Rapper Pop Smoke killed in home break-in
Bashar Barakah Jackson, an artist known as Pop Smoke, was shot and killed in a rented house in Los Angeles, CA, on Feb. 19, according to Reuters. Jackson was known for his single, “Welcome to the Party,” which was released in 2019. The 20-year-old’s identity was not immediately confirmed by the Los Angeles police or the county coroner to the public although his record label, Republic Records, confirmed the news. Police are looking for several suspects who were potentially involved in the case.
Cases of the coronavirus originate from Hawaii
After returning to Nagoya, Japan from a Hawaiian vacation, a couple in their 60s tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, according to The New York Times. The couple stayed on two Hawaiian islands for 10 days in January through February. The husband began showing symptoms of the illness during their stay and tested positive in Japan. Although it is believed that they were likely infected before coming to Hawaii, either from prior affairs or from the plane trip, health officials in Hawaii are reportedly working to determine who the couple came in contact with.
Roger Stone sentenced to prison
A former campaign adviser for President Trump, Roger Stone, was sentenced to 40 months in prison, as well as 24 months of probation and a fine of $20,000 for “lying to Congress and witness tampering,” according to ABC News. Stone was convicted of the crimes in November and sentenced on Feb. 20. President Trump’s tweets about the sentencing suggest he disapproves of the trial and may be considering pardoning Stone.
Las Vegas Democratic debate
The Feb. 19 Democratic debate that was held in Las Vegas, NV has been described as fierce and fiery by several major media outlets. The debate featured the current top six candidates, Mike Bloomberg, former New York mayor; Bernie Sanders, a senator from Vermont; Elizabeth Warren, a senator from Massachusetts; Pete Buttigieg, former South Bend mayor; Amy Klobuchar, a senator from Minnesota, and Joe Biden, former U.S. Vice President. A variety of topics were covered during the debate, many of which resulted in “jabs” between candidates.
American’s Flu-fears top coronavirus anxiety
A new poll released by the Associated Press-National Opinion Research Center’s (NORC) Center for Public Affairs Research found that many Americans are “at least moderately confident in U.S. health officials” to manage the “emerging viruses,” such as the COVID-19 coronavirus. In fact, more participants were worried about catching the flu than the coronavirus. In the context of themselves or their family getting sick, the poll found that 55% of respondents weren’t worried about the coronavirus, while 37% weren’t worried about the flu. In this flu season alone, it is estimated that at least 14,000 individuals have already died, according to U.S. health officials.
Photo: D. Moa
