1 Trump Grounds Boeing 737 Max Airliners
President Trump has finally decided to ground the Boeing 737 Max airliner fleet following the second major crash within five months. The move came after Canada joined a number of other major nations in the ground stop – and new information was obtained by the FAA. At the White House, Trump said his emergency order will last indefinitely and when he cited the recent international crashes involving the Boeing fleet, he calling it “a terrible thing.” Still, he referred to Boeing as an incredible company. Trump called it a very tough decision and said it was the right thing to do. This, after it was revealed that the President’s initial reticence appeared to follow a personal call with Boeing CEO Dennis A. Muilenburg. In making this announcement, Trump noted that the safety of the American flying public is of “paramount importance.” As for what finally tipped the scales, the FAA made the decision to ground all Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the U.S. because of new data gathered at the site of the Ethiopian Airlines crash. What that evidence is, hasn’t been revealed, but the FAA said in a statement that “newly refined satellite data made available” also led to the decision. The Black Box recorders have been recovered, but have not been analyzed. It was the second deadly crash involving Boeing 737 Max planes in six months.
2 Manafort Gets More Time, And Many More Indictments
Former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort. Following a court appearance yesterday, he’ll now spend more than seven years in federal prison. Manafort was sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy and witness tampering in a DC federal court. The total prison time includes 47 months in the sentence that Manafort received in a separate Virginia case last week. In the DC case, federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson stressed that Manafort is neither public enemy number-one, nor a victim. But she also said it’s hard to overstate the number of lies, the amount of fraud and the extraordinary amount of money involved in the case. She argued that Manafort's fraud wasn't to support his family but to live a lavish lifestyle. Before sentencing, Manafort accepted full responsibility and said he is “sorry” and ashamed. He noted that he’ll soon turn 70 and made a plea for leniency so he can be with his wife. Jackson replied, "Saying 'I'm sorry I got caught' is not an inspiring plea for leniency." But it’s not as though Manafort’s legal woes are remotely close to being over. While the two cases he’s been sentenced on are the federal cases related to the Robert Mueller investigation, he’s got a whole new round of charges to manage back in New York. Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance has charged Manafort with 16 counts related to conspiracy, mortgage fraud, and falsifying business records.
3 College Cheating Scam: Loughlin In Court As School Officials Decide Next Steps
Actress Lori Loughlin is out of jail after facing a judge for the first time over charges in a sprawling college admissions scam officials have dubbed “Operation Varsity Blues.” A judge in Los Angeles set bond for the "Full House" star at one-million-dollars, which she has posted. Loughlin and her designer husband Mossimo Giannulli are accused of paying 500-grang to get their daughters into USC as recruits for the school's rowing team, even though neither participated in the sport. They’re among 50 people – including Felicity Huffman – also charged in the scandal. Initially directed to give up her passport, the judge relented to allow Loughlin to work in Vancouver – where she’s currently shooting. Meanwhile…many have been wondering what Loughlin's daughters have been up to since the scandal broke. According to TMZ, Olivia Jade Giannulli has been spending spring break in the Bahamas with the daughter of USC chairman Rick Caruso…on the family's yacht. The young women have apparently been friends for a while. Once news broke of the charges, word is that Olivia decided to return home. No word on her sister, Isabella Rose. One of the questions on everyone’s minds (aside from making plenty of jokes): How the heck did the Feds figure this out in the first place? By accident. Apparently, agents were working an unrelated securities fraud case, when they received a tip about $400-thousand bribe of a coach at Yale. Once the coach was “contacted” by authorities, the chips began falling.