Author: Gist It
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Up First briefing: Extreme heat; pandemic fraud; Supreme Court election theory ruling
The Southern U.S. is under an extreme heat advisory, a federal watchdog reports potential major fraud in pandemic aid, the Supreme Court rejected the independent state legislature theory, and U.N. representatives criticize the treatment of prisoners at Guantánamo. Heat advisory: Record-breaking temperatures are affecting cities in Texas, with at least nine heat-related deaths reported. * […]
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Actor Julian Sands found dead in California after going missing on hike
Actor Julian Sands, best known for his role in “A Room with a View,” was found dead on Mount Baldy in California after he was reported missing during a hike. The backstory: The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office confirmed the death of the 65-year-old actor after finding human remains on Southern California’s Mount Baldy. * […]
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Judge blocks a Florida law that would punish venues where kids can see drag shows
A Florida law targeting drag shows and their accessibility to children has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge after a lawsuit from popular restaurant, Hamburger Mary’s. Issue at hand: The Florida law, known as Senate Bill 1438, aimed to prohibit children from attending certain drag shows, classifying them as “adult live performances”. * The […]
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Over $200 billion in pandemic business loans appear to be fraudulent, a watchdog says
Over $200 billion, or 17% of the $1.2 trillion in federal aid given to small businesses during the pandemic, may have been fraudulently claimed. The Big Picture: The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Small Business Administration (SBA) estimates about $200 billion of the pandemic business aid could be fraudulent. * The emergency need […]
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Guantánamo Bay detainees continue to face ‘inhuman’ treatment, U.N. investigator finds
A U.N. investigator reports ongoing ‘inhuman’ treatment at the Guantánamo Bay detention center and calls for its closure. Findings from the report: U.N. Special Rapporteur Fionnuala Ní Aoláin reported instances of “ongoing cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” in Guantánamo Bay. * Her report found “near-constant surveillance, forced cell extractions, [and] undue use of restraints” in […]
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Federal watchdog says over $200 billion in pandemic business loans look fraudulent
Over $200 billion of the $1.2 trillion in emergency federal aid disbursed to small businesses during the pandemic may have been obtained fraudulently, according to the Office of Inspector General of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Fraudulent Claims: The SBA Office of Inspector General reported that the rush to distribute pandemic aid opened opportunities for […]
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Pakistan’s law minister defends putting protesters on trial in military courts
Pakistan’s law and justice minister is defending the decision to use military courts to try civilians involved in violent protests supporting the former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Key actions: The military fired three senior officers for failing to prevent violent attacks on their property by Khan’s supporters. * The protests occurred after Khan was arrested […]
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They set sail with dreams and met disaster: Stories from the ill-fated migrant ship
Two sons of Pakistani man Muhammad Aslam are missing after a disastrous shipwreck during their illegal migration attempt to Europe. The Backstory: The Aslam brothers, Qasim and Munir, funded their illegal migration attempt via smugglers by selling their house in Gujranwala. * The men intended to travel from Pakistan to Dubai, then Libya, and finally […]
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Senate report: intelligence agencies ‘failed to fulfill their mission’ ahead of Jan. 6
A Senate report claims that U.S. intelligence agencies failed to properly assess and relay the threat of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Details of the failure: The Senate report indicates that despite having several tips about potential violence on Jan. 6, intelligence agencies significantly downplayed the degree of the threat nor did they effectively share […]
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Smoke from Canada’s wildfires darkens Europe’s skies
Smoke from Canada’s wildfires has reached Europe, with skies darkening over Portugal, Spain, France and other northern countries. Crossing continents: Smoke has traveled thousands of miles from Canada’s Quebec province across the Atlantic Ocean, according to NASA satellite images. * The smoke began reaching the Azores islands on Sunday and arrived in western Europe on […]