February 16 top stories
It is February 16. Here are today’s top stories.
Michael Jordan donates $10M to Make-A-Wish
Michael Jordan celebrated his 60th birthday on Friday by making a $10 million donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation. AP said it is the largest donation ever given to Make-A-Wish in its 43 years of history. He is one of the most requested celebrities by children who have critical illnesses. Jordan said he has been inspired by meeting so many kids over the past 34 years and hopes he will inspire others to support Make-A-Wish.
Actress Raquel Welch dies at 82
Actress Raquel Welch, who is best known for portraying a cavewoman in the 1966 film “One Million Years B.C.,” died on Wednesday morning at the age of 82. Her manager said she passed away peacefully after a brief illness.
Welch won a Golden Globe in 1974 for her role in “The Three Musketeers.” She appeared in over 30 films and 50 television shows.
Grand jury says there was perjury in Trump 2020 election probe
The grand jury in Georgia that has been investigating potential wrongdoing by Donald Trump’s team in their efforts to overturn the 2020 election said they believe that one or more witnesses committed perjury — which is lying under oath. It is not known which of the 75 witnesses that testified are suspected of lying. Donald Trump was not one of those who testified, but his former attorneys did.
The grand jury, which is composed of 26 members, said they found by unanimous vote that there was no widespread fraud that took place in the Georgia 2020 presidential election.
The grand jury recommended that there be criminal charges against those suspected of lying under oath. It is not known what other recommendations for criminal charges they made because the complete final report is still secret. It will be up to Fulton County (Atlanta area) District Attorney Fani Willis on whether she wants to pursue charges.
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Black Hawk helicopter crashes onto Alabama highway
A Black Hawk helicopter that belonged to the Tennessee National Guard crashed onto an Alabama highway on Wednesday afternoon. Two guardsmen who were in the helicopter were killed. There were no injuries to anyone on the ground.
It is not known what caused the crash. The National Guard said it is investigating.
Türkiye & Syria earthquake updates
Reuters reported that the combined death toll in the Türkiye and Syria earthquakes has exceeded 41,000 people. The focus of the aid effort has shifted from rescuing people to helping those who are homeless and struggling to stay warm and healthy in the cold.
There are some inspiring stories of survivors. A 17-year-old girl was rescued from under the rubble of her home after more than 10 days. A 13-year-old boy was rescued after nine and a half days under rubble. A mother and her two children were rescued after nine days.
The United Nations is trying to raise $1 billion to help provide aid to 5 million people for three months. The Red Cross is trying to raise $700 million. NATO is also providing resources.
Al Jazeera did interviews with several people in impacted regions who said life as they knew it is over. Some do not trust that the Turkish government will appropriately handle emergency funding.
That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/survivors-after-black-hawk-helicopter-crashes-alabama-highway/story
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64657781
https://www.axios.com/2023/02/16/donald-trump-investigation-2020-election-atlanta
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/2/16/turkey-syria-earthquake-live