Friday, September 16 top stories
It is Friday, September 16. Here are today’s top stories.
Florida judge appoints special master in Mar-a-Lago investigation
A federal judge in Florida appointed a special master to review documents the FBI seized from Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. The judge’s ruling is a victory for Trump’s side because the FBI/Department of Justice’s investigation of the potential mishandling of classified information will have to be partially halted.
The special master’s name is Raymond Dearie. USA Today said he is a senior federal judge in New York City and also works as a judge in cases dealing with classified information.
Dearie will look through all the documents, including about 100 classified documents, and decide if any documents shouldn’t be looked at by the DOJ because of Trump’s attorney-client privileges or executive privilege based on his time as president.
The DOJ is now barred from looking at the documents u ntil the special master’s review is complete.
People in Jeep killed after tumbling off Colorado cliff
On Monday, three people traveling on a Jeep across steep mountains in Colorado were killed when the vehicle tumbled off a cliff. Two of the victims were tourists from Arizona, a 28-year-old woman and her 60-year-old aunt. Both worked as nurses. The driver was a 72-year-old professional tour driver.
A news report said the Jeep was traveling through the Imogene Pass, which is a popular but dangerous road between Ouray and Telluride. The vehicle first fell 100 feet off a cliff, then rolled another 140 feet down an embankment. The driver’s body was ejected and the two tourists’ bodies were found in the Jeep, which was resting on its roof near a creek.
Men getting their legs surgically lengthened
GQ wrote a feature on men who choose to undergo leg lengthening surgery to grow between three to six inches in height. GQ said there is a “growing number of men” who are paying for the surgery, which can cost between $75,000 to $150,000.
This is what the surgery looks like. Doctors will intentionally break both femurs and insert a titanium nail down the centers of the bones. The nails are extended one millimeter every day for three months through a magnetic remote control. Once the legs and bones heal, the person is taller.
GQ interviewed one of the men who had an operation. He said there is terrible pain and that he couldn’t walk for months, but is doing it so he can be taller than his 5’9 height.
If you’re curious about the surgery, one of the clinics that offer it is the “LimbPlastx Institute” in the Las Vegas area.
FBI arrests bomb threat suspect targeting Boston hospital
The FBI said they arrested a suspect who allegedly made a bomb threat against the Boston Children’s Hospital on August 30. The suspect’s name is Catherine Leavy. She now faces up to five years in prison.
The hospital may have been targeted because it provides medical care to transgender children. There have been some false claims spreading online that the hospital performs hysterectomies on child patients. The hospital said they only offer gender-affirming surgeries to those 18 or above.
News reports said there has been an increase in people calling in threats because they are angry about the hospital. The suspect, Leavy, allegedly phoned the hospital saying, “There is a bomb on the way to the hospital. You better evacuate everyone, you sickos.”
There was another bomb threat last Friday and that incident is under investigation.
A federal prosecutor said they couldn’t comment on the potential motive of the case, but said health care providers who care for gender-diverse and transgender individuals and their families deserve to do their work without fear.
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Dozens of bodies found in Izyum, Ukraine
Ukrainian officials said there is a mass burial site in the area of Izyum, Ukraine after Ukrainian troops drove out Russian troops who had occupied the area for months.
The site has about 440 unmarked graves. Officials said some of the people died from artillery strikes and airstrikes. Officials also said they found evidence of people who were tortured and then killed. The bodies are now being exhumed and identified.
A CBS News reporter said Russian shelling destroyed hospitals, homes, and schools in Izyum. The Ukrainian government has vowed to hold Russia accountable for war crimes.
In separate news, the White House said it would provide another security package for Ukraine worth $600 million.
Michael Jordan jersey sold for $10.1 million
A jersey that Michael Jordan wore during the Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals, which was his last season in the NBA, was sold in an auction for $10.1 million. It is a new record for a piece of game-worn sports memorabilia.
The jersey was made more popular by the documentary series, “The Last Dance,” which featured Jordan’s last season with the Chicago Bulls which ended with his sixth championship.
Queen’s queue at capacity, waiting time at 14 hours
The queue to visit Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin stretched as long as five miles with a waiting time of about 14 hours. Officials said they had to stop allowing people in the line because the queue was at capacity. There were people who still came to an area near the back of the line to wait until they could join the official line.
David Beckham, an England soccer star, was in the queue. News reports said he joined the queue at about 2 a.m. and walked in the line for over 10 hours.
The U.K. will continue to mourn the Queen over the weekend. Her state funeral will take place on Monday. After that, her coffin will be transported to Windsor Castle, where she will be buried with her husband Prince Philip at St. George’s Chapel.
That is all the top stories for this week. Have a good weekend and stay with the light.
https://nypost.com/2022/09/15/3-killed-after-jeep-falls-off-colorado-cliff-during-tour/
https://www.gq.com/story/leg-lengthening
https://www.axios.com/2022/09/16/ukraine-mass-burial-site-izyum
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-news-russia-evidence-atrocities-kharkiv-izyum-liberated-towns/
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/michael-jordan-jersey-sale-record-scli-intl-spt/index.html