Friday, November 22, 2024

It is Friday, November 22, 2024. Here are today’s top stories.

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Trump picks Pam Bondi as A.G. replacement

Donald Trump said he would nominate Pam Bondi for attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdrew amid controversy surrounding him allegedly paying an underage girl for sex.

Bondi is a former attorney general in Florida and was the first woman in that role.

Bondi was one of Trump’s defense attorneys during his first impeachment trial and was also a part of his defense team in the New York hush money trial.

https://www.axios.com/2024/11/21/trump-attorney-general-gaetz-saga

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Judge indefinitely postpones Trump’s hush money sentencing

The judge in Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York said he would postpone his sentencing indefinitely.

The case is about Trump falsifying business records to cover up a payment to Stormy Daniels, who said she had an affair with Trump. He was found guilty of 34 counts in May.

Trump’s election victory upended the sentencing portion partly because it would have interfered with the transfer of power and his upcoming presidential duties.

The judge said he would allow Trump’s attorneys to make a proposal to dismiss the case entirely, but the Manhattan D.A. Bragg wants the sentencing to be postponed until after Trump finishes his presidential term (2029).

There will be an update after about two weeks on this.

https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5004552-trump-hush-money-sentencing-delayed/

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Russia fires ballistic missile into Ukraine

On Thursday, the Russian military launched a new kind of ballistic missile at a Ukrainian military site. A ballistic missile is almost like a rocket that flies very high and falls towards an impact site.

Experts said the missile is capable of flying about 3,400 miles and is designed to be able to carry a nuclear bomb of some form.

The strike on Thursday did not include a nuclear weapon. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said Russian leader Putin is using Ukraine as a testing ground.

Putin said in an address that he has a right to use weapons against not only Ukraine but against other countries that allow Ukraine to fire missiles into Russia.

The ballistic missile’s range means Putin is issuing a serious warning to the rest of Europe.

“The Guardian” said both sides are stepping up their military efforts ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20. Trump has said he wants to end the war, but it’s unclear how he wants it to end, so each side is hoping to improve their positions before Trump takes office.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/21/putin-says-russia-fired-experimental-ballistic-missile-into-ukraine

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Two deputies killed after SUV hits them

In tragic news from southern Florida, two motorcycle deputies were killed after a SUV hit them while they were standing on a road to conduct traffic enforcement. A third deputy was seriously injured.

ABC News explained that on Thursday morning, one of the deputies had problems with his motorcycle and asked two other deputies to help him move the bike off the road. They were standing on the grass off the road and there was a driver who tried to pass another vehicle and lost control and struck all three deputies. Maybe that driver was in a hurry and didn’t realize that the vehicle in front of them slowed down because of the deputies.

The impact sent all three deputies airborne in different directions. They were transported to a hospital, where two were pronounced dead. The third had surgery and is in critical but stable condition.

The driver, who is an unidentified woman, had minor injuries. She hasn’t been charged yet.

There was a procession of officers who escorted the bodies of the deputies.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/palm-beach-county-deputies-crash/story

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Emperor penguin swims from Antarctica to Australia

On November 1, a male emperor penguin was found on an Australian beach and it is the only known penguin of its kind that has swum from Antarctica to Australia.

On Wednesday, Australian wildlife officials put the penguin on a boat and went several hours south and released it in the Antarctic Ocean.

A person who took care of the penguin said they used a large mirror to help boost the animal’s mood because they are social birds and they like to see a form of themselves.

So hopefully the penguin finds its way back to Antarctica and doesn’t decide to go back to Australia because summer is coming there.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/emperor-penguin-released-sea-20-days-after-waddling-116122192

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That is all the top stories for this week. Have a nice weekend and stay with the light.

TOP STORIESPaul Hovan