16 Year-Old Left With Severe Life-Threatening Injuries in Aurora Shooting

The Aurora police released a report stating that on February 18, at approximately 4:15 p.m., a call came in with reports of a person shot on the East side of Aurora. According to the Kane County Chronicle, paramedics with the Aurora Fire Department responded to the scene to find a 16-year-old boy from a gunshot wound. They transported the boy to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police attempted to pull over a vehicle believed to be a part of the shooting, but the driver refused to stop their car. The chase pursued for four minutes. Multiple suspects have been taken into custody, but it is encouraged to share any information with the Aurora Police Department Investigations Division.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Named Winner of the Afghan Election After The Month Delay in Results

Ashraf Ghani is elected for his second term as the Afghan President. Results were posted on February 18, about four months after polls were closed. According to Indian News Organization, The Hindu, the election committee attempted to launch a ballot recount, but Ghani’s main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah halted the operation. Afghan citizens were pleased to finally see the outcome of the election although the government thought about keeping the results private.

Boy Scouts of America File for Bankruptcy

The century-old group has filed for bankruptcy this past week. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) have been facing an increasing amount of legal cases over sexual abuse cases that date all the way back to the 1920s. The British Broadcasting Channel found that the BSA have paid over 150 million dollars in civil suits since 2017. The group has over two million members, but the cases have caused a steady decline. A spokesman of the BSA believes that this move will help the program continue. He also stated that a trust will be created and compensation will be paid to the victims.

Democratic Debate Puts Six Candidates on the Spot

Las Vegas, Nevada held the most recent Democratic debate on February 19, 2020. The candidates debating were: Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Michael Bloomberg and Pete Buttigieg. It was Bloomberg’s first debate after pouring over 300 million dollars into his campaign. According to the National Public Radio, centrists are not uniting together. To have a Democratic nominee beat current, Republican president Donald Trump, those that are in between parties would need to come together to vote Trump out of office. Sanders was put under fire for the idea of socialism sparking out of his presidency and Warren called voting for him, “gambling on a narrow vision.”

Former Love Island Host Commits Suicide

Television presenter Caroline Flack was famously known as the host of popular show, “Love Island UK.” Page Six reported that coroner’s officer Sandra Polson told the hearing that Flack had been found hanging in her home in Stoke Newington. Her death was announced the day after she was told she was being charged with domestic violence. Although her boyfriend, Lewis Burton, asked for the case to be dropped, Flack was still prosecuted. Her family shared on Wednesday that Flack had planned to post to Instagram that her “whole world and future” were swept out from under her because of the arrest.

Group of Federal Judges to Hold ‘Emergency’ Meeting to Address Impartiality Concerns in the Department of Justice 

Over 1,100 judges were expected to meet to discuss concerns over the Department of Justice’s sentence recommendation in the Trump-Stone case. According to AlJazeera, the meeting was supposed to be held on Wednesday, February 19, but has been postponed without any reasoning as to why, nor when the meeting will take place. The head of the Federal Judges Association, Cynthia Rufe, stated that the group could not wait until the spring conference to converse over the topic.

Rod Blagojevich Released From Prison

Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was released from prison under Trump’s order. ABC 7 Chicago found that Illinois’ 40th governor will still be under court mandated supervised surveillance. Were Blagojevich to comply with federal rules during the first year of his probation, he could go to court to terminate his supervision. Blagojevich was found guilty of 17 charges of wire fraud, attempted extortion and conspiracy to solicit bribes. 

Rapper Pop Smoke Killed During Alleged Robbery

Pop Smoke was a rising rapper shot and killed at his home in Hollywood Hills, California. The 20 year old was allegedly attacked during a home-invasion. Fox News states that initial reports believe the attack was not purposeful, but instead coincidental. The Los Angeles Times, instead reports that his possible ties to the Crips may have factored into his murder. The suspects are believed to be gang members who targeted Pop Smoke at his rented house. This incident led many fans to give their respects online and other artists did the same.

Tennessee Landslide Causes Two Homes and a New Road to Collapse 

A landslide in Hardin County, Tennessee tore apart two houses and part of Glendale road, the area between Chalk Buff Lane and Small Road will be permanently closed. According to Tennessee newspaper the Jackson Sun, a couple had to be evacuated from their house by the local fire department, after the landslide caused the foundation of the house completely shifted. Nearly two acres of land along the waterway were damaged by the disaster, thankfully the landslide halted movement by the morning of Tuesday, February 18.

Three Wall Street Journal Reporters Expelled From Beijing, China Over Headline Published in the News Organization’s Opinions Section

A spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that three Wall Street Journal reporters will have their credentials taken away following an editorial in the opinion pages from early February. According to the New York Times, China took offense to the headline “China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia”, demanding that the Wall Street Journal punishes the reporters and give a formal apology. This is the first case of expulsion involving foreign correspondents since 1998. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said in a statement on February 19, that he doesn’t support China’s decision saying that WSJ is a free press, and a free press expresses opinion while also reporting facts.