Visitors Stop Woman from Setting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Home on Fire
26-year-old Laniesha Henderson was seen pouring gallons of gasoline on the walls, windows, and porch of the birth-home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta, Georgia. Before setting the house on fire, the woman was stopped by two visitors from Utah while at the historic site. Henderson was later detained by two off-duty cops until authorities arrived at the scene. No damage came to the two-story Queen Anne style home.
Richard Phillips is the Longest-Serving Inmate to be Exonerated in U.S. History
Richard Phillips is the longest-serving inmate to be granted exoneration in American history, after spending nearly half a century in prison for a crime he did not commit. In 1972, a Detroit jury convicted Phillips of murder based on evidence provided by an alleged witness who committed the crime. After 47 years of fighting for his freedom, the witness who committed the crime admitted to being guilty of murder, ultimately exonerating Phillips of the crime.
Israel/ Palestine War
Conflict in Israel has a long history dating back to World War I. The land was inhabited by a Jewish minority, an Arab majority, and other small ethnic groups. Tension among the people stemmed from the Balfour Declaration of 1917, a pledge for establishing the state as a “national home” for Jewish people in Palestine. This year has been the deadliest year on record for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The war has gained global coverage since October.
The Montgomery Riverboat Brawl
Montgomery, Alabama became the birth of the civil rights movement after the first major protest against segregation occurred in 1955 during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The tense history repeated itself in August after an altercation regarding a boat parking spot escalated into a brawl. The incident started after co-captain of the Harriott II, Damien Pickett, spent more than 45 minutes attempting to contact the owners of a boat in the cruise ship’s reserved parking. Pickett and 16-year-old Daniel Moore were attacked and assaulted by the private boat owners after a heated discussion. The altercations were caught on camera and garnered national attention after the videos were uploaded online.
Hundreds Perished in the Maui Wildfires
The city of Lahania in Maui, HI experienced the deadliest wildfire of the century, killing over 97-people, while 31 people went missing. Two fires ensued on August 8, at 6:30 a.m. and 2:50 p.m. after a wooden electricity pole snapped into foliage near downtown. Strong winds carried the flames causing thick smoke that burned through Lahania’s historic downtown all the way to the ocean. The fire moved so quickly; winds as high as 90-mph burned through communities forcing some residents to jump into the sea to escape. More than three acres of land were engulfed in flames for hours into the night. The island is still recovering from the chaotic inferno.
Former President Donald Trump Indicted and Arrested
Former U.S. President Donad Trump was arrested in Fulton County on Thursday, August 24, for state chargers against him for his involvement in conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump is facing 13 felony counts in Georgia for racketeering, fraud, and falsifying financial statements. This is one of four criminal cases Trump is currently fighting, including four felony counts in Washington D.C., 34 felony counts in New York, and 40 felony counts in Florida. He is the only president in the history of the country to be indicted.
Related Links:
Titanic submarine implosion victims: The 5 men who died on Titan trip (usatoday.com)
Incident Responses for June 2023 | NOAA’s Office of Response & Restoration Blog
NASA Clocks July 2023 as Hottest Month on Record Ever Since 1880 – NASA
Woman involved in Montgomery riverfront brawl is sentenced to anger management classes | CNN
How did the Maui fire spread so quickly? | AP News
Trump arrest full recap: Mugshot, surrender, what’s next in Georgia election case (cnbc.com)
Israel Gaza war: History of the conflict explained (bbc.com)
California is first state to ban 4 food additives for cancer, other health risks : NPR
He served the longest prison sentence before exoneration | CNN
Visitors to Martin Luther King Jr.’s home stop a woman from setting fire to it : NPR
California Becomes First State to Ban Common Additives Linked to Disease
California has become the first U.S. state to outlaw the use of four potentially harmful food and drink additives that have been linked to an array of diseases. The California Food Safety Act prohibits the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of food and beverages that contain brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and red dye 3, which can be found in candy, fruit juices, cookies, and more. These additives have been banned in more than a dozen other countries across the world. California Governor Gavin Newsom says the law won’t be implemented until 2027, allowing companies time to revise their recipes to avoid the deadly ingredients.
OceanGate Submersible Imploded during Deep Dive to the Titanic
OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, Hamish Harding, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood, and Suleman Dawood were all victims in a tragic implosion of the 22-foot OceanGate submarine on Tuesday, June 13, during a deep-sea dive to the Titanic. The four men and the teenager were declared dead two days after their departure. Each voyager paid $250,000 to board the sub in hopes of viewing the historic Titanic up close. The United States Coast Guard announced June 17 that their rescue teams found submersible debris on the ocean floor, suggesting the vessel imploded with no survivors.
More than Ten Oil Spills Occurred Across the U.S.
In June the Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) provided response support to more than 15 oil related incidents in 10 different states in the U.S. 12 of those incidents included 10 oil spills, one potential oil spill, and one chemical incident. These incidents posed an approximate risk of more than one million gallons of oil, 168,000 gallons of molten sulfur, 84,000 gallons of molten asphalt, and 36,000 gallons of sodium hydrosulfide. The most notable incidents occurred at the Mississippi River in Ashland, Louisiana and Yellowstone River at Reed Pint, Montana. OR&R continues to provide scientific support and recommendations for detecting potentially submerged oil that can cause more damage to the ecosystem.
2023 Marked as the Hottest Year on Record
According to NASA and Climate Central, 2023 has been Earth’s hottest year since the mid-1880s. Global temperatures greatly exceeded previous records in the summer and fall seasons, resulting in multiple heat waves and wildfires. The World Meteorological Organization estimates a 98% chance that at least one year between now and 2027 there will be another hot year on record preceding the one before it. The next five-year period will almost certainly be the warmest ever recorded. The main cause of the increased temperatures is from heat-trapping pollution caused by human activities like littering, coal burning, gas emissions, and smoking.
