The kidnapping plot thickens
A second governor was a target in a kidnapping plot. Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett was grilled on the Hill. And Apple unveiled some shiny new toys.
It's Ashley. Let's talk news.
But first, vid and it definitely happened: A hiker in Utah had a terrifying encounter with a charging mountain lion — and he caught it on camera.
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Virginia's governor was also a target in kidnapping scheme
Thirteen domestic terrorists hell-bent on terrorizing politicians and police planned not only to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, but Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, too, according to the FBI. The suspects accused of plotting to kidnap Whitmer also talked about "taking" Virginia's governor out of anger over his lockdown order during the COVID-19 pandemic, an FBI agent testified Tuesday. But the plots were foiled as the FBI was on their trail, and with the help of social media, paid informants and undercover agents who embedded themselves in the groups and secretly recorded what they saw and heard.
How the FBI spent months tracking the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
One thing we can all agree on about Barrett: She has an 'impressive' memory
Amy Coney Barrett came to the second day of her Supreme Court confirmation hearing Tuesday with an agenda: to assure senators she has no agenda. Not on abortion. Not on guns (and her family does own one). Not on health care or anything else. Here are some key moments from the hearing:
On abortion: It didn’t take long for Barrett to be questioned about abortion (and for her to sidestep the question). Barrett promised to “follow the rules of stare decisis,” or Supreme Court precedent, saying “I don’t have any agenda” to try to overrule Roe v. Wade or its successor, Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
On health care: Asked whether she would recuse herself from the Affordable Care Act case, she said it’s “a legal issue” that she would discuss with colleagues, not “a question that I could answer in the abstract.” Democrats have concerns Barrett could be the deciding vote.
On religion: Barrett, a devout Catholic, told the committee that while her faith “was important" to her and her family, she would apply the law only to cases that came before her.
In an impressive moment, Barrett was asked to hold up the notebook in front of her. Other recent Supreme Court nominees have used multiple notebooks to reference during their confirmation hearings, but hers was blank. *Drops mic*
What everyone’s talking about
The Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily allowed the Trump administration to end its 2020 census count earlier than planned.
Mitt Romney reprimanded Trump and Democrats for "vile" and "hate-filled" politics.
McConnell says the Senate will vote on a $500 billion stimulus plan before Election Day as Trump tells GOP to "go big or go home.''
Social Security recipients will receive a paltry 1.3% cost-of-living adjustment next year, an average of just $20 a month.
The boy band BTS is facing backlash in China after its leader thanked Korean War veterans for their sacrifices.
Ooh look, a shiny new iPhone
Apple introduced four new models of the iPhone on Tuesday: the iPhone 12, the iPhone 12 Pro, the larger iPhone 12 Pro Max and the smaller iPhone 12 Mini.
WIRED: The new smartphones mark Apple's debut in 5G, the next wireless service expected to deliver major upgrades in speed.
TIRED: The new iPhone 12 won’t come with a charger or headphones (?!).
The COVID-19 comeback – and not in a good way
A 25-year-old Nevada man is the first American confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19 twice. Though he has recovered, he was sicker the second time. His case raises questions about how long people are protected after being infected with the coronavirus that causes the disease, and potentially how protective a vaccine might be. Meanwhile, an 89-year-old Dutch woman is believed to be the first person to have died of a reinfection of COVID-19, researchers wrote in a report published Monday.
So how rare is reinfection? There have been at least 22 documented cases of reinfection worldwide since the start of the pandemic, but it's unclear how many cases there have actually been.
Other important COVID-19 updates:
A third of U.S. states are reporting higher coronavirus case counts than they've ever had before.
Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine trial has been paused after an unexplained illness. Two of the four vaccine trials in the United States are now on hold.
Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for COVID-19.
Real quick
Joe Biden, after avoiding questions on court packing, says he is "not a fan."
New York's nearly-100-year-old Roosevelt Hotel is shutting down amid COVID-19.
Democrats are trying to flip the Senate in 2020: These are the seats considered up for grabs on Election Day.
Delta reported a $5.3 billion quarterly loss, illustrating how the pandemic is pummeling airlines.
America’s history of racism is a preexisting condition for COVID-19
COVID-19 deaths have revealed how racism "still has its grip" on America. The coronavirus has laid bare systemic racism that is woven into the fabric of nearly every aspect of American life, from an economy that forces people of color to serve as front-line workers more exposed to the virus, to housing practices that cram communities of color into tighter neighborhoods where the virus spreads more quickly. In a six-part series, USA TODAY investigates how centuries of racist policies have fueled high COVID-19 deaths in Black, Indigenous, Latino and Asian communities.
Video: How COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting people of color.
In New Jersey’s most segregated county, racism and coronavirus made a "vicious circle."
A break from the news, Amazon Prime Day edition
Online shoppers, assemble! It's Amazon Prime Day. Amazon's two-day Prime Day sale kicked off Tuesday, and it's full of tremendous discounts you can get with an Amazon Prime membership. You want the best deals, right? Right. Well you’ve come to the right place. Happy shopping:
These are the best Amazon Prime Day deals you won't want to miss.
These are the best cookware and cooking accessories on sale.
The best deals on Xbox Series X games, accessories and more.
Best Buy, Walmart and more stores are running competing sales.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ralph Northam, Amy Coney Barrett, Supreme Court, Trump: Tuesday's news
