May 22 top stories
Hello, it is May 22. Here are today’s top stories.
1 dead, 85 injured after Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence
According to multiple sources, one person died and several dozens were injured when their Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence Monday night, throwing passengers and crew around the cabin and forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Boeing 777-300ER was about 10 hours into its flight and midway through meal service when it hit turbulence while flying off the western coast of Myanmar.
Video and images from inside the aircraft showed the extent of the damage, with overhead compartments smashed open and emergency oxygen air masks hanging down from the ceiling. A photo showed a section of the ceiling open with parts of the plane’s interior hanging down. Trays, containers, plastic bottles and hot beverage pots can be seen strewn across the floor.
At least 85 people had been admitted to three hospitals in Bangkok after the plane, which was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, was diverted there.
The passenger who died was a 73-year-old British man, Geoff Kitchen–he had a heart condition. Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased on its social media.
Passengers said the plane suddenly dropped with no warning. Some of their heads hit the ceiling and the others slammed their heads into the overhead panels above the seats.
Both sides rest cases without Trump testifying in hush money trial
The prosecution rested their case Monday afternoon after calling 20 witnesses over the course of 15 days, as they tried to convince jurors that Donald Trump falsified business documents to cover up a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election in the former president’s hush money trial.
It wasn’t long after the defense began its case on Monday for things to get heated – lawyer Robert Costello muttered “Geez!” after Judge Juan Merchan sustained several prosecution objections to his testimony. When Merchan confronted Costello about his breach of basic courtroom decorum, Costello told the court stenographer to “strike it” from the record – something only the judge has the power to do.
A furious Judge Merchan cleared his Manhattan courtroom of jurors, spectators and the press for a short time to admonish Costello after he made an exasperated comment about the judge’s rulings.
The defense rested its case Tuesday morning after calling just two witnesses. Trump didn’t take the stand, despite repeatedly saying he would be willing to do so.
The Trump hush money trial is near its end – Merchan told jurors they will return next Tuesday for closing arguments, which are expected to take the whole day. Once the jury gets its instructions, Trump’s fate will be in its hands. The jury also faces a task unique in American history.
Howler monkeys dropping dead, falling from trees due to excessive heatwave
Threatened howler monkeys have been dropping dead from trees in Mexico’s southeastern tropical forests in recent weeks amid a nationwide drought and heat waves that have sent temperatures soaring across much of the country.
In the state of Tabasco, where temperatures are forecast this week to surpass 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), local media have reported up to 85 deaths, while local authorities have confirmed the trend attributing the deaths to dehydration without providing a death toll.
Local volunteers collected the corpses of mantled howler monkeys that died from high temperatures, before placing buckets of water and fruit to try to stave off more deaths.
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US embassy owes London over $18M in congestion charges
According to Transport for London (TfL), the U.S. embassy in London is refusing to pay more than $18.6 million in charges from unpaid congestion fees, the most of any embassy in the U.K. capital. Transport for London oversees the city’s vast transport network.
The congestion charge was introduced in 2003 in order to stem traffic and pollution in central London. Drivers within the congestion charge zone are required to pay a $19 daily charge between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and 12pm and 6pm on weekends.
TfL says it will pursue all unpaid fees and said in a statement it is even pushing for the matter to be taken up at the International Court of Justice.
The U.S. embassy has declined to pay up and is claiming diplomatic immunity from the fines referring to the international law in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
However, TfL is insisting that London’s congestion charge constitutes a service and not tax so this means that diplomats are not exempt from paying it.
See Alex’s story about 5 Americans being held in Turks and Caicos for having ammunition.
5 Americans held in Turks and Caicos for having ammunition
Thanks, Callie.
Five Americans are currently detained in the Turks and Caicos Islands on charges of ammunition possession.
The islands have a strict law that prohibits possession of firearms or ammunition with a mandatory 12-year sentence.
The five Americans were detained in four separate incidents over the last five months. They were arrested when airport or cruise security found just one or several bullets in their carry-on bag or luggage. The Americans said they didn’t realize there were bullets in there — that it was an accident and an oversight. Some said they hunt or do target practice as a hobby and didn’t realize that the bags had bullets in them.
This week, a group of U.S. lawmakers traveled to the Turks and Caicos to meet with their officials to pressure them to release the Americans. The U.S. lawmakers said the Americans weren’t people who wanted to break the law — that they made a mistake while on vacation.
Officials at the Turks and Caicos said it is possible that a judge will be lenient with the cases.
So, this is a very serious law in the Turks and Caicos that has heavy consequences for Americans.
Thanks for the story. That’s all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light!
1 dead, 85 injured after Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8889d7x8j4o
Both sides rest cases without Trump testifying in hush money trial
https://apnews.com/live/trump-trial-updates-day-19-hush-money
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/21/trump-hush-money-trial-live-updates/
Howler monkeys dropping dead, falling from trees due to excessive heatwave
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/21/climate/dead-monkeys-mexico-trees-heat-climate-intl/index.html
US embassy owes London over $18M in congestion charges
https://www.politico.eu/article/us-embassy-london-14-million-unpaid-traffic-charge-uk/
5 Americans held in Turks and Caicos for having ammunition