February 8 Top Stories

News broke today that Tesla wrote in its filings with the SEC that the company bought $1.5 billion worth of Bitcon and would accept Bitcoin as a payment method for its cars in the future. This news sent Bitcoin’s value surging. Tesla said they bought the bitcoin for more flexibility to diversify and maximize returns on their cash. Many people are looking at Tesla CEO Elon Musk and debating whether he is using his power and influence on Twitter to raise the price of Bitcoin. But the biggest takeaway from this is that Bitcoin’s reputation as a cryptocurrency has been solidified by Tesla’s $1.5 billion investment in it and willingness to use it as a form of payment for its products.

U.S. Congressman Ron Wright (R-TX) has passed away from Covid-19 at the age of 67. He is the first sitting member of Congress to die of the coronavirus. He contracted the virus in the middle of January and was in the hospital for the past two weeks. He previously had lung cancer. Texas will have to hold a special election to fill his seat. CNBC reported that Wright’s final vote as a Congressman was on voting against former President Trump’s impeachment.

Last night the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl. It is quarterback Tom Brady’s seventh ring and the first with a new team after winning his first six with the New England Patriots. He said he would be back next year. He did say in previous interviews that his favorite ring is “the next one.”

Warren “Wawa” Snipe went viral for his ASL performance for the National Anthem. It was not shown in its entirety on national television, but there was a pretty long scene where an on-field camera showed the two singers in a duet with Wawa in the background on a very large Jumbotron. His song in its entirety was captured on a separate video feed. Many people loved his energy and performance and he’s been on several news headlines.

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In Michigan, a 26-year-old man was killed from a cannon that was fired for a baby gender reveal party. ABC News said the homeowner purchased the cannon from an auction and had fired it several times in the past. During the party last night, the cannon itself exploded, it fractured, and the shrapnel hit the man who was standing 10 to 15 feet away. He was rushed to a hospital but died from his injuries. There is a police investigation.

In northern India, a large part of a glacier broke off and fell into a river, causing an avalanche and rough waters to rush down through mountainous terrain, breaking through dams, bridges, roads, and power plants. About 30 people were killed and 200 are missing. Many of the missing were working on a large construction project that was impacted by the rushing wall of water. Scientific experts said the glacier’s collapse could be linked to climate change, as rising temperatures cause glaciers to melt and crack.

That’s all the top news briefs for today. Check out our other videos. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/08/tesla-buys-1point5-billion-in-bitcoin.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/08/rep-ron-wright-of-texas-dies-of-covid.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/07/us/chiefs-vs-buccaneers-super-bowl-lv/index.html

https://abcnews.go.com/US/man-killed-cannon-explodes-baby-shower/story?id=75741591

https://twitter.com/BernieSanders/status/1358204082427674625

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/glacier-in-india-burst-dam-flood-uttarakhand-latest-news/