Tuesday, July 7 top news briefs
Hello, welcome to The Daily Moth! It is Tuesday, July 7. Here are today’s top news briefs.
911 caller Amy Cooper charged with filing a false report
Amy Cooper, who was seen in a video calling 911 on a Black birdwatcher in New York City’s Central Park after she was asked to put a leash on her dog, was charged with filing a false report. It was big news a few weeks ago and it happened on the same day that George Floyd died — May 25. She said in the 911 call that “an African-American man was threatening her life” while in fact all the birdwatcher, Christian Cooper, did was to demand the dog be leashed per park policy because it would scare away birds, specifically birds that liked to walk on the grass. The false report charge is a misdemeanor and the maximum penalty is up to a year in jail. This news may lead to a national crackdown on people who call 911 just because they find a Black individual suspicious. This is not the first instance of a 911 call.
Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for coronavirus
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for the coronavirus. He had a high temperature, a cough, and took a test on Monday. He said on Tuesday that he is feeling very well. He is now the latest world leader to have tested positive for it. BBC News pointed out that Bolsonaro has downplayed the seriousness of the virus and is not very supportive of lockdowns or wearing masks. Brazil currently has the second-highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the world with 1.6 million cases. The U.S. is at the top with almost at 3 million cases.
Supreme Court makes ruling on Electoral College electors
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled yesterday that U.S. states can block members of the Electoral College from being “disloyal” to whichever presidential candidate their state votes for. There are 538 electors who cast “official ballots” and they are tasked to follow the will of the popular vote in their states, but there was a possibility that the electors themselves could “rebel” against the popular vote and vote the other way. 18 states does not have a policy to enforce electors, but now the Supreme Court says whatever the state picks in its popular vote, the electors must cast a ballot for. This Supreme Court decision is aimed to prevent a potential problem if the November election has a controversial result. It is clear that all electors must follow their states.
ICE announces new policy on international college students
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced a new policy yesterday that said international college students can’t remain in the U.S. on a F-1 or M-1 visa if the classes are entirely online. The ICE said the “U.S. Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States. The ICE said if a college is offering a hybrid model, a mixture of online and in person classes, then it must be certified by the school on a form to allow the students to be in the U.S. Clearly this policy change, if it stays in effect and remains unchanged, will have a significant impact on international students because many colleges are planning online-only courses due to Covid-19.
Phoenix police fatal shooting
There was a video posted on social media of Phoenix police officers surrounding a car parked in a driveway. A 28-year-old man was seated inside on the driver’s seat. An officer shot at point-blank range through the window, killing him. His name was James Porter Garcia. There were protests on Sunday night. The police department said officers were responding to a 911 call about an aggravated assault, talked with Garcia for about 10 minutes, said that Garcia had a handgun, and pointed it at them while telling them to shoot him. There is now an investigation. Protesters are demanding all of the body camera footage to be released.
Jimmy John’s employees fired for mocking noose
Four employees at a Jimmy John’s restaurant in Woodstock, Georgia were fired over a video posted on social media of two employees making a noose out of bread dough and mocking a hanging. One of the employees placed the “noose” around his neck as another employee held up the “rope.” Both were laughing. There was a third employee who was also filming and laughing, and the fourth employee is the person filming it. The Jimmy John’s company said they had zero tolerance for racism or discrimination and that the employees have been terminated and that they do not represent their brand.
Mural honoring Breonna Taylor
In Annapolis, Maryland, there is a 7,000 square foot mural painted on a park to honor Breonna Taylor. The mural has her face, her name, and the words, “BLACK LIVES MATTER.” The mural marks down Breonna Taylor’s birth and death date — she died at 28 years of age on March 13 when she was shot 8 times as she slept at her home by Louisville, Kentucky police officers who burst into her home during a no-knock warrant. One Louisville police officer was fired but there have been no other consequences for her death. It’s still under an investigation. This is to honor her.
TikTok app may be banned in U.S.
The Trump administration is considering banning the popular TikTok app because it is owned by a Chinese company. Sec. of State Mike Pompeo said if you have the app on your phone, you are risking giving your private information to the “Chinese Communist Party.” The TikTok company said it is led by an American CEO and that it has hundreds of U.S. employees. The company said they have never provided data to the Chinese government and that they would not if they were asked to.
That is all the top news for today. Check out our Deaf News stories. See you tomorrow and stay with the light!
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/nyregion/amy-cooper-false-report-charge.html
https://www.facebook.com/518141694/videos/10157031035971695
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/us/phoenix-arizona-police-shooting-garcia.html
https://www.macon.com/news/nation-world/national/article244022002.html
https://www.fox5dc.com/news/7000-square-foot-breonna-taylor-mural-put-in-annapolis-park