UNITED STATES
D.C. | WASHINGTON — White House hopes for stopping a congressional challenge to the Iran nuclear deal and sparing President Barack Obama from using a veto suffered a blow Friday when a key Senate Democrat announced his opposition. Sen. Ben Cardin, of Maryland, top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, indicated he opposes the deal, which he said “legitimizes Iran’s nuclear program.” The White House and congressional backers of the deal had been aiming for enough commitments to bottle up the disapproval resolution in the Senate with a filibuster, preventing it from even coming to a final vote.
D.C. | WASHINGTON — The surviving panda cub at the National Zoo has more than doubled in size in the nearly two weeks since he was born. Zoo officials say veterinarians were able to do a quick examination of the male cub Wednesday when his mother, Mei Xiang, left her den. The cub weighed 10 ounces. He was about 4 ounces at birth. Mei Xiang gave birth to twin cubs on Aug. 22. The smaller cub died four days later.
TEXAS | HOUSTON — Thousands of law enforcement officers stood at attention to form a wall Friday outside one of Houston’s largest churches as a 21-gun salute and flyover by police helicopters were carried out in honor of a slain sheriff’s deputy. The symbolic gestures followed the funeral for Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth, 47, who was gunned down at a gas pump a week ago. A 30-year-old Houston man is charged with capital murder.
MISSOURI | ST. LOUIS — St. Louis County police say an 11-year-old boy fatally shot a 16-year-old intruder during a home invasion, but some neighbors take issue with that account. Police Sgt. Brian Schellman said two suspects had tried to break into the modest ranch-style home two times earlier in the day. On the third try, as they entered through the front door, the 11-year-old fired a single shot that struck the 16-year-old in the head, Schellman said. Some neighbors told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that there was no break-in. Donna Jackson told the newspaper that she saw the 11-year-old shoot the 16-year-old at point-blank range as they talked near the front door. “It was not a break-in,” Jackson, 45, said. “He shot him in the head.”
ILLINOIS | FOX LAKE — Authorities investigating the slaying of a northern Illinois police officer say they’ve received several more videos from residents and businesses. Lake County Major Crime Task Force Cmdr. George Filenko told reporters Friday that he believes the new videos are “even more relevant” than one received earlier in the week. Some of the new videos came from intersection traffic cameras. Police Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz was slain Tuesday in the village of Fox Lake, about 45 miles north of Chicago.