cnn 2008-08-21
Download AudioGood afternoon I'm Reggie Aqui from the cnn Center in Atlanta and here's a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.
We begin with hospital officials in Ohio who announce Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones is in critical condition after suffering an aneurysm last night. Earlier today, cnn had reported the Congresswoman had died, based on the report of information coming from several Democratic sources. The Democratic super delegate is one of Hillary Clinton's most ardent supporters. She was planning to attend the Democratic National Convention next week in Denver.
We are also following what's happening with Tropical Storm Fay. It's apparently in no hurry to leave the state of Florida. It has stalled out along the state's Atlantic coast near Cape Canaveral. Forecasters say when Fay finally gets moving again, they expect it to hug the coast before making a gradual turn to the northwest. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 miles an hour. In St. Lucie County, the storm has flooded thousands of homes. Look at those pictures, as airboats are being sent in to rescue the stranded residents. (Www.hxen.net)
Now we take you to Madrid, where most of the 172 people aboard a Spanish jet are feared dead after the plane apparently went down in flames, shortly after takeoff from the airport. The official death toll is 90, but local reports say that 26 hospitalized people are the only survivors. The jet was supposed to be going to the Canary Islands. Because the plane was an American-made McDonnell Douglas MD-82, the National Transportation Safety Board is sending an investigation team to Madrid.
The US has now signed a formal deal with Poland to a base of ballistic missile interceptors in that country. Washington says the shield is meant to ward off attacks from rogue states like Iran. But Russia's foreign ministry says it's clearly aimed at weakening Russia and it says Moscow's response will go beyond diplomacy.
Also today, a federal judge won't allow Alaska Senator Ted Stevens to move his corruption trial to his home state. The longest serving GOP Senator is accused of lying about hundreds of thousands of dollars in home renovations and gifts he received from an oil services contractor. Stevens' lawyer argued that the witnesses are in Alaska, being home is crucial to his reelection campaign. That trial is supposed to start September 24th.
And now you are up to date. Those are the headlines. Please stick with cnn for more on these stories and the other news of the day.