5 things to know for June 8: Air quality, Classified docs, Volcano, Pope, Student Loans

By CNN

Published June 8, 2023 4:59 AM

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN

(CNN) — A salmonella outbreak linked to Gold Medal flour is over, the CDC announced Wednesday. However, consumers are still being urged to inspect their pantries and throw away any recalled bags that may be lingering at home.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Air quality

More than 75 million people in the US across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions are under air quality alerts today due to smoke from wildfires in Canada. Officials say it may take several days for the air to clear as many metro areas remain at an air level quality of “hazardous.” Forecasts suggest winds are pushing the smoke farther south, meaning the same ominous clouds that delivered some of the world’s worst air quality to New York City this week could soon smother Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. Officials are urging people to limit time spent outdoors and mask up for enhanced protection. Numerous schools in New York, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, have also canceled classes or outdoor activities, and a growing number of neighboring school districts are opting to do the same.

2. Classified documents

The Justice Department has informed Donald Trump’s legal team that he is a target in a federal investigation into the possible mishandling of classified documents, sources told CNN. Analysts say this is a significant development because it signals that the special counsel’s investigation is focused on Trump’s actions and not just the actions of people around him. It could also be a sign that prosecutors may be moving closer to indicting the former president. Meanwhile, in a CNN town hall on Wednesday, former Vice President Mike Pence urged the Justice Department not to indict his onetime boss, saying such an indictment would fuel division inside the country and “send a terrible message to the wider world.” Pence’s comments underscore the tightrope he is walking when it comes to the numerous probes into Trump while trying to stake out differences about his own campaign.

3. Volcano eruption

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano began erupting on Wednesday morning with a burst of lava spewing from within Halema’uma’u crater at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Officials raised the warning level for the volcano, but are also highlighting a number of safe locations for the thousands who are expected to flock to the area to take in the magnificent view. Kilauea volcano shot up fountain bursts about 200 feet high during the early phase of the eruption Wednesday, with the largest lava fountain consistently coming in at about 50 feet high, according to the US Geological Survey. There is no indication that populated areas are threatened, authorities said.

4. Pope Francis

Pope Francis underwent a successful, three-hour operation on his abdomen, the Vatican said Wednesday, after renewed fears over the 86-year-old’s fragile health. There were no reported complications, the Vatican said. One of the Pope’s doctors told reporters he has resumed his work from the hospital, where he will stay for around 10 days for recovery. Technically called a laparotomy, Wednesday’s procedure involves general anesthesia and is intended to repair a hernia that the Vatican said was causing “recurrent, painful and worsening” symptoms. “Now he is awake, he is fine,” one of his doctors said.

5. Student loans

President Joe Biden officially vetoed legislation Wednesday that would block his student loan forgiveness program, blasting lawmakers who supported the bill for what he called an “unprecedented attempt to deny critical relief to millions of their own constituents.” The bill — which passed Congress earlier this month with support from some moderate Democrats — sought to block the program, which promises to cancel up to $20,000 of debt for millions of borrowers. No debt has been canceled yet while the program faces legal challenges. The veto is the fifth of Biden’s presidency.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

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Airline proposes offering bunk beds in the skies
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TODAY’S NUMBER

93%
That’s how many large US cancer centers are experiencing a shortage of life-saving chemotherapy drugs, according to a new survey. As the US grapples with an ongoing shortage of drugs, cancer treatments have been among the hardest hit, health experts say.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“I’ve been lucky enough to have had a successful, fulfilling career and I look forward to my next chapter.”

— CNN Chairman and CEO Chris Licht, announcing Wednesday that he will depart the company. Licht, who became network chief last May, saw his tenure dogged by fierce criticism in the press for a series of missteps that gripped CNN in recent months. The company is now “in the process of conducting a wide search,” both internally and externally, for a new network chief, according to David Zaslav, the chief executive of parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY…

One of France’s most impressive monuments turns 1,000
The historic Mont Saint-Michel Abbey in northern France is celebrating its 1,000th anniversary since construction first began. (Click here to view)

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