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1. Shinzo Abe
Mourners gathered in Tokyo today for the funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, four days after he was assassinated at noon. Photos captured the outpouring of grief as people gathered to pay their respects to Abe with flowers, notes and green tea — symbols of help in the afterlife. The private funeral was hosted at the century-old Zojoji Temple by Abe’s widow, Akie Abe. Millions around the world reacted with shock and anguish at how Abe was assassinated during a campaign speech in the central city of Nara on Friday. According to police, the 41-year-old suspect accused of killing Abe had a “grudge” against a church he believed Abe’s grandfather — another former leader of the country — helped expand.
2. January 6
The House Select Committee plans to show at a hearing today how right-wing extremist groups, including the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, prepared to attack the US Capitol in the days leading up to January 6, 2021. According to committee aides, the The hearing will also focus on the roles of associates of former President Donald Trump, including Roger Stone and Michael Flynn, who were both pardoned after being charged with various crimes. Separately, former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne, a Trump ally, is expected to meet Friday with the Jan. 6 committee, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Byrne has played an active role in supporting efforts to promote unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election, including attending a White House meeting to discuss strategies to overturn the election results.
3. Gun laws
President Joe Biden said Monday that gun violence has turned everyday spaces in America into “killing fields” as he marked the passage of the first major federal gun safety legislation in 30 years. Biden said the package he signed into law last month represented “an important start” but fell far short of what he and his party had advocated to curb the alarming rate of shootings in the US. During his remarks, Biden interrupted Manuel Oliver, a father whose son was killed in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. “You have to do more than that,” Oliver shouted. To date, there have been 333 mass shootings in the US since the start of the year, according to data from Archive Gun Violence.
4. Corona virus
US health officials are urgently working on a plan to allow second Covid-19 boosters for all adults, a senior White House official confirmed to CNN. Second boosters have been approved for adults 50 and older, as well as some people with weakened immune systems, since late March. However, younger adults are only entitled to one booster dose, which was approved in November. Some experts are concerned that the immunity of younger adults may be waning as Covid-19 cases increase with the BA.5 Omicron subvariant predominating. The CDC reports that the BA.4 and BA.5 subtypes account for more than 70% of new infections in the country. And while these subvariants may partially escape the immunity produced by the vaccine and previous infection, vaccination still protects against serious disease.
5. Sri Lanka
Thousands of protesters stormed the homes of Sri Lanka’s President and Prime Minister in recent days in anger over the country’s crippling economic crisis. Protesters have managed to force the leaders to resign, but refuse to leave the luxury homes until both leave their roles. Dramatic images show protesters sprawled out on a bed at the presidential palace and grilling food on the property. But the most dramatic video showed protesters swimming in the President’s private pool. It remains unclear how Sri Lanka will weather rising food costs, fuel shortages and power cuts as the country struggles to make debt repayments.
BREAKFAST DESCRIPTION
Elon Musk said ‘humanity will reach Mars in your lifetime’ Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson had this clever answer. A tomb linked to King Arthur is excavated for the first time Archaeologists are excavating this 5,000-year-old tomb named after the mythical medieval king. Miles Teller says he’ll make another ‘Top Gun’ movie if Tom Cruise gives the green light Maverick, we’re counting on you! For millions of fans, another “Top Gun” would be an absolute treat. I am right? Or am I right? K-pop group BTS is coming to Disney+ in a major streaming deal The battle of the streaming platforms rages on. In one corner, Disney is aiming to beat Netflix by attracting legions of BTS fans around the world. This is the deepest view of the universe ever recorded Check out this groundbreaking image of distant galaxies captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.
TODAY’S NUMBER
33% That’s President Joe Biden’s approval rating according to a new poll, leading to heightened speculation about his re-election prospects. The New York Times/Siena College nationwide survey comes as Democratic officials and party leaders have begun to doubt that Biden is their strongest candidate to defeat former President Donald Trump — or another GOP candidate — in 2024. But a challenge requires a challenger, and all the Democrats being discussed as potential primary opponents to Biden tell CNN they are ruling out a runoff.
TODAY QUOTE
“Under the law, no matter where you live, women have a right to emergency care — including abortion care.” — HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the nation’s top health official, saying the Biden administration expects providers to continue offering abortion services despite laws severely restricting the procedure after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade . In the clarifying guidance released Monday, Becerra said the federal government could penalize facilities or providers that fail to perform abortions as needed to treat medical emergencies.
THE WEATHER TODAY
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AND FINALLY
The cat needs his own cat-uccino to start his day You’ve heard of a frappuccino, but what about a cat-uccino? Like many of us, this cat won’t start the day until he’s had his morning cup! (Click here to view)
