promoearn: Grand jury: Trump witnesses may have lied

Thursday, February 16

A Georgia judge released excerpts from a grand jury investigation into Donald Trump. President Joe Biden addressed the mysterious objects recently shot down. Hundreds of residents voiced frustrations and concerns to officials after a massive Ohio train crash.

👋 Howdy! Laura Davis here with all the news you need to know Thursday.

☄️ But first: Officials are investigating whether a meteorite may have crashed into south Texas this week after residents reported an explosion that shook homes.

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Grand jury recommends perjury charges for Trump investigation witnesses

A Georgia judge released a first – albeit abbreviated – look Thursday at a grand jury's examination of former President Donald Trump's attempts to interfere in the 2020 election. The heavily redacted report contained scant details, but some things were clear: The grand jury found no evidence of fraud as widely claimed by former Trump and recommended perjury charges for unnamed witnesses suspected of lying under oath. Here's what we know.

•	Reports: Former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows subpoenaed by DOJ special counsel.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, right, talks with a member of her team during proceedings to seat a special purpose grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, on May 2, to look into the actions of former President Donald Trump and his supporters who tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The hearing took place in Atlanta.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, right, talks with a member of her team during proceedings to seat a special grand jury on May 2, to look into the actions of former President Donald Trump and his supporters who tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Ben Gray, AP

Biden: 3 latest balloons not likely spies

President Joe Biden said Thursday that his administration continues to study a series of unidentified flying objects shot down in recent days but that intelligence officials increasingly believe they were benign balloons "tied to private companies, recreation or research institutions." That doesn't include the Chinese spy balloon the U.S. military shot down last week. Here's the latest.

President Joe Biden speaks about the Chinese surveillance balloon and other unidentified objects shot down by the U.S. military, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, in Washington.

Evan Vucci, AP

What everyone's talking about

•	Bruce Willis diagnosed with 'cruel disease' frontotemporal dementia, family announces.
•	How diverse is corporate America? There are more Black leaders, but white men still run it.
•	Bureaucrats are telling your doctor how to treat pain. And patients suffer needlessly. \| Opinion
•	I'm a single woman, and I want a family. So I finally did something about it.
•	A 14-year-old's suicide, the video that was posted and the dangers of sharing graphic content.

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Railroad company skips Ohio town hall after catastrophic derailment

When word spread that people who lived in the area of a massive train derailment in Ohio could voice concerns directly to railroad company Norfolk Southern on Wednesday, the village showed up by the hundreds. But just before the town hall event began, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway told residents Norfolk Southern had backed out. While attendees tried to remain patient and orderly, they still pressed on why they're being told everything is safe when dozens of residents are reporting illnesses and fish in their waters are dying. "Why are people getting sick if there's nothing in the air or water?" one woman shouted. It was a question no one had a direct answer to. Keep reading.

•	Lawsuit: Norfolk Southern deliberately released 1.1M pounds of vinyl chloride after derailment.
•	Fact check: Social media post misleads on number of journalists arrested in East Palestine.

A man takes photos as a black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk and Southern trains on Monday

A man takes photos as a black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern train.

Gene J. Puskar, AP

Credit card debt hits a record high

Americans are relying on credit cards more than ever. But as prices remain stubbornly high, borrowers are also having trouble making payments on time. In the last quarter of 2022, credit card balances increased by $61 billion to $986 billion, a record high, according to a New York Federal Reserve Bank report released Thursday. The previous high for credit card balances was set before the pandemic at $927 billion. Keep reading.

🌤 What's the weather up to in your neck of the woods? Check your local forecast here.

A break from the news

•	🛍 Save big with the 80 best Presidents Day sales at Amazon, Green Chef, iRobot and Nike.
•	Inside look at late fashion editor and cultural icon André Leon Talley's extravagant collection, up for auction.
•	🥺 Grab the tissues: Service dog Kaya gets emotional honor in final flight home.

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

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