News Wrap: DOJ says officer convicted of killing Breonna Taylor should get 1-day sentence

William Brangham:

We begin the day's other headlines with a stunning development in the Breonna Taylor case. The Justice Department is recommending a one-day sentence for Brett Hankison, the former Kentucky police officer who was convicted in the 2020 killing of Ms. Taylor during a botched home raid.

Her death sparked nationwide protests against racial injustice. Last year, a jury convicted Hankison of violating Taylor's civil rights when he fired several shots through her window. DOJ officials say his prosecution was excessive and point out that he did not hit or injure anyone. Hankison will be sentenced next week and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The White House now offered a rare window into President Trump's health today, saying he'd undergone testing for mild swelling in his legs. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the 79-year-old is suffering from what's called chronic venous insufficiency, which occurs when leg veins struggle to pump blood back up to the heart.

Leavitt said it's a common and benign condition for those over 70. The White House also said recent bruising on the president's hand relates to his — quote — "frequent handshaking" and the use of aspirin. Overall, Leavitt said, the president remains in excellent health.

Turning overseas, in Iraq, officials say a fire at a newly opened shopping center killed more than 60 people, including children. Funerals were under way for the deceased today, though at least 14 bodies are still unidentified. The blaze broke out late last night in the eastern city of Kut, leaving the mall an empty shell just a week after it opened.

Local officials say the cause is still under investigation, but that legal cases have been filed against the building and shopping center owners. They have been offering no details yet on what charges they face.

An Israeli shell hit the compound of the only Catholic Church in Gaza today, killing at least three people and injuring 10 others. The Holy Family Catholic Church was sheltering hundreds of Christians and Muslims on its grounds. Among those wounded was the priest, who used to speak with the late Pope Francis about the war. A funeral was held today at a separate church, where community members mourned two of those killed.

Musa Ayyad, Palestinian Christian (through interpreter):

Today, we stood at the burial of citizen Saad Salama, who was a guard for the church, and Mrs. Foumia Ayyad, an educator who was a school principal and teacher of generations. They were coming out of their prayers when they were killed.

William Brangham:

Pope Leo released a statement expressing his — quote — "profound hope for dialogue, reconciliation, and enduring peace in the region." Israel issued a rare apology for the shelling and said it's investigating.

The U.K. is planning to lower its voting age from 18 to 16 before the next general election. The governing Labor Party announced the move today, saying it's aimed at boosting participation in the democratic process. Critics say it's an attempt to alter the electorate in their favor. Roughly 1.6 million people in Britain are aged 16 or 17. That's about 3 percent of the population.

The plan is seen as the biggest expansion of U.K. voting rights since the age fell from 21 to 18 back in 1969. If approved by Parliament, the U.K. would join Austria, Brazil and Ecuador in allowing 16-year-olds to vote in national elections.

Back in this country, the Food and Drug Administration is allowing Juul to continue selling its e-cigarettes in the U.S. officials determined that its benefits as a less harmful alternative for adult smokers outweigh the risks of young people using the product. It's welcome relief for the company, which has been blamed for creating a vaping trend among teens.

In 2022, the FDA banned its products from shelves, but soon reversed course and agreed to a scientific review. The FDA's decision covers both tobacco and menthol-flavored versions of its products.

The Steve Miller Band is canceling its U.S. tour due to concerns over extreme weather. In a statement, the 81-year-old classic rocker said that extreme heat, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and fires — quote — "make these risks for you, our audience, the band and the crew unacceptable."

Miller's tour was set to begin next month with stops including New York, Florida and California. This cancellation comes after extreme weather events affected the Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee in June and last week's Rock the Country event in Kentucky.

And on Wall Street today, stocks rose after some better-than-expected economic reports. The Dow Jones industrial average added more than 200 points on the day. The Nasdaq climbed more than 150 points to hit a new record. The S&P 500 also closed at a new all-time high.

And the singer Connie Francis has died. She had more than a dozen top 20 hits in the late 1950s and early '60s with songs like "Lipstick on Your Color" and "Who's Sorry Now." Francis singing as a child and signed a record contract when she was a teenager. But her later life was troubled. She was raped at knifepoint in 1974 and was committed to a psychiatric hospital by her father in the 1980s.

Earlier this year though, she came back into the public eye when her song "Pretty Little Baby" blew up on TikTok.

Connie Francis, Singer:

To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is captivating new generations of audiences is truly overwhelming for me. Thank you, TikTok.

William Brangham:

She was hospitalized two weeks ago for extreme pain. Connie Francis was 87 years old.