Russia threatened World War III, Alex Jones was ordered to pay 5 million to Sandy Hook victims, and a boost to social security benefits is expected.

Karah Rucker Reporter/Anchor

Russia warns of World War III; Alex Jones verdict; Social Security boost

Oct 13, 2022

Karah Rucker Reporter/Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Anchor), Ben Burke (Producer/Editor)

Russia’s latest threats over Ukraine included references to World War III; Alex Jones was ordered to pay nearly $1 billion to those affected by the Sandy Hook shooting; and a large boost to Social Security benefits is expected. These stories highlight the daily rundown for Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022.

Russia threatens World War III – Russian state media quoted a Russian Security Council official invoking the threat of World War III Thursday. The official’s comments came in response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s announcement of a surprise bid for fast-track membership of NATO in the hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin formally proclaimed the annexation of up to 18% of Ukraine last month.

“Kyiv is well aware that such a step would mean a guaranteed escalation to World War III,” TASS quoted Alexander Venediktov, the deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, as saying.

Alex Jones defamation verdict – Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was ordered in Connecticut court to pay $965 million to Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims’ relatives and an FBI agent. Between Wednesday’s verdict and the verdicts from Jones’ Texas trials, Jones has now been ordered to pay more than $1 billion for spreading the myth that the shooting never happened and that the grieving families seen in news coverage were actors hired as part of a plot to take away people’s guns.

“From a personal standpoint, what it does to me is it shows that the Internet is not the wild, wild west and that your actions have consequences,” Bill Sherlach, whose wife was killed in the shooting, said Wednesday. “We’ve sent a response. We’ve put a dose of civility into the society that we really need at this point in time.”

Social Security benefits boost – Millions of Social Security recipients are set to learn how big a boost in benefits they will get next year. The increase to be announced Thursday, expected to be the largest in 40 years, is fueled by record high inflation.

The boost in benefits will be coupled with a 3% drop in Medicare Part B premiums, meaning retirees will get the full impact of the jump in Social Security benefits. On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the combination will give seniors a chance to get ahead of inflation.

“We will put more money in their pockets and provide them with a little extra breathing room,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement. “Experts forecast [the increase in Social Security] will be $140 per month, on average, starting in January.”

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Tags: NATO, Russia, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy

RUSSIA IS USING THE WORDS ‘WORLD WAR THREE’ IN ITS LATEST THREAT.
ALEX JONES IS PAYING BIG BUCKS FOR HIS TAKE ON SANDY HOOK.
AND THOSE ON SOCIAL SECURITY ARE GETTING A PAY RAISE.
GOOD MORNING I’M KARAH RUCKER AND HERE’S YOUR DAILY RUNDOWN.
IN THE SAME BREATH OF THREATENING WORLD WAR THREE…RUSSIA COULD BE ENTERING PEACE NEGOTATIONS…MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF TURKEY TODAY WHO WOULD SERVE AS THE MIDDLE MAN OF PEACE TALKS.
BUT PUTIN’S STANCE WILL BE A HARD ONE TO BUDGE.
RUSSIA SAYING TODAY IF UKRAINE JOINS NATO…IT WILL GUARANTEE WORLD WAR THREE.
THE UNITED NATIONS ALSO NOT EASING THEIR POSITION.
VOTING YESTERDAY TO MARK RUSSIA’S ANNEXATION OF UKRAINIAN TERRITORY ILLEGAL.
WORDS MATTER. THAT’S THE TAKEAWAY FROM THE DEFAMATION TRIAL OF ALEX JONES.
CALLING THE SANDY HOOK SHOOTING A HOAX AND MOCKING PARENTS OF THE VICTIMS…A JURY HAS NOW FOUND HIM FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS RHETORIC…OWING ONE BILLION DOLLARS.
THE JURY DECIDING ‘FREEDOM OF SPEECH’ STILL HAS ITS LIMITATIONS.
FOR THOSE DEPENDENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY…
YOU COULD BE GETTING A PAY RAISE…THE LARGEST INCREASE TO SOCIAL SECURITY IN FORTY YEARS IS EXPECTED TO BE ANNOUNCED TODAY.
EVERY YEAR SOCIAL SECURITY MAKES A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
AND IF WE’VE SEEN INFLATION AT A FORTY YEAR HIGH…
IT MAKES SENSE THE PAYMENT INCREASE WOULD CORRELATE DIRECTLY WITH THAT.