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At least 24 dead as strong winds return to fuel California wildfires

January 13, 2025

Fire crews continue to battle deadly wildfires in Southern California as the death toll rises and strong winds are set to return. And a potential end to the Israel-Hamas war could be in sight as progress was made toward a ceasefire and hostage release deal. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Jan. 13, 2025.

At least 24 dead as strong winds return to fuel Los Angeles area wildfires

At least 24 people are now confirmed dead and dozens more At least 24 people are now confirmed dead and dozens more are missing as multiple fires continue to rage in Southern California. Firefighters said they’re making progress against the wildfires that have now been burning for almost a week in the Los Angeles area.

Still, the threat remains high as dangerous Santa Ana winds will pick up again starting Monday, Jan. 13.

Weary fire crews said it’s not safe enough in many areas to assess the true total damage. Three fires continued to burn into Monday, Jan. 13: the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires, all of which broke out last Tuesday, Jan. 7.

The Palisades Fire remained the biggest and least contained, at more than 23,000 acres with only about 13% containment. Officials expanded evacuation orders for the Palisades Fire as it moves east, threatening the Brentwood and Encino areas.

The Eaton Fire was just over 14,000 acres and 27% contained on Monday. According to CalFire, the two fires are now the second and fourth most destructive in state history.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department said flames destroyed more than 7,000 buildings in the Eaton Fire alone. Investigators are only about a quarter of the way through their damage assessment.

The county is now under a public health emergency over smoke and particulate matter, which could cause long-term harm.

Progress made in Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks, officials say

Mediators with the U.S., Qatar and Egypt said they’ve made significant progress in brokering a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. However, nothing has been finalized just yet.

The deal would result in the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip ever since the terror group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

It is believed there are a total of 98 hostages; however, as many as three dozen are feared dead.

Officials briefed on the negotiations said there was a breakthrough in Doha early Monday morning following talks between Israel’s spy chiefs, President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff and Qatar’s prime minister.

In addition, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden spoke about the cease-fire deal on the phone Sunday, Jan. 12.

Officials said negotiators for Israel and Hamas took a proposed final draft of the deal back to their leaders for approval. However, this is not the first time a deal to end the war has been closely considered. The U.S. has said several times over the past year that a deal was imminent, only for it to fall through.

An Egyptian official said an agreement will likely take a few more days and both sides are aiming for a deal before Trump’s inauguration next Monday, Jan. 20. However, Hamas said there are still issues it says need to be resolved, including an Israeli commitment to ending the war and details about the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the hostage-prisoner exchange.

JD Vance, Christopher Wray speak on Jan. 6 ahead of Trump inauguration

Incoming Vice President JD Vance and outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray shared their thoughts with Fox News and CBS News with just one week until President-elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day.

In his first interview since leaving the Senate, Vance spoke to Fox News Sunday of executive orders concerning illegal immigration on day one of the Trump administration and of being hopeful there soon will be a cease-fire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas. Vance was also asked about Trump’s plans to pardon those convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol.

“I think it’s very simple,” Vance said. “Look, if you protested peacefully on January the 6th and you’ve had Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned. And there’s a little bit of a gray area there but we’re very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law and there are a lot of people, we think, in the wake of January the 6th who were prosecuted unfairly. We need to rectify that.”

On 60 Minutes, FBI Director Christopher Wray explained his decision to step down three years before the end of his 10-year term. Trump appointed Wray in 2017, during his first administration.

The FBI director then oversaw investigations into Trump, as well as President Joe Biden and Biden’s son Hunter. Trump intends to replace Wray with former aide Kash Patel.

“Well, my decision to retire from the FBI, I have to tell you it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” Wray said on 60 Minutes. “I care deeply, deeply about the FBI, about our mission and, in particular, about our people. But the president-elect had made clear that he intended to make a change, and the law is that, that is something he is able to do for any reason or no reason at all. My conclusion was that the thing that was best for the Bureau was to try to do this in an orderly way, to not thrust the FBI deeper into the fray.”

Wray was also asked about Trump’s plans to pardon many of the roughly 1,500 people charged with federal crimes in the Jan. 6 riots.

“I do think it’s important to step back and remember that we’re talking about hundreds of people who are convicted, most of them pled guilty of serious federal crimes,” Wray said. “Heck, I think 170 or so of them pled guilty to assaulting law enforcement, dozens of them with dangerous or deadly weapons. And there’s a whole bunch that were convicted of seditious conspiracy.”

After Vance’s interview aired on Fox, the vice president-elect responded to a critic on X saying Trump will be looking at each case concerning Jan. 6 individually.

Special counsel Jack Smith resigns as fight to block Trump report continues

Special counsel Jack Smith, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee the criminal investigations into Trump, resigned from the Department of Justice. While his departure was expected, it comes as Trump and his allies continue efforts to block the release of Smith’s final report on his investigations.

Smith’s resignation was made public Saturday, Jan. 11, in a brief footnote of a DOJ court filing to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon of Florida. She was appointed to the bench by Trump.

Cannon issued an order last week temporarily blocking the DOJ from releasing Smith’s investigation into Trump’s interference in the 2020 election results. The DOJ filed an emergency motion late Friday, Jan. 10, asking a federal appeals court to reverse the order.

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin scrubs New Glenn launch attempt

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin called off the planned launch of its New Glenn rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday morning. The company scrubbed the launch due to a “few anomalies” found during the countdown.

The delay of the rocket’s inaugural attempt to reach orbit could last at least 24 hours or longer. The launch, when it does happen, will include an attempt to land New Glenn’s first stage booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.

In an interview with Reuters before the launch attempt, Bezos said that the booster landing is “the thing we’re most nervous about.”

A wild ending to NFL’s wild-card weekend with 1 more game to go

The NFL’s wild-card weekend saw one wild finish Sunday night. Five teams advanced to the divisional round, and a final wild-card game will be played Monday night.

On Saturday, the Houston Texans defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 in the opening game of wild-card weekend. Then the Baltimore Ravens moved on with a convincing 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills dominated the Denver Broncos 31-7 while the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers 22-10.

Late Sunday night, a last-second field goal — with the ball hitting off the uprights and going through, known as a “doink” — gave the Washington Commanders the 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was Washington’s first playoff win since 2005.

Monday night, the Minnesota Vikings will meet the Los Angeles Rams in a game that was moved from Los Angeles to Arizona due to the wildfires.
Biden commutes sentences of 37 of 40 federal death row inmates

December 23, 2024
President Biden commutes the sentences of most federal death row inmates. Calling it a “common sense revolution,” President-elect Donald Trump delivers a rally-style speech about the transition and policy, less than a month from taking office. And two big-name auto companies officially announce plans to join forces. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.

Biden commutes sentences of 37 of 40 federal death row inmates

President Joe Biden granted clemency to almost all the inmates on federal death row Monday morning, Dec. 23. Now, the sentences of 37 of the 40 people facing death will be commuted to life without parole.

“I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level,” Biden said in a statement. “In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.”

The three men not granted clemency are: Dylann Roof, who killed nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015; Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombers.

In 2021, the Justice Department imposed a moratorium on executions so it could review policies and procedures. No federal inmate has been executed during the Biden administration, though this year the DOJ said it would seek the death penalty for a white gunman who killed 10 Black people during a racially motivated shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York in 2022.

BREAKING: Biden commutes the sentences of 37 out of 40 inmates on federal death row pic.twitter.com/dLr9HkThcz
— BNO News (@BNONews) December 23, 2024

Biden’s move of presidential commutation, which is irreversible, comes just weeks before President-elect Trump takes office. Trump has said he would resume executions and may attempt to expand the crimes that qualify for capital punishment.

President-elect Donald Trump previews his ‘common sense revolution’

A government shutdown was averted over the weekend, thanks to the passing of a stopgap spending bill. Now, attention turns to the incoming administration.

In just a few weeks, Donald Trump will become the 47th President of the United States. On Sunday, Dec. 22, he took to the podium to touch on several topics as he nears inauguration day.

“That’s what I call it: a ‘common sense revolution’ that’s coming soon to America, to a theater near you, right?” he said. “But it’s coming to you through your President Donald J. Trump. The people have given us their trust and in return, we’re going to give them the best Day 1, the biggest first week, and the most extraordinary first 100 days of any president in American history.”

Trump spoke for over an hour to a crowd at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona. It was his first rally-type speech since winning the election last month.

In his address, Trump repeated his plans to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China to target illegal immigration and drugs entering the U.S. He also mentioned his administration will create an ad campaign to warn Americans of the dangers of drugs like fentanyl.

Regarding Russia and Ukraine, Trump described the war as “horrible” and called for its end, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to meet with him “as soon as possible.”

Trump also brought up the Panama Canal, claiming the country of Panama is charging excessive fees to for the U.S. Navy and American businesses to use the passageway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. If the fees don’t change, Trump threatened for America to take back control of the canal. The U.S. owned the canal until it was handed over to Panama in 1999.

The president of Panama reacted to Trump’s comments, saying on social media, “Every square meter of the Panama Canal and the surrounding area belongs to Panama, and will continue to.”

Trump responded to that with a post saying, “We’ll see about that.”

Also in his speech, the president-elect addressed the criticism he is facing concerning the influence of his ally Telsa owner and CEO Elon Musk. Some Democrats have mockingly labeled him “President Musk.” Trump called those allegations just another hoax.

“No, he’s not taking the presidency,” Trump said. “I like having smart people. They’re on a new kick – ‘Russia, Russia, Russia,’ ‘Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine,’ all the different hoaxes and the new one is ‘President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon Musk.’ No, that’s not happening but Elon’s done an amazing job. Isn’t it nice to have smart people that we can rely on?”

Trump joked that Musk, who will head the new Department of Government Efficiency, couldn’t become president even if he wanted to because the tech billionaire wasn’t even born in this country; Musk was born in South Africa.

German authorities search for motive in deadly Christmas market attack

Investigators in Germany are working to figure out why a man drove a rented SUV into a Christmas market Friday, Dec. 20, killing five people and injuring more than 200 others.

The suspect has been identified as 50-year-old psychiatrist Talib Al Abdulmohsen, a Saudi Arabian citizen who moved to Germany nearly 20 years ago.

The head of Germany’s Federal Criminal Office said authorities had been aware of Abdulmohsen and received a warning about him from Saudi Arabia in November 2023. However, he said the tip was “so unspecific,” German authorities did not see it as a real threat. Officials said Abdulmohsen did not fit their profile of an Islamic extremist, so they had not categorized him as a potential threat.

German authorities said they’re examining the suspect’s “dissatisfaction” with Germany’s treatment of refugees, but more time is needed to establish a motive. Abdulmohsen is being held in detention while the investigation continues.

Man in custody after setting woman on fire on NYC subway, killing her

Police in New York City said a man is in custody after he set a woman’s clothes on fire with a lighter on a subway train, killing her. The New York Post has reported the suspect is a 33-year-old Guatemalan migrant, who crossed into the United States through Arizona in 2018.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU4HW_t5VDo
Police said surveillance footage shows the man walk up to the woman without saying a word Sunday morning, Dec. 22, on the F train in New York and set her on fire. He then sat down on a station bench to watch as the police responded.

Police said they initially believed the woman was sleeping when the attack happened but now say while she was motionless when it happened, it’s unclear if she was asleep. They have not released the identity of the victim.

Honda, Nissan begin talks to merge by August 2026

There’s developing news this morning from the auto industry. Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have agreed to begin talks of a merger, which would create the world’s third-largest automaker in terms of sales. At a press conference Monday, Dec. 23, the two companies, along with smaller automaker Mitsubishi Motors, announced they signed a memorandum of understanding to formally begin merger talks.

Over the next six months, Honda and Nissan will discuss the best ways to combine their operations, with the goal of a completed deal for August 2026. (Editor’s note: The graphic in the video above incorrectly states “August 2025.”)

Currently, Honda sells nearly 4 million vehicles a year and Nissan more than 3 million. Meanwhile, Toyota, the No. 1 car brand in the world, sells around 11 million and Volkswagen, the No. 2 automaker, sells approximately 9 million vehicles a year.

More Starbucks workers join nationwide strike ahead of Christmas

Starbucks employees in three more major cities have joined a growing strike just days before Christmas. Workers in Boston, Dallas, and Portland, Oregon followed the leads of Starbucks employees in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles in walking off the job.

Workers United, the union representing Starbucks employees, said in a statement nearly 50 stores nationwide have been forced to shut down because of the work stoppage. The union said the strike, which started Thursday, Dec. 19, is over unfair labor practices and comes after negotiations, ongoing since February, stalled.

Starbucks said the union “prematurely ended” its bargaining session last week. The labor action comes during what the union says are Starbucks’ busiest days of the year.
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Self-driving vehicle company Waymo gets $5.6B to expand, despite challenges

October 25, 2024
Waymo, the self-driving car subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, announced the completion of its largest funding round to date, securing $5.6 billion to accelerate its autonomous vehicle initiatives. The investment aims to expand the company’s robotaxi services and explore new business applications for its driverless technology, although Waymo’s rollout has so far faced its share of challenges.

Currently operating in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, Waymo plans to use the new funds to expand to additional cities like Austin and Atlanta by 2025. The company is also testing its vehicles in places with colder climates and more complex urban areas, including Buffalo, New York City, and Washington, D.C., to prepare for future deployments. Waymo said that this expansion will be accompanied by improvements to its offerings in existing markets.

Since 2020, the company’s driverless cars have been involved in at least 192 reported collisions. While Waymo claims these incidents are statistically fewer than those involving human-driven vehicles, some incidents have raised safety concerns.

In early October 2024, a passenger was reportedly trapped inside a Waymo robotaxi while it was being vandalized. Additionally, over the summer of 2024, neighbors near a Waymo parking lot in San Francisco complained of cars honking at each other throughout the night for several weeks.

Despite these setbacks, investors lauded Waymo’s technology, citing it as the safest and most advanced in the industry. The company’s vehicles have logged over 25 million miles on public roads, equal to the distance from Earth to Venus during its closest approach. As of August 2024, Waymo reported providing 100,000 customer trips every week.

The new funding will not only support the robotaxi business but also enable Waymo to explore other uses for its “Waymo Driver” technology. Potential business applications include food and package deliveries, long-haul trucking, and even privately owned autonomous vehicles.
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Seemingly harmless gesture a warning sign of a concussion in athletes

October 23, 2024
A common, seemingly innocuous gesture could be a sign of a concussion, and experts say recognizing it could be the key to reducing the number of concussions that go undiagnosed. It’s the quick head shake after a hard hit.

That movement, called the Spontaneous Headshake After a Kinematic Event, aptly shortened to SHAAKE, can be seen among athletes across various sports time and time again, but it’s long gone mostly overlooked as a symptom of concussion.

To better understand the movement, researchers with Mass General Brigham and the Concussion Legacy Foundation surveyed hundreds of high school, college and semi-pro athletes. They found most of the athletes were familiar with the action and have even experienced it themselves, often more than once.

In nearly 3 out of 4 cases, researchers found those who experienced SHAAKE got a concussion at that time. They also found the causes of SHAAKE are often common symptoms of concussion, like disorientation, confusion and changes to spatial perception. However, the head shake by itself is not considered a sign of concussion, leading many brain injuries to go undiagnosed.

The researchers behind the new study now say formal recognition of SHAAKE as a sign of a concussion could help identify up to a third of undiagnosed concussions.

In the study, the researchers pointed out a particularly nasty concussion seen in 2022 involving Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. They say the example highlights how adding SHAAKE to professional concussion protocol could make a big difference.

Tagovailoa fell to the ground after a hard hit. It was attributed to a previous back injury at first, but he later ended up being hospitalized with a concussion. The study’s authors said hospitalization may have been avoided if SHAAKE were part of the protocol.

Many people called for Tagovailoa to retire after that injury, but he refused. Those calls were renewed when he suffered his third career concussion during the Dolphins’ game against the Buffalo Bills in September.

In a press conference Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Dolphins announced Tagovailoa would be back at practice Wednesday, Oct. 23, with hopes of playing in the game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 27. Tagovailoa also said he would not wear a Guardian Cap, which is a protective helmet cover used as an extra layer of defense against concussions.

There are actually multiple helmet options that players can pick from that test just as effectively as wearing the guardian cap.

I'd be interested to know if he made a helmet switch instead https://t.co/PGwgq3Lnlj
— Jamal St. Cyr (@JStCyrTV) October 21, 2024

While SHAAKE was not added in the wake of the quarterback’s 2022 injury, the NFL did update the league’s concussion protocol.

In a statement in response to this new study, the NFL’s chief medical officer said the league regularly reviews new research, adding, “Our concussion protocol, a conservative process developed from internationally accepted guidelines, is reviewed annually to ensure players are receiving care that reflects the most up-to-date medical consensus on the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of concussions.”
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Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa sets likely return; won’t wear Guardian Cap

October 22, 2024
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will be back at practice Wednesday, Oct. 23, for the first time since week two of the NFL season. Tagovailoa suffered his third career concussion during the Dolphins’ matchup against the Buffalo Bills in September, forcing him to sit out the past four games.

With his history of head injuries, calls for the 26-year-old to consider retirement were revived. He says he “wasn’t paying attention to any of it.”

“I appreciate your concern, I really do,” Tagovailoa told reporters during a press conference Monday, Oct. 21. “I love this game, and I love it to the death of me.”

See what QB Tua Tagovailoa and Coach Mike McDaniel had to say yesterday ⤵️
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) October 22, 2024

“I think the brain is, it’s just very – there’s just a gray area when it comes to that,” Tagovailoa added. “If you do know that you’re gonna get long-term, you know, disease from it or if you’re not. I just think there’s a lot of gray with it. For me, this is what I love to do. This is what makes me happy and I’m gonna do it. That’s it.”

When Tagovailao was asked if he’d wear a Guardian Cap, like the one Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Luke Goedeke wore during the Monday, Oct. 21, game against the Baltimore Ravens, he simply said “nope.” When pressed on why not by a reporter, Tagovailoa said it was a “personal choice.”

Guardian caps are soft, protective helmet covers that the NFL has authorized players to wear during games this season in an effort to reduce head injuries. The NFL has mandated the caps be used at contact practice for most players since 2022, but quarterbacks, kickers, and punters are exempt from that rule.

If the Dolphins’ quarterback clears the NFL’s concussion protocol after Wednesday’s practice, he’s expected to start against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 27.
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In face of hunger crisis, Zimbabwe to cull 200 elephants

September 17, 2024
Zimbabwe is facing a hunger crisis following the worst drought in four decades, and wildlife officials revealed on Tuesday, Sept. 17, that it’s forcing the government to kill 200 elephants to feed an increasingly hungry population. El Niño reportedly wiped out crops and has impacted 68 million people, who are now running low on food as a result.

Wildlife officials said that they are still working out the plans to kill the 200 elephants but say that eventually the meat will be distributed to communities most in need.

Zimbabwe is home to more than 84,000 elephants, which is one of the largest populations in the world. However, with a severe drought, the fight for resources is getting scarcer, resulting in human and animal conflicts. Elephants reportedly attacked and killed 50 people last year in the country.

The cull would be the first in Zimbabwe since 1988 and follows Namibia’s lead last month to cull more than 700 animals including elephants, hippos and buffalo.

Zimbabwe has been commended for its conservation efforts with elephants. However, the country has reportedly been pushing the United Nations to lift restrictions on the trade of ivory and live elephants. Zimbabwe currently has around $600,000 worth of ivory it cannot sell because of international restrictions.
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Georgia school shooting suspect was questioned over online threats: FBI

September 5, 2024
We have new details about the suspect and the victims in the deadly shooting at a Georgia high school. And Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft is set to begin its trip back to Earth without its crew. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.

FBI: Suspect in Georgia school shooting was questioned over online threats

Authorities have released more details about the shooter who opened fire in a Georgia high school on Wednesday, Sept. 4. Two teachers and two students were killed, and nine others were wounded.

The FBI said the shooter was a 14-year-old who was under investigation last year for making online threats. Officials said he was interviewed in connection with threats to carry out a school shooting.

Just before 10:30 a.m. ET Wednesday, gunfire was reported at Apalachee High School in a small town about 45 miles from Atlanta. A sheriff’s deputy working as a school resource officer engaged with the shooter, who has been identified as Colt Gray, and the teen immediately surrendered.

Officials said Gray will be charged with murder and tried as an adult.

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The victims were two 14-year-old students, a 53-year-old math teacher, and a second math teacher, a 39-year-old who also coached as the defensive coordinator for the school’s football team, according to the school’s website.

Eight other students and one teacher were taken to hospitals with gunshot wounds and are expected to survive.

The school will remain closed for the remainder of the week and crisis counselors are on school campus as students grapple with the tragedy they have now experienced.

“I was listening, and you can hear gunshots just ringing out through the school and you’re just wondering which one of those is going to be somebody that you’re best friends with or somebody that you love,” said Landon Culver, a junior at the school. “You hear about this kind of stuff and you never think it’s going to happen to you until it’s happening. And then once you’re in that, it’s like this really happened. It’s like a surreal experience.”

Authorities said Gray, then 13, was a possible suspect in connection with threats made online last year using photos of guns and threatening to shoot up a school. They said he denied making the threats and there was no probable cause to arrest him, however, local schools were told to “continue monitoring the suspect.”

Gray’s father was also interviewed a year ago over the online threats. Investigators said his father told them he had hunting guns inside the home, but his son did not have unsupervised access to them.

Trump holds town hall in PA; Harris talks economy in NH

Vice President Kamala Harris was in New Hampshire Wednesday offering more insight into what her economic policies would look like. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump took part in a town hall hosted by Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

During the interview, Trump highlighted Harris’ stance on fracking, saying in 2019 she would ban it if elected but she would not ban it now.

Trump was in Pennsylvania and kept much of the focus on the battleground state. Hannity asked Trump how the 2024 election differs from the election he won in 2016.

“It’s not that different,” Trump said. “It’s still about the forgotten man and forgotten woman. People are being treated horribly in the country. We’re a country that’s being laughed at all over the world. It’s very simple and it starts with make America great again, that’s what we have to do.”

Meanwhile, Harris was in New Hampshire discussing more of her tax plan if elected in November.

“My plan will make our tax code more fair while also prioritizing investment and innovation,” Harris said. “So let us be clear: billionaires and big corporations must pay their fair share in taxes.”

Harris is proposing an increase to the long-term capital gains tax rate but not as high as what was in President Joe Biden’s reelection agenda. Harris said she wants to raise the tax rate to 28% from its current 20% rate. Biden had called for a 39.6% tax rate.

Harris reiterated support for taxing the wealthy and corporations at higher rates. She’s proposing raising the corporate tax rate to 28%, up from the current 21% rate set by Trump in 2017.

Trump is looking to cut the corporate tax rate to 15% if elected for a second term.

Trump, Harris agree on rules for debate

There’s less than a week now until the first debate between Trump and Harris and they’ve now agreed on the rules. The debate, hosted by ABC, will be moderated by World News Tonight anchor David Muir and ABC News anchor Linsey Davis.

It’ll be 90 minutes long with two commercial breaks. There will be no audience in the room and microphones will only be turned on for the candidate whose turn it is to speak. The moderators will be the only ones allowed to ask questions.

Trump won a virtual coin flip held on Tuesday, Sept. 4, and chose to make the last closing statement. They’ll get two minutes each.

Each candidate will also get two minutes to answer each question with a two-minute rebuttal and one additional minute for a follow-up, clarification, or response.

Because Trump got to choose the closing statement order, Harris chose the podium placement. She’ll be at the right podium on the screen.

CPSC wants to investigate Shein and Temu kids’ products

The U.S. government wants to investigate Chinese e-commerce websites Shein and Temu. In an open letter, two leaders of the Consumer Product Safety Commission accused the online companies of selling “deadly baby and toddler products.”

They want the commission to investigate how the websites comply with U.S. safety laws, citing “recent media reports” that dangerous products meant for kids are easy to find on both sites.

This is just the latest probe into the companies, both of which have been under scrutiny for how they’re able to sell things for such low prices and how much environmental waste they create, as well as concerns over the potential use of forced labor.

Boeing’s Starliner to return to Earth empty on Friday

Boeing’s embattled Starliner will begin its trip back to Earth on Friday. Sept. 6, without the two astronauts who rode it into space. NASA said Wednesday everything is on track for the uncrewed departure of the Starliner capsule as long as weather forecasts remain clear at its landing site in New Mexico.

https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1831362542079496329

The return will mark the final phase of a test flight that did not go as planned.

Starliner’s first crewed trip to space was supposed to prove Boeing could reliably bring astronauts to and from the International Space Station so NASA could certify it to do so.

But issues that popped up just after launch have left astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams stuck on the space station since June. Their mission was only supposed to last about a week.

Now they can’t come home until February, when they’ll be picked up by SpaceX on its next mission to the ISS.

2024 NFL season kicks off Thursday night

The 2024 NFL season kicks off Thursday night with reigning Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens.

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The game will start a weekend of football action, including the first NFL game to be played in Brazil when the Philadelphia Eagles meet the Green Bay Packers Friday night. That game will be a streaming exclusive available only on Peacock.

Then the first Sunday of the NFL calendar, Sept. 8, will see 13 games played, with another first: Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin will be starting during the team’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. This will be Hamlin’s first start since suffering a cardiac arrest on the field in January 2023.

Week 1 wraps up Monday night, Sept. 9, with the New York Jets and the San Francisco 49ers.
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Morning rundown: Damar Hamlin on the mend, Jan. 6 anniversary

January 6, 2023

Damar Hamlin continues his remarkable recovery; the U.S. House is still voting on a speaker; and President Joe Biden is set to speak on the Jan. 6 anniversary. These stories and more highlight the morning rundown for Friday, Jan. 6, 2023.

Bills-Bengals game won’t resume after Damar Hamlin injury

Damar Hamlin gave the nation a scare at the beginning of this week. He collapsed on the field during Monday night’s football game.

Whether he would survive remained unknown for days. Yesterday took a dramatic turn for the better.

Now that the league knows Hamlin is on the mend, a decision to cancel the Bills and Bengals match came down Thursday evening.

The match-up will not be resumed. Both teams have already clinched play-off berths.

The greatest difference this makes is where postseason play will take place. The AFC championship game could be played at a neutral site. Or home field advantage could be decided by a coin toss. It depends on the different scenarios in seeding.

House continues vote for speaker

After a third day of voting and 11 rounds of votes cast, the U.S. House has again failed to elect a speaker. This is something unseen in the chamber since before the Civil War.

On Friday, House members will come to the floor once again. Concessions have been made within the GOP. But whether or not it will be enough still remains unknown, as 20 Republicans continue to vote against congressman Kevin McCarthy.

Biden to speak on Jan. 6 anniversary

Today marks the second anniversary since the Capitol was breached on Jan. 6, 2021.

The events that followed the last presidential election resulted in the largest investigation ever conducted by the U.S. Justice Department.

So far, 900 arrests have been made with the potential of hundreds more.

Today President Biden will speak from the White House, hold a moment of silence, and present a “citizens medal” to 12 people involved in defending the Capitol.

At the center of the stage, two years ago, was President Donald Trump. Since then he has been met with legal recourse.

Trump sued in police officer’s death

The partner of officer Brian Sicknick filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Trump. He died at the Capitol.

Although the officer died of natural causes according to the medical examiner, the lawsuit states his death was a direct consequence of Trump’s rhetoric that day.

A spokesperson for Trump has already refuted the lawsuit.

High-profile arrest leads to unrest

Mexican authorities made a high-profile arrest Thursday. They captured Ovidio Guzman, a son of infamous drug lord El Chapo.

Retaliation from cartels created chaos in the streets. Vehicles were stolen, fires were set to cars and buses, and shots were fired at airplanes. This prompted a local airport to shut down along with schools.

“We advise Americans not to travel to Sinaloa as a result. For those Americans who are in Sinaloa, we strongly encourage them to monitor local news, to follow emergency instructions provided by local authorities,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.

Ovidio Guzman was wanted by the United States. He is an alleged fentanyl drug-trafficker who was captured once before in 2019, but was released because of similar cartel retaliation.

The arrest comes just days before President Biden is set to visit the border on Sunday. He will meet with Mexico’s president to discuss drug trafficking and immigration.

Oldest person in U.S. dies at 115

The oldest person in the United States was Bessie Hendricks at 115 years old. But this week she passed away at her Iowa nursing home.

She celebrated her 115th birthday in November. She was the oldest person in the country and the fourth oldest person in the world.

The teacher and mother of five said her secret to a long life was “hard work.”

Bessie is survived by three of her children. One of her sons said he also has a theory about his mother’s long life, saying she loved to eat sweets.
Midday rundown: Officer arrested after deadly crash; NFL Hamlin update

January 3, 2023

A tragedy in Louisiana has left two high school cheerleaders dead and a police officer arrested; speculation grows over NFL player Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest and incidents of children eating cannabis edibles spike. These stories and more highlight your midday rundown, aimed straight down the middle, for Jan. 3, 2023.

Louisiana officer arrested after deadly chase

Maggie Dunn and Caroline Hill tragically died over the weekend when their car was struck by a police cruiser. Officer David Cauthron was in a high-speed pursuit of a home invasion suspect.

The suspect had stolen a car in the chase which sometimes reached speeds of 110 miles per hour and ran red lights. That officer has now been booked on charges of negligent homicide for pursuing the chase that killed the two teens.

The suspect that the police were chasing has also been charged for two counts of homicide in the girls deaths.

Speculation on NFL player’s cardiac arrest

Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin remains in critical condition after collapsing mid-game on Monday due to cardiac arrest.

As the 24-year-old is in a Cincinnati hospital, some on social media are speculating about the cause of the incident, questioning whether it had anything to do with the COVID-19 vaccine. This theory is nothing new. It has circulated as several athletes have died unexpectedly since the vaccine was introduced.

Straight Arrow News reporter Shannon Longworth spoke with a cardiologist last year for clarification.

The cardiologist said that young people sometimes have unexplained, abnormal heart rhythm, which can be life threatening. These cases are categorized as “sudden adult death syndrome,” and they occurred even before the COVID-19 vaccine.

So far, there’s no clear correlation between the two as the theory is lacking enough supporting data.

Iranian chess player faces scrutiny

An Iranian chess player has received warnings not to return to Iran after competing in a chess tournament without wearing a head covering. According to the report, the female chess player competed in an international chess tournament in Kazakhstan where she was not wearing a headscarf. Wearing a headscarf is mandatory under Iran’s dress code for women.

It comes at a time when Iran has faced backlash from its own people over its treatment of women.

The chess player could face prosecution from Iranian officials.

Spike in children eating cannabis edibles

More than 20 states have legalized marijuana, some as recent as the last midterm election. While legalization becomes more prevalent, so has the number of accidents with children getting their hands on edible cannabis.

In the span of five years, the number of young children who ate edibles rose 1,375%. There were more than 3,000 cases in 2021, compared to 200 cases in 2017.

These cases of kids eating edibles are only counting children six years or younger. The cases also account for nearly half of all poison exposure emergency calls.

Many edibles come in the form of candies, cookies, brownies, chocolates – all things which appeal to toddlers. Combine that with more products readily available through legalization, it is creating more exposure to children according to the study authors.

Human composting legal in New York

With a new year comes new laws, and one that is widely talked about this year is human composting, which has just been legalized in New York. New York becomes the sixth state to allow the controversial alternative method to traditional burial or cremation.

Human composting is essentially when a body is placed into a casket with natural materials like wood chips and hay. Bacteria breaks down the human body into soil within about a month, creating human compost that families can use to plant things in honor of their loved one.
Midday rundown: Buffalo driving ban lifted, Cosby planning comedy tour

December 29, 2022

The driving ban is lifted in storm ravaged Buffalo; Americans back Ukraine; and Bill Cosby’s new comedy tour. These stories and more highlight your midday rundown, aimed straight down the middle, for Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022.

Buffalo’s blizzard conditions ease

The city of Buffalo, New York is slowly cleaning up after its most deadly storm in generations blanketed the city and killed more than 30 residents.

Roads were unable to be driven on for six days, but the driving ban has been lifted on Thursday as crews work to clear several feet of snow.

“We still have a ways to go, but we have come a long way in just a couple of days. This will allow our residents to get back to work, allow them to get to supermarkets, pharmacies, and to get to medical appointments,” said Mayor Byron Brown.

With temperatures set to reach the 40’s today and 50’s tomorrow, officials are also watching for possible flood conditions in Buffalo as the snow melts away.

American support grows for Ukraine

Americans are feeling more optimistic on Ukraine’s position in the war against Russia, and feel better about President Biden’s efforts in aiding Ukraine as a result. That’s according to a new poll.

Nearly one out of three Americans now believe Ukraine is winning the war. That might seem low but that’s up from just 14% in June. In six months, support for Ukraine grew nearly 20%. Now it’s flipped, with 14% believing Russia is winning.

41% of Americans rated Biden’s handling of the Ukraine invasion as excellent or good. That’s up from 31% in June. But still a close 39% disagree with how he’s handling the war overseas.

The poll was conducted as the U.S. passed the defense bill. Which includes $45 billion of additional financial support for Ukraine.

Cosby planning comedy tour for 2023

Disgraced TV star Bill Cosby is planning a comedy tour in 2023. The 85-year-old was convicted back in 2018 of sexual assault.

After serving three years in prison, Pennsylvania’s highest court threw out his sexual assault conviction and he was released in 2021.

Cosby was convicted of drugging and violating Andrea Constand in 2004, but 60 women have accused him of sexual assault.

Now, Cosby is planning his comeback tour. He announced the news on a commercial AM radio station Wednesday. When asked if he would return to comedy in the coming year, Cosby responded “yes,” adding that he would be able to be the Bill Cosby his audience knows him to be.

Exxon sues EU over windfall levy

Exxon is suing the European Union after authorities said oil and gas companies would have to hand over a portion of what the EU considers “excess profits.” Energy prices in Europe rose sharply this year when its gas supply was restrained by Russia. With the lack of supply but high demand, companies like Exxon hiked their gas prices.

The EU imposed a windfall levy on energy companies’ high profits, demanding they hand over one-third or more of excess profits.

Exxon argues the EU proposal is a direct income tax and is asking the court to remove the windfall levy policy.

Bats survive hypothermic shock

A cold snap in Texas wasn’t just hard for people to bear. Hundreds of bats went into hypothermic shock because of the icy conditions. The good news is the Humane Society of Houston was there to nurse more than 1,500 bats back to good health.

The bats were so cold the little mammals were falling out from their roosting habitat under city bridges. They were scooped up and revived in warming incubators and given fluids needed to survive.

Now they’re being released back into their natural habitat, since temperatures in Texas are back to the 70’s.

“A lot of people think you get attached and you don’t want to release them. it’s the exact opposite. you’re attached, but you’re so happy to see them out where they’re supposed to be and free. it’s just there’s no feeling like it,” said Mary Warwick from the Houston Humane Society.

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