Happening Today

Happening Today: Impeachment Hearing, Tobacco Age, Star on Christmas Tree

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House's First Open Impeachment Hearing

The House Intelligence Committee will hold its first public hearing Wednesday in President Donald Trump's impeachment inquiry. The two State Department witnesses — William Taylor, the charge d'affaires in Ukraine, and George Kent, the deputy Assistant Secretary in the European and Eurasian Bureau — will tell House investigators what they know about Trump's actions toward Ukraine, including the July phone call with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that ignited the impeachment inquiry. The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET Wednesday.

Legal Age to Buy Tobacco, E-Cigs Goes Up in New York

New York has now raised the minimum age to buy tobacco and electronic cigarettes to 21 years old, from 18. The law goes into effect Wednesday, Nov. 13. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the goal is to prevent addictive cigarette and vaping products from getting to young people. The New York Department of Health says nearly 40 percent of 12th grade students and 27 percent of high school students are now using e-cigarettes. They say the increase is largely driven by flavored e-liquids.

Crystal Star to Be Installed on Top of Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

A 900-pound Swarovski crystal star will be raised by a crane and secured to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree today. Designed by architect Daniel Libeskind,  the sparkling star measures 9-foot 4-inches in diameter and is crafted from 3 million dazzling Swarovski Crystals on 70 illuminated spikes. In three weeks, the massive tree will be illuminated for the first time during a live TV broadcast.

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