Thursday, December 22, 2022 |
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Thursday, December 22, 2022 |
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Good Thursday afternoon. More than 2,000 flights have been canceled as a massive holiday storm sweeps across the country, alleged crypto fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried is being released on $250 million bail, and the January 6th committee is expected to release its final report today. Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown. |
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Monster winter storm causing holiday travel nightmare |
A “once in a generation” winter storm is bringing heavy snow and “life-threatening cold” across the eastern half of the country, causing major travel disruptions just days before Christmas. Nearly 110 million people are under winter weather alerts, and blizzard warnings are in effect in portions of eight states. Already, more than 2,000 flights have been canceled, including about a quarter of all flights in and out of Denver International and Chicago O’Hare. Nearly 5,000 flights have been delayed across the country. Adding to the chaos in Seattle, a minor security breach at the Sea-Tac airport caused lines to back up into the parking garage, leading to hour-long wait times. The Midwest is expected to see 3 to 6 inches of snow, with localized amounts up to a foot through Friday. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will see 1 to 3 inches of soaking rain today and tomorrow, with the threat of flooding. The rain will rapidly change over to snow across New England by Friday night as the arctic air rushes in. Wet surfaces across the Northeast and New England will freeze Friday night as temperatures crash into the single digits, teens and twenties. President Joe Biden was briefed on the storm today at the White House and urged Americans traveling for the holiday to leave early if possible. “If you all have travel plans, leave now, not a joke. I’m sending my staff ... if they have plans to leave tomorrow, I’m telling them leave now,” Biden said. |
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Crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried granted $250 million bail |
FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried will be released on $250 million bail, and live under house arrest at his parents’ home in California, as he awaits trial on charges he massively defrauded investors, a federal judge in New York has ruled. Prosecutors called it the largest pretrial bond ever. The 30-year-old former crypto mogul appeared in court today, after he was extradited back to the U.S. on Wednesday night. Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas last week and faces eight counts of fraud and conspiracy. While Bankman-Fried was being flown back to the U.S., a federal prosecutor announced two of his top associates, his ex-girlfriend Caroline Ellison, and FTX co-founder Gary Wang, have already pleaded guilty to criminal charges, and are cooperating with investigators. Bankman-Fried’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 3, the judge said. |
January 6th committee to release final report after delay |
The January 6 committee is expected to release its final eight-chapter reporttoday summarizing its investigation into the deadly attack on the Capitol. The report was initially expected to be made public on Wednesday, before the committee announced it would be delayed by at least a day. Ahead of the final report, the committee released transcripts from star witness and former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson. Hutchinson told the committee in a September interview that her former lawyer, Stefan Passantino, who had also worked in the Trump White House, urged her not to share key details in her testimony. She said he told her, "The less you remember the better." In her June testimony, Hutchinson said that she was told by another former Trump aide that the then-president tried to grab the steering wheel of his presidential vehicle and lunged at a Secret Service agent when he was told he could not join his supporters at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Trump denied Hutchinson’s testimony. Passantino, who took a leave of absence from his law firm this week, denied advising Hutchinson to mislead the committee. In its final public meeting on Monday, the January 6th committee referred Trump to the Justice Department for four potential criminal charges, including inciting an insurrection. |
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Senate passes $1.7 trillion spending bill to avoid shutdown |
The Senate has passed a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package to fund the government through the end of fiscal year, in a 68-29 vote. The bill now heads to the House, which is expected to pass it as soon as this evening, and then send it to President Biden for his signature. Lawmakers are facing a midnight Friday deadline to pass a spending bill or face a partial government shutdown right before Christmas. Some Republicans have argued for delaying the budget talks until the GOP takes control of the House in the new year. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who has struggled to lock down the 218 votes he needs to become speaker, threatened to obstruct any Republican senators who back the omnibus bill. “When I’m Speaker,” McCarthy tweeted on Tuesday, “their bills will be dead on arrival in the House. |
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What else we're watching: |
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is back in Ukraine after his whirlwind trip to the U.S., where he visited with President Biden at the White House, and urged lawmakers to continue their support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia during an address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night. |
Target has recalled more than 200,000 Pillowfort Weighted Blankets, after two girls became entrapped and died from asphyxia, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced. |
Covid and drug overdose deaths have driven life expectancy in the U.S. to a 25-year low, according to new federal data. |
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Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
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