TSA Gun record, U.S. freezeout, and live eBay spiders.

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Big Stories

1) TSA found a record number of guns at checkpoints in 2023

In 2023, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) discovered a record-breaking 6,737 firearms at airport security checkpoints.

• Agents found 18 firearms per day on average — 93% of which were loaded. The previous record was set in 2022 when 6,542 were found. TSA Administrator David Pekoske expressed concern about the high number of loaded firearms, posing a risk to everyone at the TSA checkpoint.

• The busiest airports, Atlanta's Hartsfield–Jackson International and Dallas Fort Worth International, topped the list for the most firearms found at security checkpoints (451 and 378, respectively). Passengers are allowed to travel with firearms in checked baggage if unloaded and in a locked hard-sided container. They must also declare it to the airline when checking their bag at the ticketing counter. Forgetfulness is cited as the primary reason for passengers having firearms in their carry-on bags.

• When a firearm is discovered at a security checkpoint, TSA contacts local law enforcement to remove the passenger, who may face arrest, citation, and fines of up to approximately $15,000. Additionally, individuals may lose their TSA PreCheck eligibility for at least five years and undergo enhanced screening.

2) $1B in military aid for Ukraine is MIA

A Pentagon report found that more than $1 billion worth of U.S. missiles, drones, and other weapons sent to Ukraine have not been properly tracked by officials.

• The report found that out of $1.69 billion of equipment requiring additional tracking due to sensitive military technology, nearly 60% (over $1 billion) is not fully accounted for.

• The Defense Department's inspector general didn’t provide information on whether the weapons sent to Ukraine had been used inappropriately or taken somewhere else. However, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder assured there is no credible evidence of illicit diversion while blaming Russia for fanning concerns that the weapons could be stolen or smuggled. The report's findings are likely to impact the debate in Congress on approving more military aid for Ukraine.

• The report further explains that around 40,000 weapons lacked quick or full accountability as of early June, with reasons including database delays and personnel limitations. Despite the challenges, the roughly 40,000 defense items are a small part of the $50 billion in military equipment sent to Ukraine since 2014. Most U.S.-provided weapons have made it to Ukrainian soldiers since Moscow invaded the country in Feb. 2022.

3) Freezing weather to blast warm areas of the U.S.

An extremely cold weather event is expected to affect a large part of the United States, including the Deep South, until next week.

• The cold outbreak will happen in two phases. The first wave is currently moving south in the Plains, followed by an even stronger cold blast sweeping from the Northwest through the Southern Plains and Midwest this weekend. It will then reach the Southeast early next week and finally impact the East Coast by Tuesday or Wednesday.

• During the coldest days, temperatures will drop significantly:

  • The northern Gulf Coast may experience lows in the 20s and possibly teens.

  • The Deep South could see teens, with a few single-digit lows.

  • Parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas may reach below zero.

  • Iowa, Nebraska, and Montana could see lows in the minus 20s to minus 40s. There's also a risk of daily record lows from Washington to Wyoming, especially on Monday and Tuesday.

  The outbreak might last through the first half of MLK week, with some areas, like parts of the South, experiencing several days with daytime highs below freezing.

• Several factors are contributing to the freezeout. High-pressure systems near Greenland and the Canadian Arctic are pushing cold air from Canada into the U.S. That cold air will be kept chilly by the widespread snow cover from recent winter storms. And it’s all happening during the coldest time of the year.

Little Stories

• Archaeologists have discovered a group of lost cities in the Amazon rainforest that was home to around 10,000 farmers about 2,000 years ago. A series of mounds were initially noticed over 20 years ago but recent laser-sensor mapping revealed a network of settlements and roads hidden in the forested foothills of the Andes. The cities existed for around 1,000 years. (More)

• Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, pleaded not guilty to nine tax-related charges in a federal court in California. This is the second set of charges he's facing recently, including federal tax and gun charges. He is also at risk of facing contempt of Congress charges for not complying with a subpoena from House Republicans. (More)

• Hertz has decided to sell about a third of its rental electric vehicles (around 20,000 cars) and use the money to buy more cars that run on gasoline. Even though electric cars are cheaper to maintain than gas-powered vehicles, Hertz is facing financial challenges because they are more expensive to repair and lose value faster. (More)

• New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is leaving the team after 24 seasons. Under Belichick, the Patriots won six Super Bowls with Tom Brady as quarterback. However, the team quickly fell into mediocrity after Brady left for Tampa Bay — where he won another championship. Despite the recent falloff, Belichick is in the conversation for the greatest coach of all time. (More)

• A group of Harvard students is suing the university, alleging that it fosters a hostile environment of anti-Jewish hatred and harassment. The students claim that Harvard violated Title VI, selectively enforced policies to avoid the protection of Jewish students from harassment, and hired professors who support anti-Jewish violence. Harvard has not commented on the pending litigation, according to a university spokesperson. (More)

Extra Credit

• An eBay employee sent live spiders and cockroaches to a customer.

• Nearly every American lives near a Mexican restaurant.

• Researchers recorded a crocodile love song in Australia.

• Over 4 trillion songs were streamed worldwide in 2023.