Two concealed carriers in a Polk County, Florida, Dollar General Store, pulled their firearms and held a knife-wielding woman for police, Sheriff Grady Judd said on Wednesday.
Major U.S. and international airline groups are pushing back against a new Ebola-related travel requirement that will affect millions of people flying into the United States.
Beginning Nov. 3, all passengers on international flights to the U.S. will have to confirm that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the previous 21 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The requirement applies to everyone flying into or connecting through the U.S. — including American citizens, green card holders and airline crew members, the CDC said.
Travelers will have to complete a paper or digital statement before boarding, even if they have never visited the DRC.
Airlines must collect the forms and keep them for at least 42 days after the flight arrives in the U.S., according to the CDC.
Airlines for America (A4A), which represents major carriers including American, Delta, Southwest, United and JetBlue, is asking the CDC to reconsider the requirement and give airlines more time to prepare, according to an Oct. 26 letter provided to Fox News Digital.
The group said it supports the CDC's public health goals but argued that the new requirement is too broad and is being introduced too quickly.
A4A asked the government for a "more proportionate and measured U.S. response" focused more closely on affected areas and travelers who have recently been there.
The group also asked for the Nov. 3 start date to be delayed.
"Changes to check-in systems, digital signatures, station procedures and training cannot readily be completed in the allotted time," A4A wrote.
Dr. Tyler Evans, a California-based infectious disease physician and CEO of Wellness Equity Alliance, told Fox News Digital, "This was a step in the right direction, given the fact that we really do have to take this seriously. We have to ensure that this does not cross borders."
He added, "This is the second-largest outbreak of Ebola in history. So this is very serious."
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents more than 370 airlines around the world, has also asked the CDC to reconsider the requirement, Reuters reported.
"It is unreasonable for the U.S. government to require all airlines serving the U.S. market to modify their procedures to accommodate the collection of attestations from each individual (passenger and crew) flying to the United States in less than two weeks," IATA wrote in a letter, according to Reuters.
A4A is also asking the CDC to exempt airline crew members, arguing that existing aviation documents already contain information about crews and their travel.
The group has requested an exemption for U.S. military passenger charters as well, saying the military already tracks service members' health, safety and whereabouts.
The 21-day period reflects the maximum amount of time it can take for symptoms to appear after exposure.
Anyone who has been in the DRC during that period, including travelers who only passed through an airport there, will not be allowed to board a U.S.-bound flight unless they have a government exemption, the CDC said.
"Some of the initial symptoms would just be flu-like symptoms. You'll have a high-grade fever, you'll feel sort of fatigued," the doctor said.
"[For] people that ... are asymptomatic, being able to screen is a very effective modality to reduce, to prevent or mitigate further transmission," Evans said.
Evans worked on the Ebola response twice in the past, both in West Africa and in the DRC, the two largest outbreaks in history.
"The reality is Ebola is one of the most infectious and has one of the highest case fatality rates of infectious diseases," Evans said.
But Americans often don't view Ebola as being relevant to them, he said. "When it comes to infectious diseases ... microbes don't sort of respect boundaries."
A Sullivan County judge heard oral arguments Thursday to determine whether New York Attorney General Letitia James should be removed as special prosecutor in the reopened criminal investigation into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University.
The proceeding ended without an immediate ruling from Judge James Farrell.
The hearing stems from a challenge filed by defense attorney Andrew Miltenberg, who represents Gillio Lopes, one of the men accused in the case.
Lopes is one of seven former Chi Phi fraternity brothers who are accused in a lawsuit of drugging and raping a female Cornell student at their fraternity house in October 2024.
Defense counsel argued that social media comments posted by James prior to her official appointment as "special prosecutor" demonstrate a pre-existing bias and a presumption of guilt that undermines the prosecution's neutrality.
"What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable," James had posted on social media. "I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers. To her, and to all survivors: you’re not alone. We stand with you."
Arguing before the court, Miltenberg pointed to those public declarations of support as proof of a pre-determined bias.
"Whether it affects all or just one, either the court determines the statements made by AG James take her out of contention to be neutral party reviewing case or not," Miltenberg argued, calling the initial public statements an "original sin" for the case.
In a statement sent to Fox News on Thursday, a spokesperson for James' office said, "As indicated in our motion before the court, these claims are without merit. The Office of the Attorney General remains committed to conducting an investigation guided only by the facts, the evidence, and the law."
Representing the state, Assistant Attorney General Kaitlin Vigars defended Gov. Kathy Hochul's appointment of James and pushed back against the disqualification effort, emphasizing that public statements alone do not meet the legal threshold for removal.
Farrell peppered Vigars with questions about the circumstances leading up to James’ appointment, including if Hochul was aware of James’ social media comment, if James and Hochul were standing together when the governor made remarks about the "brave young woman," if that runs afoul of professional conduct, and if the purpose of appointing the AG was to avoid bias.
Farrell also raised broader procedural concerns during the arguments, noting the potential for conflicting legal rulings if challenges proceed piecemeal across jurisdictions.
Hochul appointed James as special prosecutor on Oct. 1 after stepping in to bypass the local Tompkins County district attorney, who had previously declined to bring charges.
With no decision rendered at the conclusion of Thursday's arguments, the judge is expected to issue a formal written ruling in the coming days on whether James will remain as special prosecutor or if the investigation must be reassigned.
Hochul later said on Thursday that all sexual offense complaints at Cornell University are now being referred to New York State Police, rather than Cornell University Police, unless otherwise requested by that individual.
"Every student deserves to feel safe on their campus," she said in a statement, in part. "And when someone reports sexual assault, they deserve to be heard, treated with compassion, and know their allegations will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated by law enforcement trained to support survivors.
"What Jane Doe described is horrifying. Survivors should be able to trust the institutions responsible for protecting them. We cannot afford to let them down."