June 13 top stories
Hello, it is June 13. Here are today’s top stories.
Millions are under flood watches in Florida
Heavy rainfall will swamp South Florida for a third day in a row on Thursday, threatening more destructive flooding after Wednesday’s storms transformed roads into canals and caused water to seep into homes.
Florida Gov. DeSantis declared a state of emergency to coordinate and mobilize recovery efforts; the mayors of Fort Lauderdale, Miami and other cities also made emergency declarations.
Six to more than 20 inches of rain has deluged South Florida since Tuesday morning.
More than 8 million people are under flood alerts Thursday, including Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Naples. Another 4 to 8 inches of widespread rain is expected Friday, but it’s possible some spots record nearly a foot of rain.
Several local officials have warned against trying to drive through murky floodwaters when cars unknowingly drive into deep water and are urging South Floridians to stay home.
Most flights are canceled or delayed at Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports, with more than 1,200 disruptions.
Attorney General Merrick Garland held in contempt of U.S. Congress
The House GOP voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified material and declined to bring charges.
The vote marks a major escalation in a months-long dispute over the recordings between House Republicans and the executive branch that came after Biden asserted executive privilege over the files. The vote was 216 to 207.
In a statement, Garland said it was deeply disappointing that this House of Representatives has turned a serious congressional authority into a partisan weapon.
Now that the contempt resolution against Garland has succeeded, House Speaker Johnson will certify the report to the United States attorney for the District of Columbia. Under the law, this certification requires the US attorney to bring the matter before the grand jury for its action, but the Justice Department will also make its own determinations on prosecution.
Oregon man pleads guilty to drugging daughter’s friends at sleepover
Michael Meyden, a 57-year-old from the Portland suburb, Oregon, who drugged his daughter and her friends with fruit smoothies laced with a sleeping medication after they didn’t go to sleep during a sleepover was sentenced to two years in prison, after pleading guilty to three felony counts of causing another person to ingest a controlled substance.
Meyden said he planned a fun sleepover last summer for his daughter and three of her friends, all then age 12, but they didn’t go to bed by 11pm as he wanted. Meyden said he wanted them well rested for the next day, but he also wanted them to go to bed so he could sleep.
Authorities said Meyden laced fruit smoothies with a sleeping medication. Two of the friends drank the smoothies and eventually passed out. A third girl didn’t want the drink and alerted a family friend by text message after she saw Meyden return to make sure the girls were asleep. He moved the arm of one girl and the body of another and put his finger under one’s nose to see if she was asleep.
The family friend picked up the girl and woke her parents, who then contacted the families of the other girls.
The girls tested positive at a local hospital for a medication used to treat insomnia and anxiety. Prosecutors said Meyden’s daughter also tested positive.
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Malawi vice president, 9 others killed in plane crash
Malawi’s president Lazarus Chakwera announced Tuesday, that the country’s vice president Saulos Chilima has been killed in a plane crash along with nine other passengers.
Chakwera said in an address to the nation: “The search and rescue operation I ordered to find the missing plane that carried our vice president and nine others has been completed. The plane has been found. And I am deeply saddened and sorry to inform you that it has turned out to be a terrible tragedy.”
Chilima, 51, had arrived back in Malawi on June 6 after attending the Korea-Africa Summit in Seoul last week. He first served as deputy to former President Peter Mutharika between 2014 and 2019 before being sworn in as vice president for a second time in 2020. An economist, Chilima previously headed Airtel Malawi, the first Malawian to lead the telecommunications company.
The country will observe a 21-day national mourning for Chilima and the other officials killed in the crash.
See Alex’s story about Russian warships arriving in Cuba. Here you go.
Russian warships in Cuba
Thanks, Callie.
BBC News reported that four Russian naval vessels have anchored in Cuba for military drills. This is about 90 miles from Florida. One of the vessels is a nuclear-powered submarine.
This, of course, is concerning, especially in light of the Russia-Ukraine war and how the U.S. have supported Ukraine. The Pentagon said while they take this seriously, they believe that these exercises don’t pose a threat to the U.S. and are similar to previous naval visits. BBC reported that the U.S. Navy used sea drones to shadow the Russian vessels as they got close to Cuba.
Russia and Cuba have been allies for a long time. When the Russian vessels entered Havana Bay, it received a 21-gun salute. Images show Cubans waving at the vessels’ arrival. The Russian navy plans to stay there for five days and some of its members will visit local attractions. The Cuban government said none of the vessels had nuclear arms on board.
BBC said some view the Russian visit as “saber-rattling by Moscow” and a message to the U.S.
Thanks for the story. That’s all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light!
Millions are under flood watches in Florida
Attorney General Merrick Garland held in contempt of U.S. Congress
https://www.npr.org/2024/06/12/nx-s1-5002006/house-vote-garland-contempt
Oregon man pleads guilty to drugging daughter’s friends at sleepover
Malawi vice president, 9 others killed in plane crash
Russian warships in Cuba