September 18 top stories
It is September 18. Hope your weekend was good. Ready for today’s top stories?
Missing F-35 jet in South Carolina
On Sunday afternoon, a pilot flying an F-35B Lightning II jet over South Carolina had a mishap that forced him to eject. He survived and was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition.
The jet is missing. It did not crash at the area where the pilot ejected and it was on autopilot mode, so it is possible that the jet is still flying by itself.
Military officials have asked the public to help find the F-35. They said searchers are focusing on two lakes north of the Joint Base Charleston. The jet could have crashed into the lake.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) posted on X, “How in the hell do you lose an F-35? How is there not a tracking device and we’re asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?”
NBC News said the jet’s stealth abilities “appear to be working too well.”
So, if you’re in the Carolinas area, keep an eye out for a F-35.
5 American prisoners freed in swap with Iran
AP News said five Americans who were detained for years in Iran were freed in a prisoner swap.
The Biden administration said the U.S. freed five Iranians who were in U.S. custody and that they posed no threat to U.S. national security.
The deal also allowed almost $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets to be released. The money was a payment from South Korea to Iran for oil that was frozen due to U.S. sanctions in 2019.
Republican opponents criticized the deal because Iran is one of America’s top rivals.
Lee hits Nova Scotia as post-tropical cyclone
Hurricane Lee weakened to a post-tropical cyclone before making landfall in Nova Scotia, Canada on Saturday.
The powerful storm knocked over many trees and a 51-year-old man in Maine was killed when a tree limb fell on his vehicle.
A lobsterman who was with a Maine state legislator named Billy Bob Faulkingham was hauling traps ahead of the storm on Friday but their boat overturned. Fortunately, the boat had an emergency beacon and rescuers found the two men clinging to the hull of the boat. The 42-foot boat sank.
AP News said Lee flooded coastal roads in Nova Scotia and caused 11% of electricity customers in Maine to lose their power.
LA cop killed in ambush; suspect caught
On Saturday night, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer was shot and killed while he was stopped at a red light in his patrol car.
Today a suspect was arrested after police asked the public to help and find a gray Toyota Corolla. The suspect’s name is Kevin Salazar. He barricaded himself in his house for several hours before he was detained.
The Los Angeles sheriff said it was an ambush and that they don’t know the motive.
There was a vigil in honor of Clinkunbroomer last night.
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Russell Brand accused of sexual assault
British actor and comedian Russell Brand was accused by four women of sexual assault in separate instances between 2006 and 2013. One of the women said she was 16 at the time.
Brand posted a video on social media denying the allegations.
London’s Metropolitan Police said it received a report of sexual assault and is in contact with the woman and would provide her with support.
Trump says he’s not thinking about jail
Former President Donald Trump said in an interview with NBC News that he does not “think” about going to jail as he faces four separate criminal cases with 91 federal and state charges. Trump said he guesses that he is “built a little differently.”
Trump said he feels that he’s going through tremendous unfairness and that he has been “under investigation” ever since he announced he was running for the presidency in 2015.
Alligator with half its jaw missing
Three weeks ago, a woman in Florida saw an alligator that had its upper jaw missing. The woman said she felt terrible for the gator and took a photo and informed wildlife workers about it.
An alligator trapper managed to catch it and now it has a new home at Gatorland in Orlando. It is possible that a boat propeller hit its jaw.
Gatorland said the alligator’s jaw has already healed and that it survived in the wild by eating small things like snails and frogs. They said alligators and crocodiles are amazing survivors, and that they can survive almost anything.
Gatorland said they would take care of the alligator and are asking people for suggestions on its name.
That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/f-35-fighter-jet-missing-pilot-ejects-mishap-rcna105534
https://www.axios.com/2023/09/17/trump-jail-time-indictments-georgia
https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoner-swap-sanctions-assets-4e1fa477f8e6af45fb764acd259c2f1a
https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-lee-maine-new-england-canada-feed749d5e31b0286d943424e202f007
https://abcnews.go.com/US/vehicle-la-deputys-murder-sought-homicide-investigators/story
https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/alligator-missing-half-its-jaw-finds-new-home-at-gatorland