support Mulvaney and the broader trans community during the public relations crisis. Bud Light lost its ranking as America’s best-selling beer to Mexican brewer Modelo in May.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“We, too, are part of a checks and balances system.”
— Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, affirming Thursday that the high court is working behind closed doors to consider whether to implement a code of conduct that would be directed specifically at the nine justices. This comes as ethics questions have been raised over some justices’ luxury travels and extracurricular activities that could be seen as potential conflicts of interest. “It just can’t be that the court is the only institution that is somehow not subject to any checks and balances from anybody else,” Kagan said, adding, “We are not imperial.”
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY…
What it’s like to fly into the world’s ‘most dangerous’ airport
Listen to a pilot explain why this airport in Nepal near Mount Everest is so treacherous, even for the most skilled aviators.
The-CNN-Wire
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