Fight (the spread) or flight?
The State Department lifted its advisory warning Americans not to travel abroad. A New York attorney seeks to end the NRA. And another governor tested positive for COVID-19.
It's Ashley. Let's talk news.
But first, we're not in Florida anymore: Idaho police got a call about an alligator and couldn't believe it. Then they got there.
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US drops its global 'Do Not Travel' advisory
You read that right: The U.S. State Department lifted its advisory on avoiding international travel, an alert that had been in place since the pandemic heated up in March. The agency said Thursday that lifting the global health advisory, issued at the highest alert level – level 4 – March 19, was done in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But don’t book a journey abroad too soon: There are still advisories galore for individual countries because of COVID-19. Similarly, the CDC still recommends against nonessential travel.
6 things to keep in mind before you book an international trip during the pandemic.
Where can Americans vacation internationally?
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive for COVID-19
Before he was supposed to greet President Donald Trump during his visit to Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine tested positive for the coronavirus. DeWine, 73, took a COVID-19 test as part of the protocol to meet the president. Thankfully, his office says he has no symptoms. DeWine, who plans to quarantine at his home for 14 days, took some of the earliest aggressive action to combat the spread of COVID-19. He was one of the first governors to close bars, restaurants and wineries in March. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced he had the disease several weeks ago.
What everyone’s talking about
Michelle Obama says she suffers from "low-grade depression." Here's what that means.
Former "Love Island" host Caroline Flack's death was ruled a suicide due to “ill health and distress” while facing an assault trial.
A 90-year-old man was looking for a long-lost love when he accidentally came out as gay online. And he's really glad he did.
American Airlines removed a passenger for wearing an "offensive" mask. The woman says race was the real reason.
President Lyndon B. Johnson's daughter says it's time to finish the voting rights work of her father and her friend Rep. John Lewis.
NY attorney general sues to shut down NRA, alleging fraud
The leaders of the National Rifle Association were accused Thursday of participating in massive fraud that skimmed at least $64 million from the gun rights group to finance lavish lifestyles, according to a lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who seeks to shut down the organization. The civil action, which names longtime NRA chief Wayne LaPierre and three other executives, details an array of alleged wrongdoing that severely weakened the nearly 150-year-old organization. The NRA, which quickly filed a countersuit, cast the move as a politically motivated, "premeditated attack on our organization and the Second Amendment freedoms it fights to defend."
75 years ago, US ushered in the nuclear weapons era
The most powerful weapon to be used against other humans was detonated by the United States in Japan 75 years ago. On Aug. 6, 1945, an American B-29 aircraft named Enola Gay dropped a 9,700-pound uranium bomb nicknamed "Little Boy" over Hiroshima in the closing days of World War II. The death toll was immense: As many as 140,000 people died from the blast. Days later, the U.S. dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki, putting Japan on the brink of surrender. The atomic bombings effectively ended WWII, but they have since served as a brutal lesson about the dangers of nuclear warfare.
Unforgettable images: This is what it looked like after the Hiroshima bombing.
Nuclear annihilation: See what would happen if a nuclear blast hit your city.
Real quick
Before-and-after images of Beirut show extensive damage after a port explosion rocked the city and caused carnage over a 6-mile radius.
A brawl at a California hotel near Disneyland involved as many as 100 people.
Five years after the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, the FBI is launching a new search for the 35-year-old Kentucky mother of five.
College football's preseason Top 25: Clemson leads Ohio State in Amway Coaches Poll. While we're at it: Here are five teams snubbed this year.
Cameron Diaz revealed to Gwyneth Paltrow why she left Hollywood: "I got a peace in my soul."
'War games' predict we're in for a rocky election day
A “war games” exercise on the Trump vs. Biden race looked ahead to the post-election period. Its finding? Brace for a mess. A team of experts role-played the aftermath of the presidential election to get an idea of what could happen after Nov. 3. It wasn’t pretty: Each scenario except for a Biden landslide win ended in violent protests and a constitutional crisis. On top of that, the team found a substantial risk of legal battles and a contested outcome. Not to mention: We most likely won’t know who wins the election right away: "The winner may not, and we assess likely will not, be known on 'election night' as officials count mail-in ballots," the report said.
Countdown to Election Day: 89 days. Make sure you’re registered to vote here.
Donald Trump claims Joe Biden is "against God"; Biden aides call Trump a hypocritical divider.
A professor who has accurately predicted elections since 1984 bets on Biden.
A break from the news
The 15 best back-to-school deals to snag before fall.
COVID-19 retirement changes: Some rule changes could cost you.
The new "Secret Garden" is a depressing remake.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Travel advisory, Mike DeWine, Trump, NRA, Michelle Obama: Thursday's news
