Thursday, March 11 top stories

It is Thursday, March 11. Here are today’s top stories.

On this day a year ago, the World Health Organization announced that Covid-19 is a pandemic. Also on this day a year ago, the NBA season was suspended due to players becoming infected and Tom Hanks announced he was infected. It was the start of a cascade of new rules: lockdowns, mask-wearing, school closures, cancelled events, research on vaccines, stimulus checks, and a changed world. There was a lot of fear. Now we’re on the verge of beating the pandemic with case numbers plunging and millions of new vaccines a week. In the U.S., about 530,000 people have died. Worldwide, it’s over 2.6 million.

President Joe Biden signed the Covid-19 relief package today, a day earlier than expected. The White House said stimulus checks would begin hitting bank accounts this weekend for those who have direct deposit information with the IRS. The rest of the money will be sent out over the next few weeks. Biden plans to give an address tonight to mark the one-year anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic and to explain more of what the $1.9 trillion package does.

A piece of digital art by an American artist named Beeple fetched $69.3 million in an auction. The art is titled, “Everydays: The First 5,000 Days.” The art is digital — meaning it only exists as a computer file instead it being on an art canvas or a sculpture. The artist regularly creates digital art and shares it on social media, and this is a collage of selected pieces. The sale works by using what is called a non-fungible token (NFT) to make it a unique item that can be bought and sold. It works similar to blockchain technology for cryptocurrencies. The artist said the NFT method makes it possible for digital artists to own, sell, or collect art. Those who buy the art can display it in their homes or rooms by using a computer, TV, or a digital frame.

The New York Times reported that Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies, which is similar to the U.S. House of Representatives, approved a bill to legalize recreational marijuana for the country. The vote was 316 to 129. The Times said the bill is expected to easily move through the Senate and that President Obrador is likely to sign it. If the bill becomes law, then the U.S. would be between two “legal” countries.

Five police officers in Oklahoma City were charged with manslaughter for fatally shooting a 15-year-old boy outside of a gas station in November. The boy’s name was Stavian Rodriguez.

NBC News explained that police officers got a call that there was an armed robbery and surrounded the gas station. There is a video that shows the boy coming outside and dropping his gun on the floor. But he touched his waist, maybe to pull up his pants, and that’s when five police officers opened fire on him. He had 13 gunshot wounds and died at a nearby medical center.

The Oklahoma City D.A. David Prater filed first-degree manslaughter charges, saying the officers unnecessarily opened fire and that they simultaneously gave the boy varying commands.

Prater is the same D.A. that declined to file criminal charges against a police officer who shot and killed a deaf man, Magdiel Sanchez in 2017 and to not file charges against officers who pulled and punched a deaf motorist, Pearl Pearson Jr. in 2014

The judge in the Derek Chauvin murder trial allowed prosecutors to add a third-degree murder charge to add to existing second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. This means the jury has more options when they deliberate at the end of the trial. The trial is at the jury selection phase now with five jurors selected so far.

The NBA has fined Miami Heat player Meyers Leonard $50,000 and suspended him for a week for using an anti-Semitic term while playing an online game and streaming it on Twitch. The word was a four-letter word that begins with “k.” There was immediate controversy on social media. FaZe Clan, an eSports organization that he was a part of, cut ties with him. He posted an apology on his Instagram page.

In related news, in January, Leonard did not kneel with other teammates during the national anthem during pregame ceremonies. He said he was standing for his brother who served in the military.

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

https://www.npr.org/2021/03/11/975663437/march-11-2020-the-day-everything-changed?utm_term=nprnews&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/but-is-it-art-digital-work-sells-for-693-million-at-christies/ar-BB1euxSx

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/10/world/americas/mexico-cannabis-bill.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/five-oklahoma-city-officers-face-manslaughter-charges-shooting-15-year-n1260524

https://nondoc.com/2017/10/11/deaf-magdiel-sanchez-pearl-pearson/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/03/11/derek-chauvin-trial-live-jury-selection-continues-thursday/4641879001/

https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/nba-fines-meyers-leonard-50000-anti-semitic-slur-76391074?cid=clicksource_4380645_3_heads_hero_live_headlines_hed