NEWS

Unbiased headline news for Saturday March 9, 2024 – Torrential rains have triggered flash floods and a landslide on Indonesia’s Sumatra island, resulting in at least 10 fatalities and leaving 10 others unaccounted for, officials reported on Saturday. Massive amounts of mud, rocks and uprooted trees cascaded down a mountain late on Friday, reaching a river that overflowed its banks and ravaged through villages situated on the mountainside in Pesisir Selatan district of West Sumatra province, according to Doni Yusrizal, who heads the local disaster management agency. * * * Three individuals lost their lives and one person sustained injuries in a helicopter crash near the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday evening, as stated in a release by Joint Task Force North. The aircraft involved was a National Guard Lakota UH-72 helicopter, according to a defense official. The helicopter, assigned to the federal Southwest border support mission, crashed at approximately 2:50 PM Friday while conducting aviation operations near Rio Grande City, Texas, JTF-N said. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation. * * * ‘No Labels’ may finally have identified a potential candidate for its third-party “unity ticket” in the 2024 presidential election. Sources privy to the group’s efforts to field a third-party ticket revealed that ‘No Labels’ representatives have held meetings with former Georgia GOP Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan about the possibility of him running as the group’s presidential candidate. Duncan refrained from commenting on this report but did not dismiss the speculation. * * * Haitian gangs launched a large-scale assault against multiple government buildings in or near downtown Port-au-Prince, according to a law enforcement source who participated in the fighting. The source stated that the attack was coordinated and swift, with different groups simultaneously targeting multiple government buildings including the Presidential Palace, the Interior Ministry, and a police headquarters for Haiti’s western district which includes Port-au-Prince. * * * Five children were allegedly killed in the Gaza Strip by a humanitarian aid airdrop from an unidentified foreign country on Friday, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. Several Palestinian civilians were also injured in the airdrop, the Government Media Office in Gaza reported, calling the airdrop “random.” Bystander footage of Friday’s airdrop showed an aircraft dropping dozens of packages via parachutes, as people ran toward them upon landing. * * * Local officials in Hawaii plan to open an office that will expedite Maui County’s notoriously slow processing of building permits to aid the town of Lahaina in its recovery from last year’s deadly wildfire. Keanu Lau Hee, the county’s deputy managing director, informed a community meeting in Lahaina that a County Expedited Permitting Center will open in April. She said the county has selected a vendor to assist in reviewing applications. * * * A United Airlines jetliner en route to Mexico City from San Francisco made an emergency landing in Los Angeles after the crew reported a hydraulics issue, marking the fourth emergency involving a United Airlines flight this past week. The plane landed safely at Los Angeles International Airport around 4:30 p.m. and none of the 110 people on board were injured, United Airlines stated. Fire engines were on standby at the airport but were not needed, said Nicholas Prange, a spokesperson with the Los Angeles City Fire Department. * * * Sam Altman will remain as CEO of OpenAI and rejoin its board of directors following an “extensive” external investigation into his temporary ouster last year, the company’s board announced on Friday. The OpenAI Board said it has “full confidence” in the continued leadership of Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman following a monthslong review by the law firm WilmerHale. Nearly all 800 employees at OpenAI signed a letter calling for the resignation of the company’s board and the return of Altman as CEO.

Unbiased headline news for Thursday March 7, 2024 – A Russian missile detonated in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Wednesday, exploding just a few hundred feet from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was engaged in a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, sources and officials confirmed. “It hit in a couple of hundred meters from us, while the meeting was going,” disclosed a source. After showing the Greek prime minister around the port, Zelenskyy and Mitsotakis returned to their car. While preparing to depart, they heard the air raid siren, swiftly followed by the missile striking and hitting the port. — Israeli authorities reportedly obstructed the World Food Program’s crucial aid delivery into Gaza, leading to concerns of starvation among Palestinian civilians, as reported by the United Nations. A convoy of 14 trucks carrying food to northern Gaza was denied entry by the Israel Defence Forces after a three-hour wait at a checkpoint in Wadi Gaza. Subsequently rerouted, the trucks encountered a large crowd of desperate people who confiscated approximately 200 tons of food. — In the aftermath of the shooting death of a cinematographer during the filming of the western “Rust” in 2021, a New Mexico jury found Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter. As an armorer on the set, Gutierrez-Reed faces a potential sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. The jury acquitted her of evidence tampering, a charge stemming from the alleged transfer of a small bag of cocaine to another individual after the shooting. CNN and ABC News provided this information. — The assailant who fatally shot 88-year-old Air Force veteran Richard Butler in Philadelphia during daylight hours remains unidentified, according to police sources. Butler, also a retired driver for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, was killed after dropping off a friend at her home on Tuesday. His family and the police expressed bewilderment, with Butler’s niece, Minette Finn, questioning, “Why? What is the why? This man did nothing to anyone and he gave to everyone.” — Gunfire erupted at a SEPTA bus stop in Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon, resulting in eight students being shot, with one student in critical condition, as reported by Philadelphia police. During the incident at around 3:00 p.m. local time, multiple individuals fired shots while the students were attempting to board a bus. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, in a press conference, revealed that three people exited a parked vehicle near the SEPTA bus stop, unleashing over 30 rounds toward the students as they tried to board the bus. — To enhance the sense of security among subway riders following a surge in transit crime, Governor Kathy Hoakle announced the deployment of New York National Guard troops and New York State Police troopers into the subway system. This move is an addition to the 1,000 New York City police officers previously assigned to patrol subway lines and conduct security checks on bags in the nation’s largest transit system. The decision to increase security measures comes after an attack on a conductor and other high-profile crimes. — A Chinese national, Linwei Ding, was arrested in California and charged with allegedly stealing confidential trade secrets from Google’s Artificial Intelligence program while clandestinely working for two AI startup companies in China, according to an unsealed indictment. Ding, a 38-year-old resident of Newark, joined Google as a software engineer in 2019 and was responsible for developing the software used in the tech giant’s supercomputing data centers, according to court records. — A Connecticut-based testing company, Valisure, raised concerns about the presence of benzene, a known carcinogen, in commonly used topical acne treatments. In a citizen petition submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Valisure reported “high levels of benzene” in acne products containing benzoyl peroxide, including popular brands such as Proactiv, Clearasil, and PanOxyl.

Unbiased headline news for Wednesday March 6, 2024 – U.S. Central Command, in collaboration with the Royal Jordanian Armed Forces, executed a joint humanitarian assistance airdrop over Gaza on Tuesday. The airdrop, conducted around 2:30 p.m. local time in northern Gaza, aimed to provide essential relief to civilians impacted by the ongoing conflict, as detailed in a statement by U.S. Central Command. — North Korea issued a stern warning, declaring that the United States and South Korea would face a significant cost for conducting their annual Freedom Shield joint military exercise. The North’s Ministry of National Defense, through an unnamed representative, denounced the 11-day exercise as provocative. Commencing with intensified field training drills on Monday, the exercise focuses on countering potential threats from the nuclear-armed North. — Tragedy struck Fritch, Texas, as the volunteer fire chief, Zeb Smith, succumbed on Tuesday after responding to a structure fire unrelated to the devastating wildfires in the state. Hutchinson County officials announced Chief Smith’s passing, attributing it to his tireless efforts over the past week. The dedicated public servant was the first on the scene, exemplifying his unwavering commitment to the Fritch community, according to a press release from Hutchinson County. — Federal prosecutors in New York have leveled accusations against Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and his wife, Nadine Menendez. They stand accused of obstructing the investigation into a long-standing bribery scheme where the senator allegedly traded political influence for financial gain. The superseding indictment, unsealed on Tuesday, outlines charges stemming from the conspiracy to use Menendez’s position as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the benefit of Egyptian and Qatari government officials. Additionally, the scheme aimed to assist three New Jersey businessmen in navigating various business and legal challenges. — A North Dakota prosecutor has decided against filing charges in the case of three Bismarck police officers involved in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nicholas Bruington during a traffic stop last fall. The incident occurred on November 12, 2023, in a mall parking lot where the traffic stop transpired. While Bruington, a passenger in the vehicle with his mother and brother, initially did not immediately comply with officers’ commands to show his hands, he eventually raised his hands and exited the vehicle, as detailed by Lawyer. — A case addressing homeless encampments, slated for argument before the U.S. Supreme Court next month, is gaining momentum and carries significant implications for cities grappling with record-high homelessness nationwide. Various briefs, including those from the Department of Justice, members of Congress, and state attorneys general, have been filed recently. These submissions join the chorus of western state and local officials urging the justices to overturn a contentious lower court decision that they argue hinders efforts to address homeless encampments. — Tragedy struck suburban Detroit as a large fire, followed by multiple explosions at a building, claimed one life and injured a firefighter. Investigators are probing the site, focusing on the vaping supply distributor operating there. Authorities suspect that canisters containing gas chemicals may have triggered the repeated explosions reported by first responders and witnesses. — America’s muscle car culture is evolving in response to the rise of electric vehicles, but gasoline-powered high-performance road beasts will remain prevalent for a few more years. Dodge, on Tuesday, unveiled two battery-powered versions of the Charger muscle car designed to emulate the roar of a big V8 engine without tailpipe pollution. Despite this electric shift, the Stellantis brand, known for high-performance vehicles, will continue selling a gas-powered Charger, albeit without the prominent Hemi V8.

Unbiased headline news for Tuesday March 5, 2024 – Haiti finds itself in a state of emergency and a nighttime curfew following a surge in violence triggered by armed gangs attacking the country’s two largest prisons, resulting in the release of numerous inmates. The Haitian government initiated the 72-hour state of emergency on Sunday evening, coupled with a curfew spanning from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. The decision aims “to restore order and take appropriate measures to regain control of the situation,” as stated in a press release. — In a groundbreaking move, France has become the world’s first country to enshrine abortion as a constitutional right. This historic development occurred with French lawmakers overwhelmingly supporting the bill in a 780 to 72 vote, influenced by the U.S. decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade. The legislation grants women a “guaranteed freedom” to decide for themselves whether abortion is the right choice. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, addressing Congress Hall, emphasized the nation’s “moral debt” to women who endured illegal abortions in the past. — The United States and South Korea have launched an 11-day joint military exercise, featuring intensified field training drills and a focus on countering threats from North Korea, which possesses nuclear capabilities. The annual Freedom Shield exercise, encompassing both computer-simulated and field-based training, commenced as scheduled, confirmed a spokesman from the South Korean Defense Ministry. This year’s iteration includes 48 joint field drills, nearly doubling the number from the previous year, and will run until March 14. — Despite its vast population of nearly 22 million, Mexico City grapples with dwindling water supplies. The Water Basin Organization of the Valley of Mexico revealed concerns last week, indicating that the ominous “day zero,” when the Cutzamala System might no longer provide sufficient water for residents, could arrive on June 26 and extend until September. — Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the family real estate company of ex-President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty to perjury charges arising from his testimony during Trump’s civil fraud trial. Weisselberg openly acknowledges engaging in conduct related to sworn testimony on May 12, 2023, and Oct. 10, 2023, specifically regarding the dimensions of Trump’s triplex on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. When queried about his plea, the Manhattan judge inquired, “Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?” during Weisselberg’s court appearance. — In a pre-dawn gunfight near Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, four Northern California sheriff’s deputies sustained injuries, with one in critical condition, as they confronted a suspect who had led them on a car chase and repeatedly fired at them. The suspect ultimately died in a crash, as reported by authorities. The shooting transpired shortly after midnight local time, and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the suspect’s demise following the vehicle crash. — A recent lawsuit alleges that a falling utility pole was the cause of the devastating 1 million-acre Smokehouse Creek fire in the Texas Panhandle. A series of wildfires, scorching over 1.2 million acres in the Panhandle over the past week, prompted the legal action. The plaintiff is suing the Southwestern Public Service Company, asserting that human error led to the Smokehouse Creek fire, resulting in the destruction of her home. — Apple faces a substantial fine of nearly 2 billion dollars from the European Union for exploiting its market dominance to detrimentally impact music streaming apps and their users. The tech giant, with its proprietary music streaming service, is accused of hindering rival companies from promoting alternative and more affordable products outside of Apple’s App Store, according to the top EU antitrust regulator. The regulator stated, “For a decade, Apple abused its dominant position in the market for the distribution of music streaming apps through the App Store.”

Unbiased headline news for Monday March 4, 2024 – Firefighters in Texas confronted challenging conditions, including rising temperatures, intensified winds, and dry air during the weekend while striving to contain the largest wildfire in state history. Their efforts aimed at preventing further devastation of the Panhandle and transforming it into a desolate wasteland. Focused on the fire’s northern and eastern perimeter, firefighters worked diligently to counteract aggressive gusts from the southwest that posed a threat to the flames, potentially leading to the consumption of additional acreage. Jason Nedlo, a spokesperson for the firefighting team, provided updates on their strategy and progress. — In Pakistan’s National Assembly, lawmakers elected Shehbaz Sharif as the new prime minister for the second time, amid protests from allies of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan. Allegations of rigging in last month’s election echoed through the parliament as Sharif assumed the role, succeeding Khan, who had been ousted in a no-confidence vote in April 2022. Imran Khan, currently serving prison terms in multiple cases, faces restrictions that prevent him from seeking or holding office. The contentious transition of power heightened tensions within the political landscape. — Alaska Airlines and Boeing are facing a $1 billion lawsuit from three passengers of the flight that made an emergency landing due to a blown-off door plug mid-flight. Kyle Rinker, Amanda Strickland, and Kevin Kwok, who were on Alaska Flight twelve-eighty-two during the incident, allege negligence on the part of the airline and manufacturer. The complaint, filed on February 20th in Multnomah County, Oregon, details the January emergency landing when an unused exit door detached from the aircraft. The passengers seek accountability for the traumatic experience and potential dangers resulting from the incident. — A recent poll reveals a decline in President Joe Biden’s approval rating, with challenges emerging as the 2024 election campaign gains momentum. According to The New York Times and Siena College survey, only a quarter of the nation’s voters believe the country is heading in the right direction. The poll indicates that Biden trails Donald Trump in several key areas, with more than twice as many voters feeling personally harmed by Biden’s policies rather than benefiting from them. Additionally, a majority expresses concerns about the current state of the economy, contributing to the shifting dynamics of the upcoming election. — The New York Attorney General’s Office took action against Nassau County’s recent anti-transgender sports ban by issuing a cease-and-desist letter. The letter, directed to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, highlights the immediate impact of the order, forcing sports leagues to navigate an impossible choice: either discriminate against transgender women and girls, violating New York law, or seek alternative venues for their activities. “The Order’s immediate effect is to force sports leagues to make an impossible choice: discriminate against transgender women and girls, in violation of New York law, or find somewhere else to play,” emphasized the letter from the New York Attorney General’s Office. — A Florida woman who endured a life-altering incident involving a New York City bus has been granted $72.5 million in her lawsuit against the city’s transit agency. Aurora Beauchamp, now 68, recounted being struck and dragged by a Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in March 2017. The city jury ruled in favor of Beauchamp, who was crossing a street in a designated crosswalk when the bus, making a right turn, collided with her and dragged her approximately 20 feet. The significant award reflects the impact of the incident on her life and underscores the responsibility of the transit agency. — A volcano on Fernandina island in the Galapagos has entered a state of eruption, illuminating the nighttime sky with cascading lava towards the sea. The La Cumbre volcano, situated on an uninhabited island, initiated its eruption around midnight on Saturday, according to Ecuador’s Geophysical Institute. Officials note that this eruption could be the largest since 2017, and images shared on social media by Galapagos visitors capture the spectacle of the volcano against a crimson red sky. The 1,476-meter volcano’s last eruption occurred in 2020, adding to the dynamic geological activity of the region. — In his 21st NBA season, LeBron James achieved the remarkable milestone of 40,000 points during Saturday night’s game. The Los Angeles Lakers faced a 124-114 loss to the Denver Nuggets, but James, still going strong in his illustrious career, surpassed the milestone with a layup against Michael Porter Jr. in the second quarter.

Unbiased headline news for Saturday March 2, 2024 – A vessel targeted by Yemen’s Houthi rebels succumbed to the waters of the Red Sea on Saturday, marking the first complete destruction amid their campaign against Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. The Rubymar, laden with fertilizer and previously leaked fuel, now poses a threat of ecological harm to the Red Sea. Persistent Houthi assaults have already disrupted crucial waterway traffic, affecting cargo and energy shipments from Asia and the Middle East to Europe. The U.S. Central Command disclosed additional information regarding the food aid dispatched to Gaza on Saturday, in collaboration with the Royal Jordanian Air Force. Over 38,000 meals were airdropped along Gaza’s coastline by U.S. C-130s, facilitating civilian access to vital aid. A statement emphasized that the Department of Defense’s humanitarian airdrops contribute to the ongoing U.S. government initiatives providing life-saving assistance to the people in Gaza. Seven individuals lost their lives in Odesa, Ukraine, when debris from a Russian drone struck an apartment block overnight, as reported by Ukraine’s State Emergency Service on Saturday. Among the casualties was a 3-month-old baby. An additional eight people sustained injuries. Odesa regional Governor Oleh Kiper attributed the incident to Ukrainian air defenses shooting down the Shahed drone, resulting in falling debris impacting the apartment building. The Pentagon is anticipated to lift its flight ban on the V-22 Osprey, potentially as early as next week. This development paves the way for the resumption of flights for the tilt-rotor aircraft, grounded for nearly three months. The Naval Air Systems Command imposed the grounding last December following a crash off Japan that claimed the lives of eight airmen. Another incident earlier in the year involved the death of three Marines in a separate Osprey crash during a training exercise off the northern coast of Australia. — Police have made a significant arrest related to the distressing death of 23-year-old pregnant Rebekah Byler, causing shockwaves in an Amish community in Pennsylvania. Early Saturday morning, the Pennsylvania State Police announced the apprehension of Shawn Cranston, a 52-year-old resident of Corry, Pennsylvania. Cranston faces multiple charges, including criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child, burglary, and criminal trespass, in connection with the murder of the Amish woman. Almost a year after the arrest of a teen migrant from Guatemala in connection with the death of a Florida police officer, the case has been dismissed, according to Jose Baez, the teen’s lawyer. The footage revealed instances of Aguilar Mendez being thrown to the ground, subjected to a chokehold, and tased multiple times. Five minutes after Aguilar Mendez was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car, Sergeant Michael Kunovich of the Saint Johns County Sheriff’s Office suffered a heart attack and passed away, as confirmed by Arroyo. In a significant move, the two largest pharmacy chains in the U.S., CVS and Walgreens, have announced plans to commence the sale of abortion pills as early as this month. The drug in question is mifepristone, commonly known as the abortion pill, and its acquisition will necessitate a prescription. The Food and Drug Administration, in 2000, approved mifepristone as a safe and effective method for terminating unwanted pregnancies. Jon Stewart’s heartfelt farewell to his dog, Dipper, on The Daily Show Monday has triggered an outpouring of donations to the New York City animal shelter from which the pup originated. The executive director of Animal Haven, Tiffany Lacey, disclosed that the shelter has received nearly $50,000 in donations within five days. These unexpected contributions, made in memory of Dipper, will be directed towards supporting dogs at the shelter, particularly for vet care, training, food, and treats.