In this episode of Countdown, we take a closer look at the sentencing of right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who was ordered to pay nearly a billion dollars to the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting for spreading the lie that the shooting was a hoax.
Some members of these families broke down in tears when the decision was handed down.
ABC News investigative reporter Aaron Katersky analyzed the developments.
Here are other headlines from the Wednessay show:
COVID boosters for kids
The U.S. on Wednesday authorized updated COVID-19 boosters for children age 5 and older in an effort to expand protections ahead of an expected winter surge. Last month, modified boosters were introduced for Americans age 12 and older, with doses altered to match the more common and contagious omicron relative. While there hasn’t been a big rush, federal health officials are urging people to seek additional protection before holiday gatherings.
Midterm Election Update
Important midterm elections in this country are about a month away. FiveThirtyEight says the data suggests we’re headed for a split decision in Congress, with Democrats holding the Senate and Republicans taking control. But this is only part of the picture. Nationally, the polls are steadily moving toward a more favorable landscape for Democrats, though that doesn’t appear to be the case in New York.
War in Ukraine
For the third day, merciless Russian airstrikes on civilian objects in Ukraine continue. As a result of the attack, more than a dozen citizens were killed and more than 100 were injured. Military experts see these recent attacks as desperate, raising fears that Russian presidents may feel pressured to launch nuclear weapons. President Joe Biden says he doesn’t actually believe Vladimir Putin will use nuclear weapons, but describes him as a leader who miscalculated in this war against Ukraine.
You can watch “Countdown” live Monday through Friday at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7NY.com or on our ABC7NY app on Roku, FireTV, Apple TV and Android TV.
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