A Look Ahead: The Democratic National Convention Monday

GREETINGS!

Friday couldn’t have come sooner! 😅

🔔In today’s email:

🔎 A Look Ahead into DNC
🗣️ Harris Campaign Agrees to Debates
👮 Arrests Made in Connection to "Friends" Star Matthew Perry

🚨 KEY STORY:

🕺 Viral Australian Break-dancer and Olympian Rachel “Raygun” Gunn Breaks Silence Amid Controversy

-Mike

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Looking Ahead into the Democratic National Convention Monday

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) will hold its convention in Chicago from August 19-22 to officially celebrate Kamala Harris' nomination as the party's presidential candidate.

• This four-day event will take place at the United Center and is expected to draw thousands of attendees.

• Despite not winning the Primary, Harris's nomination follows President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the race.

• The convention will feature notable speakers, including Biden, who will give a keynote speech on Monday night, and former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

• Harris will conclude the event with a major speech on Thursday.

Outside the convention, large-scale protests are anticipated, with thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators expected to gather, expressing their discontent with the Democratic administration's support of Israel in its ongoing conflict in Gaza.

• The March on the DNC, a coalition of over 200 organizations, has planned two major demonstrations on Monday and Thursday during the convention.

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Matthew Perry’s Assistant, 2 Doctors Arrested in Connection to Star’s Death

Five individuals, including Matthew Perry's assistant and two doctors, have been charged in connection with the actor’s death from a ketamine overdose last year.

• U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced the charges, stating that the doctors involved provided Perry with large amounts of ketamine, knowing it was wrong.

• Perry, who had a long history of addiction, turned to these doctors after his regular physicians refused to supply him with the drug in the quantities he sought.

• On the day of his death in October, Perry received multiple injections of ketamine from his live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who later found him dead.

The charges include distribution of ketamine and attempts to cover up their involvement after Perry's death.

• Dr. Salvador Plasencia, one of the doctors, faces multiple counts of distribution and charges for falsifying records. Jasveen Sangha, referred to as the “ketamine queen,” was also arrested for allegedly supplying the ketamine that led to Perry’s death.

• The investigation revealed that Perry paid exorbitant amounts for ketamine, and after his death, those involved tried to hide their connection to the case.

• The incident highlights the dangerous misuse of ketamine, a drug that has recently seen increased use for treating conditions like depression and chronic pain.

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Harris Campaign Agrees to Debates with Trump

The Harris campaign announced that it will participate in three debates during this election season: two presidential debates and one vice presidential debate.

• In a statement, the campaign dismissed the Trump campaign's suggestions for additional debates before Election Day, stating that the "debate about debates is over."

• Vice President Harris is scheduled to debate former President Trump on September 10 on ABC News and has agreed to another debate in October, provided Trump attends the first one.

• The campaign made it clear that Harris will not participate in the debates proposed by Fox News on September 4 or NBC News on September 25.

On the vice-presidential side, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance have agreed to debate on October 1, hosted by CBS News.

• Although Vance proposed a second debate on September 18, the Harris campaign indicated there would only be one vice-presidential debate, consistent with historical norms.

• This follows President Biden's withdrawal as the Democratic nominee after a poor debate performance in June, leading to Harris's takeover as the nominee.

KEY STORY

MonkeyPox Declared Global Health Emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency due to a new, dangerous strain of mpox spreading in parts of Africa.

This is the second time in just over two years that mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been declared a global emergency.

Sweden has reported the first case of this new strain outside of Africa, where a patient contracted the virus while in an area where it is circulating.

The new strain, known as clade I, is more severe and deadly than the previous clade II strain, which was responsible for the mpox outbreak in 2022.

Clade I is mainly found in Central Africa and has a higher fatality rate, with some outbreaks killing up to 10% of those infected.

Mpox spreads through close contact with infected people or animals, and while symptoms are similar for both strains, clade I poses a greater risk.

Currently, most of the new mpox cases are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths have been reported this year.

While the risk to the U.S. is considered low, the CDC is urging doctors to stay vigilant.

The WHO's emergency declaration aims to improve vaccine access, though health experts are concerned about whether there will be enough vaccines to control the outbreak.

KEY STORY

Australian Break-dancer Breaks Silence

Rachael "Raygun" Gunn, the Australian Olympian who recently competed in the debut of breakdancing at the Paris Games, addressed the growing backlash surrounding her performance.

In an emotional Instagram video, Gunn expressed her shock at the negative response, stating that she "didn't realize" her participation would lead to "so much hate," which she described as "pretty devastating."

Despite the criticism, she thanked her supporters for their positivity and emphasized that she had taken the competition seriously, working hard to prepare and giving her best effort.

Gunn also responded to the "allegations and misinformation" that have circulated since her widely criticized performance, which included an online petition questioning her selection for the Olympics.

She directed people to the statements made by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and other official sources for accurate information. Gunn clarified that breaking is judged based on percentages across five criteria and that there are no point-based scores in the sport, urging those interested to view the comparisons on the Olympics website.

Amid the controversy, Gunn requested that the media stop harassing her loved ones and the Australian breaking community, asking for privacy as they cope with the situation.

She mentioned that she would be available to answer more questions after she returns to Australia, following some "pre-planned downtime" in Europe.

Gunn's performance, which included unconventional moves that were mocked on late-night TV, has sparked significant debate, but she remains proud of her participation in breaking's Olympic debut.

The AOC has publicly supported Gunn, condemning the false accusations against her. AOC CEO Matt Carroll called the online petition defamatory, stating that it amounted to "bullying and harassment."

He demanded its immediate removal and asserted that no athlete should be treated this way after representing their country. Gunn's father-in-law, Andrew Free, also defended her, criticizing the judges for not adequately rewarding her originality and musicality, which he believes are key elements of her unique style of breaking.

MIDDLE EAST

Ceasefire Proposal Presented for Israel and Hamas

On Friday, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States presented a proposal for a Gaza ceasefire that they believe addresses the remaining issues between Israel and Hamas.

• This proposal follows intensive talks held in Doha on Thursday and Friday, where negotiators worked on finalizing a ceasefire and a hostage and detainee release agreement.

• The joint statement from the mediating countries highlighted that the discussions were serious and constructive, with a positive atmosphere.

The proposal, supported by the principles outlined by President Biden and a UN Security Council resolution, aims to bridge the final gaps and facilitate rapid implementation.

• Technical teams will continue working on the details, particularly focusing on humanitarian provisions and specifics related to hostages and detainees.

• High-ranking officials from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States are scheduled to meet again in Cairo by the end of next week to finalize the agreement, with an emphasis on the urgency of the situation and the need to avoid further delays.

HEADLINES
Here’s Some Small Talk Ammunition

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FROM THE EDITOR

You’re a special kind of person if you reached the end of the road here. :)

-Mike