Trump wins permission to revise BBC suit to remove brand damage

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump won court permission to revise his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corp. by excluding his earlier claim that a 12-second clip in a documentary caused massive financial damage to his business.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman in Miami could spare Trump’s sprawling real estate company from being required to respond to all of the BBC’s subpoenas for extensive financial records. The news outlet argued the subpoenas were justified in order to determine whether Trump’s brand and company truly suffered as much as the president claimed.

Altman wrote in the ruling, released Monday, that Trump may still be required to comply with at least some requests for financial information because his revised lawsuit would keep the original multibillion-dollar claim for damages. Whether the updated complaint ultimately changes the scope of records the BBC is entitled to obtain will be up to a magistrate judge to decide, Altman said.

Altman added that a narrowed lawsuit could benefit the BBC because it it would lead to a “substantial diminution” in the damages Trump is potentially able to claim.

—Bloomberg News

Democratic socialist takes on moderate in primary for Wisconsin governor

Democratic socialist Francesca Hong takes on moderate David Crowley in the Tuesday Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor in the latest progressive-vs.-moderate scrap leading into the fall midterms.

Hong, who has a long history of provocative tweets about everything from defunding the police to disliking Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day, is the front-runner in the final hours of a chaotic campaign that saw two other heavyweight candidates bow out of the race over scandals.

The 37-year-old state lawmaker from deep-blue Madison is also a single mother and former line chef who says she understands why voters are hungry for change in the heartland as well as big cities like New York.

Crowley, the Milwaukee county executive, counters that he’s a far less-polarizing pick to take on conservative GOP Rep. Tom Tiffany in the very narrowly divided swing state. Two-term Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who is barred from running again, agrees with Crowley and has been barnstorming the state alongside him in a furious effort to win over what polls say are legions of undecided voters.

—New York Daily News

From piping plovers to dragonflies, federal changes could threaten endangered Midwest wildlife

CHICAGO — As temperatures hovered around 80 degrees and few clouds obscured a bright blue sky, many people took the opportunity to enjoy a summer day last week at Montrose Beach. Children dug holes in the sand. Families kicked around soccer balls. And some cautiously waded into water against crashing waves.

At a nearby stone pier, people participated in a different type of entertainment: bird-watching. Present in the area were the American herring gull, mallards and sanderlings. But enthusiasts walking to the edge of a fenced-off sanctuary kept asking each other the same question: Had anyone seen a piping plover?

The tiny, sand-colored shorebirds — as well as North America’s tallest bird and an unusual dragonfly — are among many animals in the Midwest that may be affected by recent changes weakening the Endangered Species Act, the primary law outlining conservation of at-risk wildlife in the U.S.

Alongside other alterations, the administration of President Donald Trump changed the definition of “harm” to no longer include significant modification of endangered species’ habitats. Experts and advocates say this change will put these species at risk of extinction.

—Chicago Tribune

Ukraine hits major Taneco oil refinery deep in Russia

Ukraine’s military attacked the large Taneco oil refinery deep inside Russia on Monday, adding pressure on the country’s fuel-processing industry.

A fire broke out at Taneco in the city of Nizhnekamsk following an overnight attack, Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement on Telegram. It said the strike was carried out “in a move to reduce the military potential” of Russia. Nizhnekamsk is a major oil-refining and petrochemical hub located about 900 kilometers (550 miles) east of Moscow.

Bloomberg couldn’t independently verify information about the strike. Oil producer Tatneft PJSC, which owns the Taneco refinery, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The plant has a design capacity of more than 300,000 barrels a day.

Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russia’s oil-processing industry this month after a brief lull in the second half of July, which allowed refineries to carry out repairs and increase fuel supplies as the country grappled with widespread shortages. Kyiv’s forces attacked five Russian refineries last week alone, renewing pressure on domestic gasoline and diesel supplies.

—Bloomberg News