News Wrap Up

Oct. 1, 2019 – A Chesapeake elementary school teacher reads bedtime stories to her students through Facebook Live. Every Tuesday night, Keisha Yearby holds up a children’s book as she asks questions about the story and the kids answer in the comments. She reads stories with positive, motivational messages while enhancing her students’ comprehension skills. Click here to read more about this story.

Oct. 2, 2019 – The brother of the man wrongly killed by a Dallas police officer, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Wednesday, forgave her. Amber Guyger, who was off duty when she murdered her unarmed neighbor Botham Jean in his own apartment last year thinking it was hers, was hugged by Jean’s brother Brandt after he told her that he hoped she would give her life to Christ. After the two shared a long embrace, the judge presiding over the case hugged Jean’s mother and gave Guyger a Bible. To watch a video of this story, click here.

Oct. 2, 2019 – The House Intelligence Committee Chair, Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), learned about the whistleblower’s concerns before the complaint was filed. The whistleblower, a C.I.A. officer, had a colleague discuss his concerns with the intelligence agency’s top lawyer before approaching a House staff member about them, then obtained a lawyer and filed the complaint. Read The New York Times’ story here.

Oct. 3, 2019 – The focus of impeachment appears to be shifting from quid pro quo to obstruction of justice. Some Democrats now claim that the White House engaged in a cover-up with regard to President Trump’s July phone call to the Ukrainian president and that he was blocking the investigation (the transcript of the call and the whistleblower complaint were made available to the public last week). Letters have also been issued by committees of the House of Representatives compelling State Department officials to appear for depositions soon with regard to the impeachment inquiry, without actually subpoenaing them or giving them time to acquire legal counsel. Click here for analysis on the impeachment shift and here for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s response regarding the letters.

Oct. 6, 2019 – Thousands protest in Kiev after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy struck a deal on Tuesday with Russia to give autonomy to the Donbass region, where pro-Russian rebels have been fighting since 2014. Zelenskiy said the eastern region will be granted special status and have its own election after Russian troops leave. However, Russia denies having troops in the Donbass and the Ukrainian parliament must alter its constitution to grant the region autonomy; Zelenskiy’s party is also 49 seats short of having enough votes to change the constitution. Find out more details here.

And the bonus – The Ghostbusters’ Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man takes over Pennsylvania restaurant.

Natalia Mittelstadt

Natalia Mittelstadt

Natalia Mittelstadt is the News Department Head for the Daily Runner.