1. Obama, China ratify Paris climate change deal
President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping together signed documents committing their nations to the Paris climate change pact on Saturday while meeting in Hangzhou, China. This marks a major step toward the deal's required approval from 55 countries and 55 percent of the world's carbon emitters (China and the United States together are responsible for 38 percent of carbon emissions). Because the agreement is not considered a treaty, it does not need the approval of the U.S. Senate; and it will require the U.S. to cut emissions levels by 26 percent over the next nine years. "I believe that history will judge today's efforts as pivotal," Obama said at the signing ceremony.
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2. FBI releases notes from interview with Hillary Clinton over email server
The FBI released documents Friday from its early July interview with Hillary Clinton on her use of a private email server while secretary of state. The documents revealed "when asked about the email chain containing '(C)' portion markings that the State determined to currently contain confidential information, Clinton stated she did not know what the '(C)' meant at the beginning of the paragraphs and speculated it was referring to paragraphs marked in alphabetical order." It also showed that in 2011, Clinton warned all State employees in an email to "avoid conducting State business from personal email accounts due to information security concerns." FBI Director James Comey has called Clinton's actions "extremely careless," but the FBI ruled they were not criminal.
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3. Trump heads to Detroit for minority outreach
Republican Donald Trump will visit Detroit, Michigan, a majority-black city, as part of his ongoing minority outreach efforts Saturday. Trump is scheduled to visit a church and tour some city neighborhoods while accompanied by Ben Carson, the African-American doctor who was Trump's rival in the GOP primaries and is himself a Detroit native. The nominee will also do an interview with the church's pastor and media personality, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, who characterized the candidate's intentions as a response to widespread criticism "for preaching to African-Americans from a backdrop of white people." Other Detroit clergy are planning a silent protest outside Jackson's church. Trump's support among black voters nationally is in the single digits.
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4. Tropical Storm Hermine to drench from Virginia to Connecticut over holiday weekend
Coastal areas throughout the Mid-Atlantic region can expect heavy rains and potential flooding over the Labor Day weekend thanks to Tropical Storm Hermine. After beginning as a Category 1 hurricane in Florida on Friday, the storm was downgraded when winds slowed but still left tens of thousands without power in the Carolinas. "The combination of a storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline," said a statement from the National Hurricane Center. "There is a danger of life-threatening inundation during the next 24 hours in the Hampton Roads [Virginia] area."
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5. Anderson Cooper, Chris Wallace to moderate presidential debates
With the first presidential debate just weeks away, the Commission on Presidential Debates revealed Friday the list of moderators for the three scheduled face-offs between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The first debate, slated for Sept. 26, will be hosted by NBC's Lester Holt. The second debate on Oct. 9, which The Hill described as "town hall-style," will be hosted by ABC's Martha Raddatz and CNN's Anderson Cooper. Fox News' Chris Wallace will finish things off by hosting the third debate on Oct. 19. The vice presidential debate will be hosted by CBS News' Elaine Quijana, and will take place Oct. 4.
The Hill
6. Brock Turner released after just 3 months behind bars
The Stanford University student convicted on three felony counts for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster was released Friday after spending just three months in jail. Judge Aaron Persky's decision to give Brock Turner a minimal sentence — prosecutors recommended six years in prison — drew outrage nationwide after a victim's statement by the woman he attacked went viral online. Turner was met with angry protesters as he exited the jail Friday and on arrival in his native Ohio, where he will serve a three-year probation sentence and register as a sex offender. His light sentence continues to fuel national conversation about the prosecution and consequences for sexual assault.
CNN The Mercury News
7. College football season begins
College football kicks off in earnest over Labor Day weekend, highlighted by early tests for some of this year's strongest programs. No. 3 Oklahoma will open their season against No. 15 Houston on Saturday, followed by a matchup between No. 1 Alabama and No. 20 USC that will test whether the defending champion can effectively replace graduated quarterback Jake Coker under center. On Sunday, No. 10 Notre Dame will take on the Texas Longhorns, and No. 11 Mississippi will face No. 4 Florida State — an early championship contender — in a Labor Day matchup. On Thursday, No. 9 Tennessee eked out a 20-13 overtime victory against un-ranked Appalachian State in a dramatic start to the college football season.
Sports Illustrated
8. FDA bans chemicals used in antibacterial soaps
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday announced a ban on 19 chemicals commonly found in antibacterial soap products, including triclosan and triclocarban, due to potentially harmful side effects. "If the product makes antibacterial claims, chances are pretty good it contains one of these ingredients," said an FDA representative. Evidence suggests these compounds can alter hormone cycles and cause muscle weakness, while killing good bacteria and contributing to the creation of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs." Going forward, only hospitals and the food industry will be permitted to use products containing the banned chemicals.
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9. Santa Clara police threaten to boycott 49ers games after Kaepernick protest
The Santa Clara, California, police union sent a letter to the San Francisco 49ers on Friday objecting to quarterback Colin Kaepernick's decision to sit during the playing of the national anthem to call attention to issues of police brutality and racial injustice. If the team does not discipline Kaepernick, the letter says, "it could result in police officers choosing not to work at your facilities." The note characterized Kaepernick's silent protest as "harassing behavior" toward officers which was "insulting, inaccurate and completely unsupported by any facts." The 49ers responded Friday evening by reiterating support for Kaepernick's right to free expression.
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10. Actress Lena Dunham claims Odell Beckham Jr. thought she was ugly
Girls actress Lena Dunham claimed in a conversation with comedian Amy Schumer published Friday that New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. snubbed her at the Met Gala because he thought she was ugly. "It was so amazing because it was like he looked at me and he determined I was not the shape of a woman by his standards," she said. "The vibe was very much like, 'Do I want to f— it? Is it wearing a … yep, it's wearing a tuxedo. I'm going to go back to my cell phone.'" Dunham's assumptions about Beckham's private thoughts quickly caused controversy, particularly because it did not appear she gave the football star a chance to comment before publishing her account. Dunham attempted to clarify on Twitter Friday evening, saying the story was about her own insecurities, not an attack on Beckham.
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