Plus, the UK energy shortage, very briefly explained.
R. Kelly was found guilty on all racketeering and sex trafficking charges; a truck driver shortage spells trouble at fuel stations across the UK. Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin. R. Kelly faces life in prison Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images - 54-year-old R&B singer R. Kelly faces life in prison after being found guilty of federal racketeering and sex trafficking.
- Kelly was found to have run a Chicago-based enterprise that lured adults as well as underage women and men with false promises and sought to control them through sexual and emotional abuse. [Guardian / Lauren Aratani and Gloria Oladipo]
- Throughout the six-week trial, prosecutors and witnesses described how the singer, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was protected by enablers including friends and music industry professionals who turned a blind eye, a "settlement factory" in which Kelly paid women to silence allegations of sexual abuse, and by blackmailing victims with explicit photos and videos. [NYT/ Troy Closson]
- Abuse allegations have circled Kelly for years, but a 2017 investigation by Chicago reporter Jim DeRogatis set a change in motion. His reporting detailed claims from parents who said their daughters were being held against their will, and the 2019 Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly featuring the victim's stories led to federal charges being filed. [BuzzFeed / Julia Reinstein]
- In a statement to reporters following the verdict, anti-discrimination attorney Gloria Allred — who represented some of Kelly's victims as well as those of Harvey Weinstein — said "of all the predators that I have pursued, Mr. Kelly is the worst," before describing how Kelly used his power to prey on women and children. [Reuters / Tyler Clifford and Luc Cohen]
- This is not the first time Kelly has appeared in court, nor will it be the last. In 2008, he was acquitted of child pornography charges in a case that alleged he participated in videotaped sex acts with a girl as young as 13. He still faces additional abuse charges in Chicago and a solicitation case in Minnesota. [Chicago Tribune / Jason Meisner and Megan Crepau]
The UK fuel crisis, very briefly explained - Drivers across the United Kingdom are facing long lines as gas stations have gone empty due to a long-gestating shortage of truck drivers, exacerbated by the departure of European drivers following Brexit. [NYT / Jenny Gross]
- The UK government has tried to reassure the public that the problem is not one of supply but a temporary issue about transporting the fuel; many, however, continue panic-buying, only worsening the emergency. [CNBC / Chloe Taylor]
- To end the shortage, the UK government announced a plan that would provide temporary visas for 5,000 drivers, but that might not be enough to end the crisis. With the holiday season rapidly approaching, supermarkets alone are seeking 15,000 truck drivers. [Reuters / Michael Holden]
- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has placed the military on standby to help transport fuel to empty stations in a move that has been criticized as a temporary solution to a long-term problem. [Washington Post / Karla Adam and William Booth]
- Facing mounting pressure, Johnson sought to assuage fears in televised comments on Wednesday: "We now are starting to see the situation improve. We are hearing from industry that supplies are coming back ... I would just really urge everybody to go about their business in the normal way." [Reuters / Michael Holden and Kylie Maclellan, Costas Pitas]
"Vox Sentences is my morning cup of reality. The daily updates are succinct, relevant, and clever, and they have become my go-to source for more in-depth coverage". – Woody, Vox contributor Gen. Mark Milley and other military officials faced Congress over the Afghanistan withdrawal, giving testimony that contradicted Biden's statements about how the exit was planned. [Washington Post / Aaron Blake]
- Two American siblings returned home after a three-year exit ban prevented them from leaving China; the siblings claim China held them in an effort to pressure their father, who has been accused of financial misconduct, into returning to the country. [CNN / Jennifer Hansler and Chandelis Duster]
- Greta Thunberg and other climate activists demand action on global warming at a youth climate conference in Italy. [AP / Colleen Barry]
- The return of the NBA is being plagued by coronavirus vaccine skepticism, potentially placing players, staff, and fans at risk. [NYT / Sopan Deb]
"He believed he could lie, but the truth finally caught up with him. It shouldn't have taken this many women, and this many years, for Black women to be believed – and valued. Now time for soul searching." Vox's Sean Illing talks with climate scholar Andreas Malm about his book How to Blow Up A Pipeline. They discuss the failure of decades of protests and appeals to curb the actions of the fossil fuel industry and why Malm says now is the time for escalation. [Spotify] This email was sent to vox@quicklydone.com. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe. If you value Vox's unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring contribution. View our Privacy Notice and our Terms of Service. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 11, Washington, DC 20036.
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