Happy Saturday! On this date in 1974, Cincinnati surgeon Henry J. Heimlich published his technique for rescuing choking victims in the medical journal Emergency Medicine. Called the Heimlich maneuver, it has been credited with saving tens of thousands of lives.
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Manchin Leaves Democratic Party
West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin officially left the Democratic Party and filed as an independent on Friday, saying partisanship and a lack of compromise have left American politics broken.
Despite this move, Manchin is expected to continue to caucus with Democrats in the Senate and keep his chairmanship, which will help Democrats maintain their slim 51-49 majority.
Manchin, considered a centrist Democrat, served two terms as West Virginia’s governor before being elected to the Senate in 2010. In November, he announced that he wouldn’t seek re-election, sparking speculation that he might run for president as an independent. However, by February, Manchin stated that it wasn’t the right time to run for the presidency.
His surprise switch in party affiliation coincides with West Virginia’s June 1 deadline for changing party affiliation in time to run for office this fall. The deadline to file for governor or Senate is August 1st.
6 Million Vehicles Recalled
A new report released by Carfax Wednesday revealed more than 6 million U.S. vehicles still have the dangerous Takata airbags, which pose a risk of injury and death and were recalled over a decade ago. You can check the recall list here.
According to Carfax, 40% of the vehicles with Takata airbags are located in states that “pose the highest threat to safety” because their high heat and humidity can cause the airbags to explode when deployed. Those states are Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas.
The Takata recall is the largest and one of the deadliest in history. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has confirmed 27 people in the U.S. have been killed by defective airbags, and at least 400 people have been injured.
The danger prompted Nissan to issue a “do not drive” warning for about 84,000 older-model vehicles.
Home Insurance Rates Up Almost 38%
U.S. home insurance rates have increased nearly 38% since 2019, according to a new report released by LendingTree.
The online lending marketplace named rising home prices, growing inflation, and natural disasters as the most significant factors causing the dramatic increase in rates.
Homeowners in Arizona, Illinois, and Nebraska have been the hardest hit by rate increases. Their insurance bills have jumped by more than 55% since 2019.
So far in 2024, rates have climbed an average of 5.8%, pushing the average annual cost of home insurance across the U.S. to $2,478.
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➤The Trump campaign raised nearly $35 million in small-dollar donations after the former president was found guilty of 34 felony counts on Thursday, breaking the campaign’s previous record. (More)
➤Israel confirmed that its forces are operating in central parts of Rafah on Friday, the same day President Biden announced that Israeli officials proposed a three-phase cease-fire deal to Hamas. (More)
➤Eight Senate Republicans pledged on Friday to oppose major legislation introduced by Democrats, along with White House judicial and political nominations, in response to the guilty verdicts of former President Donald Trump. (More)
➤ Researchers tested six AI voice-cloning tools and discovered that the technology achieved an 80% success rate in generating false statements using the voices of political leaders, including President Biden. (More)
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➤ The Dallas Mavericks are headed to the 2024 NBA Finals after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-103 Thursday night. Dallas will now face the Boston Celtics for the 2024 title beginning next Thursday. (More)
➤ French authorities filed terrorism charges against an 18-year-old man from Chechnya on Friday, accusing him of a plot to target spectators attending soccer games at the upcoming Paris Olympics. (More)
➤ Birmingham-Southern’s baseball team advanced to the Division III World Series this week and will compete after the school shuts down on Friday due to finances. (More)
➤ A Florida middle schooler won the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee in a 90-second tie-breaking spell-off Thursday, earning a trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. (See Video)
Ladies and Gentlemen: our most-clicked stories of the week. Enjoy!
➤ #1: An Ohio high school center fielder prevented an in-the-park home run by scooping up a misplayed fly ball and tagging out the batter at home plate. (See Video)
➤#2: The biggest homes for $200,000 are found in West Virginia, and the smallest are in Hawaii, according to a list compiled by 24/7 Wall St. (See List)
➤ #3: Severe weather hit north Texas last week as tornadoes left several dead and at least 150 individuals trapped in a roof collapse at a gas station. (See Images)
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➤ An elderly California man accused of using a slingshot to fire metal projectiles at his neighbors’ homes and vehicles died Wednesday, just days after he was arrested and appeared in court. (More)
➤ A home security camera captured an Amazon delivery driver leaving a package in a burning garage. Instead of calling emergency services, the driver left to make more deliveries. (See Video)
➤ Costco’s CFO ended speculation Thursday and confirmed that the $1.50 price for its popular hot dog and soda combo will remain unchanged. (More)
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Manchin Leaves Democratic Party 
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