5 things to know for September 26: Impeachment, Israel, vaping, police shooting trial

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1. President Trump and Ukraine

Looks like today might be a carbon copy of yesterday, with big, important news coming fast and furious. The whistleblower’s complaint about President Trump’s communications with Ukraine has been declassified and could be released as soon as this morning, three sources told CNN. The whistleblower has also tentatively agreed to meet with congressional lawmakers. Later today, acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire is due to testify before Congress about the complaint. Maguire reportedly threatened to resign if the White House tried to restrict his testimony, according to The Washington Post.

The White House yesterday released a rough transcript of a July 25 phone call that shows the President repeatedly pressed the leader of Ukraine to investigate Trump’s possible 2020 rival, Joe Biden, and Biden’s son. Democrats say the call is disturbing and have launched an impeachment inquiry related to it. The President says this is just another Democratic witch hunt. Here’s everything we know so far about this fast-moving story.

2. Israel election  

Benjamin Netanyahu’s getting the first crack at forming a new government in Israel. After Netanyahu (the country’s Prime Minister) and Benny Gantz (the leader of the Blue and White party) couldn’t agree on a unity coalition, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin gave his Prime Minister four weeks to try to put a government together. That’s a tall order because Netanyahu’s Likud party actually ended up with fewer seats after Israel’s second election of the year. Rivlin urged Netanyahu and all potential coalition allies to come to some kind of an agreement, saying the country “does not want more elections.”

3. Vaping

Eleven people have died nationwide from vaping-related illnesses. The latest two deaths happened in the South — in Georgia and Florida. As of last week, at least 530 cases of lung injury associated with the use of e-cigarettes or vaping products have been reported to the CDC. Growing concern about the risks of vaping is forcing the federal government to take action, with the acting FDA chief saying that a new policy on e-cigarettes is coming out soon. Meanwhile, the CEO of e-cig maker Juul is out and the company has stopped all advertising.

4. Wrong apartment murder trial

A Texas Ranger says the ex-Dallas cop who killed a man in his own apartment was reasonable to think he was burglar. But the jury’s not going to hear that. The judge in the trial won’t let the Texas Ranger deliver that testimony to jurors to speak to the reasonableness of Amber Guyger’s actions on the night of the shooting. Guyger is accused of murdering accountant Botham Jean last year. Her defense team said she simply walked into the wrong apartment and shot Jean, thinking he was a burglar in her apartment.

5. Louisville police

The police department in Louisville, Kentucky, faces a trio of lawsuits, which all allege that police there use traffic stops as a pretext to pull over black drivers and conduct “racially biased” unconstitutional searches and seizures. Two of the lawsuits say the police department included the traffic stops as part of a program to stop violent crime but that officers ended up targeting African-Americans in specific neighborhoods. The department told CNN it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

THIS JUST IN …

Jacques Chirac has died

The former French President, known for a carefully crafted “everyman” image but dogged by allegations of corruption, was 86.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

The road more traveled

Be careful if you’re driving near Abbey Road. It’s the 50th anniversary of that album, so there will be more people than usual at that pedestrian crossing.

Adorable baby pic, Take 1

How did the firefighters at this California fire department celebrate the nine babies born to their families? With the cutest photo you’ll see this week.

Adorable baby pic, Take 2

Yes, seeing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex tour South Africa is cool and all, but all we really wanted was a glimpse of baby Archie, which we finally got in Cape Town.

Cool camo

Want to disappear? Join these “Invisible Jumpers” and melt into your surroundings.

TODAY’S NUMBER

$227 million

That’s the value of the winning Powerball ticket that some lucky person in Texas bought this week

TODAY’S QUOTE

“I didn’t even know that he was a human being on this planet.”

Singer Gwen Stefani, telling SiriusXM that she had no idea who her now-boyfriend, country music star Blake Shelton, was until he became a coach on “The Voice”

TODAY’S WEATHER

AND FINALLY

Horses not needed

Jousting on water? It’s been a thing in Sète, France, for years. (Click to view.)