[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
GOOD MORNING
I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI
IT’S FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2025
AND THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES:
MIDDLE EAST DIPLOMACY DAY THREE, PRESIDENT TRUMP VISITS ABU DHABI. HE ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE PLANE THAT QATAR IS GIFTING HIM AND IF THE FUTURE AIR FORCE ONE, REALLY IS COMING.
AND — THEY WERE ONCE ALLIES WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP NOMINATED HIM TO BE FBI DIRECTOR, DURING HIS FIRST TERM. BUT JAMES COMEY IS NOW AN OUTSPOKEN TRUMP-CRITIC. THIS MORNING HE’S UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR A SOCIAL MEDIA POST AND WHAT SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE IT MEANS.
[L3: TRUMP ENTERS FINAL DAY OF MIDDLE EAST VISIT]
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ARRIVED IN ABU DHABI ON THE FINAL LEG OF HIS MIDDLE EAST TOUR.
THE PRESIDENT ATTENDED A BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE WITH AMERICAN AND BUSINESS LEADERS OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AS WELL AS THE U-A-E PRESIDENT.
HE THEN TOURED AN INTERFAITH FACILITY THAT IS HOME TO A MOSQUE, SYNAGOGUE AND CHURCH KNOWN AS THE ABRAHAMIC HOUSE.
AFTER, THE PRESIDENT WILL HEAD BACK TO WASHINGTON D-C ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE.
PRESIDENT’S TRUMP’S TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST HAS BEEN FILLED WITH HEADLINES.
INCLUDING AGREEMENTS WITH SAUDI ARABIA INVOLVING MILITARY, CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES AND MEDICAL RESEARCH COOPERATION. DONALD TRUMP ALSO SECURED A 600 BILLION DEAL WITH SAUDI ARABIA TO INVEST IN THE UNITED STATES, ACCORDING TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO STRUCK A DEAL WITH THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES WORTH ABOUT ONE-AND-A-HALF BILLION DOLLARS IN NEW WEAPONS, GOING TO THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. THE AGREEMENT INCLUDES A PARTNERSHIP TO BUILD A SPRAWLING DATA CENTER IN ABU DHABI TO ADVANCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES, WITH ENOUGH ENERGY, TO REPORTEDLY POWER A MAJOR CITY.
THE PRESIDENT ALSO ANNOUNCED HE WOULD LIFT SANCTIONS ON SYRIA THIS WEEK MEETING WITH NEW SYRIAN PRESIDENT AHMED AL-SHARAA.
THE U-S IS NOW LOOKING TO “NORMALIZE” RELATIONS WITH SYRIA.
THE TRIP WAS ALSO MARKED BY A BIT OF CONTROVERSY AS PRESIDENT TRUMP DEFENDED HIS ACCEPTANCE OF A PLANE FROM THE QATARI ROYAL FAMILY, THAT HE INTENDS TO USE AS AIR FORCE ONE. HE SAYS THE CURRENT PLANE IS 42-YEARS-OLD BUT NEW ONES ARE COMING.
L3: FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR INSTAGRAM POST
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND SECRET SERVICE HAVE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO A SOCIAL MEDIA POST FROM FORMER F-B-I DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY. THE PROBE COMES AFTER SEVERAL U-S OFFICIALS INTERPRETED HIS NOW-DELETED INSTAGRAM POST AS CALLING FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT TRUMP. COMEY SHARED A PICTURE OF WHAT HE SAID WAS A “SHELL FORMATION” ON A BEACH. THE SHELLS FORMED THE NUMBERS “8647.” REPUBLICANS AND TRUMP-ALLIES QUICKLY CONDEMNED THE POST AS TARGETING DONALD TRUMP, THE 47TH PRESIDENT.
ACCORDING A TO A DICTIONARY DEFINITION, “EIGHTY-SIX” CAN MEAN “GET RID OF IT.”
HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM WROTE IN RESPONSE TO THE POST ON X, “DISGRACED FORMER F-B-I DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY JUST CALLED FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT TRUMP. D-H-S AND SECRET SERVICE IS INVESTIGATING AND WILL RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.”
COMEY DENIES THE POST WAS MEANT AS A THREAT. HE SAID HE WAS NOT AWARE PEOPLE ASSOCIATED THE NUMBERS HE SHARED, WITH PROMOTING VIOLENCE. AND SAYS HE OPPOSES “VIOLENCE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES SO I TOOK IT DOWN.”
L3: ARMY CONFIRMS MILITARY PARADE PLANNED ON TRUMP’S BIRTHDAY COULD COST $45M
THE U-S ARMY CONFIRMS A MILITARY PARADE NOW PLANNED FOR NEXT MONTH IN WASHINGTON, D-C COULD COST UP TO 45 MILLION DOLLARS.
THE PARADE IS TO CELEBRATE THE ARMY’S 250-TH ANNIVERSARY — WHICH HAPPENS TO COINCIDE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP’S 79-TH BIRTHDAY.
THE PARADE –SET FOR JUNE 14-TH — WILL FEATURE MORE THAN 6000 SOLDIERS AND 50 MILITARY AIRCRAFT, AS WELL AS 150 MILITARY VEHICLES.
THE ARMY SAYS THOUSANDS OF VISITORS FOR THE PARADE WILL STAY IN UNUSED GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS AND SLEEP ON COTS, AND BE PROVIDED THREE DAILY MEALS A DAY ALONG WITH A STIPEND.
THE CELEBRATION IS ALSO EXPECTED TO INCLUDE AN ALL-DAY FESTIVAL WITH MUSICAL PERFORMANCES AND DISPLAYS OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT.
L3: NEW JERSEY TRANSIT WORKERS GO ON STRIKE, IMPACTING COMMUTE FOR THOUSANDS
THIS MORNING — TRANSIT WORKERS ACROSS NEW JERSEY ARE ON STRIKE.
ALL OF THE STATE’S COMMUTER RAIL ENGINEERS WALKED OFF THE JOB EARLY TODAY AFTER MARATHON CONTRACT TALKS STALLED.
THEIR UNION HAD SET A MIDNIGHT DEADLINE FOR MEETING WAGE DEMANDS.
NEWS OF THE STRIKE CAME AS NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY AND NEW JERSEY TRANSIT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER KRIS KOLLURI HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE.
Murphy: “Not shocked. We were hoping for the best. We’re prepared for the worst.”
THE STRIKE IS EXPECTED IMPACT SERVICE TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DAILY COMMUTERS IN NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK.
THIS IS THE FIRST STRIKE IN MORE THAN FORTY YEARS FOR THE NATION’S THIRD-LARGEST TRANSIT SYSTEM.
L3: SMOKEY ROBINSON UNDER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OVER SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS
SOME VERY SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS LODGED AGAINST MUSIC LEGEND SMOKEY ROBINSON, WHO’S IN THE ROCK ‘N ROLL HALL OF FAME AND THE SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME.
THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT CONFIRMS IT HAS NOW OPENED A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO SMOKEY ROBINSON.
FOUR, FORMER HOUSEKEEPERS ALLEGE THAT ROBINSON, WHO IS 85, SEXUALLY ASSAULTED THEM, FOR YEARS, WHILE THEY WORKED FOR HIM.
THEY’VE ALREADY FILED A CIVIL SUIT, SEEKING $50 MILLION IN DAMAGES.
THE WOMEN CLAIM THE SEXUAL ATTACKS TOOK PLACE OVER A 17-YEAR PERIOD FROM 2007 TO 2014.
THEY ALLEGE THAT ROBINSON WOULD WAIT UNTIL HE WAS ALONE IN HIS HOUSE WITH THEM, THEN SEXUALLY ASSAULT AND RAPE THEM.
ONE WOMAN CLAIMS IT HAPPENED AT LEAST 20 TIMES; ANOTHER SAID SHE WAS THE VICTIM ABOUT TWO DOZEN TIMES FROM 2014 UNTIL 2020.
ALL THE WOMEN SAY THEY EVENTUALLY QUIT BECAUSE OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULTS AND WERE AFRAID TO COME FORWARD FOR FEAR OF RETALIATION AND PUBLIC SHAME.
THEIR LAWYER CALLED SMOKEY ROBINSON A “SICK AND SERIAL RAPIST.”
ROBINSON’S LAWYER SAYS THE ENTERTAINER DID NOTHING WRONG AND THIS IS A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO SWAY PUBLIC OPINION AND TURN THE MATTER INTO A MEDIA CIRCUS.
SMOKEY ROBINSON’S WIFE OF 23 YEARS IS ACCUSED IN THE CIVIL SUIT OF HAVING FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SEXUAL MISCONDUCT AND FAILING TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.
L3: BABY WITH RARE DISEASE RECEIVES LIFESAVING GENE EDITING TREATMENT
FINALLY THIS MORNING — A BABY BORN WITH A RARE AND DEADLY GENETIC DISEASE IS ALIVE AND THRIVING AFTER A RECEIVING AN EXPERIMENTAL GENE EDITING TREATMENT DESIGNED JUST FOR HIM.
RESEARCHERS SAYS K-J MULDOON WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO BE SUCCESSFULLY TREATED WITH A CUSTOM THERAPY THAT FIXES TINY ERRORS IN HIS GENETIC DOE THAT KILLS HALF OF IMPACTED INFANTS. DOCTORS ARE HOPEFUL THE TECHNOLOGY WILL SOMEDAY BE USED TO HELP MILLIONS.
“WE’RE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT HE’S THREE DOSES OF THE THERAPY WITHOUT ANY COMPLICATIONS AND HE’S SHOWING SOME EARLY SIGNS OF BENEFIT,” DR. REBECCA AHRENS-NICKLAS, CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL PHILADELPHIA
K-J FROM CLIFTON HEIGHTS, PENNSYLVANIA, IS ONE OF 350 MILLION PEOPLE GLOBALLY WITH RARE DISEASES. MOST OF THEM ARE GENETIC. HE WAS DIAGNOSED SHORTLY AFTER BEING BORN WITH A SEVERE C-P-S-ONE DEFICIENCY. THOSE INFANTS LACK A CRITICAL ENZYME THAT HELPS FILTER AMMONIA FROM THE BODY, WHICH CAN BUILD UP IN THEIR BLOOD AND BECOME TOXIC. SOME tiny SUFFERERS REQUIRE A LIVER TRANSPLANT.
K-J’S PARENTS FEARED THEY COULD LOSE HIM.
“THE PROGNOSIS FOR HIM WAS VERY DIFFERENT BEFORE WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT GENE EDITING AND THE INFUSIONS,” NICOLE MULDOON, KJ’S MOTHER
WITHIN SIX MONTHS, THE TEAM AT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN PHILADELPHIA AND PENN MEDICINE CAME UP WITH A THERAPY DESIGNED TO FIX K-J’S ENZYME. THE TECHNOLOGY THEY USED IS KNOWN AS “BASE EDITING”. THE INVENTORS ACTUALLY WON A NOBEL PRIZE IN 2020. THE TECHNOLOGY CHEMICALLY CHANGES ONE D-N-A “LETTER” INTO ANOTHER, RATHER THAN CUTTING THE D-N-A STRAND LIKE OTHER METHODS. THIS TECHNIQUE REDUCES THE RISK OF POSSIBLE ADVERSE GENETIC CHANGES.
THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES FOR THIS FRIDAY.
WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.
FOR ALL OF US HERE AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS — I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.
HAVE A GREAT DAY!
