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Story 1 (00:01:26): Tennessee's House Republicans have expelled two black Democratic lawmakers who participated in a protest calling for more gun control after a deadly school shooting in Nashville. Another Democratic representative, who is white, narrowly escaped expulsion. The move has sparked accusations of racism, with protesters calling out "Shame!" and "Fascists!" from the visitors' gallery. This video explains what happened, what the lawmakers' intentions were, and the controversy surrounding their expulsion.

Story 2 (00:12:47): Doctors at Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals in Kolkata, India have reported the first known case of a human being infected by a plant fungus called Chondrostereum purpureum. The patient, a plant mycologist, made a full recovery and has not experienced any recurrence of the infection after two years of follow-up observations. However, this “first of its kind” case study exemplifies the risks that fungal pathogens pose for humans, especially now that climate change and other human activities like rampant urbanization have opened a “Pandora’s Box for newer fungal diseases” by contributing to their spread. Learn more about the potential of environmental plant fungi to cause disease in humans and the importance of molecular techniques to identify the causative fungal species.

Story 3 (00:21:35): Joanne Marian Segovia, the Executive Director of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association, has been charged with attempting to illegally import a controlled substance in connection with a scheme to distribute synthetic opioids throughout the United States. The criminal complaint alleges that Segovia used her personal and office computers to order thousands of opioid and other pills to her home and agreed to distribute the drugs elsewhere in the United States. The complaint also alleges that Segovia used encrypted WhatsApp communications to plan the logistics for receiving and sending pill shipments. If convicted, Segovia faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years.

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