5 things to know for December 24: Boeing, Ukraine, Syria, Prince Philip and Roenick
Merry Christmas Eve! If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, don’t get your hopes up: Most places in the US are likely to see mild weather. Also, we’d like to wish all our 5 Things readers a happy holidays. We’re taking tomorrow off and will see you back on Thursday. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
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1. Boeing
It’s been a bad year for Boeing. Now its CEO is out. Dennis Muilenburg was fired yesterday, in part, Boeing said, because customers and regulators no longer trusted the company’s decision-making. The 737 Max, the company’s bestselling commercial jet, has been grounded worldwide since March after two fatal crashes killed 346 people. Boeing has struggled to get the plane back in the air, despite efforts to clear a fix with software regulators. Earlier this month, it said it would temporarily stop producing the jet in January. If that weren’t enough, a former employee testified before Congress earlier this month that Boeing ignored safety concerns when building the 737 Max. Boeing Chairman David Calhoun will take over as CEO on January 13. The challenge for him will be convincing regulators that the 737 Max is safe to fly — and regaining the trust of customers.
2. Ukraine
We’re learning more about Rudy Giuliani’s effort to dig up dirt on President Donald Trump’s political opponents. When Giuliani associates Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman traveled to Ukraine last winter to gather documents on Joe Biden and his son Hunter, they were accompanied by a former pro golfer named David Correia. Sources and documents obtained by CNN shed light on the role Correia had in helping them try to make the effort pay off in lucrative business deals. The three men were indicted in October for illegally funneling foreign money into Republican political circles. But so far, attention has mostly focused on Parnas and Fruman, who have become key characters in the ongoing impeachment saga of President Trump.
3. Syria
Dozens of people have been killed by a wave of bombardment in Idlib, Syria, according to the White Helmets, a local volunteer search and rescue group. Airstrikes and artillery fire have killed at least 33 people since Friday. The Syrian army, with support from Russian air power, has stepped up its attacks on the northwestern province, the country’s last major bastion of opposition and home to more than 3 million Syrians. The government has said that it is targeting terrorists in Idlib. But if the violence continues, hundreds of thousands of civilians could be forced to flee their homes in the coming weeks, international aid organizations warn.
4. Prince Philip
Britain’s Prince Philip was reunited with the Queen and royal family in time for the Christmas holidays after a four-day hospital stay. The Duke of Edinburgh, 98, left King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday morning. He returned immediately to the Queen’s country estate, Sandringham, where the royal family traditionally spend Christmas. Philip retired from public life in 2017 and is rarely seen in public. He is believed to spend most of at Sandringham.
5. Jeremy Roenick
“Inappropriate comments” have led to a sports commentator to be suspended from his job. NBC Sports hockey analyst Jeremy Roenick appeared on a Barstool Sports podcast last week and engaged in a free-flowing conversation with the hosts about his co-workers, Kathryn Tappen and Patrick Sharp. Roenick talked about having sex with Tappen and Sharp’s good looks. On Monday, NBC Sports announced it had indefinitely suspended Roenick without pay “for making inappropriate comments about his co-workers,” a spokesman said.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Baba Ram Dass dies at 88
The New Age guru explored how psychedelic drugs altered the mind.
Meghan, Harry and Baby Archie released their first Christmas card
Prepare yourself for cuteness.
Colin Kaepernick’s Air Force 1 sneakers have a not-so-subtle message
Good luck trying to buy them online though.
A giant hornet has invaded Washington state
But it’s not there to sting people.
How KFC became a Christmas tradition in Japan
Something about those 11 herbs and spices.
TODAY’S NUMBER
1 billion
The estimated number of people worldwide who suffer from migraines. The FDA approved a new drug for migraine sufferers on Monday, which could be an option for people who can’t take or don’t respond to migraine medications currently on the market.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“It’s not very comfortable. I’m 5-foot-6 or -7, so I have to make sure I have some legroom, and this is basically it.”
Lauren Kush, a 36-year-old woman in Los Angeles who is homeless and has been sleeping in her car at night. She’s now among more than 16,000 people in Los Angeles County who live in their vehicles.
TODAY’S WEATHER
AND FINALLY
Relax by the fire
Who needs a fireplace when you can just project this on a big screen and kick back to enjoy some holiday tunes? (Click to view)
