News N Things
Rittenhouse testifies; food banks are struggling to find supplies before the holidays; Chinese President Xi wants to be president for life.
Top 3 Stories:
1) Rittenhouse Testifies in Kenosha Homicide Case:
“Kyle Rittenhouse, the 18-year-old charged with killing two people and wounding a third, took the stand Wednesday at his homicide trial in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, claims he acted in self-defense during protests against police violence in August 2020. Rittenhouse broke into tears when his attorneys were questioning him about why he fatally shot the first victim. "I didn't do anything wrong, I was defending myself," he told the court. But the prosecution attempted to discredit the core of his defense by questioning why a teenager who illegally possessed an AR-15 style rifle would feel that his life was in danger. Thomas Binger, the lead prosecutor, tried to paint Rittenhouse as an armed threat. "You're telling us that you felt like you were about to die, right? But when you point the gun at someone else, that's going to make them feel like they're about to die, right? That's what you wanted him to feel," Binger said. Flustered and on the verge of tears for the second time, Rittenhouse claimed one of the victims could have "ran away instead of trying to take my gun from me. It didn't stop him." The trial was stopped twice after the prosecutor's line of questioning angered the judge.” (CBS NEWS)
2) Food Banks Struggle Amidst Supply Shortages:
“U.S. food banks already dealing with increased demand from families sidelined by the pandemic now face a new challenge — surging food prices and supply chain issues walloping the nation. The higher costs and limited availability mean some families may get smaller servings or substitutions for staples such as peanut butter, which some food banks are buying for nearly double what it cost two years ago. As holidays approach, some food banks worry they won’t have enough stuffing and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving and Christmas. “What happens when food prices go up is food insecurity for those who are experiencing it just gets worse,” said Katie Fitzgerald, chief operating officer of Feeding America, a nonprofit organization that coordinates the efforts of more than 200 food banks across the country. Food banks that expanded to meet unprecedented demand brought on by the pandemic won’t be able to absorb forever food costs that are two to three times what they used to be, she said. Supply chain disruptions, lower inventory and labor shortages have all contributed to increased costs for charities on which tens of millions of people in the U.S. rely on for nutrition. Donated food is more expensive to move because transportation costs are up, and bottlenecks at factories and ports make it difficult to get goods of all kinds.” (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
3) Resolution Proposed to Keep Xi in Power:
“Chinese President Xi Jinping wants to dominate his country’s future. To do that, he’s putting a whole new spin on its past. The ruling Communist Party adopted a landmark resolution on its history and achievements Thursday, according to the official Xinhua news agency, placing Xi alongside Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping as the only leaders to have presided over such a resolution in the party's 100 year history. Experts say the “historical resolution” will pave the way for Xi, 68, to secure an unprecedented third term in office next year — and potentially rule China for life. The move came at the end of the closely-watched sixth plenum of the party’s Central Committee, a mostly male group of more than 300 top leaders. It is the last major meeting before a party congress next year where a decision will be made on Xi's future. He is only the third leader to have a historical resolution adopted during his presidency, after Mao and Deng.” (NBC NEWS)
Daily Verse:
Deuteronomy 4:29 NIV But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
The President’s Schedule:
9:00 a.m. ET - The President hosts veterans and members of the military community before the group heads to Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate Veterans Day.
11:00 a.m. ET - The President and The First Lady participate in the Presidential Armed Forces Full Honor Wreath-Laying Ceremony on the centennial anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
This Day in History
“At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends. At 5 a.m. that morning, Germany, bereft of manpower and supplies and faced with imminent invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiégne, France. The First World War left nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded, with Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France and Great Britain each losing nearly a million or more lives. In addition, at least five million civilians died from disease, starvation, or exposure.” (HISTORY)
Daily Quote:
“Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears." - Marcus Aurelius
Daily Joke:
I got my daughter a fridge for her birthday. I can’t wait to see her face light up when she opens it.
Environment:
THE FIGHT OVER LOGGING IN SOUTHERN ALASKA: “Tongass National Forest stretches across nearly 17 million acres of land in southeast Alaska and is home to a lush vibrant ecosystem. It is now also at the center of a bitter battle between those trying to save the old growth forests and those who say access more of it is critical for the local economy. Tongass covers more than 80% of southeast Alaska and, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, is responsible for sequestering nearly 8% of all U.S. carbon emissions. Global leaders have pledged for decades to end deforestation by 2030, but some Alaskan corporations are asking for the opposite and want more access to the forest to support the local economy. "Where's your Amazon boxes going to come from? American consumers still want this stuff. We're producing it here. It's a good job for us people, good jobs for Alaskans," said Eric Nichols, the owner of Alcan Alaska Timber Corporation. Southeast Alaska relies heavily on tourism, and took a major economic blow during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nichols, who said he's had to downsize his company by half because of logging restrictions, said the timber industry is a way to bring consistent jobs back to the area.” (ABC NEWS)
Culture:
CELEBRATING OUR UNKOWN SOLDIERS: “It was cold and raining that afternoon, and officials had spread sand on the gangway so the sailors carrying the precious casket off the ship wouldn’t slip. On the dock at the Washington Navy Yard, VIPs stood at attention, awaiting the return of America’s unknown soldier. The USS Olympia, which had carried the body from France, rang out eight bells — a traditional salute to the fallen. A band began Chopin’s funeral march, and a team of six black horses hitched to an empty caisson waited for its cargo. As the cameras rolled, Gen. John J. Pershing, who had led the American troops during World War I, stood bundled in his Army coat. Gen. John. A. Lejeune, the Marine Corps commandant, raised his hand in salute. Secretary of War John W. Weeks took off his top hat, baring his bald head in the weather. On Nov. 9, 1921, the anonymous “doughboy” — the nickname given to the infantrymen — was carried down the wet gangway. And Washington paused for three days of ceremony that would lead to the creation of the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. There, the soldier was laid to rest on Nov. 11, 1921 — three years after World War I ended in 1918. On Thursday, 100 years to the day, Arlington will commemorate the event with a public procession through the cemetery featuring honor guards, the U.S. Army Band and military flyovers.” (WASHINGTON POST)
Sports:
LEBRON TARGETS RITTENHOUSE: “Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James mocked alleged Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse over a video showing the 18-year-old crying in court while testifying in his murder trial. "What tears?????" the 17-time All-Star tweeted Wednesday evening after the conclusion of Rittenhouse’s testimony in his unfolding murder trial, where the teen broke down on the stand recounting the August 2020 shooting he was involved in that left two people dead and one injured. "I didn’t see one. Man knock it off! That boy ate some lemon heads before walking into court," James added. The tweet was retweeted thousands of times and liked tens of thousands of times about fifteen minutes after being posted. Rittenhouse is charged with two counts of homicide, one count of attempted homicide, recklessly endangering safety and illegal possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.” (FOX NEWS)
Health:
WANING VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS: “As tens of millions who are eligible in the United States consider signing up for a Covid-19 booster shot, a growing body of early global research shows that the vaccines authorized in the United States remain highly protective against the disease’s worst outcomes over time, with some exceptions among older people and those with weakened immune systems. But while the vaccines’ effectiveness against severe disease and hospitalization has mostly held steady, even through the summer surge of the highly transmissible Delta variant, a number of published studies show that their protection against infection, with or without symptoms, has fallen. Public health experts say this decline does not mean that the vaccines are not working. In fact, many studies show that the vaccines remain more than 50 percent effective at preventing infection, the level that all Covid vaccines had to meet or exceed to be authorized by the Food and Drug Administration back in 2020. But the significance of these declines in effectiveness — and whether they suggest all adults should be eligible for a booster shot — is still up for debate.” (NEW YORK TIMES)