Thursday, August 11, 2022

Wake-Up Call: Trumps Takes The Fifth

Former President Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination as he testified in a deposition yesterday in a civil investigation into his business dealings by New York Attorney General Letitia James, he said in a statement. Trump stated, "I once asked, 'If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?' Now I know the answer to that question. When your family, your company, and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors and the Fake News Media, you have no choice." James has said in court filings that her office has found "significant" evidence that Trump's company misled lenders and tax authorities about the value of assets including his golf courses, high-rise buildings, and even his penthouse at Trump Tower in New York. Trump has denied the allegations. James could potentially bring a lawsuit seeking financial penalties against Trump or his company, or a ban on them being involved in certain types of businesses.

➤INFLATION COOLS, BUT STILL AT HIGH LEVELS: Inflation cooled more than expected in July, with prices up 8.5 percent compared to a year earlier, down from 9.1 percent year-over-year in June, although still at a high level, according to a government report out yesterday. Prices were also unchanged from June to July, the first time that's happened after 25 months of monthly increases. Driving much of the decline in inflation were falling prices for gas, which has dropped from $5.00 a gallon on average in mid-June to $4.20 by the end of last month and to $4.01 yesterday, according to AAA, as well as dropping prices for travel-related costs like airfare, hotel rooms, and rental cars. The news led Wall Street to rally to three-month highs, with investors speculating the Federal Reserve may not have to remain as aggressive in raising interest rates to try to combat inflation, which raises the risk of causing a recession.

➤BIDEN SIGNS BURN PITS LEGISLATION: President Biden on Wednesday signed legislation that expands federal health care services for veterans suffering from chronic illnesses that they blame on exposure to toxic smoke from burn pits at military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. The burn pits were used to dispose of all kinds of waste, including chemicals, tires, plastics, medical equipment and human waste. The legislation was passed after years of struggle, and Biden said during the emotional White House ceremony attended by affected military families, "I was going to get this done, come hell or high water." Biden, whose son Beau Biden died of brain cancer years after being deployed to Iraq, has suggested a link to burn pits, and made the most direct connection he has publicly yesterday. While addressing Brielle Robinson, the young daughter of Sergeant 1st Class Heath Robinson, who died of cancer and after whom the legislation is named, Biden pointed out that she was sitting next to his grandson, Beau's son, and said, "His daddy lost to the same burn pits. He knows what you’re going through."


➤JUSTICE DEPT. CHARGES IRANIAN OPERATIVE IN MURDER PLOT AGAINST EX-NSA BOLTON: The Justice Department said yesterday that it had charged an Iranian operative in a plot to murder John Bolton, who was U.S. national security adviser during former President Donald Trump's administration, in presumed retaliation for a January 2020 U.S. airstrike that killed Iran's most powerful general, saying $300,000 was offered to kill Bolton. Shahram Poursafi was identified as a member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and is now wanted by the FBI. Prosecutors say the plot developed in the fall of 2021, more than a year after Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force, was killed in a targeted airstrike. Bolton, who was no longer NSA at that point, tweeted after the strike, "Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran." Poursafi’s current location is unknown.


➤SUSPECT IN NEW MEXICO MUSLM KILLINGS DENIES INVOLVEMENT: A 51-year-old Afghan immigrant who was arrested Monday for the killings of two Muslim men in Albuquerque and is suspected in the murders of two others in the New Mexico city yesterday denied involvement. Muhammad Syed, who is himself Muslim and has been in the U.S. for five years, instead told police he was so concerned by the killings that he was driving to Houston when he was stopped by police to find a new home for his family, according to court documents. But the criminal complaint says bullet casings found in Syed’s vehicle matched the caliber of the weapons believed to have been used in two of the killings and that casings found at the crime scenes were linked to guns found at Syed’s home and in his vehicle. Authorities said Syed knew the victims and, quote, "an interpersonal conflict may have led to the shootings."


➤THREE KILLED IN INDIANA HOUSE EXPLOSION: Three people were killed Wednesday when a house exploded in Evansville, Indiana, around 1 p.m. At least one other injury was reported. Evansville Fire Department Chief Mike Connelly said 39 houses were damaged by the explosion, but they hadn't confirmed how many of the houses were occupied at the time because some were "too unstable" to enter. The cause of the explosion hadn't been determined, but the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was investigating.



➤BUT WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? The Inflation Reduction Act that is expected to be finalized this week has gotten plenty of attention for its historic commitment to clean energy, focus on reducing the price of prescription drugs, and new taxes on big corporations. NBC News focused on its impact on real people.  Among the potential benefits: 
  • Buyers of electric vehicles can earn a tax credit of up to $7,500, depending on the model and sticker price.
  • Seniors on Medicare will pay no more than $2,000 a year for prescriptions beginning in 2025. (There’s no cap now.)
  • The credit for installing clean energy products at home will increase from 10% to 30%. The tax break will cover Energy Star products as well as a number of solar, wind energy and geothermal heat products.
  • Insulin products needed by Medicare beneficiaries will cost no more than $35 per month beginning next year.
For at least three more years, people who get their health insurance through the national healthcare marketplace will continue to receive the higher levels of subsidies available through special legislation during the pandemic.


➤FEWER ARE GOING TO COLLEGE: There has been a “significant and steady drop” nationwide in the percentage of high school graduates going on to college, according to the Hechinger Report, published by a nonprofit news organization focused on education. The number of high school graduates going on to higher education has dropped from a high of 70% in 2016 to 63% in 2020, the most recent year studied. The pandemic is partly to blame but the report says the causes are deeper and longer-lived. It suggests that Americans are increasingly doubtful that college is worth the high cost.

➤LONDON CHILDREN OFFERED A POLIO BOOSTER: Every child in London, England, is eligible to receive a free booster shot of the polio vaccine, the government health service announced yesterday. The polio virus has been found in samples from the city’s sewage system. About one million children live in London.  In New York State, health officials are urging people who have never been vaccinated to get the shot now. The polio virus has been found in wastewater in Rockland County and Orange County, both just north of New York City. One young man who had never been vaccinated has contracted the disease in Rockland.

Before a polio vaccine was introduced in the 1950s, polio killed thousands of Americans and left tens of thousands paralyzed.

➤HERE ARE THE WORST BREAKFASTS FOR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS:  If you're looking to keep your blood sugar under control, don't make these breakfast mistakes!  Dietitian Melissa Rifkin says to make sure you get enough fiber. Low fiber breakfasts, like white toast with jam, can cause a spike in sugar. Swap white toast for whole grain, and add real fruit for a fiber boost. Adding protein to breakfast, like yogurt or eggs, can also slow the release of carbs in your bloodstream. Skipping breakfast altogether is another no-no, as it has been linked to developing type 2 diabetes.

➤STEVE MARTIN MAY BE NEARING RETIREMENT: Only Murders In The Building may be Steve Martin’s last acting job. The 76-year-old told The Hollywood Reporter Tuesday, “When this television show is done, I’m not going to seek others. I’m not going to seek other movies. I don’t want to do cameos. This is, weirdly, it.” However he backtracked a bit, adding, “I’m really not interested in retiring. I’m not. I would just like to work a little less. Maybe.”

🛫AIRFARES SHOULD DROP IN THE FALL: If you’re shocked at the summer increase in air fares, just wait a while. Ticket prices should drop as much as 40% this fall, according to travel site Hopper. Domestic roundtrip flights will cost an average $238, down $142 from this summer’s prices and 3% less than in pre-pandemic times, according to the travel site. International roundtrip prices will average $754, down $179 but still 17% than before the pandemic. Hotel prices also typically drop after the summer vacation season.

🍕ITALIANS SPURN DOMINO’S PIZZA: Domino’s Pizza has given up trying to sell pizza to Italians. Its Italian subsidiary has filed for bankruptcy and all of the Domino’s outlets in Italy have been shut down. The American pizza chain has been trying to sell pizza in Italy since 2015, in the belief that its home delivery service would win over customers. Home delivery by local restaurants was then rare in Italy but the pandemic changed all that.

🏈BROWNS QB WATSON TO START PRESEASON OPENER: The Cleveland Browns announced Wednesday that quarterback Deshaun Watson is expected to start Friday's preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That news came as the Browns are waiting to see whether Watson will be suspended longer than the six games he was given by NFL disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson last week. The NFL has appealed the ruling, with Commissioner Roger Goodell saying they are seeking a season-long suspension. Some two dozen women have accused Watson of sexual assault, misconduct or harassment during massage sessions, and Goodell this week called his behavior "egregious" and "predatory."

⚾REDS, CUBS TO FACE OFF IN 'FIELD OF DREAMS' GAME TONIGHT: The Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox will be playing each other in MLB's Field of Dreams game tonight in Dyersville, Iowa, near the field where the 1989 movie was filmed. The teams will wear uniforms inspired by how their franchises looked in the early 20th century as they play in the throwback ballpark that seats only about 8,000 people, with the game to be broadcast on Fox. The first Field of Dreams game was held at the ballpark last year between the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox, with Chicago winning 9-8. That game drew nearly six million viewers, that most-watched regular season MLB game on any network since 1998.

 🏈REPORT: NFL ADDING BLACK FRIDAY GAME: The NFL will be adding a Black Friday game to its schedule, the Sports Business Journal reported yesterday, most likely starting with the 2023 season. Amazon, which won an exclusive Thursday Night Football package for its Prime streaming service, will stream the game that will be taking place on the day after Thanksgiving, according to the report. The NFL already has three Thanksgiving Day games.

🏈BROWNS' GRANT OUT FOR SEASON WITH TORN ACHILLES: Cleveland Browns wide receiver and kick returner Jakeem Grant Sr. was placed on injured reserve Wednesday (August 10th) and will miss the entire 2022 season with a torn Achilles that he suffered during practice Tuesday. Grant was a Pro Bowl returner for the Chicago Bears last season, and the Browns signed him to a three-year deal in the offseason. Browns special team coordinator Mike Priefer saId earlier this week that he thought Grant would, quote, "transform" Cleveland's return game.

⚾TIGERS FIRE GM AVILA: The Detroit Tigers fired longtime general manager Al Avila on Wednesday after more than two decades with the franchise, including the past seven years as GM. While he's been GM, the Tigers finished in last place in the American League Central Division four times and currently are in last place with a 43-68 record. Avila said in a statement released by the team, "To Tigers fans, you're the best and you deserve a winner. I wish the results could have been better this season but know there is a lot to look forward to in the coming years."



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