Tuesday Afternoon Update | Belated Biden Laptop Coverage, Saudi Upset, And More

This article is a companion piece to today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click here.

Democrats Renew Push For Crypto Regulation

Following the FTX collapse, Democratic lawmakers have called on regulators to examine bank holding company SoFi Technologies, which owns a subsidiary cryptocurrency exchange. The move comes after FTX filed for bankruptcy following users’ discovery that trading firm Alameda Research borrowed millions in deposits to make investments, causing a liquidity crisis.

Los Angeles Driver Who Crashed Into Sheriff Recruits Denies It Was Deliberate

Nicholas Gutierrez, the 22-year-old driver who crashed into 25 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s recruits last week, denies that he did so deliberately. Gutierrez drove his Honda CR-V into 25 cadets about 20 miles southeast of downtown L.A. on the morning of November 16. Gutierrez sat down with NBC 4 for an interview.

“Some of the recruits say that you didn’t break. What do you remember? Anything at all about this?” an NBC 4 reporter asked Guteriez.

“I fell asleep at the wheel. And I woke up and people were banging on the window to get out,” Guteriez explained. “I had no words. When I got out, I asked if they were okay, and they pulled me out, took me to the ground.”

Los Angeles Landlord Losing Patience With COVID Eviction Moratorium

Landlords in Los Angeles are frustrated with city government leaders who ended the COVID-era eviction moratorium in October, but haven’t yet made the ordinance official — leaving tenants to continue to be free to stay in apartments without paying rent. Smaller landlords in particular are feeling the sting. One property owner, Monica, who has a tenant who owes her $23,000, spoke with NBC LA to discuss her experience.

“We are struggling and I don’t know how much longer I can sustain,” Monica said. “My life decisions are put on hold by the government. … What this is going to do is throw all of us who are housing providers onto the streets as well.”

More Than 6,500 Ukrainians Killed So Far In Russia-Ukraine War

New data from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights revealed that since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, more than 6,500 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and more than 10,000 have been injured. Experts say those numbers are most likely “significantly higher” due to delayed information reporting, according to CNN.

Twitter To Begin Hiring Again

The Verge reported that social media giant Twitter is ready to start hiring again after nearly two-thirds of the company’s previous 7,500 person staff were either fired or left of their own accord under new owner Elon Musk. At an all-employee meeting on Monday, Musk also claimed that moving the company’s headquarters to Texas could give the impression that he was engaged in a “right wing take-over of Twitter,” emphasizing that it is actually a “moderate-wing takeover of Twitter.”

Conservatives Blast CBS For Delayed Verification of Hunter’s Laptop

This week, CBS News aired a segment “confirming” that it “independently verified” the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop, which he left at a Delaware repair shop. The segment confirmation came nearly two and a half years after the laptop first popped up during the 2020 election cycle — and many months after other outlets had already confirmed it was real. Conservatives quickly let the network have it for the Johnny-come-lately reporting.

Here’s Newsbusters Curtis Houck reacting to the report: “Casablanca was put together in less time. And three presidents that didn’t last very long, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, and James Garfield combined to last less time than it took CBS to acknowledge Hunter’s laptop.”

.@CurtisHouck: “Casablanca was put together in less time. And three presidents that didn’t last very long, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, and James Garfield combined to last less time than it took CBS to acknowledge Hunter’s laptop.” pic.twitter.com/8X3I61Occz

— Kevin Tober (@KevinTober94) November 22, 2022

Missing Teenager’s Remains Found In Tacoma Park, Maryland

Fox News reported that the body of 17-year-old Rosa Diaz-Santos was discovered in a wooded area in Tacoma Park, Maryland. The teenager went missing in September and Maryland’s Prince George County Police Department is now hunting for her killer, authorities said Monday.

Soccer Upset For The Ages

Saudi Arabia’s soccer team accomplished what is being described as one of the biggest upsets in sports history by defeating powerhouse Argentina 2 to 1 on Tuesday in the 2022 World Cup. That snaps a 36-game winning streak for the South American nation. Argentina had not lost a game since 2019. Argentina now needs two wins to stay in the tournament. Saudi Arabia has already declared that Wednesday will be a national holiday to celebrate the victory.

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