5 things to know for April 23: Trump trial, Gaza, Ukraine, Health care privacy, Dubai floods

By CNN

Published April 23, 2024 4:59 AM

CNN

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — NASA has regained communication with Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after a five-month computer glitch. The mission team was thrilled to receive the signal from interstellar space — an uncharted cosmic territory about 15 billion miles away.

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

1. Trump trial

Prosecutors delivered opening statements Monday in former President Donald Trump’s historic and unprecedented criminal trial. The prosecutors told jurors that the reimbursement of hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels was part of a larger conspiracy to influence the 2016 presidential election. The former president’s attorneys responded by telling the jury that Trump was innocent and not involved in the creation of the 34 business records he’s charged with falsifying. On another legal front, the Supreme Court is set to hear Trump’s claim that he should have presidential immunity from prosecution. The move puts the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination on track for another high-stakes battle that could have a sweeping impact on his legal challenges.

2. Gaza

The US State Department’s annual report on human rights raises sharp concerns about the conflict in Gaza, noting allegations of war crimes by Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups. The report details widespread disparities between Israelis and Palestinians and the “degrading treatment of Palestinian detainees in prison facilities after October 7.” A UN expert separately warned that the psychological terror of Israel’s offensive in Gaza could manifest years from now in the form of increased mental health illnesses among Palestinians there. Meanwhile in the US, heightened tensions around pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University have led the school to keep almost all classes hybrid until the end of the semester. Similar protests have prompted arrests at other campuses, including Yale and New York University.

3. Ukraine

A $60 billion military aid package for Kyiv is due to go to the Senate today as Ukrainian officials struggle to fend off Russia’s advance. “To win, we need ammunition … our artillery is starving,” an artillery reconnaissance commander told CNN. For months, Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines have spoken of being badly outgunned by Russian forces. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said the ratio was 10 to 1 in Russia’s favor. If the legislation is passed in Congress’ upper chamber, President Joe Biden has said he will sign it into law immediately, so that “we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs.”

4. Health care privacy

The Biden administration has issued a new rule to protect patients’ privacy when it comes to their medical information. The rule specifically prohibits the disclosure of a patient’s health records, even when they travel to another state for an abortion, IVF, birth control or other types of reproductive health care. “No one should have to live in fear that their conversations with their doctor or that their medical claims data might be used to target or track them for seeking lawful reproductive health care,” Melanie Fontes Rainer, director of the Office for Civil Rights, said in a news conference. The new rule comes at a time when 14 states have total abortion bans.

5. Dubai floods

Many Dubai residents are working to return to life as they know it after torrential rainfall last week caused damaging floods. The United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is part, saw the heaviest rainfall in at least 75 years, with more than a year’s worth of precipitation in 24 hours. Many airlines have since resumed operations after the glitzy travel hub came to a halt, but meteorologists say the ordeal showed the city’s vulnerability to the increasing number of natural disasters. A warmer atmosphere can soak up more moisture like a towel and then ring it out in the form of torrential rainfall. Climate experts say dry areas that lack the infrastructure to deal with intense rain are more likely to struggle with bouts of significant flooding as a result.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

How moving from the US to a ‘blue zone’ transformed this family’s life
This couple abandoned life in Texas and moved to Costa Rica. Seven years later, they’re feeling the benefits.

Taylor Swift’s new album shatters streaming records
Swift’s “Tortured Poets Department” became the most-streamed album in a single day on Spotify in just 12 hours.

Caitlin Clark will reportedly sign a Nike sneaker deal
Clark, the leading scorer in NCAA basketball history, is supposedly set to ink a Nike deal worth millions.

Could asteroid mining become a reality?
Minerals are in short supply on Earth. Some startups believe we should be extracting metals from asteroids to fulfill high demand.

Indian teenager becomes the youngest challenger for world chess title
This 17-year-old chess prodigy has an opportunity to dethrone the reigning world champion from China later this year.

TODAY’S NUMBER

90%
That’s the percentage of animal and vegetable protein samples that tested positive for microplastics, according to a new study. These teeny polymer fragments are found in many popular foods, which can pose dangers to the body’s organs and functions in large quantities.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“The global EV revolution appears to be gearing up for a new phase of growth.

— Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, suggesting there will be “surging demand” for electric vehicles over the next decade. A new report from the IEA projects EV sales will rise by a fifth to reach 17 million this year, powered by drivers in China.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Old classics, new faces
With Rolex about to celebrate a big anniversary, CNN explored how luxury brands keep their iconic watches fresh for decades. See the video here.

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