ICE’s plan to give officers electric shock gloves, White House press secretary steps down

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Welcome back. All eyes were on the sky yesterday. Take a look at some of our most striking photos of the eclipse. In the news today: An AP exclusive finds ICE officers will be given gloves that can deliver electric shocks; Karoline Leavitt is leaving her role as the White House press secretary; and Josh Kushner and Bob Iger are buying the Los Angeles Lakers for $12.5 billion in a blockbuster deal. Also, our top tips on how you can prepare for the new school year.

AP Exclusive: ICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks

ICE plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices” for officers and agents by March, according to a notice published Monday by the Department of Homeland Security. Read more.

Why this matters:

• Civil rights advocates expressed alarm at the plan, saying ICE officers already face criticism for their use of force with little oversight or accountability while enforcing President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The devices have been used in recent years by some jails and police departments.
• DHS issued a statement that did not mention the product specifically or explain why it had been chosen. “ICE is constantly assessing the needs of our officers in the field to ensure they have the tools and equipment necessary to safely arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our country,” the statement said.

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is leaving the Trump administration

Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will leave at the end of the month to spend more time with her young family. Leavitt, 28, called it a “bittersweet decision” in a social media post Wednesday. Read more.

What to know:

• Leavitt recently returned to the White House podium after the birth of her second child, a daughter, in May. She also has a 2-year-old son. President Donald Trump did not outline plans for who might replace her in the high-profile role. He said in a social media post that Leavitt’s decision to leave is one “I totally understand and respect!” and indicated she would continue to play a role in his orbit.
• Trump, who regularly engages with reporters during White House events and during his travels, primarily deployed Leavitt to take shots at Democrats and the mainstream media during televised news briefings and on conservative media outlets such as Fox News.

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Lakers being sold to Kushner and Iger for another record-breaking price

ESPN first reported that venture capitalist Josh Kushner and former Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger are buying the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s the second time the team has been sold this year. Read more.

Why this matters:

• This sale agreement is $12.5 billion, according to a person familiar with the terms who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday. The price tag is not only a record for U.S. pro sports but a new summit in skyrocketing NBA franchise values. The Boston Celtics were sold last year at a valuation of just over $6 billion.
• Kushner’s older brother is Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump. Kushner’s capital holding company, Thrive Eternal, was set to be the “anchor investor” in FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits. Infantino abandoned the idea on July 31.

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Making the most of back-to-school season

Summer vacation is nearing its end and students across the U.S. are trickling back to the classroom. If you have a parent-teacher conference booked, come prepared. Read which questions experts think are worth asking. Back-to-school prep also means packing backpacks with everything kids may need. However, overloaded bags can strain children’s bodies. Here’s how to keep a child’s backpack as light as possible. Finally, heading off to college? Read our seven tips for managing your finances.

This is our flagship newsletter Morning Wire. You can subscribe here and we’ll email it to you daily.