Tuesday, August 16 top stories
It is Tuesday, August 16. Here are today’s top stories.
Jill Biden tests positive for Covid-19
First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for the coronavirus today. Her office said she developed cold-like symptoms on Monday night and that a PCR test came back positive.
She will take the antiviral treatment Paxlovid and will isolate for at least five days. She was recently on vacation with her husband President Biden in South Carolina. The president tested negative.
Jill Biden’s office said she would remain in South Carolina at a private residence and return home after she receives two consecutive negative Covid-19 tests.
Liz Cheney faces election test in Wyoming
Today Republican voters in Wyoming will decide in a primary whether they want to see Rep. Liz Cheney get another term or vote for her challenger, Harriet Hageman, who is backed by Donald Trump.
Cheney is a controversial person in Republican circles because of her active role in investigating former president Donald Trump on the Jan 6. Committee. Prior to that, she was one of only 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in 2021.
News analysts said it is likely that Cheney will lose. Many will be watching what she will say in her speech tonight. If she loses, she will still have time to wrap up the Jan 6. Committee investigation before her term ends in January 2023.
Oscars apologizes to Sacheen Littlefeather
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who gives out Oscars, has written a formal apology to Sacheen Littlefeather for how she was treated during the 1973 Oscars. Littlefeather went onstage as a representative of actor Marlon Brando, who won the best actor but refused the award.
Littlefeather told the audience that Brando wouldn’t accept the award because of how the film industry treated Native Americans.
People in the audience booed at her, but some applauded. Littlefeather said the actor John Wayne charged at her but security guards held him back.
The Academy wrote that “… for too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.” There will be a special event next month hosted by the Academy with Littlefinger in attendance to discuss that 1973 moment, give out the apology in person, and talk about Indigenous representation in films.
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Updates on Mar-a-Lago investigation
Here are updates on the Mar-a-Lago investigation.
The Justice Department said in a court filing that it is opposed to releasing the affidavit that federal investigators used to show a federal judge what probable cause there was to search Donald Trump’s home. The Justice Department (DOJ) said they are in an “ongoing criminal investigation” and if the affidavit is released, it would hurt the investigation. There will be a hearing on Thursday on whether the affidavit should be released.
On Friday, a judge allowed the release of the search warrant and property receipt, which is a separate thing from the affidavit. It showed that 11 sets of classified documents were removed from Mar-a-Lago. Federal agents said there may have been violations of the Espionage Act, obstruction of justice, and criminal handling of government records.
Attorneys for Trump said he had authority as president to declassify the documents before he left the White House so he didn’t do anything wrong.
Trump posted on his “TRUTH Social” social media platform that his three passports, one expired, were seized by the FBI during the raid last week. The DOJ notified Trump’s representatives that they would return his passports because they were not related to their search warrant.
Members of Congress have asked for a briefing with DOJ representatives to understand more about the investigation.
American Airlines plans to buy 20 supersonic jets
American Airlines said it has put down a deposit on an order of 20 supersonic jets that will be made by a company called Boom Supersonic. It is not known how much the deposit was.
Last year United Airlines put down deposits for 15 jets.
Boom said their jets can fly at about 1,300 mph, which is 1.7 times the speed of sound. The planes can carry 65 to 80 passengers and tickets will cost about $4,000 to $5,000 each. The jets can go from New York to London in about 3 1/2 hours. Boom hopes its planes will be in the skies in 2029.
AP News explained that it has been almost 20 years since the last supersonic passenger flight was in the air — these planes were Concorde jets from Europe. These jets stopped flying because it was too expensive for both customers and airlines.
Boom said they would do things differently and be profitable. The company said it would only use sustainable aviation fuel which is often made from plant material.
Biden signs Inflation Reduction Act into law
President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law today. The law aims to fight climate change, lower health care costs, and raise taxes on corporations. The law is considered a victory for Democratic lawmakers.
CBS News said the law provides almost $400 billion to fund energy and climate projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions by 40% in 2030, allows Medicare to negotiate prescription prices with drugmakers, sets a minimum 15% corporate tax rate for most large companies, and provides almost $80 billion to the IRS to hire thousands of employees.
That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/lady-jill-biden-tests-positive-covid-19/story?id=88441076
https://nypost.com/2022/08/16/liz-cheney-defiant-in-face-of-likely-defeat-in-gop-primary/
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/16/politics/cheney-wyoming-primary-trump-test-gop-analysis/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/15/politics/justice-department-mar-a-lago-search-affidavit/index.html