Stowaways: JetBlue said today that two bodies were found in a wheel well of its flight 1801 from Kennedy International Airport in New York to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport in Florida. JetBlue said the bodies were found when routine maintenance was underway after the airplane had been taken out of service following the flight. People who stow away in airplane wheel wells often wind up being crushed when the landing gear is retracted or die from freezing temperatures and lack of oxygen.
Fact checking: Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said today that the company is getting rid of fact checkers and other personnel who are charged with removing phony content. Zuckerberg says that fact checking has damaged the trust people place in the websites. Zuckerberg and Meta have come under criticism from Donald Trump and the Republican far-right for what they allege is censorship of right-wing viewpoints.
Le Pen: The leader of France’s far-right National Front, who for years was a threat to French President Macron’s leadership, has died at age 96. Jean-Marie Le Pen himself was pushed out of leadership of the National Front by his daughter. Le Pen denied that the holocaust took place, denounced immigrants and called for people with AIDS to be locked up.
Pardons: In a speech on the Senate floor, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has condemned Donald Trump’s plan to pardon the convicted criminals who assaulted police and invaded the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an effort to overthrow the government and keep Trump in the White House. Schumer said that Jan. 6 was one of the darkest and most shameful days in American history. Schumer said Trump’s plan to pardon the convicted criminals is reckless and an insult to everyone who defended the Capitol and especially those who lost their lives as a result of the attack.
Tesla: The U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has begun an investigation into 2.6 million Tesla vehicles after reports of accidents caused by the driverless feature of the vehicles. This is the second investigation by the administration of Tesla driverless vehicles. The administration says it will be looking at the feature known as Actually Smart Summons, which allows the car to be driven using a remote control with nobody behind the wheel.
Greenland: Donald Trump Jr. has arrived in Greenland against the background of his father saying the U.S. should buy Greenland. Trump Junior is supposed to be in the country as a tourist and has no meetings with Greenland government officials planned. Greenland officials have rebuffed Trump Senior, saying that the island is not for sale. Greenland announced an increase in its defense budget a few days after Trump last called for the U.S. to take over Greenland.
