Friday, December 23 top stories
It is Friday, December 23. Here are today’s top stories.
Kidnapped twin babies found alive
On Monday night in Columbus, Ohio, a suspect stole a vehicle that had 5-month-old baby twins in it. The mother was a DoorDash worker who was parked outside of a pizza restaurant. She left the car running so she could go inside and pick up an order. During that time, the suspect stole the car.
One of the babies, Kyair, was found abandoned near the Dayton International Airport early Tuesday morning.
The suspect, Nalah Jackson, was arrested on Thursday afternoon in Indianapolis. The second baby, named Kason, was later found in the car wearing the same clothes from Monday. The suspect was charged with two felony counts of kidnapping and will face federal charges because she crossed state lines.
Columbus police said they are grateful to the public for their help throughout this investigation to find the babies.
Senate passes 1.7T government funding bill
The Senate passed a $1.7 trillion government funding bill in a 68-29 vote. The bill now goes to the House and it is expected to be quickly passed.
Axios said the bill will fund the government through next September.
The bill includes $45 billion in aid to Ukraine, $38 billion in emergency disaster assistance for those who were affected by hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and wildfires, $2.6 billion in funding to prosecute Jan. 6 suspects, $11 billion to the FBI to fight against extremist violence and domestic terrorism.
The bill also provides a 4.6% pay raise for military troops and a 22% increase in support for VA medical care.
The bill bans TikTok on federal devices, provides more funding for children’s mental health and for substance abuse, and $8 billion in grants to support low-income families for them to be able to afford child care.
Deadly shooting in Paris
In Paris, police said a 69-year-old gunman opened fire at a Kurdish cultural center and killed three people and wounded three others. The gunman was arrested.
A prosecutor said the suspect was previously charged with racist violence for attacking tents at a migrant camp in Paris with a sword. The suspect was jailed for that crime and had just been recently released before he allegedly opened fire.
Paris’ mayor said the suspect is a far-right activist.
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Sam Bankman-Fried released on 250M bond
Sam Bankman-Fried, the FTX founder who is accused of defrauding cryptocurrency investors, was released on a gigantic $250 million bond after appearing in a New York court.
Sam is now required to live at his parents’ home in Palo Alto, California. His parents are both professors at Stanford University. He has surrendered his passport and is subject to electronic monitoring.
Sam is facing 115 years in prison if convicted of his eight counts of fraud and financial misconduct. His next hearing will take place on January 3 but his trial may happen after a year.
American couple accused of torture in Uganda
An American couple who is living in Uganda was charged by the country’s authorities with torturing a 10-year-old boy who was their foster child.
The couple, Mackenzie and Nicholas Spencer, is accused of forcing the boy to stay in a small, cold room while wearing no clothes. The room had cameras in it. The boy was allegedly forced to pose awkwardly and ate only cold food.
The couple arrived in Uganda in 2017 as volunteers and then fostered three children beginning in 2018.
Police said they were notified by a caretaker of the abuses. The couple’s neighbors also made allegations of torture. The boy is said to have symptoms of hyperactivity and may have had special needs.
The Spencers are now behind bars and are charged with aggravated torture and human trafficking. They are facing the death penalty or life in prison. They have pleaded not guilty.
Jan. 6 committee releases final report
The Jan. 6 committee released its final report on Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the attack on the U.S. Capitol. It is 845 pages long.
The report recommended there be criminal and civil penalties for Trump and those who aided in the efforts to overturn the election and block the peaceful transfer of power.
The committee recommended that Trump be barred from holding public office again, saying he broke his oath to the Constitution by engaging in an insurrection or rebellion against the U.S.
Trump, who is running for the presidency in 2024, said the committee was engaged in a witch hunt.
That is all the top stories for this week. Have a nice weekend and Happy Holidays. Stay with the light.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64077668
https://www.axios.com/2022/12/22/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-court-appearance-bond
https://abcnews.go.com/International/american-foster-parents-charged-uganda-torturing-10-year/story
https://www.axios.com/2022/12/23/january-6-committee-final-report
https://www.axios.com/2022/12/23/january-6-committee-final-report
https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/22/us/missing-twin-columbus-ohio-thursday/index.html
https://www.axios.com/2022/12/22/omnibus-government-spending-bill-2022