State funeral: A state funeral for Former President Jimmy Carter has been scheduled for Jan. 9. President Biden declared that Jan. 9 will be a national day of mourning and he ordered that U.S. flags fly at half-staff for 30 days from yesterday, the day Carter died at age 100. Family members were with him at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter was the 39th president of the U.S. He had been receiving hospice care for the past two years.
Plane crash: Two cabin crew members were the only survivors of the crash of a South Korean Jeju Air flight at Muan International Airport yesterday. Of the 181 people on the plane, 179 died. The airplane crash landed on its belly and slid along the runway before it hit a wall and a fire broke out. Airport officials said the airplane’s landing gear had not been extended when it touched down. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board was sending a team of investigators to assist the South Koreans investigate the accident.
Ukraine: President Biden this morning announced nearly $2.5 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine. Today’s announcement includes an additional $1.25 billion drawdown package for the Ukrainian military and a $1.22 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package. The White House says that this will provide Ukraine with both an immediate influx of what’s needed on the battlefield and longer-term supplies of air defense, artillery, and other critical weapons systems.
Jackpot: The Mega Millions lottery says that the winning ticket in the $1.22 billion drawing was sold at a gas station and convenience store outlet in Cottonwood, California, about 150 miles north of Sacramento. It was not immediately known who bought the winning ticket. After taxes, the winner would receive just under $550 million.
Weather: A storm system yesterday resulted in 47 tornadoes causing damage in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama. Four people were killed. An estimated 50,000 customers were without power. Heavy rain caused flooding in some sections. The weather was responsible for hundreds of flight delays.
Linda Lavin: Actress Linda Lavin has died at age 87. She won a Tony award for her appearance in the play “Broadway Bound.” Lavin was known to TV audiences for her appearances on the series “Barney Miller” and in the series in which she starred, “Alice.” Lavin won two Golden Globe Awards for the series “Alice.”
