5 Things posted Oct 3, 2023 @ 08:00am by Josh Duncan

5 things you need to know this morning: Oct. 3, 2023

Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning.

Five things you need to know

1. Girl abducted on family camping trip found alive thanks to fingerprints on ransom note

A massive two-day search for a girl that was abducted during a family camping trip in New York over the weekend has ended on a positive note. Authorities say nine-year-old Charlotte Sena is “safe and in good health,” while 47-year-old suspect Craig Nelson Ross Jr. is in custody. Sena was tracked down on Ross Jr.’s properties after the authorities identified him through fingerprints on a ransom note.

Police say fingerprints on a ransom note helped lead them to the 9-year-old girl who disappeared while camping with her family upstate. @ZinniaDee_TV has the latest on the search and the suspect in custody. https://t.co/LgWfri51Pd

— CBS New York (@CBSNewYork) October 3, 2023

2. The effect of 2023 wildfires on Canada’s landscape can be seen from space

It’s been a historic wildfire season in Canada and the effects can be seen from space. The Canadian Space Agency has produced photos of various parts of Canada that show massive burn scars across hundreds of thousands of hectares of land, which were green from trees, grass and other plants earlier in the summer.

Before and after: Damage in wake of Canada's wildfires seen from space https://t.co/6VqepCGYv0 pic.twitter.com/jFWt2stRVB
— CTV News (@CTVNews) October 2, 2023

3. Seven MPs vying to become new Speaker of the House

Following Anthony Rota’s resignation last week, there are seven Members of Parliament vying to replace him as the House of Commons’ new Speaker. MPs are gathered in the House today to elect Canada’s 38th Speaker. The list of candidates includes four Liberals and one MP each from the Conservatives, NDP and Green parties.

House of Commons meets to elect new Speaker, seven candidates vying for key role https://t.co/DORICyA5qU pic.twitter.com/HckKloO0xG
— CTV News (@CTVNews) October 3, 2023

4. Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to 3 federal firearms charges

President Joe Biden’s son Hunter pleaded not guilty this morning to three federal firearms charges after a plea deal imploded. He faces charges that he lied about his drug use in October 2018 on a form to buy a gun that he kept for less than two weeks. This latest development puts the case on track toward a possible trial as the 2024 election looms.

Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to federal gun charges. The president's son was indicted last month after a proposed plea deal fell apart. https://t.co/woZikA4f8q
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) October 3, 2023

5. McDonald’s and Wendy’s defeat lawsuit over burger sizes

A US District Judge found no proof that McDonald’s and Wendy’s delivered smaller burgers than advertised. The fast-food giants defeated a lawsuit accusing them of deceiving people by exaggerating the size of their burgers, which was brought forward by Justin Chimienti. The judge said there was no proof Chimienti had even seen ads for the burgers he bought and the fast-food chains' efforts to make their products more appetizing were no different than other companies’ efforts to use visually appealing images of their products.