Wednesday, November 16 top stories
It is Wednesday, November 16. Here are today’s top stories.
NASA launches moon rocket
On Tuesday night, NASA launched its new moon rocket to start its Artemis program. The launch was supposed to happen about three months ago, but there were delays due to fuel leaks or bad weather caused by hurricanes.
The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket did not carry astronauts on it. There were three test dummies onboard a crew capsule that will go on a three-week journey to the moon and orbit around it before returning to Earth to splash down in the Pacific Ocean. The cost of this test flight is $4.1 billion.
NASA hopes to send astronauts on a journey around the moon in 2024 and have astronauts walk on the moon by 2025.
Missile hits Poland; NATO says ‘accident’
On Tuesday, a missile hit Poland near the border with Ukraine and caused an explosion that killed two Polish citizens.
Polish and Ukrainian officials initially said it was a Russian-made missile, which raised international concerns because Poland is a NATO member. President Biden and eight other countries held an emergency meeting last night.
Today Polish President Duda and NATO officials said the explosion appears to be an unfortunate accident from a Ukrainian air defense system.
Ukraine’s military did not immediately agree. They said they wanted to see what evidence Poland and NATO had.
Donald Trump announces 2024 bid
Former President Donald Trump announced last night that he is officially running for the presidency in 2024. He made the announcement from his Mar-a-Lago home.
Trump’s daughter Ivanka, who was a former White House aide, did not attend the event. She said she doesn’t plan to be involved in his father’s campaign and will stay “outside the political arena.”
———
[Sponsored Video from Sorenson: www.sorenson.com]
—------
[Advertisement from Disaster Distress Helpline: After a disaster, you may be at risk for emotional distress. Warning signs can include feeling isolated, anxious, having trouble sleeping and more. If you or someone you know is Deaf or hard of hearing, the Disaster Distress Helpline offers a direct videophone option. This free service for ASL users is answered 24/7 by trained crisis workers fluent in ASL and can be accessed using any videophone-enabled device and dialing 1-800-985-5990 or at disasterdistress.samhsa.gov.]
———
Security guard stops gunman
Last Thursday in Buffalo, New York, a man with an AR-15 rifle walked into a clinic and shot one round into a wall. A security guard who was unarmed was startled but quickly sprang to action by pushing the gunman against a wall and moving behind him to put him in a chokehold while holding the rifle. Others came to the guard’s aid and pushed the gunman outside and pinned him to the ground. Nobody was hurt. It was all caught on surveillance video.
The security guard’s name is Reynaldo Beckford. He said he was scared for his life but was only doing his job.
The gunman’s name is Jeremy Griffin. Police said he shot a woman in the leg at a home prior to entering the clinic. He has been charged with attempted murder and other related charges. Police said they believe Griffin wanted to rob the place for drugs.
Updates on University of Virginia murders
Here are updates on the murders of three University of Virginia students, who were shot on a charter bus as it returned to campus from a class trip to D.C. The three victims were UVA football players Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry.
A witness said the suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., who is also a UVA student, was on the bus and shot at one of the victims while he was sleeping. Jones also allegedly pushed another victim before shooting him. The witness said they thought Jones would shoot everyone but he walked off the bus.
There were two other students who were wounded in the shooting, one of whom is also a UVA football player. He is in the hospital and intubated but in stable condition. The other student is a female and she was discharged from a hospital.
UVA’s football team is canceling its game this Saturday. The coach said he feels like he has been in a nightmare. There is a memorial set up to honor the victims at the UVA football stadium.
During a hearing on Wednesday, it was revealed that Jones was charged and convicted of reckless driving and hit and run in 2021 and had a concealed weapons charge that same year. He received suspended sentences, meaning he did not face prison time.
For the shootings on the bus, Jones was charged with three counts of second-degree murder and two counts of malicious wounding.
Republicans on verge of controlling House
Republicans currently have 217 seats in the House of Representatives, which is just one seat away from the 218 seats needed to control the House.
There are nine contests still uncalled in California, Alaska, Colorado, and Maine.
House Republicans have already elected Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Calif) to be the Speaker of the House. He won a closed-door vote 188 to 31.
That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://www.axios.com/2022/11/16/poland-president-ukraine-russia-missile
https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-rocket-launch-d2a9f8802a1286c17ecf3ff61d5622cc
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/donald-trump-2024-presidential-bid-announcement/
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/15/ivanka-trump-done-with-politics-00067450
https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/16/us/university-of-virginia-shooting-wednesday/index.html
https://www.npr.org/2022/11/15/1136617873/buffalo-clinic-gunman-ar15-guard-police
https://www.axios.com/2022/11/09/midterm-election-results-2022-senate-control