5 things to know for April 16: Trump trial, Funding fight, Baltimore bridge, ‘Rust’ sentencing, Tesla

By CNN

Published April 15, 2024 3:05 PM

CNN

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — Due to budget constraints, NASA is rethinking its original plan to return rare samples from Mars to Earth. The Perseverance rover has been gathering specimens since 2021 to help scientists better understand whether life ever existed on the red planet. Now, the space agency is soliciting proposals for a sample-return mission with less complexity, cost and risk.

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

1. Trump trial

Former President Donald Trump is set to return to a New York City courtroom for a second day as jury selection continues in his criminal hush money trial. A total of 96 New Yorkers were brought in Monday as prospective jurors but 50 were immediately dismissed when they said they couldn’t be fair and impartial. The swift dismissal of the prospective jury pool underscores the difficulty in finding a jury when the defendant is a former president who elicits strong feelings on both sides of the aisle. A panel of 12 people and six alternates will ultimately be selected for a trial that could last six to eight weeks. The case stems from state charges related to a hush money payment to an adult film star in 2016. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denied all wrongdoing.

2. Funding fight

Speaker Mike Johnson announced Monday evening that the House will take up separate bills this week to provide aid for Israel and Ukraine, heeding demands from the far right to keep the issues separate as the threat of a vote to oust him from the speakership looms. In the wake of Iran’s unprecedented retaliatory strikes on Israel, Democrats have called on Johnson to bring up a Senate-passed foreign aid package that includes aid to Israel and Ukraine, but hardline conservatives have urged the Louisiana Republican against attaching Ukraine funding to any Israel aid package. Johnson predicted the House will vote Friday evening on the separate bills. But Republican leaders could still take procedural steps to send all those pieces as one package to the Senate, which could enrage the right-wing of the House GOP conference.

3. Baltimore bridge

Federal authorities have launched a criminal investigation into last month’s ship crash that destroyed Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and killed six people, according to a US official familiar with the matter. The bridge collapsed on March 26 after a massive cargo ship lost power, veered off course and struck the bridge. The ship’s owner and manager have since filed a court document in an attempt to limit their financial liability. The FBI and the US Coast Guard are leading the probe to determine whether the crew failed to report an earlier issue with the ship that delayed its departure, the official said. Also on Monday, authorities confirmed the body of a fourth victim had been recovered from the collapse. Officials have not released the victim’s identity, at the request of his family.

4. ‘Rust’ sentencing

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer of the film “Rust” was sentenced to 18 months in prison Monday, the maximum possible punishment. She was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter last month for the 2021 on-set fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The verdict comes more than two years after Hutchins, 42, was killed by a live round of ammunition fired from a prop gun held by actor Alec Baldwin. The film’s director was also injured in the shooting. During the trial, prosecutors argued Gutierrez Reed, 26, repeatedly violated safety protocols and acted without caution in performing her duties, leading to Hutchins’ death. Baldwin has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter and is expected to stand trial in July.

5. Tesla

Tesla is set to cut more than 10% of its global staff of 140,000, CEO Elon Musk wrote in an email to Tesla employees. Musk attributed the planned job cuts to the need for “cost reductions and increasing productivity,” according to reports. This comes after Tesla recently announced a year-over-year decline in sales in the first three months of this year — its first such drop since the height of the pandemic and amid softer demand in the electric car sector. Other automakers, including General Motors and Ford, have also pulled back on their EV production in the face of lower demand.

THIS JUST IN

Fire in Copenhagen rips through the old stock exchange
A massive fire engulfed Denmark’s historic old stock exchange today. Footage showed huge plumes of black smoke billowing from the Copenhagen landmark as emergency responders worked below. Officials say there have been no reported injuries so far.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Olympic torch lit in Greece ahead of Paris 2024 Games
The flame for the 2024 Paris Olympics was lit in Olympia earlier today — the birthplace of the ancient Olympics! See images from the ceremony.

Meet the winners of this year’s Boston Marathon
A marathon victory is no easy feet. Here are the winners from Monday’s race.

Exercise reduces stressful brain activity
Research has long shown that exercise reduces heart disease risk, but a new study finds the connection between the two may be a decrease in the brain’s stress signals.

Beyoncé is sending Levi’s and Western boot sales soaring
Country fashion is having a moment, thanks to the fanfare surrounding Beyoncé’s new album “Act II: Cowboy Carter.”

Why mango sticky rice is one of Thailand’s most beloved summer dishes
Mango sticky rice is a deceptively simple dish that’s incredibly delicious. Here’s what makes it a summertime favorite in Thailand.

TODAY’S NUMBER

$620,000
That’s around how much President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden earned in 2023, according to their joint tax return released by the White House on Monday.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was in second grade.”

— Caitlin Clark, after being selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA draft on Monday by the Indiana Fever. Clark is expected to bring record crowds to Indiana as excitement for women’s basketball is perhaps the highest it’s ever been. Stanford’s Cameron Brink, LSU’s Angel Reese and South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso were also drafted in the top 10.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Crossing Switzerland’s sky-high suspension bridge
CNN traveled to Switzerland’s Glacier 3000 to cross the world’s only suspension bridge that connects two mountain peaks. Watch the video here.

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