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Trump picks Dr. Heidi Overton, a top White House aide, to lead the Food and Drug Administration
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump has picked Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the Food and Drug Administration. Overton is a deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and a trusted figure in Trump’s administration. Overton has worked on several of Trump’s health initiatives. But the new FDA commissioner will face challenges balancing Trump’s priorities, traditional Republican interests and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-corporate stance. Overton will need Senate confirmation and face questions from the Senate health committee. The previous FDA head, Dr. Marty Makary, resigned in May, leaving unfinished projects like work on ultra-processed foods, antidepressants and COVID-19 shots.
United Arab Emirates suspends trade with Iran after coming under renewed missile fire
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- The United Arab Emirates has suspended all trade with Iran after it said it had come under renewed fire from the country. That will further isolate the Islamic Republic. The country is already suffering under U.S. sanctions and a blockade. Incoming ballistic missile fire triggered nationwide warnings Tuesday night for UAE residents to seek shelter. It was the first time in weeks such an alarm had sounded. Early in the conflict, the UAE regularly came under intense fire from Iran, and most trade between the countries ground to a halt. It was not clear how much trade there was more recently.
Judge removed from Texas track meet stabbing case as defendant Karmelo Anthony seeks a new trial
McKINNEY, Texas (AP) -- The trial judge who presided over the case of Texas teenager convicted of fatally stabbing a 17-year-old athlete at a high school track meet was ordered removed from the case as the defendant seeks a new trial and appeals his conviction. Karmelo Anthony was convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison after a jury in June rejected his claims of self-defense during a confrontation with Austin Metcalf last year. Anthony’s legal team argued Wednesday that a retrial was warranted in part because state District Judge John Roach enforced overly strict courtroom rules and gave an interview after the trial was over. A new judge will be assigned for Thursday’s hearing on the retrial request.
Trump plays White House tour guide to show off work on his helipad and ballroom
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump played White House tour guide, showcasing his construction projects, including a new helipad and ballroom. On Wednesday, he spent several uninterrupted minutes praising the granite used for the helipad, arguing that it could withstand immense pressure and was far superior to concrete. Trump also discussed the ballroom, which faces legal challenges but continues to be built. He predicted that the Supreme Court will eventually allow for its completion. The president emphasized the importance of these projects, saying they will last long after his presidency. Trump also thanked Scotts-Miracle Gro for donating to repair the lawn. The president even autographed a piece of granite, highlighting his pride in the construction work.
‘No serious dispute’ that Comey’s seashell post could be read as a Trump threat, prosecutors say
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Justice Department is defending its prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey and says there’s “no serious dispute” that a social media post of seashells he made could be understood as a threat against President Donald Trump. Prosecutors late Tuesday also called into question Comey’s account that he found the seashells in the numerical arrangement “86 47” while walking on a North Carolina beach. Trump is the 47th president. Prosecutors say Comey intended a physical threat or knew that the number 86 could suggest violence. Comey’s legal team calls it a vindictive prosecution and says Comey’s post didn’t amount to a true threat.
Forecasters warn another tropical system could be brewing southeast of Hawaii after Lala left 2 dead
After Lala was blamed for two deaths in Hawaii, forecasters are warning of the likelihood of another tropical system forming that could approach the islands by the weekend. The National Hurricane Center says conditions appear conducive for a tropical depression to form in coming days to the east-southeast of the islands. The hurricane center says it’s too early to tell the exact location or potential wind, rain and storm surge impacts. Lala battered parts of Hawaii over the weekend without making landfall. Police say a man’s body was found Tuesday in a pasture on the Big Island, a day after a 93-year-old woman’s body was found.
A triple crisis: Earthquake takes a heavy toll on Colombia’s impoverished and neglected region
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Recovering from the devastating earthquake that hit Colombia earlier this month will be particularly challenging for Choco, a remote region that has long struggled with high poverty rates, poor infrastructure and underfunded health and education services. According to the U.N. humanitarian agency, 69,000 people in Choco were affected or displaced by the earthquake. That’s about 10% of the region’s population. The regional government says that the earthquake damaged more than 200 schools, and poor internet access will make it difficult for children to take online lessons. With around 600,000 inhabitants, most of them Afro-Colombian or Indigenous people, Choco has long been one of Colombia’s most neglected regions.
Rescue mission is called off for NASA’s aging Swift space telescope
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- The mission to save NASA’s sinking space telescope has been called off. NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies announced the news Wednesday. The startup company says its Link spacecraft will not attempt to capture the Swift Observatory and boost it to a higher orbit because of problems with controlling the rescue craft. NASA says this means the telescope will plunge through the atmosphere later this year. NASA paid $30 million for Katalyst to try to lift the aging telescope to a longer-lasting orbit. Intense solar activity caused Swift to lose altitude faster than expected.
Amazon set to expand drone delivery of lightweight packages to 500 US cities
Millions more people may be able to get smaller, lightweight Amazon packages delivered by drones by the end of the year under a plan the company announced Wednesday to expand the airborne shipping to suburban areas in nearly 500 U.S. cities. Amazon said in news release that customers could receive the drone deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes, The drones can carry packages up to five pounds. The plan will intensify the battle between Amazon and Walmart to provide consumers with the fastest delivery times. Amazon’s plan would expand drone delivery into hundreds of new communities, including the Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boise areas.