Springfield Mayor Rob Rue expressed concerns about “an extreme strain on our resources” if former President Donald Trump decides to visit the city following his false claim about Haitian immigrants eating pets. “So it’d be fine with me if they decided not to make that visit,” Rue added at City Hall on Tuesday. A new YouGov poll found 52% of Trump voters believe the unfounded claim. (NBC News)(Newsweek)
Senate Republicans again blocked a bill guaranteeing nationwide access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) via legal protections and insurance coverage, introduced by Democrats. Republicans criticized the bill as overreach, despite previous claims of supporting IVF and Donald Trump calling himself “a leader on fertilization.” (CNN)
Instagram has launched Teen Accounts with built-in privacy protections for users under 18, requiring parental permission for account changes. Default settings include private accounts, message restrictions, and limiting time spent on the app. Parents can monitor their teens’ activity and adjust settings. Rolls out to new users first and then existing teen users within 60 days. (ABC News)
The Florida Python Challenge crowned Ronald Kiger as the winner, after he removed 20 Burmese pythons from the Everglades during a 10-day hunt. The competition aimed to raise awareness of the pythons’ threat to the ecosystem. Other participants were awarded based on the number and length of pythons caught across various categories. (AP)
The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating suspicious letters, some containing an unknown substance, sent to election officials nationwide. The letters were sent to secretaries of state and election offices in multiple states. Law enforcement agencies are working to respond to the incidents and ensure public safety. (CBS News)
