Baltimore police officer charged with tampering evidence
On Jan. 23, a Baltimore City grand jury indicted a police officer with misconduct and tampering with evidence. According to CNN, body-camera footage which was released by the Baltimore Public Defender’s office in July 2017, showed that officer Richard Pinheiro planted evidence to make arrests. If convicted, Pinheiro faces a $5,000 fine and up to three years in prison. As of Jan. 26, Pinheiro joins the list of eight other Baltimore police officers charged with federal racketeering charges.
China clones world’s first monkeys
Chinese researchers announced on Jan. 24 that they had successfully achieved a world-first by cloning two monkeys, according to The New York Times. The scientists stated that they used the same technique as was used to clone “Dolly the sheep” more than 20 years ago. Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua, the cloned long-tailed macaques, are identical and carry the DNA of the original monkey fetus.
Kentucky school shooter kills two, injures 18
On Jan. 23, a 15-year-old student opened fire at Marshall County High School in Kentucky, killing two and injuring 18. According to CNN, the shooter was arrested at the scene and was charged on Jan. 24 with two counts of murder and 12 counts of first-degree assault. As of Jan. 26, authorities stated that the teenager could be tried as an adult, but have refrained from releasing a name and photograph.
Museum offers Trump used toilet in lieu of Van Gogh painting
According to CBS News, the Trump family requested to borrow a painting created by Vincent van Gogh to display in the White House residence. Museum curator Nancy Spector of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum instead offered the family a solid, gold toilet made by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan titled “America.”
Oprah Winfrey denies plans to run for president in 2020
During an interview with InStyle magazine published on a Jan. 25, Oprah Winfrey stated that she did not have plans to run for president in the upcoming 2020 election. According to the Telegraph, the comments were made before her widely-applauded Golden Globes speech which many saw as a prelude to a presidential bid. Winfrey was quoted as saying that the job was “not something that interests [her].”
Discounted Nutella causes riots in France
According to BBC News, discounted prices on Nutella have caused violent riots throughout French supermarket chains. Intermarché supermarkets reported that the 70 percent discount on the hazelnut-chocolate spread caused customers to suffer from black eyes, bloody hands, and pain from hair pulling.
Barbies created based on ‘Wrinkle in Time’ stars
On Jan. 25, Ava Duvernay, director of the upcoming “Wrinkle in Time” film, tweeted the first pictures of Barbie dolls which were modeled after stars of the new movie, according to the Huffington Post. Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling, who play Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Who respectively, inspired the creation of the dolls to promote the Madeleine L’Engle film adaptation.
