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SPRING, Texas (AP) — A Texas water park says a chemical exposure that sent dozens of people to hospitals was caused by “improper installation” of a water filtration system. Six Flags officials said Wednesday that a third-party service company improperly installed the system at Hurricane Harbor Splashtown, causing pool-sanitizing chemicals to be released in an outdoor kiddie pool area on July 17. “We have determined that the vapor release involved a low-level mixture of the pool-sanitizing chemicals which was discharged from the bottom of the pool through the water filtration system,” said Jason Freeman, Six Flags Vice President of Safety. “The vapor was well below any reportable quantity.” About 30 people were hospitalized as a result, and 200 people have joined a lawsuit against Six Flags, which owns the water park, the Houston Chronicle reported. Those who fell ill complained of headaches, vision problems, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and sore throats. Six Flags did not …

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12 PARIS (AP) — A special French court is set to decide Thursday whether a new law that takes effect next week and would only allow access to cafes, restaurants, long-distance travel — and in some cases hospitals — for those with a COVID-19 health pass is in line with the country’s constitution. The legislation was sped urgently through parliament last week as virus infections soar, fed by the highly contagious delta variant which now accounts for most cases in France. Polls show a majority of the French support the pass. But vocal critics claim that it restricts basic freedoms by imposing limits on their movements outside home and implicitly renders vaccinations obligatory. Opponents have demonstrated around the country for the past three Saturdays, with more protests expected this weekend. The Constitutional Council examining the law is a special court which, among other things, reviews the …

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4 ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — State lawmakers told Gov. Andrew Cuomo Thursday that their ongoing impeachment investigation is almost done and gave him a deadline of Aug. 13 to provide additional evidence. Since March, the Assembly's judiciary committee has been investigating whether there are grounds to impeach the Democratic governor over sexual harassment allegations, misleading the public about COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes and using state resources and staff for his $5 million book deal. In a letter sent Thursday, the law firm leading the investigation, Davis Polk & Wardwell, reminded Cuomo's legal team that it has requested certain documents by subpoena and expected “full compliance from the governor," but that his time to respond was almost up. “We write to inform you that the Committee’s investigation is nearing completion and the Assembly will soon consider potential articles of impeachment against your client," they wrote. …

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The NFL and just about every other stick and ball league in the country have done just about everything they can to force their players to get vaccinated. However, when it comes to the UFC, Dana White says it’s “Never Gonna Happen.” The UFC president, who became the first head of a major American-based sports league to begin hosting live events during the pandemic, went against the grain again, saying that he would “never tell another human being what to do with their body.” (Zhe Gi/Getty Images) “I would never tell another human being what to do with their body. If you want to get vaccinated, that’s up to you. That’s your choice. You’re never gonna hear me say I’m gonna force people to get vaccinated. Never gonna happen,” White said according to TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter. Dana White says UFC will not require fighters to get vaccinated for COVID-19: ‘Never gonna happen’ ( @DamonMartin ) https://t.co/Nj4X4Qoqxv pic.twitter.com/yFLcsg8F2t — MMAFighting.com …

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(CNN) A Dallas firefighter was charged with theft after allegedly taking paid leave for nearly a month while lying about testing positive for Covid-19. William Jordan Carter, 38, who's been with the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department for 14 years, was arrested Friday, and bail was set at $1,500, according to court records. He was no longer in custody as of Wednesday. Carter requested time off on March 24 because his wife had Covid-19, according to an affidavit for his arrest warrant. A week later, he requested another week, saying his daughter had tested positive for the virus. Two days before he was set to return to work, Carter reported to the department he was sick and had tested positive for Covid, the affidavit says. The fire department has a policy of recommending first responders stay home if they test positive or if someone they lived with tested positive. FBI warns companies of employees faking coronavirus test results When …

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Akanksha Singh is a journalist based in Mumbai, India. She covers politics and social justice, and has written for the BBC, The Independent and the South China Morning Post, among others. Follow her on Twitter @akankshamsingh. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion at CNN. (CNN) On July 5, the Rev. Stan Swamy, an 84-year-old Jesuit priest, passed away in a hospital in a suburb of Mumbai. Swamy spent nearly nine months in jail, without trial , under an Indian anti-terrorism law. Despite living with Parkinson's disease and having contracted Covid-19 in prison, he was denied bail. Akanksha Singh His death was cruel -- and likely preventable. The blame lies with Indian authorities as much as it does with everyday Indians who looked on, wondering -- silently -- how this would end. The government has said that Swamy's detention was "following due process of the law" and that he was allowed medical treatment at a private hospital …

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Nicole Hemmer is an associate research scholar at Columbia University with the Obama Presidency Oral History Project and the author of " Messengers of the Right: Conservative Media and the Transformation of American Politics. " She co-hosts the history podcasts " Past Present " and " This Day in Esoteric Political History " and is co-producer of the new podcast " Welcome To Your Fantasy ." The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author. View more opinion on CNN. (CNN) When Tucker Carlson, host of the highest-rated show on Fox News, opened his show on Monday, he appeared not behind his glossy desk, but in front of the ornate spires of Budapest, Hungary. Standing near the banks of the Danube, he explained why he was suddenly 4,000 miles from his studio. "If you care about Western civilization and democracy and families and the ferocious assault on all three of those things by the leaders of our global institutions, you should know what is happening here …

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Despite COVID-19 levels increasing in San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas, Gov. Greg Abbott isn't budging on his COVID-19 response in Texas. On Wednesday, the governor reaffirmed his stance on local or state government mandating any coronavirus protocols during his speech at Asian-American Hotel Owners Association's National Convention and Trade Show in Dallas . "One thing we've learned along the way is lockdowns are wrong during the course of the pandemic," he says. "...In Texas, there will not be any government-imposed shutdowns or mask mandates. Everyone already knows what to do. Everyone can voluntarily implement the mandates that are safest for them, their families, and their businesses." MORE POLITICS: Left wing complicates Pelosi's calculus Abbott says the state will encourage everyone to implement the safest strategies to help slow the spread of COVID-19, including making sure everyone who wants the vaccine can get one. He says that's the surest way to "end the …

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SPRING, Texas (AP) — A Texas water park says a chemical exposure that sent dozens of people to hospitals was caused by “improper installation” of a water filtration system. While they slept, their Teslas burned in the garage Six Flags officials said Wednesday that a third-party service company improperly installed the system at Hurricane Harbor Splashtown, causing pool-sanitizing chemicals to be released in an outdoor kiddie pool area on July 17. “We have determined that the vapor release involved a low-level mixture of the pool-sanitizing chemicals which was discharged from the bottom of the pool through the water filtration system,” said Jason Freeman, Six Flags Vice President of Safety. “The vapor was well below any reportable quantity.” About 30 people were hospitalized as a result, and 200 people have joined a lawsuit against Six Flags, which owns the water park, the Houston Chronicle reported. Those who fell ill complained of headaches, vision problems, nausea, …

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From the "Weekend Update" desk on "Saturday Night Live" in 2004, co-anchor Amy Poehler informed the audience that Matt Damon had criticized Hollywood actors who want roles only in big blockbuster movies. "Here with a response to those statements: A Hollywood actor," Poehler said. The camera panned to guest host Ben Affleck, also known as Damon's longtime best friend. Affleck gave his signature sly grin. "Yeah, Matt. Um, look, bro - we all know who you're talking about, okay?" he said. "It's been kind of a mainstream year. Halfway through watching 'Paycheck,' I went and asked the theater manager for my money back, and then I remembered I was in it." "I know you're not into stardom," Affleck continued. "But help me out - I can't seem to recall which Chekhov play 'The Bourne Supremacy' was based on." The delighted crowd gasped as Affleck went on roasting Damon about the upcoming "Ocean's Twelve" (" 'Ocean's Eleven' left so many unanswered questions!") and his own persona ("By …

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