'A turning point'

Louisville is paying its largest settlement yet in the death of Breonna Taylor. Smoke from the West Coast is making its way eastward. And did John Bolton unlawfully disclose classified information?

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$12 million, and the promise of reform

It's been six months since Breonna Taylor, a 26-year old Black woman, was fatally shot by police in her apartment. In the wake of her death, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced Tuesday a "substantial" financial settlement — $12 million — with Taylor's family and attorneys Ben Crump, Sam Aguiar and Lonita Baker present. In addition to the payment, the deal includes several policing reforms meant to "engage police officers within the community," Baker said, "not just when they're dispatched." And while the city's handling of the case has been slow and frustrating, Aguiar said, he hopes the government's willingness to discuss significant police reforms is "a turning point."

The settlement comes ahead of a grand jury hearing in Jefferson County, which could happen as soon as this week. The grand jury would decide whether criminal charges should be filed against any of the three officers involved in Breonna Taylor's March death.

Breonna Taylor's family gets historic $12M settlement, Louisville police reform
Breonna Taylor's family gets historic $12M settlement, Louisville police reform

Two accords, and the promise of 'peace'

President Donald Trump heralded a pair of historic agreements Tuesday formalizing diplomatic relations between Israel and two Gulf Arab nations in a White House ceremony. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed the accords in front of several hundred guests. Netanyahu called the agreements "a pivot of history" that "heralds a new dawn of peace." The foreign ministers from Bahrain and the UAE were equally sweeping in their praise for the pacts.

The ceremony highlighted a realignment in the Middle East, as Arab nations once devoted to Palestinian statehood move away from that commitment to solidify their ties with Israel. Trump and his allies are hoping the agreements will polish his credentials as a peacemaker with the presidential election less than two months away.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump, Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan pose from the Truman Balcony at the White House after they participated in the signing of the Abraham Accords.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump, Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan pose from the Truman Balcony at the White House after they participated in the signing of the Abraham Accords.

What everyone’s talking about

Smoke, from coast to coast

Smoke levels are fluctuating between unhealthy and hazardous for Oregon and southwestern Washington, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom comparing the air quality to smoking 20 packs of cigarettes. And in Oregon, at least 10% of emergency room visits are for asthma-like symptoms. As wildfires rage across the West Coast, killing at least 36 people, the smoke itself has traveled across the country — clouding skies thousands of miles from its origin. You can draw a line from California through St. Louis and on to Norfolk, Virginia, with pretty much every place north of that line looking at smoke-tainted skies, said AccuWeather meteorologist Matt Benz.

A man crosses a street in downtown Portland, Oregon as wildfires continue to burn in many parts of the state, September 14, 2020.  Smoke from wildfires and fog are blanketing the city.
A man crosses a street in downtown Portland, Oregon as wildfires continue to burn in many parts of the state, September 14, 2020. Smoke from wildfires and fog are blanketing the city.

Slow-moving Hurricane Sally to bring 'historic flooding'

It's still too early to determine where Hurricane Sally will come ashore as the Category 1 storm creeps toward the Gulf Coast at 2 mph. Forecasters say Sally is expected to bring heavy rain and "historic flooding" from southeastern Louisiana to Florida's Panhandle. “If people live near rivers, small streams and creeks, they need to evacuate and go somewhere else," said Stacy Stewart, a senior specialist with the National Hurricane Center. Sally could bring 10 to 20 inches of rain from the Florida Panhandle to southeastern Mississippi, with some isolated pockets of up to 30 inches.

Real quick

John Bolton's book publisher subpoenaed by Justice Department

What really happened in the room where it happened? And should we know about it? Federal prosecutors issued a grand jury subpoena to John Bolton's publisher as part of a criminal investigation into whether he unlawfully disclosed classified information in his book critical of the president, a person with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday. The Justice Department's demand for records from Simon & Schuster comes after the Trump administration failed in its effort this year to halt publication of the book "The Room Where It Happened," and threats from the president that his former aide could face prosecution.

A break from the news

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Breonna Taylor, Louisville, Israel, wildfires, Sally: It's Tuesday's news