5 things to know for August 14: DC, Alaska summit, Gerrymandering, ERs, Homelessness
Here's what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.
A power struggle is brewing between local and federal authorities in Washington, DC. Last night, Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered DC's mayor and police department to accept Terry Cole, the head of the DEA, as the district's 'emergency police commissioner' and give him full control of the department during the federal takeover. But the mayor pushed back on Bondi's command, posting on social media: 'There is no statute that conveys the District's personnel authority to a federal official.' DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb also reviewed Bondi's order and declared it illegal after determining that the Home Rule Act does not give President Trump the authority to remove or replace the chief of police or alter the MPD chain of command. In a letter to DC Police Chief Pamela Smith, Schwalb wrote, 'It is my opinion that the Bondi order is unlawful, and that you are not legally obligated to follow it.'
As President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin head to Alaska for their historic summit, scores of pro-Ukraine protesters gathered in Anchorage on Thursday. The demonstrators, who waved Ukrainian flags and banners, demanded that Trump offer Putin no concessions in exchange for the Kremlin ending its war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders hope Trump can arrange a ceasefire agreement that Russia will honor while a trilateral meeting can be organized for peace negotiations. Putin wants any deal to include Russia taking almost a fifth of Ukraine's land. Trump, meanwhile, said Russia will face 'very severe consequences' if Putin doesn't agree to end the war, although he wouldn't specify what that meant. With only a few hours left until the summit begins, deadly fighting continued on the front lines in Ukraine. At least seven civilians were killed in Russian attacks on Thursday and 17 others were injured by drones and bombings, Ukrainian officials said..
For nearly two weeks, Texas Democrats have stymied Republicans' attempts to redraw the state's congressional districts in the middle of the decade by remaining out of state. The GOP's proposed map could potentially eliminate five Democratic US House seats ahead of the 2026 midterms. But on Thursday, the Democratic lawmakers signaled their intention to end the redistricting standoff and return to Austin. In a news release, the Democrats said they would return if Republicans adjourn the special legislative session currently underway — and if California Democrats introduce a new congressional map that would offset the five seats Republicans want to flip in Texas. California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded by formally launching the state's redistricting effort. Republicans in Texas are expected to adjourn the current special session today if a quorum isn't met. However, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott plans to immediately call for a new special session to convene the same day.
In many rural American hospitals, there may not be a single doctor on-site when a patient arrives in the emergency room. Instead, all patients are treated by physician assistants or nurse practitioners. If a case is too severe to be handled, patients are stabilized and transported to another hospital farther away. The reason: a nationwide shortage of doctors. A recent study found that in 2022, at least 7.4% of emergency departments across the US did not have an attending physician on-site 24/7. And more than 90% of those were located in hospitals in small, rural areas. While rural ERs may see fewer patients, they still treat serious cases, said Alison Haddock, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. 'It's important that folks in those areas have equal access to high-quality emergency care to the greatest extent possible,' she said.
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If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. A group of rabbits has contracted a virus that makes grotesque, hornlike growths protrude from their faces.
The tech giant was forced to remove a tool after a patent dispute.
If it's wrong, you'll have to prove it.
The Dallas Cowboys owner credits an experimental trial drug for successfully treating his advanced melanoma.
Here are some of the show's most orgasmic highs — and dismal lows.
What was Taylor Swift's big announcement this week?A. A new studio albumB. Plans to launch a podcastC. An official Swiftie book clubD. Her engagement to Travis Kelce
Take me to the quiz!
54%That's the percentage of Americans who say they consume alcohol, according to a new Gallup poll.
'Instead of feeling excited, really what I'm feeling is concern. I am very, very scared, and there is a lot of pressure.'
— Madelyn
The Los Angeles-area 11th grader, who spoke on the condition that her last name not be published because she is in the country without legal permission, on why she is afraid to return to school.
🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.
Discussions about masculinity and public displays of emotion have been trending since a University of Nebraska football player shed a few tears during a news conference.
Today's edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN's Andrew Torgan.
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Unifor condemns federal government's attack on CUPE flight attendants' right to strike and fair and free collective bargaining
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A grandmother's request to spend a few more minutes at a NYC beach ends in tragedy
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The Usual Suspects: Why it's still one of the best crime movies ever
The Usual Suspects made its theatrical debut on August 16, 1995, introducing audiences to one of the cinema's greatest, most shocking crime thrillers. Directed by Bryan Singer, the story follows an interrogation of a con artist (Kevin Spacey) who, after surviving a drug robbery gone wrong, tries to prove the existence of a mythical crime lord who sent him and his partners to carry out their fateful heist. Disregarding the controversies surrounding Singer and Spacey, The Usual Suspects has left behind a prestigious legacy that lasts to this day. Presenting a mind-blowing story told by a fearsome, cunning villain with spectacular performers, The Usual Suspects remains a classic of cinema 30 years after its release. Recommended Videos The American Film Institute even placed it in the Top 10 list for the best mystery films ever made. Though many people already know the movie's legendary twist, The Usual Suspects continues to captivate audiences. An iconic villain steals the show The movie's antagonist, Keyser Söze, cemented himself as one of cinema's greatest villains by executing one of the greatest twists in film history. During the movie, Söze is built up to be a legendary, ruthless crime boss who may or may not exist. The only thing people know about Söze is the story of how he killed his family and the criminals who held them hostage just to prove his willpower. Such a tale established him as a ruthless and fearsome villain driven by the sole purpose of controlling others through fear and lies, turning him into the Devil or Boogeyman of the criminal underworld. The movie also delivers some truly memorable quotes to build up the terror and mystique of Söze. However, the movie changes everything in its final moments, revealing Spacey's character, Verbal Kint, was Söze, who had fabricated an elaborate story based on things he saw in Agent Kujan's (Chazz Palminteri) office to lie his way to freedom. Kint convinced Kujan and the audience that Dean Keaton (Gabriel Byrne) was the real Keyser Söze without even saying it. This resulted in a mind-blowing double twist. As he sheds his disguise as a cowardly, pitiful man with a physical disability, Söze proves how fiendish and frightening a figure he is. Using his skills of deception, he tricked the criminal justice system into letting him go before he retreated into the shadows, proving that evil can take the most unsuspecting form. By portraying such a conniving character with so many emotional masks, Spacey won an Academy Award for his performance as Söze. A memorable twist makes the film more rewatchable Even after the film's big twist, The Usual Suspects still warrants multiple viewings from audiences. Many small details hint at Söze's identity and his clever scheme. For instance, when Kint sits alone in Kujan's office, he is seen looking around all the agent's belongings, silently building the false narrative in his head. Kint is also said to have legal protection from the Prince of Darkness, foreshadowing the reveal of his true identity, Keyser Söze. Audiences may need to watch the movie more than once to catch what they missed the first time, making for an elaborate and surprising narrative that is much more compelling. Despite its deceptive nature, The Usual Suspects tells some hard truths about the real world, and the audience comes to appreciate the story through its rewatchability. The Usual Suspects proves that not everyone is who they appear to be and that the truth is a construct that can easily be distorted. Like a true devil, Söze mixes his lies with the truth to show the flaws of the criminal justice system. Naturally, for his work on the film's mind-blowing script, future Mission: Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The Writers Guild of America even put the film's script in its list of the 101 Best Screenplays Ever Written. The film features an engaging story, nevertheless At times, it seems like this twist ending of The Usual Suspects has overshadowed the rest of the film. While Söze's story was predominantly false, that shouldn't detract viewers from seeing the value of what came before the film's big twist. What Söze made up remains unclear. Kobayashi turned out to be a real person, proving there may be some truth to Söze's story. Although Keaton's portrayal was based on Söze's fabricated story, it is difficult not to feel sympathy for him. He tries to move on from his criminal past, only to feel compelled to pull off a heist to make money and exact revenge on the NYPD for ruining his chances at a new life. Kujan argues that Keaton wasn't a changed man, and while that may have been true, Söze proved to him that he was wrong about Keaton as well. Perhaps he was trying to change, and the NYPD did prevent him from doing so. Thus, in a bit of tragic irony, the police may have inadvertently driven Keaton and his partners down the road to their destruction. In addition, Spacey's performance shouldn't overshadow the rest of the cast. The Usual Suspects features spectacular performances from its other main players, particularly Byrne, Palminteri, Benicio del Toro, and Pete Postlethwaite. It even shows Giancarlo Esposito giving a noteworthy performance long before he broke out on Breaking Bad. The Usual Suspects may be best known for its twist ending, but the film as a whole has held up three decades after its release. The movie is a gripping, gritty, and gut-wrenching crime thriller, only to flip the script and make everyone revisit and rethink what they witnessed. Few films have come close to replicating such a surprising story, making The Usual Suspects even more remarkable.
