Russia munitions outmatch Ukraine and allies as funding remains stalled
Russia is gearing up for another offensive against Ukraine later this year, according to CNN. Moscow has one clear advantage against Ukraine, with NATO intelligence estimating that Russia produces 250,000 artillery munitions per month, totaling approximately 3 million annually.
The numbers by Russia are vastly greater than the U.S. and its European allies, who produce only about 1.2 million munitions annually to send to Ukraine, according to a European intelligence official who spoke with CNN.
The reported advantage by Russia comes at an inopportune time for Ukraine as it reportedly faces a munitions and manpower shortage.
Recently, Russia took the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, the capture of the city was largely credited to Russia’s advantage in munitions supply. Meanwhile, at least one expert told CNN that the war’s outcome could come down to munitions supply.
Russia is also ramping up production of missiles and tanks, according to its military. Although, intelligence officials said that most of the tanks are old and in poor working condition. Intelligence estimates around 2,700 tanks have been destroyed in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
However, the latest intelligence data indicates Russia has enough industrial capacity dedicated to weapons productions and it can keep the fight going for several years. Ukraine cannot afford to wait several years, not with its current supply of weapons.
In the face of shortages, European nations are stepping up on Ukraine’s behalf. In addition to multiple defense contractors moving ahead with plans to build factories in Ukraine, like Rheinmetall’s facility 155mm artillery shells. There are also multiple foreign leaders reportedly openly discussing the idea of sending troops to Ukraine as well.
Ukraine is in need of more weapons, and efforts in U.S. Congress to fund Ukrainian war efforts have stalled. However, experts said that if production starts up again quickly, and the U.S. passes funding for aid, there is still hope for Ukraine.
Russia’s transformation into a wartime economy may not be enough to meet its needs. U.S. and other Western officials told CNN that they do not expect Russia to make major gains on the battlefield in short term. They also say that Russian production capacity will likely reach its peak sometime next year.
Tucker Carlson interviewed Putin. How is the media covering the story?
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin in a video released Thursday, Feb. 8. It was the first time Putin agreed to sit down with any member of the Western media since the Russia-Ukraine war began.
The interview is getting a lot of attention with different takeaways depending on the outlet reporting it.
Here is how the coverage varies:
Throughout the interview, Putin pointed at Ukraine for failed negotiation talks and claimed the U.S. and Britain had influence over Ukraine’s decision to put an end to the talks. Putin said Russia still has that line open.
This was the focus of several outlets coverage of the interview.
The Hill: Putin says he’s open to negotiating with US over Ukraine war.
Newsweek: Putin Tells Tucker Carlson that Zelensky has the power to bring peace.
Another exchange gained wide coverage after Carlson asked Putin about Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
Gershkovich has been detained in Russia since March 2023.
The Wall Street Journal: Putin Says He Is Open to Exchange of WSJ’s Evan Gershkovich for Russian Prisoner.
CBS News: Putin signals he’s open to prisoner swap for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s release.
Sky News: Tucker Carlson grills Vladimir Putin about imprisoned journalist.
While some headlines centered around what was said during the interview, others focused on interviewer Tucker Carlson as the first 30 minutes of the interview consisted of Putin giving a Russian history lesson that dated back to the 8th century. The lesson was meant to provide context for why Russia believes it has a claim to portions of Ukraine.
Carlson admits he was annoyed and interrupted Putin. However, Putin interrupted back. Media outlets picked up on their dynamic.
The Washington Post: Putin, in rambling interview, barely lets Tucker Carlson get a word in.
BBC News: Tucker Carlson: Putin takes charge as TV host gives free rein to Kremlin.
The Daily Beast: Putin Nearly Bores Tucker Carlson to Death With Two-Hour History Lesson.
Carlson largely got praise from the media for the portion of his interview that pressed Putin on the release of Gershkovich. Other outlets didn’t shy away from criticizing the interview in its entirety.
The Associated Press: Putin uses Tucker Carlson interview to press his Ukraine narrative.
Business Insider: Putin likely chose Carlson because of his ignorance of Russia, it showed.
CNN: Putin walks away with propaganda victory after Tucker Carlson’s softball interview
The interview is a controversial one. Scouring the internet, there are a lot of conversations and split opinions over how much Putin told the truth and how much America should be involved.
Straight Arrow News strives to provide unbiased, fact-based news in addition to offering a comprehensive look at how the media is covering stories that matter most. Learn more about the Media Miss™ tool and decide for yourself.
Biden defends memory after classified documents report: The Morning Rundown, Feb. 9, 2024
President Biden fires back after a special counsel report questions his memory. And Russian President Vladimir Putin is asked about releasing a Wall Street Journal reporter detained in his country. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Feb. 9, 2024.
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Biden defends memory after special counsel report on classified documents
“My memory is fine. My memory – take a look at what I’ve done since I become president,” Biden said. “None of you thought I could pass any of the things I got passed. How’d that happen? You know, I guess I just forgot what was going on.”
While special counsel Robert Hur found that Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified military and national security information, he recommended the president not face any charges. Hur also noted that Biden cooperated with the investigation.In the nearly 400-page report, Biden’s memory was called into question, at times referring to it as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” and having “significant limitations.”
According to Hur, Biden had trouble remembering key dates such as the years he was vice president or when his son Beau died, a claim the president vehemently countered.
“I know there’s some attention paid to some language in the report about my recollection of events,” Biden said. “There’s even reference that I don’t remember when my son died. How in the hell dare he raise that? Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself it wasn’t any of their damn business.”
“I am well-meaning. And I’m an elderly man. And I know what the hell I’m doing,” Biden said. “I’ve been president — I put this country back on its feet. I don’t need his recommendation.”
Biden calls Israel’s response in Gaza ‘over the top’
After responding to questions about the special counsel’s report, President Biden was asked about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and the fighting in Gaza. Biden said Israel’s military response in Gaza has been “over the top,” in what is being considered the president’s sharpest public criticism of Israel’s operations in the territory.
"We are clear in condemning the horrific attacks of Hamas.
We are also clear in condemning the violations of int'l humanitarian law in Gaza.
We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
We also need the immediate & unconditional release of all hostages."
The president said he’s seeking a “sustained pause in the fighting” to help aid Palestinian civilians. Biden said “a lot of innocent people are starving and dying” in Gaza, and “it’s got to stop.” Before Biden’s comments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a cease-fire proposal from Hamas, saying the terms were “bizarre.”
Trump wins Nevada caucuses; SCOTUS hears Colorado ballot case
Straight Arrow News political reporter Ray Bogan reported that the justices asked tough questions of both sides, but two of the court’s liberal justices, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, directed particularly difficult questions to the lawyer representing Colorado’s voters.
“I guess my question is why the framers would have designed a system that would, could result in interim dis-uniformity in this way,” Justice Jackson said. “Where we have elections pending and different states suddenly saying you’re eligible, you’re not, on the basis of this kind of thing.”
Zelenskyy fires top general; Putin speaks on detained WSJ reporter
In a major shakeup on Thursday, Feb. 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired his top general after nearly two years of the country’s war with Russia. In a post on X, Zelenksyy thanked the outgoing general for his service but said, “The time for… a renewal is now.”
Zelenskyy has appointed the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces to be the new leader of the army. The change came as the Senate voted to advance a standalone $95 billion national security bill for additional aid to Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies.
Today, I made the decision to renew the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
I am grateful to General Zaluzhnyi for two years of defense. I appreciate every victory we have achieved together, thanks to all the Ukrainian warriors who are heroically carrying this war on… pic.twitter.com/GBj9gBI0vT
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 8, 2024
Meanwhile, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson posted his interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin to his website and X on Thursday, Feb. 8.
The interview, lasting more than two hours, was Putin’s first with Western media since the start of the war. During the interview, Putin said Russia would be open to a prisoner exchange, which would see the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained since March 2023.
Putin repeated Russia’s claims that Gershkovich was guilty of espionage. Allegations that the reporter, the newspaper, and the U.S. government deny. The Wall Street Journal said it was encouraged to see Russia’s desire for a deal.
“Evan is a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Any portrayal to the contrary is total fiction,” the Journal said. “Evan was unjustly arrested and has been wrongfully detained by Russia for nearly a year for doing his job, and we continue to demand his immediate release.”
Feds offer $10 million reward for info on hive ransomware hackers
On Thursday, Feb. 8, the State Department announced a $10 million reward for anyone who could provide information about the identification and/or location of anyone who holds “a key leadership position in the Hive ransomware variant transnational organized crime group.” According to the State Department, the Hive group has targeted victims in more than 80 countries across over 1,500 institutions, leading to more than $100 million in theft.
Hive Ransomware targeted victims in the United States and globally. Today we are holding them accountable. @StateDept is announcing rewards of up to $15M for information leading to identification, arrest, and/or conviction of key leaders and participants of Hive Ransomware. pic.twitter.com/tjjB3Tx0sB
In 2022, the FBI penetrated Hive’s network, helping prevent more victims from paying up to $130 million in ransoms. The State Department is also offering a reward of $5 million for any information that leads to an arrest of anyone from any country trying to take part in Hive ransomware activity.
Americans to eat 1.45 billion chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday
Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 11, is almost here. That means there’s the potential for lots of touchdowns, lots of celebrity-filled commercials, and lots of chicken wings. Make that lots and lots of wings. Americans are expected to eat 1.45 billion wings during the big game. That’s a billion with a “B.”
Regarding Sunday’s matchup, BWW social media admin quipped, “if the game goes to overtime, america will get free wings.” https://t.co/Yf4AjRkjOi
There is a side of good news to go with all those wings. According to the National Chicken Council, the price of wings is down compared to this time last year. The cost of fresh chicken wings is down 5%, and frozen chicken wings are 11% cheaper.
As of January, AARP reports fresh and frozen chicken wings average $3.26 and $3.17 respectively per pound. Just something to chew on as we get closer to kickoff.
NY officials propose restricting social media algorithms for kids
Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., is throwing her support behind legislation that limits the power of social media algorithms for its youngest users. The proposed legislation would also require age verification for anyone under 18.
On Oct. 11, 2023, Hochul announced the state would pursue legislation that would limit the power of Big Tech algorithms and how they connect kids to content they’ve liked in the past. Lawmakers believe the law would protect kids from potentially harmful content.
“They’ll give more parents more tools to keep their kids safe, limit social media’s outreach, and also loosen the grip that these algorithms have on the way our kids think and act,” Hochul said.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the legislation is part of a “broader spending plan” by Hochul. The Journal also said that the proposal is likely to pass with state lawmakers required to take action by March 31.
The proposed law in New York is another critical juncture in the fight to rein in the powers of Big Tech. Forty-one attorneys general nationwide have filed lawsuits against Meta, and more cities and states are enacting laws to combat what critics contend are the harmful impacts of social media on the health of kids and teens.
The Wall Street Journal interviewed New York Attorney General Letitia James, D, who said that she believes the legislation, if passed, will survive a legal challenge. James said it will not falter under legal scrutiny like laws in Ohio and Arkansas, which ban social media for kids.
The laws banning social media for kids in Ohio and Arkansas are unable to be enforced because of legal challenges from NetChoice, a trade group that represents technology companies including Meta and TikTok. A district judge granted NetChoice a temporary injunction after it filed a lawsuit against all three states. Utah’s law doesn’t go into place until March 1, 2024.
The reason James believes the New York’s proposed law will be successful is because it differs in scope from the states that previously enacted age restrictions. Instead of targeting all of the content, New York’s law would target a “delivery mechanism.” The law would not regulate content broadly.
The state senator who sponsors the bill, Andrew Gounardes, D-N.Y., spoke with the Journal.
“If you want to follow the Taylor Swift fan page, that’s great,” said New York Sen. Andrew Gounardes, the bill’s sponsor.“What we don’t want is where you click on one thing and in 15 minutes be shown self-harm videos.”
New York is not the only state attempting to change laws regarding social media usage. The Wall Street Journal reported 140 bills in at least 30 states are on the books regarding media literacy, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
In June, Politico reported that Connecticut required online platforms to perform children’s safety assessments. The assessments are designed to limit kids interactions with potentially dangerous people on social media.
Social media protections for kids have also been prominently featured in national politics recently. Congress members accused companies like Meta of hurting American youth through algorithms that target teens by enticing them with content.
“I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. said. “You have a product that’s killing people.”
However, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg argues that algorithms are taken out of context, telling The New York Times that his company uses them to identify and remove dangerous content.
Zuckerberg has also questioned the link between mental health issues in teens and social media usage. The Meta CEO said during testimony in front of U.S. senators that he did not see a “causal” link.
However, many lawmakers and activists contend that there is a link between social media and a rise in suicides, depression and mental health disorders among teens. In May, The New York Times reported that the U.S. surgeon general warned of the negative effects social media usage can have on anxiety and depression among kids.
Hochul is not the first public official in her state to take action on the reportedly harmful effects of social media use. In January, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, D, declared a public health emergency regarding social media usage among teens and kids. In response, New York City became the first major city in the U.S. to label social media an “environmental toxin.” Adams said he would reveal more details about his plan of action at a later date.
Security increased in Dearborn, MI, after WSJ op-ed names it US ‘Jihad capital’
Dearborn, Michigan, is home of the largest Muslim population per capita in the United States. The city was deemed as “America’s Jihad Capital” in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece and controversy has quickly followed. President Joe Biden condemned the article and Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud called it bigoted and Islamophobic, upping the community’s security presence.
The author, Steven Stalinsky, stood by his article following the criticism, citing national security concerns.
The piece highlights protests in Dearborn where it claims the Muslim-majority population largely supports Hamas and Iran, putting those residents on the opposite side of official U.S. policy in the Middle East conflict.
Some residents of the Michigan city mourn over what America and Israel celebrate. Local mosques in Dearborn hold memorial services for terrorist leaders killed in Gaza. Meanwhile, what America calls the Oct. 7 terror attack, some Imams in Dearborn celebrate it as part of a holy war.
“Open support for Hamas is spreading,” Stalinsky wrote. “Since Oct. 7, similar protests have occurred in major American cities featuring pro-Jihadist imagery, chants and slogans. What’s happening in Dearborn isn’t simply a political problem for Democrats. It’s potentially a national-security issue affecting all Americans. Counterterrorism agencies at all levels should pay close attention.”
Stalinsky is being accused of spreading Islamophobic hate over his word choice. Dearborn Mayor Hammoud said he ramped up the city’s police presence at mosques over the weekend of Feb. 2 in response.
Effective immediately – Dearborn police will ramp up its presence across all places of worship and major infrastructure points.
This is a direct result of the inflammatory @WSJ opinion piece that has led to an alarming increase in bigoted and Islamophobic rhetoric online…
In an interview with The Associated Press, Stalinsky said “nothing in my article was written to instigate any sort of hate. This is a moment for counterterrorism officials to be concerned.”
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, there has been a rise in Islamophobic and antisemitic threats. Counterterrorism officials said they are on high alert and the threat of a terror attack on U.S. soil is “on a whole other level” since the conflict in the Middle East began.
Musk denies drug use reports amid SpaceX, Tesla executives’ concern
Elon Musk has frequently found himself in media headlines; of late, advertisers have pulled out of X as they try to distance themselves from Musk following his endorsement of an antisemitic post. Now, a Wall Street Journal report alleges that Musk has used illegal drugs at private parties for years, and it is concerning executives at SpaceX and Tesla.
As a 2018 clip of Musk legally smoking marijuana on Joe Rogan’s podcast, “the Joe Rogan Experience,” was viewed by millions of people, widespread criticism poured in.
NASA was not thrilled; the agency demanded to know if SpaceX, the only contractor given the green light to take astronauts to the International Space Station, was a drug-free workplace.
Musk wrote an apology and agreed to random drug testing.
Musk, however, denied the allegations on his social media platform, attacking the Journal’s reporting.
“After that one puff with Rogan, I agreed, at NASA’s request, to do 3 years of random drug testing,” Musk said. “Not even trace quantities were found of any drugs or alcohol.”
The Journal said it stands by its reporting.
Concerns and questions of Musk’s alleged drug and alcohol use go back to 2017 when the the Journal said Musk slurred his words and rambled for 15 minutes at an all-hands SpaceX meeting. The outlet added that executives privately wondered whether he was on drugs. However, it was never confirmed whether Musk was intoxicated.
A year has passed since Elon Musk assumed leadership at what is now known as “X,” formerly Twitter. With ambitious plans for a free speech platform turned super app, Musk’s tenure has been nothing short of eventful.
Since Musk’s takeover, X has faced its share of challenges. Third-party data from Apptopia suggests a significant drop in app downloads, with a nearly 30% decrease reported between July and September 2023, as detailed by Insider.
Twitter reported having 237.8 million monetizable daily active users by the end of the second quarter in 2022. Elon Musk posted in November 2022 that this figure had reached an all-time high of to 259.4 million. However, by September, X reported a lower count, with 245 million daily active users.
Musk bought the social network for $44 billion and later posted that the company neared bankruptcy after the purchase. By March 2023, Musk reportedly informed employees that he valued the company at just $20 billion.
Despite the fluctuations, Musk remains optimistic. In the last three months, he posted that the platform was “growing fast,” and noted that “user-seconds” had reached record numbers.
Linda Yaccarino, X’s CEO, has said she anticipates that the company will turn a profit in the coming year. She noted that 90% of the top 100 advertisers from the previous year have returned, indicating continued support from key partners.
This one-year milestone came after a report from The Wall Street Journal that the banks that extended roughly $13 billion to Musk for the Twitter acquisition are now preparing to unload the debt. According to the publication’s sources, the banks expect to incur a 15% loss, equivalent to approximately $2 billion.
Social media traffic to news outlets collapses as platforms change links
New data shows that America is consuming “headline news.” That means an increasing number of those who see a story on social media will read a headline and caption then keep scrolling instead of clicking into the article.
The number of clicks on news links has dropped by around 80% since 2020. On Facebook, traffic to news websites fell by almost 100 million. X, formerly Twitter, saw a similar decline in users clicking external links.
As a result of this trend, news organizations are starting to rethink their audience research methods.
A majority of people receive their news from social media, however, that reach has been reeled in by Big Tech. According to The Wall Street Journal’s review of internal emails, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told his team to “demote” news content visibility in 2021 following “endless claims about political bias and censorship.”
This algorithm change created a shrinking visibility of links and a fall in the number of news clicks.
According to Meta’s most recent quarterly content report, 93.8% of all posts viewed during the first quarter of 2023 did not include a link to a source outside of Facebook. Only 6.2% of posts seen in news feeds included an outside link.
While Facebook is steering away from news content, X is taking a different approach. Earlier this year, more people were clicking on news content on X than they were on Facebook.
Elon Musk has said he wants to capitalize on people going to X for news, but he wants to keep his users on the platform rather than having them follow external links.
Early in October, X removed news headlines from posts. After the change, users can see the photo of a link and a caption, but they can no longer see the headline.
Musk said this is to optimize time spent on X. The move will help his business, but potentially hurt news organizations reliant on clicks for traffic and revenue.
Musk is also encouraging users to become “citizen journalists” by livestreaming on his platform. He aims to make users less reliant on traditional news.
Even though social media users are clicking on news links less, they are still sharing them — on both Facebook and X. A study by Columbia University found that 59% of news links shared in posts are never looked at by the person who shared it.
The media is trying to find its footing within the shifting landscape, however social media networks are limiting their reach, and the news that users do see, they often do not read.
The media industry is feeling the effects of the algorithm changes. There has been a record number of media job layoffs this year. With the 2024 elections nearing, it remains to be seen if voters will choose to visit news sites or if the trend of headline news being enough will continue.
Will a WSJ interview change how Supreme Court Justice Alito decides a case?
The Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), is trying to get Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to recuse himself from an upcoming case. One of the lawyers involved in the case interviewed the Justice and then wrote an op-ed about him in the Wall Street Journal.
The case is Moore v. United States, a 16th Amendment case involving federal taxes. The lawyer is David Rivkin, who wrote an opinion piece in the Journal titled “Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court’s Plain-Spoken Defender.”
Durbin wants Alito to recuse himself because he considers Rivkin’s interview and op-ed a conflict of interest. Alito said there was no valid reason for his recusal.
“Senator Durbin’s request for my recusal is presumably based on the theory that my vote in Moore will be affected in some way by the content of the articles that resulted from the interviews,” Alito wrote.
Straight Arrow News spoke with Durbin about Alito’s response.
Ray Bogan: “What gives you reason to believe that Wall Street Journal article that was written about him by the attorney could influence his decision?”
Sen. Dick Durbin: “Well, I tell you, that was a puff piece. It was an interview by an attorney to tell the Alito point of view and to try to make the public aware of where he stands politically. And the same attorney is appearing before him in the case? Come on, you know, let’s connect the dots. That makes no sense. It’s not good for the reputation of the court.”
Ray Bogan: “Do you have set parameters as to a level of relationship or affiliation that a justice can have with someone before they have to recuse themselves? How do you make that more concrete?”
Sen. Dick Durbin: “Well, you can’t put in concrete the words ‘appearance of impropriety.’ When it comes down to an appearance, the justices and all members of Congress, as well, should be sensitive to conflicts of interest that are apparent to the public at large.”
Durbin wants the Supreme Court to create a new code of ethics. The Judiciary Committee advanced the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act in July, but the Senate has not approved it. The bill would require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of conduct, create a way to investigate violations, and increase disclosure rules for when Justices have a connection or affiliation with someone involved, including groups that have filed amicus briefs.
Florida begins cleanup after Hurricane Idalia: The Morning Rundown Aug. 31, 2023
Florida begins to assess the damage after Hurricane Idalia slammed its Gulf Coast. And Tesla is under investigation for alleged secret plans involving a glass house for Elon Musk. These stories highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
Hurricane Idalia barrels through Florida
Florida residents are hopeful they avoided grave devastation after Gulf Coast communities were slammed by Category 3 Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday, Aug. 30. While much damage was done from the storm’s high winds and floods, the early reports of life lost remain low.
Cleanup efforts are underway in Florida. Hundreds of thousands of residents already have their power restored. Meanwhile, Idalia weakened to a tropical storm – but still packed a punch amid its arrival in South Carolina and Georgia.
One person in Georgia has been reported dead, while two traffic deaths in Florida are being investigated as possibly storm-related.
More than 70 killed in Johannesburg building fire
At least 73 people have died and dozens more are injured after a five-story building went up in flames in the South African city of Johannesburg in the early morning hours of Thursday, Aug. 30.
The building was occupied by hundreds of homeless people, according to emergency officials at the scene. By daybreak, the flames were extinguished but recovery operations remained.
Officials say they expect to find more victims as they continue to work their way through the building.
HHS recommends reclassification of marijuana as less serious drug
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has recommended the reclassification of marijuana that would make it more accessible to Americans. The government agency is calling for an easing of federal restrictions on marijuana, something President Joe Biden has been vouching for.
HHS recommends marijuana be moved from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance, meaning the agency believes it has a low potential for abuse and dependence.
Rescheduling the drug would reduce or potentially eliminate criminal penalties for possession. The Drug Enforcement Administration will now review its recommendation and make a final decision.
Sen. McConnell appears to freeze for a second time in weeks
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to freeze up at an event in Kentucky on Aug. 30, just weeks after a similar episode in Washington.
Video shows McConnell freezing up in front of reporters. It was a lengthy pause after one reporter asked the 81-year-old Kentucky senator his thoughts on running for re-election.
After McConnell’s aide stepped in to check on the senator, she called for further assistance. A member of his security detail was heard asking the senator if he needed to step outside.
McConnell remained at the podium for a few more minutes before closing questioning. The senator froze for about 20 seconds at a news conference at the Capitol in late July.
In March, the senator suffered a concussion and broken rib after a fall.
WSJ: Tesla under investigation over ‘secret glass house project’
Tesla is under investigation for its use of company funds over an alleged secret initiative known as “Project 42,” which is believed to involve plans to build a glass house for owner Elon Musk.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the matter say the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Securities and Exchange Commission have each launched separate investigations into the project.
The Journal says federal prosecutors are looking into whether Tesla used its own funds for Musk’s personal use. This is the second time in one week that Elon Musk has been the center of a Department of Justice investigation. The DOJ is suing the company over alleged “discriminatory hiring practices.”
In addition, the Justice Department and SEC are also investigating the performance of Tesla’s autopilot driver assistance system.
As for “Project 42,” the Wall Street Journal reports the plans call for the glass home to be built near Tesla’s factory in Austin, Texas. Tesla did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment.
New world record set for women’s sport attendance
A new record in the world of sports has been set and this one is about the fans. Ninety-two thousand and three people filled Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska on Aug. 30 – becoming the largest crowd to witness a women’s sports event.
The venue is normally the home of Nebraska football. The fans got to see the Cornhuskers defeat Omaha 3-0 as part of a celebration called “Volleyball Day in Nebraska.”
The previous world record for women’s sport attendance was set during a 2022 Champions League soccer match – 91,648.