Soccer star Pelé mourned: Soccer star Pelé is being remembered today for his sportsmanship as well as his celebrity. Pelé died yesterday in Brazil at age 82. He had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer for more than a year. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1997, starred on Brazil’s World Cup team in 1970 and first played in the World Cup in 1957.
Chinese jet intercepts U.S. jet:Â The U.S. military has accused the Chinese of intercepting a U.S. military jet with a Chinese Navy jet over international waters on Dec. 21. The U.S. has filed a protest with the Chinese government. The Department of Defense says the Chinese plane came to within 10 feet of the U.S. jet, which was forced to maneuver to avoid a possible collision.
World population figures:Â The U.S. Census Bureau says that the population of the world went up by 73.7 million people during 2022 and will reach 7.9 billion on Sunday, the first day of 2023. The U.S. population has topped 334,225,000 making it the third most populous country. China leads with more than 1.4 billion people and India is second with more than 1.3 billion.
Government spending bill signed:Â President Biden avoided a government shutdown that had been threatened for today by signing the $1.7 trillion spending bill that was passed by Congress. The government is now funded through the end of the fiscal year in September 2023. Congressman Kevin McCarthy, who hopes to become House speaker when the Republicans take the majority in the House of Representatives next week, called the spending bill a monstrosity and a shameful act. It increases domestic spending by about 6% and military spending by about 10%.
Buffalo to celebrate the New Year:Â The City of Buffalo has announced that a New Year’s Eve ball drop and fireworks will take place in the downtown as the recovery from the blizzard continues. Some roads have been reopened and basic services such as U.S. mail delivery have resumed. The death toll in Western New York as a result of the storm reached 40 yesterday.
Southwest resumes:Â Southwest Airlines says normal operations are resuming today and it is expecting only minimal disruptions. Southwest once again is offering tickets for sale. In a statement the airline said it is encouraged by the progress that has been made. An estimated 16,000 flights were canceled since Dec. 20 as a result of Southwest’s operatonal problems.
