October 2 top stories
It is October 2. Here are today’s top stories.
U.S. government avoids shutdown
The U.S. government avoided a shutdown when President Biden signed a bill to extend current funding through November 17.
Biden said bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis.
The funding does not include additional funding for Ukraine or border security.
Since the current funding is only extended to November 17, we can expect another round of political wrangling as we go near that deadline.
Trump appears in NYC civil fraud trial
Former President Donald Trump appeared in a New York City courthouse today for the start of the civil fraud trial against him and his business.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking that Trump be fined about $250 million and for his company to lose privileges to operate in New York State.
AG James said Trump “falsely inflated his net worth to enrich himself and cheat the system.”
Trump told reporters that there is “no crime” and said that this is a witch hunt.
The trial could last about three months. Trump was not required to attend but he chose to come on its opening day.
Laphonza Butler chosen to replace Sen. Feinstein
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed a person to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D), who died last week at the age of 90.
The person is Laphonza Butler. She is the president of an organization called EMILY’s List, which aims to help elect Democratic female candidates in favor of abortion rights to office.
After Butler is sworn in, she will be the third Black woman to ever serve in the Senate and the first openly LGBTQ person to represent California in the Senate.
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Grizzly bear kills couple and their dog
A grizzly bear killed a couple and their dog in Canada’s Banff National Park on Friday night. Park officials said when they responded to the scene a few hours later, they saw that the bear was still there and displaying aggressive behavior, so they killed it. The couple has not yet been identified but CBC News said they were experienced backcountry hikers.
Scientists who paved way for Covid-19 vaccines wins Nobel Prize
Two scientists who made discoveries that made it possible for the mRNA vaccines against Covid-19 to be developed won the Nobel Prize in medicine.
The mRNA vaccine works by creating a temporary genetic code to tell your body to create what looks like a piece of virus so the body can create antibodies and special immune system cells in response.
Their names are Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman. Both are professors at the University of Pennsylvania.
They were cited with contributing to the “unprecedented rate of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health.”
Jimmy Carter celebrates 99th birthday
Former President Jimmy Carter turned 99 on Sunday. He is the oldest former president in U.S. history.
President Biden honored Carter by putting a sign in the lawn of the White House that shows a cake, the number 99, and a message that reads, “Happy Birthday President Carter.”
Carter’s grandson said Jimmy and his wife, former First Lady Rosalynn (96) are in their final stages of life. Carter entered hospice care earlier this year while Rosalynn has been diagnosed with dementia.
Carter served as president from 1977 to 1981.
That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/30/politics/us-government-shutdown-latest/index.html
https://www.axios.com/2023/10/02/trump-civil-trial-new-york-2024
https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/donald-trump-new-york-ag-letitia-james-civil-trial
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/grizzly-bear-kills-2-people-banff-national-park-canada/
https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-medicine-71306bd18785477f3a85a69caa6e09c9
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/02/europe/nobel-prize-medicine-mrna-covid-vaccines-2023-intl-scn/