TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE

Judge seeks more details on Trump’s clemency for Roger Stone

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge is demanding more information about President Donald Trump’s decision to commute the prison sentence of longtime ally Roger Stone. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered that the parties provide her with a copy of the executive order that commuted Stone’s sentence. She also asked for clarity about the scope of the clemency, including whether it covers just his 40-month prison sentence or also the two-year period of supervised release that was part of his sentence. Hours after the judge’s directive, the Justice Department submitted to the court a two-page order making clear that the clemency extended to both Stone’s prison sentence and his supervised release.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRUMP

White House turns on Fauci as Trump minimizes virus spike

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is working to undercut its most trusted coronavirus expert as President Donald Trump continues to play down the threat posed by the virus and pushes to reopen the economy before the election. Trump and other White House officials have been ramping up their attacks against Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, who has been sounding alarms about spiking cases. Trump suggests the severity of the pandemic that has killed more than 135,000 Americans is being overstated by critics to damage his reelection chances.

AP-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST

The Latest: Mask mandate in effect in parts of Mississippi

A mask mandate and other restrictions have taken effect in 13 of Mississippi’s 82 counties as the state continues to see a rapid increase in cases of the new coronavirus, including a steady rise in hospital patients. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said: “This is the worst that it’s ever been for spread of cases in our state.” Figures released Monday by the state Health Department showed 1,020 people were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 Sunday. That is up from 664 on June 22. The state health officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, said eight hospitals in Mississippi had no beds available in their ICUs as of Monday.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CALIFORNIA

California shuts bars, indoor dining and most gyms, churches

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has extended the closure of bars and indoor dining statewide and has ordered gyms, churches and hair salons closed in most places as coronavirus cases keep rising. On July 1, Newsom ordered many counties to close bars and indoor operations at restaurants, wineries, zoos and family entertainment centers like bowling alleys and miniature golf. On Monday, Newsom extended that order statewide and closed additional parts of the world’s fifth-largest economy, including indoor malls and offices for noncritical industries. California confirmed 8,358 additional coronavirus cases on Sunday. Hospitalizations have increased 28% over the past two weeks.

TRUMP BOOK

Judge rules Mary Trump can publicize book about her uncle

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge says Mary Trump can talk about the highly critical book she wrote about her uncle over the objections of President Donald Trump’s brother. The ruling was issued late Monday by Judge Hal B. Greenwald in Poughkeepsie. The judge reversed orders he had issued temporarily blocking Mary Trump and her publisher, Simon & Schuster, from publishing or distributing a tell-all book about the president. An appeals judge had already lifted the order blocking Simon & Schuster. The book, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” was originally to be published at the end of July. The publisher announced last week it would be published Tuesday. Simon & Schuster and a lawyer for Mary Trump praised the ruling.

AP-US-TULSA-MASSACRE-MASS-GRAVES

Search resumes for mass graves from 1921 Tulsa race massacre

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A team of researchers and historians are resuming test excavations of potential unmarked mass graves from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. A backhoe operator began slowly moving dirt Monday at Tulsa’s Oaklawn Cemetery. Oklahoma State Archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck says researchers plan to open up a 6-by-3-meter excavation area where ground scans determined there was an anomaly consistent with mass graves. Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum says they hope to identify victims and notify their descendants. On May 31 and June 1 in 1921, white residents looted and burned Tulsa’s black Greenwood district to the ground, killing as many as 300 people.

RACIAL INJUSTICE-PENNSYLVANIA

Protest in Pennsylvania after cop uses knee to restrain man

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Activists in Pennsylvania are pressing their demand for police accountability after bystander video emerged over the weekend of an officer placing his knee on a man’s head and neck area. Activists say Allentown police appeared to violate their own use-of-force policy against neck restraints when an officer used his knee to bear down on the man’s head. Police launched an internal probe and promised to release additional video of Saturday’s incident. A protest dubbed “Demands Will Be Met” was scheduled for Monday night, with demonstrators planning to march to Allentown City Hall and police department headquarters.

AP-US-MISSING-TV-STAR

Sheriff: ‘Glee’ star Naya Rivera saved son before drowning

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities say “Glee” star Naya Rivera has been found dead at a Southern California lake. Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said at a news conference that the body found floating in Lake Piru earlier Monday was the 33-year-old Rivera. The discovery came five days after Rivera’s 4-year-old son was found alone on a boat. Ayub says the boy told investigators his mother helped him get back aboard before he looked back and saw her go under. She is the third star of the Fox musical-comedy series “Glee” to die in their 30s. Her death was confirmed exactly seven years after co-star Corey Monteith died.

RACIAL INJUSTICE-CONFEDERATE FLAG-MISSISSIPPI

Group seeks ideas for Mississippi flag without rebel emblem

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The public can submit proposals for a new Mississippi flag, using two requirements in a state law. The designs cannot include the Confederate battle emblem, and they must have the phrase, “In God We Trust.” Mississippi recently retired the last state flag in the U.S. with the Confederate symbol that many see as racist. A commission will design a new flag, and voters will be asked to approve it Nov. 3. The state Department of Archives and History says Monday that it will collect flag proposals from the public until Aug. 13. It says designs should be simple and meaningful.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW YORK

New York outlines the when and hows of a return to school

New York parents and school administrators are getting long-awaited answers to their back-to-school questions. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday said schools will be allowed to open for the fall in areas where the coronavirus is under control. Education officials, meantime, outlined a draft of guidance for whether that happens in-person, remotely or a combination of both. Districts have until July 31 to detail school-by-school reopening plans. Cuomo says they’ll be able to move forward with them in regions that are both in phase four of the state’s overall reopening and have seen average daily infection rates of 5% or less for two weeks.

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