‘This is not Mars’: Canadian wildfires turn NYC skies orange: June 8 rundown

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWEETED OUT THE ORANGE SKIES OVER NEW YORK CITY AND A KNIFE ATTACK IN FRANCE INJURES EIGHT, INCLUDING CHILDREN. THESE STORIES AND MORE HIGHLIGHT THE DAILY RUNDOWN FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2023. 

U.S. AIR QUALITY IMPACTED BY CANADIAN WILDFIRES

MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE UNDER AIR QUALITY ALERTS THIS MORNING BECAUSE OF SMOKE COMING DOWN FROM ONE OF THE WORST CANADIAN WILDFIRE SEASONS ON RECORD. AIR CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO IMPROVE MUCH TODAY AS THE SMOKE CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTH. IT’S ALREADY IMPACTING A LARGE STRETCH OF THE COUNTRY FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO TENNESSEE. 

THE SKYLINE OVER NEW YORK CITY AND OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE HAVE TURNED ORANGE. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWEETED “NO. THIS IS NOT MARS.” AS THE DARK HAZE WITH A SMOKY SMELL FILLS THE SKY. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT HAS SLOWED AIR TRAFFIC IN THE NORTHEAST AND MID-ATLANTIC, AS THE REGION DEALS WITH SMOKE FROM THE BURNING CANADIAN WILDFIRES. MANY SCHOOLS IN THE AREA CANCELED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND THE NEW YORK YANKEES AND PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES HAVE POSTPONED GAMES, ALL DUE TO THE AIR QUALITY. 

“YESTERDAY, THE SITUATION WORSENED CONSIDERABLY AND CERTAINLY WE’RE FEELING THOSE EFFECTS TODAY. THIS IS TYPICALLY A WEST COAST PHENOMENON, WE’RE USED TO FOLLOWING THE NEWS OF THE FIRES OUT WEST AS WELL AS IN CANADA. AND TODAY, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT WILDFIRES THAT ARE AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE QUALITY OF THE AIR HERE IN OUR HOME STATE,” SAID GOV. KATHY HOCHUL (D-NY).

PRESIDENT BIDEN SPOKE TO CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU YESTERDAY AND SENT OVER 600 U.S. FIREFIGHTERS AND PERSONNEL AS WELL AS EQUIPMENT LIKE WATER BOMBERS TO HELP CANADA BATTLE THE HISTORIC WILDFIRES.

CHILDREN SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN KNIFE ATTACK AT FRANCE PLAYGROUND

A HORRIFIC ATTACK IN FRANCE THIS MORNING HAS LEFT SEVERAL SMALL CHILDREN INJURED AFTER A MAN WITH A KNIFE TARGETED THEM AT A PARK PLAYGROUND. THERE WERE AT LEAST EIGHT PEOPLE WOUNDED IN THE ATTACK, FOUR OF WHICH WERE YOUNG CHILDREN.

ACCORDING TO REPORTS, THE CHILDREN WERE ALL ABOUT THREE-YEARS-OLD AND WERE FROM A KINDERGARTEN CLASS THAT WAS PLAYING OUTSIDE. THE FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON SAID THE CHILDREN AND ONE ADULT ARE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH AT THE HOSPITAL WITH STAB WOUNDS. AUTHORITIES WERE ABLE TO ARREST THE SUSPECT AT THE SCENE.

TRUMP INFORMED HE IS TARGET OF SPECIAL COUNSEL CRIMINAL PROBE

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MAY BE NEARING AN INDICTMENT OF FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. HIS LAWYERS HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN TOLD HE IS A TARGET OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE MISHANDLING OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. EVIDENCE ON THE CASE WAS PRESENTED TO A GRAND JURY IN MIAMI ON WEDNESDAY.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS ALLOW PROSECUTORS TO INFORM INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY ARE TARGETS OF A GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION BEFORE PROSECUTORS SEEK AN INDICTMENT.

THIS TYPICALLY GIVES THE INDIVIDUAL AN OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE GRAND JURY. TRUMP’S ATTORNEYS MET MONDAY WITH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT CONDUCT DURING THE INVESTIGATION.

TRUMP TOOK TO TRUTH SOCIAL TO SAY NO ONE HAS TOLD HIM HE IS BEING INDICTED AND SAYS HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS PULL BACK CONTEMPT CHARGE AGAINST FBI DIRECTOR

THE REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAS CALLED OFF A VOTE TO HOLD FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS.

CHAIRMAN JAMES COMER SAID A LAST MINUTE OFFER BY THE FBI TO ALLOW THE FULL COMMITTEE ACCESS TO A CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED. THE DOCUMENT AT HAND IS A REDACTED VERSION OF A CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT THAT ALLEGES A BRIBERY SCHEME INVOLVING THEN-VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND A FOREIGN NATIONAL. 

THIS IS PART OF A LARGER BREAKDOWN BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND THE FBI WHICH HAS INTENSIFIED THIS YEAR. SOME CONSERVATIVE LAWMAKERS ARE TALKING OPENLY ABOUT TRYING TO DEFUND THE BUREAU. 

BIDEN VETOES BILL BLOCKING STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS

AN ATTEMPT BY REPUBLICANS TO BLOCK PRESIDENT BIDEN’S STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM HAS BEEN VETOED BY THE PRESIDENT. THE BILL HAD PASSED BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE EARLIER THIS MONTH WITH SUPPORT FROM SOME MODERATE DEMOCRATS PUSHING IT THROUGH. IT AIMED TO BLOCK THE PRESIDENT’S PROMISE TO CANCEL UP TO $20,000 OF DEBT FOR MILLIONS OF STUDENTS.

THE BILL WOULD HAVE BANNED THE DEBT FORGIVENESS REGARDLESS OF HOW THE SUPREME COURT RULES ON THE LEGALITY OF THE PROGRAM. A DECISION FROM THE JUSTICES IS EXPECTED TO COME DOWN THIS MONTH.

SOCCER STAR LIONEL MESSI JOINS INTER MIAMI

THERE’S A LOT OF CHATTER IN THE WORLD OF SOCCER AFTER SUPER STAR LIONEL MESSI SIGNED WITH THE MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER TEAM INTER MIAMI. THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES ON THE HEELS OF MESSI WINNING THE WORLD CUP WITH ARGENTINA WHERE HE WAS ALSO GIVEN AN AWARD FOR BEING THE BEST PLAYER IN THE TOURNAMENT.

INTER MIAMI IS CO-OWNED BY RETIRED SOCCER PLAYER DAVID BECKHAM AND THERE’S SPECULATION AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MESSI TO EVENTUALLY CO-OWN HIS OWN FRANCHISE WAS PART OF THE DEAL.