5 things to know for July 20: Trump, Mall shooting, Sri Lanka, Heat, Marriage equality

CNN

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN

America’s CEOs made 324 times more than the workers at their companies last year, according to a new report from one of the nation’s top union groups. S&P 500 CEOs on average got a roughly 18% bump in compensation — about $18 million each — while many of their workers struggle with wages that can barely keep up with inflation.

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1.Trump

Georgia prosecutors are moving closer to possible criminal charges against those involved in former President Donald Trump’s “fake electors” scheme. In an attempt to overturn the 2020 election, Trump campaign officials tried to subvert the Electoral College process by installing fake GOP electors in seven swing states. The Trump backers then signed fake certificates proclaiming their votes for president and vice president. Court documents filed late Tuesday revealed all 16 of the individuals who signed the unofficial certificates may be indicted in the ongoing probe. Separately, concerns are being raised about Trump’s 24 Secret Service personnel during the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. The DHS inspector general had requested a month’s worth of records from the Secret Service to get a closer look at Trump’s actions and behavior during the riot. But the Secret Service has only provided a single text exchange, according to a letter to the House select committee investigating the riot.

2. Mall shooting

New details have been revealed about the armed bystander who killed the shooter at an Indiana mall when the gunman opened fire on a food court Sunday evening, killing three people and wounding two others. Elisjsha Dicken, who was shopping with his girlfriend at the mall in Greenwood, Indiana, did not hesitate to use the Glock handgun he was legally carrying to “neutralize” the gunman within two minutes, police said. “Many more people would have died last night if not for a responsible armed citizen that took action very quickly within the first two minutes of the shooting,” Greenwood Police Chief James Ison said on Monday. As far as investigators know, Dicken “has no police training and no military training,” Ison said, adding he was able to fire at the shooter “from quite a distance” very proficiently.

3. Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan lawmakers today elected former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as President of the crisis-hit country. He received 134 votes from a possible 223. This move will likely anger protesters who have been demanding his removal from office for weeks. The key ally of Sri Lanka’s former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa won a parliamentary ballot after his predecessor fled the country amid escalating protests over an economic crisis marked by dire shortages of essentials such as fuel, medicine and food. Many demonstrators have said only a complete overhaul of the government will satisfy their demands, and some pledged they would stay on the streets until that happens.

4. Extreme weather

As an oppressive heat wave spreads across the US — and shows no sign of slowing until the weekend — local leaders across the country are urging extreme caution. The scorching heat that has already settled across much of the south-central US and prompted numerous heat warnings and advisories in the region is now beginning to extend into the Northeast today, bringing “steamy temperatures into the 90s” that will probably feel even higher, the National Weather Service said. Several states on the East Coast have declared heat emergencies or hot weather protocols today. And it’s not just the US: The climate crisis has been pushing weather to the extreme all over the world, with a searing heat wave also sweeping through Europe this week.

5. Marriage equality

The Democrat-led House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to pass a bill to protect same-sex marriage. The bill is an effort to counter the conservative majority on the Supreme Court and would enshrine protections for same-sex marriage into federal law. It also includes federal protections for interracial marriages. The bipartisan final vote was 267 to 157 — with 47 Republicans joining with Democrats. It’s not clear, however, whether the bill can pass the Senate where at least 10 Republicans would need to join with Democrats to overcome the filibuster’s 60-vote threshold. The bill comes amid fears among Democrats that the conservative majority on the Supreme Court could take aim at same-sex marriage in the future after the high court overturned Roe v. Wade in a reversal of longstanding legal precedent.

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TODAY’S NUMBER

$630 million

That’s how much the Mega Millions jackpot has ballooned to after no winner matched all six numbers on Tuesday. The night’s $555 million jackpot was the fifth largest in the lottery’s history. The next drawing will be on Friday, with a cash option estimated to be around $360 million.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“We simply cannot understand how you could agree to accept money from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s golf league to host their tournament at your golf course, and to do so in the shadows of Ground Zero in New Jersey, which lost over 700 residents during the attacks.”

— Families of 9/11 victims in a letter sent to former President Donald Trump urging him to cancel the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tournament at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey later this month. The families are outraged by the partnership because they say Saudi Arabia was complicit in the 2001 terrorists attacks. Fifteen of the 19 al Qaeda terrorists who hijacked four planes on 9/11 were Saudi nationals, but the Saudi government has denied any involvement in the attacks.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY

The Story of the Little Tree Car Air Fresheners

You’ve probably seen these little things attached to rear-view mirrors or maybe even bought some for yourself. But do you know where they come from? Watch this short video to find out! (Click here to view)

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