National and international media news & headlines compiled by CLG

Patrick Joseph White named as shooter who opened fire on CDC and killed cop ‘after suffering COVID vaccine injury’ | 9 Aug 2025 | The gunman who opened fire on the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta Friday and killed a police officer has been identified as Patrick Joseph White. The 30-year-old form Kennesaw, Georgia, was formally identified by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation as the shooter in the incident. Law enforcement had said on Friday that the gunman died in the shooting after a firefight with cops; it is unclear if he was shot by officers or committed suicide. During the shooting, 33-year-old police officer David Rose, a father-of-two, died after gunfire broke out at the CDC Buildings near Emory University. The shooter was armed with a long gun, and authorities recovered three other firearms at the scene, a law enforcement source told the Associated Press. CNN reported that the shooter’s family members spoke to law enforcement and told them that he blamed his recent illness on the Covid-19 vaccine.

At least 2 dead in shooting at CDC HQ in Atlanta as police say suspect blamed Covid vaccine for his illness –A CDC employee told CNN that he saw a man approach the steps in front of the building, pull out a rifle and open fire. | 9 Aug 2025 | A gunman who believed the Covid-19 vaccine made him sick went on a shooting rampage outside the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. The shooter killed one police officer and left windows shattered at multiple buildings belonging to the CDC as terrified students at nearby Emory University sheltered in place. The college sent out a desperate alert at around 4:50pm pleading with students to “RUN. HIDE. FIGHT.” A little over two hours after the alert was sent out, Atlanta Police confirmed that the sole gunman was dead. CNN reported that the shooter’s family members spoke to law enforcement and told them that he blamed his recent illness on the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s the first indication that the CDC was the intended target of the shooter, who has not yet been identified. There were also reports of bullets hitting two buildings that are part of the CDC’s headquarters.

Officer killed in shooting outside CDC HQ in Atlanta by gunman who reportedly blamed COVID vaccine for illness | 8 Aug 2025 | A cop was killed when a masked gunman who blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for an apparent illness unleashed a hail of bullets outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta on Friday, according to police and reports. The suspect, who died at the scene, opened fire on at least four CDC buildings and then stormed into a building across the street at Georgia’s Emory University around 4:50 p.m., forcing students to shelter in place on the last day of the summer term, authorities said. Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the alleged shooter, described as a white man, sprayed multiple rounds at law enforcement and the health agency… Witnesses said the shooter was armed with multiple guns — two handguns, a rifle, and a shotgun– and was wearing what appeared to be a surgical mask when he “targeted” at the CDC’s buildings, CNN reported.

Trump admin directs federal agencies to delete employee COVID vaccination records: ‘Must be expunged’ [Yes!] | 8 Aug 2025 | The Trump administration on Friday ordered all federal agencies to eliminate any records related to workers’ COVID-19 vaccination status, noncompliance with pandemic-era mandates or requests for vaccine exemptions. The rollback of vaccine record retention requirements was announced by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in a memo to all federal department and agency heads. OPM explained that the move is in response to recent litigation and is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to reverse “harmful pandemic-era policies” imposed by former President [sic] Joe Biden.

Trump reveals time and place of Putin summit –The two leaders will meet in Alaska next week, the U.S. president has said. | 8 Aug 2025 | U.S. President Donald Trump has said that he will meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska next Friday. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov confirmed immediately afterward that Moscow and Washington will be working on making the Alaska summit happen. “The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska,” Trump announced on Truth Social on Friday. According to the Kremlin, the upcoming meeting will revolve around reaching a longstanding peace in the Ukraine conflict.

Zelensky trashes Trump’s peace terms | 9 Aug 2025 | Vladimir Zelensky has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for territorial concessions to Russia, claiming no such agreement would be accepted by the Ukrainian people. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow this week and reportedly made significant progress toward a compromise aimed at ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The U.S. president said the proposal includes “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” sides and that Zelensky would need to find a way to approve such a deal under Ukrainian law. In his regular video address on Saturday, Zelensky stressed that Ukraine’s borders are defined by its constitution and that “nobody can or will” make concessions on the issue. The Ukrainian Constitution, which Zelensky cited, also requires a president to hand power to either a newly elected successor or the parliament speaker when their term ends. Zelensky did neither when his term expired last year, retaining power under martial law.

Pentagon can retake weapons destined for Ukraine – CNN | 8 Aug 2025 | The Pentagon has a policy in place allowing U.S.-made weapons intended for Ukraine to be redirected back to American stockpiles, CNN reported on Friday, citing a confidential memo seen by several sources. According to the memo reportedly written by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby — described by the network as “a noted skeptic of arming Ukraine” — the department has the power to retake arms designated for Kiev under a program known as the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). Under the reported memo, weapons in short supply, such as interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems, require direct approval from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth before being sent abroad. The pull-back provision is reportedly part of the same document Hegseth used last month to suspend the flow of weapons, including Patriot missiles, to Ukraine.

Trump yelled at Netanyahu for dismissing Gaza starvation – media –The Israeli prime minister’s office has rejected global reporting of the crisis as “fake news” | 8 Aug 2025 | U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly shouted at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call after the Israeli leader attempted to downplay reports of starvation in Gaza, NBC News reported on Friday. Netanyahu has publicly claimed “there is no starvation” in the Palestinian enclave, which is being blockaded by Israeli military forces, despite multiple claims to the contrary from medical staff in Gaza. During a recent trip to the UK, Trump pushed back, telling journalists the starvation is real. According to the outlet, Netanyahu insisted during the call that allegations of widespread hunger in Gaza were fabricated by the militant group Hamas, but Trump interrupted him, raising his voice and stating that his aides had shown him evidence to the contrary.

Israel security cabinet approves plan to occupy Gaza City | 7 Aug 2025 | Israel’s security cabinet early Friday approved a plan to occupy Gaza City, marking an escalation in Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas. The announcement comes after an all-night meeting of the security cabinet, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that Israel planned to retake control over the entire territory and eventually hand it off to friendly Arab forces opposed to Hamas. The office said the Security Cabinet had adopted, by vote, five principles for concluding the war which include: the disarming of Hamas, the return of all hostages — living and deceased, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip, and the establishment of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.

Dozens of Palestinians killed seeking aid as Israel mulls full occupation of Gaza | 6 Aug 2025 | At least 38 Palestinians were killed overnight and into Wednesday in the Gaza Strip while seeking aid from United Nations convoys and sites run by an Israeli-backed American contractor, according local health officials… Another 25 people, including several women and children, were killed in Israeli air strikes, according to local hospitals in Gaza. The military said it only targets Hamas militants. The latest deaths came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to announce further military action — and possibly plans for Israel to fully reoccupy Gaza. Experts say Israel’s ongoing military offensive and blockade are already pushing the territory of some 2 million Palestinians into famine.

Trump secretly prepares military action against drug cartels – NYT –The U.S. administration had already designated certain Latin American drug cartels as “terrorist groups” | 8 Aug 2025 | U.S. President Donald Trump has secretly ordered the Pentagon to begin using military force against Latin American drug cartels previously labeled “terrorist organizations,” The New York Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The new presidential directive provides an official basis for the use of the U.S. military in operations against cartels at sea and on foreign soil. The Pentagon has already started drawing up options the military could use in going after such organizations, the sources told the NYT. It was not immediately clear what the White House, Pentagon, and State Department lawyers said about the directive, the newspaper noted. The suspected cartel members still count as civilians, and their potential elimination by the military raises various legal issues.

Ex-diplomat and World Bank consultant arrested for sexually abusing three children under 10 in D.C. – report | 8 Aug 2025 | A former diplomat, World Bank consultant, and married father of three was arrested last month and charged with s-xually abusing three children under the age of 10 in Washington, D.C., according to a report. Thomas Mahony, 42, an Australian national, is accused of abusing two 7-year-old girls and one 8-year-old boy — with all three incidents occurring at his family home during playdates with his children, The Washington Post reported. The alleged abuse occurred in separate incidents in November 2023, February 2023, and as recently as July 2025. Police were notified as early as the first incident in 2023, but the U.S. Attorney’s office did not prosecute Mahony because of “consideration of the government’s burden of beyond a reasonable doubt,” court records reviewed by the outlet stated.

Five troops injured after soldier opens fire at Georgia military base | 6 Aug 2025 | Five American soldiers were injured after an Army sergeant opened fire at a military base in the U.S. state of Georgia before being tackled by other troops. Officials say the soldier, identified as Quornelius Radford, opened fire with his own personal handgun, and was targeting his fellow troops. The attack at Fort Stewart, about 240 miles (386km) south east of Atlanta, triggered a lockdown at the sprawling Army base. All five soldiers who were shot are being treated for their injuries and are in stable condition, according to Brigadier General John Lubas, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division. Speaking to reporters, Gen Lubas confirmed that the alleged attacker was an active-duty solider, and that he had not previously deployed to a combat zone.

Trump wants National Guard to tackle crime in D.C. after violent attack on ‘Big Balls’ | 6 Aug 2025 | President Trump vowed to “federalize” Washington and send in the National Guard on Wednesday to crush violent crime in the nation’s capital, citing the brutal assault of a young pro-Trump staffer known by the nickname “Big Balls” as a breaking point. During a press conference Trump confirmed he is actively considering seizing control of D.C. law enforcement — a drastic step that would override local government authority and place the capital’s policing under federal command. “We’re considering it because the crime is ridiculous,” Trump told reporters. “We have a capital that’s very unsafe…” The young man Trump referenced is Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old government worker affectionately dubbed “Big Balls” by his colleagues. Coristine was violently beaten during an attempted carjacking near Dupont Circle around 3am Sunday, while defending his girlfriend from a group of teenage assailants.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Blasts Chicago Mayor, Illinois Gov. for Obstructing ICE | 8 Aug 2025 | U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ripped Chicago Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Democrat Governor JB Pritzker for their obstruction of federal immigration enforcement in a press conference in the Chicago area on Friday morning. Appearing in the nearby suburb of Lombard, Noem highlighted the arrests of four dangerous, criminal illegals, the seizure of hundreds of thousands of d-llars from drug gangs, and the confiscation of a group of firearms that ICE and other federal law enforcement officers took off the streets in the days before Noem’s trip to the Windy City… Noem went on to note that in just the last seven months, ICE has issued 16,064 detainers in Chicago and Mayor Johnson and Gov. Pritzker have ignored all but a mere eight percent of them and have allowed these criminals to walk right back out onto Chicago’s streets.

It’s about time: FBI ousts former acting director, agent involved in J6 prosecutions, with more expected | 7 Aug 2025 | The FBI on Thursday is ousting at least three officials, including the former acting director and an officer involved in the January 6 [so-called] investigations, Fox News has learned. Former FBI acting director, Brian Driscoll, is among those being forced out of the bureau, sources familiar with the matter told Fox News, along with Walter Giardina, a special agent at the bureau who played a role in the investigation of Trump trade advisor, Peter Navarro, and Steven Jensen, the acting director in charge of the Washington Field Office. Driscoll, for his part, served as acting director of the FBI prior to the confirmation of FBI Director Kash Patel, and Jensen played a key role in the January 6 investigations.

NY AG Letitia James subpoenaed by Justice Department over $454M civil fraud case against Trump | 8 Aug 2025 | New York Attorney General Letitia James was hit with a pair of subpoenas as part of a grand jury probe scrutinizing a 454 million civil fraud case against President Trump, a source familiar with the investigation told The Post Friday. Acting Albany U.S. Attorney John Sarcone convened the grand jury to address potential deprivation of rights allegations after launching an investigation of James in coordination with the FBI this past May. One of the subpoenas related to the civil fraud judgment won by the Empire State AG’s office against Trump, which is still under review by the First Department appellate division. A second subpoena reportedly sought information on James’s own investigation of the National Rifle Association, along with other records.

Nasdaq posts record closing high with tech gains, rate cut optimism | 8 Aug 2025 | U.S. stocks ended higher and the Nasdaq notched a record closing high for the second straight day on Friday as technology-related shares, including Apple, gained and as investors were optimistic about potential interest rate cuts. The three major indexes also registered solid gains for the week… U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Apple would invest an additional 100 billion in the U.S., bringing its total commitment to 600 billion over the next four years. The S&P 500 technology and communication services indexes led sector gains for the S&P 500 on Friday and the indexes also posted record high closes.

Andrew Cuomo Calls on Socialist Zohran Mamdani to ‘Move Out’ of His Rent Stabilized Apartment | 8 Aug 2025 | Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) called for wealthy New York City mayoral candidate Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani to “move out” of his rent stabilized apartment, noting that someone else probably needs it more. In a post on X, Cuomo pointed out that Mamdani and his wife are wealthy, have had weddings on three continents, and that together they “likely make well over 200,000.” Cuomo added that although Mamdani is a “rich person,” he and his wife pay 2,300 a month for an apartment in Astoria, which “should be housing for someone who needs it.”