Thursday morning news: August 3, 2023

Credit rating » Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Wednesday slammed a decision by credit rating agency Fitch … to dowgrade the U-S government’s credit score.

YELLEN: Fitch’s decision is puzzling in light of the economic strength we see in the United States. It’s flawed assessment is based on outdated data.

The agency cited rising debt what it called a steady deterioration in standards of governance over the last 20 years.

In that time, the national debt has skyrocketed from $3.9 trillion to $33 trillion dollars.

Fitch also cited “repeated debt limit standoffs and last-minute resolutions.”

The agency now rates the U-S at AA+, down from its highest rating of AAA.

So, what impact will that have on the average consumer?

Financial analyst Gus Faucher says, for now … probably not much.

FAUCHER: Maybe we see a small reaction in stock markets and bond markets, but I don’t think it’s going to persist over the longer run.

But many economists see this downgrade as a warning about the U.S. government’s long-term fiscal health.

Trump latest » Donald Trump and the 2020 election … are not what Mike Pence wants to be talking about right now … as he tries to build momentum behind his own White House bid.

But the former vice president can’t escape the questions … especially after the Justice Department filed new charges against Trump this week, accusing him of trying to overturn the last presidential election.

Pence said Wednesday:

PENCE: While there has been weaponization at the Justice Department, at the end of the day, history will hold Donald Trump accountable for his reckless words and actions, and I’ll always stand by the truth of that.

The indictment references notes that Pence made at the time … detailing what he described as pressure by Trump to fight the election results.

Pitts synagogue sentence » A federal jury has sentenced Robert Bowers to death in Pennsylvania.

The 63-year-old Bowers walked into the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018 with a rifle and began gunning down worshipers.

He killed 11 people, only surrendering when he ran out of ammunition.

U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan:

Olshan: He killed half of the people in that building…Now almost five years ago, he committed the worst anti-Semitic mass shooting in United States history.

Bowers offered to plead guilty in exchange for taking the death penalty off the table. Prosecutors declined that offer.

Niger » Europeans are fleeing Niger amid rising violence following a military government takeover.

Colonel Pierre Gaudilliere says that with the Niger airspace closed, France is evacuating Europeans on military aircraft.

Gaudilliere: Two of them…have already landed…We also have two other military aircraft that are on their way to Niamey.

Anti-French sentiment is high among junta supporters because France once colonized Niger.

Other military-controlled countries in the region are throwing their support behind Niger’s military junta.

Disney DEI » In Orlando … the government body that oversees the district where Disney World resides … is pulling the plug on so-called Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, or D-E-I policies WORLD’s Josh Schumacher reports.

JOSH SCHUMACHER, REPORTER: The district says when it awards contracts to companies to perform services within the district … it will no longer consider gender or race.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers earlier this year replaced a Disney-controlled government board … with state-appointed members.

The district's new administrator, Glento Gilzean called the old D-E-I efforts discriminatory and “un-American.”

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

 Harris rejects debate » Meantime, Vice President Kamala Harris has rejected a challenge from Gov. Ron DeSantis to a debate about Florida’s history curriculum … over claims she made regarding a passage about slavery.

DeSantis said Wednesday:

DESANTIS: That particular passage wasn’t saying that slavery was a benefit. It was saying that there was resourcefulness and people acquired skills in spite of slavery, not because of it.

Harris suggested the state was teaching that slavery benefited those who were enslaved.

DeSantis then invited her to debate her assertions. Harris responded saying she wouldn’t legitimize an unnecessary debate.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Digging into the new Trump indictment.

Plus, how a social media project led to worship ministry

This is The World and Everything in It.

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