Friday, February 24 top stories
Hello! I’m Renca and I will take Alex’s place for today’s top news. Today is Friday, February 24th, ready to see what’s up?
One-year anniversary of Russia-Ukraine war
Today is exactly one year since Russia’s military attacked Ukraine. Today, the war continues in areas in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Tens of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have died. Many Ukrainian citizens had to flee their country and saw their homes destroyed.
The Biden administration has been supporting Ukraine, giving them over 20 billion dollars’ worth of military equipment so far. They said they would continue to support Ukraine because they do not want to see Russia “erase” Ukraine.
Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 more years
Harvey Weinstein, the former top Hollywood producer, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for rape and other sex crimes.
Weinstein is already serving a 23-year sentence in New York for other rape and sex crimes.
Weinstein is 70 years old. It is likely that he will die in prison due to the length of his prison sentence.
Weinstein’s downfall from top film boss began in 2017 after “The New York Times,” and several other news services published allegations that he was a sexual predator. It started the #MeToo movement.
Rare blizzard warning for Southern California
A rare blizzard winter storm has hit Southern California. It is believed that the last time they were warned about a blizzard was back in 1989. So, it has been a while since a blizzard hit that area. Towns in the mountains are closing the slopes and people are being warned to stay inside. This storm began yesterday in some areas and will continue today.
Officials have encouraged people not to travel today because of the heavy, low-elevation snowfall and heavy wind. In an article from the New York Times, one person mentioned that the blizzard warning is not something that everyone is used to.
Lately, extreme weather has hit different parts of USA. There was an ice storm that hit Michigan this recent Wednesday, heavy snow in Twin Cities, Minnesota yesterday, arctic air causing freezing temperatures in Northern California, and many other places were affected by the winter storm.
Update on Ohio toxic train spill
This is a quick update on the Ohio toxic train wreck that happened on February 3rd in East Palestine, Ohio. It is reported by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources that approximately 45,000 animals have died from the toxic spill. Initially, it was 3,500 on February 3rd, but now it is discovered to be about 45,000. The animals that were found dead were water animals like fish, but there have not been any land animals killed by the train’s chemicals so far.
A representative from ODNR mentioned that it does not seem that there are any species endangered or threatened because the chemicals were contained immediately after the spill.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that this was no “accident” because that train derailment was entirely preventable. The final report on this incident will likely take between 12 to 18 months.
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American billionaire dies in office
One American billionaire (78) Thomas H. Lee was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his Manhattan office in New York City yesterday morning. The cops responded to a 911 call around 11:10 am and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death as it is being investigated right now.
Lee is known as one of the pioneers in private equity business and leveraged buyouts. He has invested in many things such as Snapple Beverages and Warner Music. He was on the board of organizations such as Harvard University and the Museum of Jewish Heritage. He was a very successful businessman. He was husband, father, grandfather, and friend to everyone.
Cosori air fryers recalled
About 2 million air fryer under the company Cosori has been recalled because of a fire risk. The company has gotten about 205 reports of the air fryers melting, overheating, and smoking. There were some reports of minor injuries, burns, and some property damage from the air fryer. This is due to their wire connection inside.
So, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall yesterday and encouraged consumers to stop using it and to contact Cosori for a free replacement. Cosori has set up a website where consumers can trade in their air fryers for a new one.
Cosori air fryers have been hot on the market lately with the price range of $70 to $130 on Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Home Depot.
That’s all for now. Have a great weekend and do not forget to stay with the light.
https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/russia-ukraine/?id=97380473
https://deadline.com/2023/02/harvey-weinstein-rape-trial-sentencing-1235268805/
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/24/us/winter-storm-california-weather.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64749041
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/billionaire-financier-thomas-lee-dies-78-family-says-2023-02-24/
https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/24/business/cosori-air-fryers-recall/index.html