Politico reports: New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte has ruled out joining the rush of states redrawing the lines of congressional districts for partisan advantage in the 2026 midterms. The governor told a local TV station Friday that it was a question of timing. “The timing is off for this, because we are literally in the middle of the census period,” …

The Associated Press reports: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has identified the man who opened fire at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White of Kennesaw, Georgia. The GBI statement says White died and Officer David Rose with the DeKalb County Police Department was shot and killed during the shooting Friday. At least four …

The Daily Beast reports: The co-owner of a Donald Trump-themed burger chain in Texas was arrested and is facing deportation after allegedly overstaying his visa and orchestrating a “sham” marriage. Roland Beainy, 28, is one of the masterminds behind Trump Burger, a viral MAGA eatery whose locations feature American flags, buns stamped “TRUMP,” and even an impersonator of the president—who …

The Washington Post reports: The Department of Homeland Security is holding up more than $100 million in preapproved funds intended to help hurricane-battered North Carolina clean up storm damage and fix infrastructure still in disrepair almost a year after Helene hit the region. On July 22, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi L. Noem …

The New York Times reports: In 2023, as Changpeng Zhao, the founder of the giant cryptocurrency exchange Binance, prepared to plead guilty to U.S. money-laundering violations, he fashioned a crash course for himself on clemency politics, reading books about business tycoons who had received pardons. Two years later, Mr. Zhao, a Chinese-born billionaire, is out of prison and mounting a …

San Francisco’s ABC affiliate reports: California Governor Gavin Newsom is now calling for a special election to approve a one-time redrawing of California’s congressional districts. Newsom hosted half dozen Lone Star state lawmakers in Sacramento. “With the leadership behind me, they will get this on the ballot. We are calling for a special election that will be the first week …

ESPN reports: A preseason game between the Lions and Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was suspended in the fourth quarter Friday night after Detroit safety Morice Norris was taken off the field in an ambulance. Norris was injured while attempting to tackle Atlanta rookie Nathan Carter with 14:50 to go. Norris hit Carter with his face mask facing the running back’s …

The Texas Tribune reports: Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke cannot financially support Texas Democrats who left the state to delay passage of a new congressional map, a Tarrant County judge ruled Friday evening. O’Rourke and his political group, Powered by People, were sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Friday afternoon. Paxton argued that the group was deceptively fundraising for …

The New York Times reports: President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Saturday flatly rejected President Trump’s proposal that a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia could include “some swapping of territories,” a plan that would in effect mean ceding land to Moscow. “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier,” Mr. Zelensky said in a video address from his …

The Kansas City Star reports: Chappell Roan is known as much for her elaborate drag queen and vintage-inspired stage costumes as her music. She’s dressed as Joan of Arc in a suit of armor, been the Statue of Liberty complete with spiky headdress. There’s fringe, lots of fringe, fishnet stockings, sequins, feathers, cowboy hats and boots. Now she has donated …

CNN reports: A CDC employee told CNN that he saw a man approach the steps of a building at the agency’s campus, put a backpack down, pull out a rifle, and shoot at the building. The employee heard many shots fired and called 911, he told CNN. The CDC building is adjacent to the Emory University campus in Atlanta. The …

Crooks & Liars reports: It’s no deep dark secret that Rep. Drunken Van Orden doesn’t have very good people skills. He’s sexually harassed two women while he was in the Navy, he screamed at a teen library aide, he screamed at teen Senate pages, and he physically assaulted a young woman with CODEPINK. But DVO has a special hatred for …

Via email from hate group leader Monica Cole: Currently, the f-bomb is blatantly being used during a particular Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) commercial advertising the restaurant chain’s bottomless appetizer. The ad features Kendall Washington and Kaylor Martin from the inappropriate Love Island USA (a dating reality show), who are discussing the bottomless apps. The commercial takes place in a BWW …

The Alaska Beacon reports: President Donald Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 15 in Alaska, Trump said in a social media post Friday. The location, timing and other details were not immediately available. Staff for all three members of Alaska’s congressional delegation said they were unaware of the announcement ahead of time. “The highly anticipated meeting …

Politico reports: Officials fear that Latin American drug cartels are among those who obtained sensitive court data due to a sweeping breach of the federal judiciary’s case filing system, raising concerns that the groups will now be able to target cooperating witnesses involved in criminal trials against them. The worry, according to three judicial officials and investigators with knowledge of …

Atlanta’s Fox affiliate reports: An alert from Emory University went out around 4 p.m. advising there was an “active shooter” at the CVS on campus to “RUN, HIDE, FIGHT. Avoid the area” The CVS to which they are referring is located at Emory Point on Clifton Road. SKYFOX flew over the scene to find several police vehicles had been shot up …

The Wall Street Journal reports: Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the Trump administration this week with a sweeping proposal for a cease-fire in Ukraine, demanding major territorial concessions by Kyiv—and a push for global recognition of its claims—in exchange for a halt to the fighting, according to European and Ukrainian officials. European officials expressed serious reservations about the proposal, which …

The Daily Beast reports: The Kennedy Center is likely dropping its famous rainbow ribbon following Donald Trump’s takeover of the cultural institution. The ribbon for the lifetime achievement medallion will likely be redesigned, possibly with a black or gold ribbon instead. The Kennedy Center has delayed naming its list for this year’s honorees—who are typically announced in August—and will be …

The Washington Post reports: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) asked the state’s high court Friday to remove 13 Democrats from office for leaving the state this week to prevent the GOP from giving themselves five more safe congressional districts. The Republican attorney general’s office said in a news release that he was focused on 13 of the more than …

Raw Story reports: House Speaker Mike Johnson has been accused of using campaign money to pay his rent in what the government watchdog group Campaign Legal Center described as a “clear-cut violation of federal campaign finance laws,” newly filed complaints allege. In two separate complaints filed this week with the Federal Election Commission and the Office of Congressional Conduct, the …