US News Roundup: Jacob Blake pleads not guilty to charges prior to Kenosha shooting; Trump says Pentagon will not shut down Stars and Stripes and more

U.S. District Court Judge Laurie Michelson partially granted a restraining order late on Friday after activist group "Detroit Will Breathe" alleged that the police had responded to peaceful demonstrations with "beatings, tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, sound cannons, flash grenades, chokeholds, and mass arrests without probable cause." Summer of protests ends with rallies for and against Trump across U.S. A summer of street marches will culminate over the Labor Day holiday weekend with some rallies backing U.S. President Donald Trump, while others continue protests against racial inequality and police violence across the country.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

How Jerry Falwell Jr. mixed his personal finances with his university's

After parting ways with President Jerry Falwell Jr in the wake of personal scandals, Liberty University has hired a firm to investigate “all facets” of Falwell’s tenure, including the school’s financial and real estate operations. There may be much to untangle.

FBI, spy agencies will not say if attending U.S. House election security briefing

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and key U.S. spy agencies on Friday would not say whether they will participate in a classified briefing on election security, which the Democratic-led House Intelligence Committee has scheduled for Sept. 17. In a letter to John Ratcliffe, President Donald Trump's Director of National Intelligence (DNI), committee Chairman Adam Schiff explicitly requested that experts from DNI, the FBI, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security participate in the briefing.

Judge temporarily bans Detroit police from chokeholds, rubber bullets against protesters

A federal judge temporarily barred Detroit police from the use of striking weapons, chokeholds, chemical agents and rubber bullets against demonstrators, medical support personnel and legal observers in the city's ongoing anti-racism protests. U.S. District Court Judge Laurie Michelson partially granted a restraining order late on Friday after activist group "Detroit Will Breathe" alleged that the police had responded to peaceful demonstrations with "beatings, tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, sound cannons, flash grenades, chokeholds, and mass arrests without probable cause."

Summer of protests ends with rallies for and against Trump across U.S.

A summer of street marches will culminate over the Labor Day holiday weekend with some rallies backing U.S. President Donald Trump, while others continue protests against racial inequality and police violence across the country. In Louisville, Kentucky, a march in the memory of Breonna Taylor will be held outside the Churchill Downs racetrack on Saturday as a spectatorless derby unfolds inside.

'Rare, dangerous' heat wave to hit California, U.S. West

A record heat wave with temperatures of up to 125 Fahrenheit (49 Celsius) was set to punish California starting on Friday as another extreme weather event raised risks of more forest fires and rolling blackouts. The "deadly heat wave" of "rare, dangerous and very possibly fatal" temperatures was forecast across Southern California for the U.S. Labor Day holiday weekend, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Los Angeles said.

Facebook removes pages of right-wing group Patriot Prayer after Portland unrest

Facebook Inc on Friday removed the pages of U.S. right-wing group Patriot Prayer and its founder Joey Gibson, a company spokesman told Reuters. Patriot Prayer has hosted dozens of pro-gun, pro-Trump rallies. Attendees have repeatedly clashed with left-wing groups around Portland, Oregon, where one group supporter was killed this week.

Portland police made 'multiple arrests' overnight as city nears 100 days of protests

Portland Police made multiple arrests overnight on Friday as the Oregon city nears 100 days of demonstrations against racism and police brutality. "Yes, we have made multiple arrests tonight", a Portland Police spokesman told Reuters in an emailed statement after police had declared a gathering as "unlawful".

Jacob Blake pleads not guilty to charges prior to Kenosha shooting

Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Black man whose shooting by a white police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, reignited nationwide protests over racism and police brutality, pleaded not guilty on Friday to criminal charges filed prior to the shooting. A complaint accuses Blake of criminal trespass, third-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct based on statements by his ex-girlfriend at the time, the mother of three of his children, who told police Blake broke into her home on May 3 and sexually assaulted her before stealing her truck and debit card.

After criticism, Trump says Pentagon will not shut down Stars and Stripes

After an outcry from U.S. lawmakers, President Donald Trump on Friday said his administration would not be shutting down the Stars and Stripes military newspaper as announced by the Pentagon earlier this year. "The United States of America will NOT be cutting funding to @starsandstripes magazine under my watch," Trump, who is running for re-election in November, said on Twitter.

Rochester, NY police union says officers acted by book in using hood in man's arrest

The head of Rochester, New York's police union on Friday defended the actions of officers involved in the March arrest of Daniel Prude, a Black man whose death triggered protests, saying they followed protocols in using a hood to restrain him. "They had to do exactly what they did," Rochester Police Locust Club President Michael Mazzeo told a news conference on Friday, adding that there was a "substantial amount of evidence to show why the protocols" used by the officers were employed.

(With inputs from agencies.)