What Just Happened, Bolton refuses statement, Mobile classroom + the Chernobyl Shocker
NewsHero - Feb 7, 2020 - Issue #29
Welcome to today’s edition of NewsHero for Friday, February 7, 2020.
Next week will be the last week for the free version of this daily newsletter, then we’re moving into the paid tier. Our goal is to grow as an independent news source so we can offer more for our readers. So be sure you have an active subscription up and running to continue receiving NewsHero.
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Going forward we’ll be keeping to this current layout each day: two quick mentions called NewsHero Notes, followed by three items for our Afternoon Brief. Next there’s one story that we go a wee bit deeper with, then the Extra! Extra! we end with, which serves as an editorial space where sometimes we have a bit of fun.
And as always, we’re on the lookout for the hero of every story. These are the ones who make our headlines and make our world a better place to read about.
Thanks for everything!
Team NewsHero
NewsHero Notes
Nepal will count a third gender in its next population census, for the first time counting LGBTQ people as a minority group that can be allocated government jobs and education. The LGBTQ community in the Himalayan nation has long demanded the census taken every ten years count sexual minorities.
A report from The New Humanitarian details the Women’s Weather Watch program run by Femlink Pacific in Fiji. The women’s media organization sends weather reports and advice for preparedness via text messages to its network of 350 women across the country.
Afternoon Brief
National Security
In a statement released by the White House late Thursday, President Trump announced a successful U.S. counterterrorism operation that killed Qassim al-Rimi, the leader of a Yemen-based al-Qaida affiliate who claimed responsibility for last year's deadly shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida. Trump said he had ordered the operation in Yemen “that successfully eliminated Qasim al-Rimi, a founder and leader of al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and a deputy to al-Qa'ida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.”
Non-impeachment
Adam Schiff said on Wednesday that John Bolton refused to submit a sworn affidavit during Trump's Senate trial about his alleged misconduct in withholding military aid to Ukraine. Schiff told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that after the Senate voted to not call witnesses, Democrats asked Bolton’s counsel if he would be willing to give a written statement “describing what he observed in terms of the president’s Ukraine misconduct.”
Immigration
A converted bus in Tijuana serves as a school for children of asylum seekers. The Yes We Can World Foundation mobile classroom provides bilingual education and emotional help as the children’s families wait for their asylum cases to be heard—a process that can last months. “We focus on happiness. We focus on the rights of children and we focus on having a welcoming, safe space where they can just be children,” said Estefania Rebellon, founder and executive director of the Yes We Can World Foundation.
What Just Happened
A look back at this week’s stories
Li Wenliang Drawing - Source: Twitter
Monday, Feb. 3
Before the coronavirus began to spread to the numbers we’re currently seeing, a group of doctors and medical technicians last December addressed concerns in an online forum that SARS may be making a return after they saw several cases of specific respiratory breakdown. Not long after that, the individuals were detained for “misinforming” the public. Wuhan police said on Jan. 1 they had “taken legal measures” against the eight individuals who had “spread rumors.”
Li Wenliang, a doctor who was among the eight people who tried to send the warning, contracted the virus while working at Wuhan Central Hospital and ultimately succumbed, according to the hospital treating him.
Tuesday, Feb. 4
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has ramped up its support to four hospitals near the front lines of the conflict in Syria, as it “condemns recent violations of international humanitarian law in the destruction of medical facilities and their use for military purposes.” Syrian government forces have recently intensified their offensive in Idlib, in western Syria, the last rebel-held province. Nearly 390,000 people have been displaced in the last two months, and MSF says “the humanitarian situation is deteriorating as people are squeezed between the Turkish border and the advancing front lines, and hospitals are under threat from airstrikes and ground forces.”
Wednesday, Feb. 5
Human Rights Watch released a report today revealing that hundreds of people deported to El Salvador from the U.S. in recent years were subsequently killed and abused.
The report, “Deported to Danger: United States Deportation Policies Expose Salvadorans to Death and Abuse,” identifies cases of 138 Salvadorans who, since 2013, were killed after deportation from the U.S., and more than 70 others who were abused by gangs, former intimate partners, and Salvadoran police or security personnel.
Thursday, Feb. 6
Ever since Democrats won control of Virginia’s General Assembly in November officially turning the state blue, its Senate and House of Delegates have been making some bold moves.
A bill that would ban conversion therapy for minors is working its way through the ranks.
Virginia last week became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, which guarantees women equal rights under the law.
The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate also just passed a bundle of gun control measures, including limiting handgun purchases to once a month; universal background checks on gun purchases; allowing gun bans in public buildings, parks, and other areas; and the “red flag” bill allowing authorities to temporarily take guns away from anyone deemed to be dangerous to themselves or others.
Extra! Extra!
Fox News has dubbed it the “Chernobyl Shocker.” It may sound like a wrestling move, but they’re referring to a much-less-common type of magic mushroom. Surely “mushroom” isn’t the right term for us to choose, but it’s fun to say.
According to the story, a black fungus was discovered inside the Chernobyl nuclear reactor back in 1991. The odd fungus was found growing up the walls, which scientists considered most unusual in such a radiation-heavy environment.
Turns out, this ‘shroom had a high level of the pigment called melanin—also found in human skin (eek)—and was absorbing radiation and converting it to energy for growth.
So…how many years before we’re seeing headlines about giant glowing mushrooms interested in world domination? We can picture it now: “Radioactive Fungus Develops Ability To Operate Rocket Launcher—How Worried Should We Be?”
Sources:
Nepal census will add 3rd gender, recognizing LGBT minority - AP News
Fiji’s unheralded frontline disaster responders: women - The New Humanitarian
White House Says Al-Qaida Leader Qassim Al-Rimi Killed In U.S. Operation - NPR
White House announces death of terror leader Qassim al-Rimi - CNN
Yemen Al-Qaeda leader al-Raymi killed by US strike - BBC News
Schiff says Bolton refused to submit affidavit during impeachment trial - Fox News
Schiff: Bolton wouldn't sign affidavit on Trump, Ukraine after Senate rejected new impeachment witnesses - USA Today
Schiff says Bolton refused to submit sworn affidavit on Ukraine dealings - CBS News
In a converted bus in Tijuana, a school emerges for asylum seekers - LA Times
Tijuana bus serves as school for children of asylum seekers - Reuters
Yes We Can: Change the World - yeswecan.world
Chernobyl shocker as fungi that eats radiation found inside nuclear reactor - Fox News
Praise for Chinese doctors who coronavirus blew whistle - The Australian
China Arrested Doctors Who Warned About Coronavirus Outbreak. Now Death Toll’s Rising, Stocks Are Plunging. - The Daily Beast
China's coronavirus hospital built in 10 days opens its doors, state media says - NBC News
China opens virus hospital, market plunges as toll grows - AP News
As New Coronavirus Spread, China’s Old Habits Delayed Fight - New York Times
Coronavirus whistleblower punished for 'spreading rumors' now infected with disease - Washington Examiner
Turkey, Syria Trade Deadly Strikes As Russia Watches Uneasily - NPR
Turkey Launches Deadly Airstrikes Against Syrian Forces - New York Times
Islamic Relief-supported hospital hit in Idlib as latest escalation in Syria displaces thousands - Relief Web
21 White Helmets volunteers killed since the start of Assad’s offensive in rebel-held Idlib - Enab Baladi
“We might be the next ones hit”: The medics risking their lives to care for people in war-torn Syria - MSF
#NotATarget: No more attacks against civilians and healthcare workers in conflict zones - MSF
Northwestern Syria: Hospitals attacked while hundreds of thousands flee the front lines - MSF
RUSSIA SHOOTS DOWN DRONE AMID UNREST AFTER SYRIA-TURKEY TENSIONS TURN DEADLY - Newsweek
Story Report: At least 138 sent from US to El Salvador were killed - AP News
US: Deported Salvadorans Abused, Killed - Human Rights Watch
Hundreds of Salvadorans deported by US were killed or abused, report reveals - The Guardian
The ACLU And Others Are Suing To Block The US From Sending Asylum-Seekers To Guatemala - BuzzFeed
Ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ children advances in Virginia legislature - CNN
Virginia On Track to Become First State in the South to Fully Protect Minors from Anti-LGBTQ ‘Conversion Therapy’ - Southern Equality
Equality Virginia’s Day of Action Tomorrow in Richmond - Outwire 757
Virginia gun laws: House passes seven control measures - Washington Post
What Made Virginia Change Its Mind on Guns? - New York Times
Gun-Control Bills Move Forward in Virginia - Wall Street Journal
'Red flag' gun laws designed to 'save lives', opponents say it violates civil rights - WSET
Democratic AGs sue to force US to adopt ERA in Constitution - AP News
Virginia's long path to ratifying the ERA - CNN