TV News LIES

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his bid for the Republican presidential nomination Wednesday by promising to bring the suite of culture war policies he’s signed into law in Florida to the whole nation if he’s elected in 2024.

Memorial Day weekend may mark the unofficial start to summer, but beachgoers in several states are being warned of heavy rain, windy conditions and unhealthy bacterial levels.

Even if it's safe to kick off summer at your beach of choice, in some places it's not looking as enjoyable as you might like. Some U.S. beaches are likely to be plagued by cloudy weather or gross mats of seaweed this weekend.

More than 42 million Americans are expected to be traveling this Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA, which estimates a 7% increase in travelers compared to last year.

If you're headed to the beach, here's what to know:

More...

One of Ukraine's top generals has warned Russian forces they will come to "envy the dead" when his troops try and punch through their fortifications in the much-anticipated counteroffensive.

In a rare interview, Brigadier-General Sergii Melnyk told the ABC, it will not be long before the full-scale operation to liberate Ukrainian territory begins.

"I can say one thing. It will take place in the near future, and it will be a very powerful special operation that will definitely lead to the defeat of the Russian Federation," he said.

It was widely believed the counteroffensive would begin in the European spring — next week marks the start of summer.

Ukraine says it is waiting for the right moment — when the weather is good, the ground is firm and its armed forces are ready to use equipment sent by Western allies.

More...

Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver the keynote speech at West Point's graduation ceremony on Saturday, making her the first woman to give a commencement address in the military academy's 221-year history.

"We are honored to have the Vice President as our commencement speaker," said West Point's superintendent, Lt. Gen. Steven W. Gilland, in a statement. "As an accomplished leader who has achieved significant milestones throughout her career, we look forward to her inspiring remarks to our cadets."

Traditionally, vice presidents have delivered the commencement speech to graduating classes at U.S. military academies.

Last year, Harris gave the commencement address to U.S. Coast Guard Academy graduates, and in 2021, she became the first female commencement speaker at the U.S. Naval Academy.

More...

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) said her predecessor, Republican Doug Ducey, misappropriated $50 million that the federal government provided to the state through the American Rescue Plan.

Hobbs said in a release Friday that Ducey made the grant to the state treasurer in the final hours of his administration to fund all-day kindergarten for student recipients of empowerment scholarship accounts, which allow for parents to use the money they would pay in taxes for education to send their student to the school that they choose.

A school bus collided with a tanker truck Thursday in South Carolina, sending at least 18 people, mostly children, to the hospital, authorities said.

The bus was carrying 36 passengers when it collided with the tanker at about 4 p.m. at an intersection near Gilbert in Lexington County, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

At least 17 children and one adult were taken to Lexington Medical Center for treatment, the hospital told WIS-TV.

All of the patients were evaluated and released, hospital spokesperson Jennifer Wilson told The Associated Press by telephone on Friday.

There was no immediate information on their conditions or the cause of the crash.

The bus passengers were from Gilbert Middle School and Gilbert High schools.

Gilbert is about 30 miles southwest of South Carolina's capital of Columbia.

More...

White House and GOP negotiators are closing in on an agreement to lift the nation’s debt limit, with both sides predicting a deal could come together as soon as this weekend.

The two sides were sending drafts of legislative text back and forth late into the evening on Friday, according to multiple people familiar with the discussions — a sign that a bipartisan agreement could soon be within reach.

Yet while President Joe Biden publicly predicted that proof of such a deal could emerge before midnight, one GOP negotiator was slightly more cautious in the timeline, though he also sounded upbeat about an agreement.

“I’m hopeful,” said House Financial Services Chair Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), as he entered the speaker’s suite around dinnertime Friday. “But we have to make sure we’re aligned on text, aligned on agreements. There’s significant challenges ahead, and I don’t know whether that’s hours or days”

More...