Wednesday, March 30 top stories
It is Wednesday, March 30. Here are today’s top stories.
Bruce Willis diagnosed with cognitive illness
The family of actor Bruce Willis said he will be stepping away from acting because he was diagnosed with aphasia, which is a serious cognitive illness that causes someone to lose the ability to understand or express speech. Willis is 67. His family said it’s a really challenging time but they will do what Bruce has always said — “Live it up.”
Update on amusement park death
Here is an update on the tragic accident at the ICON Park ride in Orlando that killed 14-year-old Tyre Sampson last week.
Tyre’s father said he was 6’5 and 340 pounds and a big guy. If his weight is accurate, then it would exceed the ride’s maximum passenger weight at about 287 pounds.
Tyre’s cousin said that he called her last week when he was in Orlando to explain that he was denied entry to two rides, but was finally allowed to be on the Orlando FreeFall ride. Tyre’s cousin said she didn’t realize it would be the last time talking to him alive.
An official report said Tyre’s seat harness was still in a “down and locked position when the ride stopped.” It seems like Tyre somehow slipped out by the force of the ride coming down to a sudden stop and that the harness was not strong enough to hold his frame. The FreeFall ride only opened three months ago.
ICON Park said they have closed the FreeFall and SlingShot rides until there is a thorough investigation in the accident and until all parties are satisfied that the rides are safe for the public.
Hunter Biden investigation
CNN reported that a federal investigation into Hunter Biden — the son of President Joe Biden — is ramping up in recent months. The investigation is looking into whether Hunter violated financial laws and foreign lobbying laws.
The Washington Post reported that financial records showed that in 2017 and 2018, Hunter earned almost $5 million in consulting services to a Chinese energy company.
Hunter has also earned up to $50,000 a month as a consultant to a Ukrainian energy company between 2014 and 2019.
This is why former president Donald Trump asked Ukrainian President Zelensky in 2019 to investigate Hunter in exchange for military aid — which led to his first impeachment by the House.
The White House said President Biden has never been involved with business with his family.
Donald Trump said yesterday that he wanted Russian President Putin to help with information about whether Hunter received millions from the wife of the mayor of Moscow in 2014.
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Ukrainian soldier from Snake Island honored
The Ukrainian soldier who became a hero for telling a Russian warship to “go f—— yourself” on Ukraine’s Snake Island before being captured has returned to his hometown. His name is Roman Hrybov and he was honored with a medal. It was previously thought that all the Ukrainian defenders on the island were killed, but most of them were captured and last week there was a prisoner swap with Russia that freed the Ukrainian captured soldiers with Russian prisoners of war.
11 people in Israel killed in series of attacks
In Israel, 11 people were killed in five different attacks that took place over the past two weeks. The deadliest attack was on Tuesday night when a gunman from Palestine opened fire in an ultra-Orthodox city outside of Tel Aviv, killing five. A video showed the gunman randomly firing at people in a quiet street.
On Sunday, in northern Israel, two gunmen shot and killed two police officers. ISIS claimed responsibility. Last Monday, a man killed four people by stabbing three and ramming the fourth with his car.
The Israeli Police said they would increase its street presence and focus on counterterrorism. The Israeli Army said it would send extra troops to the occupied West Bank, which is where the shooter came from.
Israeli Prime Minister Bennett said “Israel is facing a wave of murderous Arab terrorism.”
A Hamas official from the Gaza Strip praised the attack on Tuesday but did not claim responsibility.
News analysts said there are fears of more violence in Jerusalem over the next month because there will be overlapping festivals of Ramadan, Passover, and Easter.
That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/29/us/florida-park-teen-death-accident-report/index.html
https://www.wesh.com/article/icon-park-teen-killed-operator/39563596#
https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1508814043213139980/photo/1
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbu-CyELWio/
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/29/world/middleeast/israel-shooting-deaths.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/30/hunter-biden-china-laptop/
https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/30/politics/hunter-biden-federal-investigation-heats-up/index.html