Monday, September 16

Former President Donald Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt near his Mar-a-Lago residence yesterday, but he is alive and well.

The incident took place at his golf club, the Trump International Golf Club, in West Palm Beach, located north of Miami on Florida's eastern coast. Trump was walking between Holes 5 and 6 on the course when Secret Service agents on the lookout near him spotted an AK-47 poking through the trees around 300-500 yards away, leading them to open fire into the area where the rifle was. The shooter instantly dropped their weapon, two backpacks, an aiming scope, and a GoPro, and sprinted away, speeding away from the scene in an SUV. The suspect has been identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh after he was quickly caught by law enforcement in a nearby county and is now in custody.

Trump quickly sent an email to supporters, saying, “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” He also said, “Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER!” He also made a statement on his fundraising website: "FEAR NOT! I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God! But, there are people in this world who will do whatever it takes to stop us. I will not stop fighting for you. I will Never Surrender."

However, this isn't the first time this sort of issue has occurred with Donald Trump. In mid-July, US Presidential candidate Donald Trump was shot while giving a speech at a campaign rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania. One rally attendee was killed, and two others were critically injured. Trump himself was grazed by a bullet, with the projectile skimming his ear. The event brought many prominent figures to say something, as Biden said to reports, "There's no place in America for this kind of violence. It's sick."

An investigation has been launched by the federal and state governments into the attempted assassination, and the Secret Service is coming under federal scrutiny once again for allowing a shooter to get so close to Trump. Following the July shooting, the Secret Service came under intense scrutiny after they allowed the gunman to sneak into the rally with a weapon and take shots at Trump. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her post in July after public disapproval over the agency's alleged mishandling of the assassination attempt, and there may be more shifting in the hierarchy of the Secret Service after this incident.

President Biden and VP Kamala Harris are being updated with the latest on the situation, but they stated that they are "relieved" that Trump was unharmed. Biden continued to reiterate that "there is no place for political violence or for any violence" in the US, adding that he had taken measures to "ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety."

Upcoming Events this week:

• International Day of Science, Technology and Innovation for the South (Monday, September 16)

• International Day for Interventional Cardiology (Monday, September 16)

• International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (Monday, September 16)

• World Patient Safety Day (Tuesday, September 17)

• International Equal Pay Day (Wednesday, September 18)

• World Cleanup Day (Friday, September 20)

• International Day of Peace (Saturday, September 21)

• UCI Road World Championships Begin (Saturday, September 21)

• WNBA Playoffs Begin (Sunday, September 22)

• Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix (Sunday, September 22)

Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Cappuccinos were originally named that because of their resemblance to the color of the clothing of Capuchin monks, who used to wear brown tunics with a similar color.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): I believe that everything happens for a reason, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together. (Stevie Nicks)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Liminal (adj)- Liminal is a formal word most often used to describe an intermediate state, phase, or condition. It can also describe something that is barely perceptible or barely capable of eliciting a response.

Ina Sentence: The essay presents an image of the border region as a liminal zone where one culture blends into another.