Democrats struggle to check Trump moves on plane, meme coin

WASHINGTON — Democrats find themselves in familiar powerless territory when it comes to trying to stop President Donald Trump from what they see as potential violations of a constitutional clause meant to prevent presidents from accepting gifts or other items of value from foreign countries without the consent of Congress.

During Trump’s first term, members of Congress sought to have the courts help them enforce the Foreign Emoluments Clause when it came to his Washington hotel and business dealings. But their lawsuit and others were turned aside for procedural reasons that could doom another try.

Now some Democrats say Trump’s moves are more brazen — a luxury plane gifted by the Qatari government, and a personal $TRUMP meme coin where the identity of investors are not public — and they are using the power of their offices to demand a response.

But they are in minorities in both chambers without control of the oversight powers or what legislation gets floor votes, and Republicans have shown little interest in applying the clause against the businessman-turned-president and de facto leader of their party.

—CQ-Roll Call

Alerts issued as smoke from Canadian wildfires makes for unhealthy air in northern Minnesota

Much of northeastern Minnesota remains under air quality alert Friday, while a second alert covering the northwestern part of the state will go into effect on Saturday.

In both cases, the alerts come as smoke from Canadian wildfires filters into the state, making the air unhealthy. The smoke contains fine particles that can cause harm to respiratory and cardiovascular systems, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said.

The alert covering Cook, St. Louis, Lake and Carlton counties in northeastern Minnesota will be in effect until 6 p.m. Friday.

“People with lung disease, asthma, heart disease, and children and older adults should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. The general public should limit prolonged or heavy exertion,” the National Weather Service said.

—Star Tribune

'It's pretty bleak': A warming planet is poised to get even hotter, forecasters warn

LOS ANGELES — As hot, dry and disastrous as the last few years have been, it appears that the chaos caused by a warming planet is just getting started.

Though the hottest year in nearly two centuries was recorded only last year, the world will probably shatter that record yet again by 2029, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization, the climate and weather arm of the United Nations.

There is a very good chance that average warming over the next five years will be more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.5 degrees Celsius, above preindustrial levels, the cap established by the Paris Agreement to ward off the worst consequences of climate change. There's an even better chance that at least one of those years will be more than 2.7 degrees above the 1850 to 1900 average.

That means we can expect many more days when the weather feels freakish and far more natural disasters that cost people their homes, health or lives.

—Los Angeles Times

Comedian Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault

LONDON — British comedian and actor Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault.

The 49-year-old appeared in the dock at London's Southwark Crown Court on Friday flanked by two officers, where he stood stock-still and looked straight ahead as he delivered his pleas.

He is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room while she attended a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, and grabbing a TV worker's breasts and orally raping her after dragging her into a male toilet.

Brand is also alleged to have grabbed a radio station worker's face, pushing her against a wall and kissing her before groping her breasts and buttocks. The final charge alleges the actor indecently assaulted another woman after grabbing her forearm and attempting to drag her into a men's bathroom.

—dpa