News Briefs
• The next two weeks will feature unusually chilly temperatures from coast to coast, the Climate Prediction Center said. But by early to mid-April, temperatures should flip to warmer than average for most of the nation.
“Odds favor above-average temperatures for the southern two-thirds of the U.S., extending from California across the central Plains and into the Northeast,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its spring forecast. The greatest likelihood of above-average temperatures is across the nation’s southern tier, from the Southwest across Texas and along the Gulf Coast.
• On March 15, a 950-ton pedestrian bridge in Miami collapsed, leaving six dead, according to CNN.
“The bridge was meant to connect the campus of Florida International University with a neighborhood that’s home to 4,000 of its students.” Within minutes, first responders started arriving, as well as medical staff from the university.
• Exploding packages in the Austin, Texas area have killed two people and injured 17, according to CNN. An explosion at a FedEx center in Schertz on March 20 has brought the number of explosions up to five within the month. Over 350 special agents have been assigned the case by the FBI.
“Police have not uncovered a motive and have not ruled out the possibility those bombings could be hate crimes,” according to CNN.
• President Donald Trump is preparing to relieve H.R. McMaster, his national security adviser, in the not-too-distant future. That news was first broken by the Washington Post on March 15, but subsequently confirmed by CNN.
“Trump is now comfortable with ousting McMaster, with whom he never personally gelled, but is willing to take time executing the move because he wants to ensure both that the three-star Army general is not humiliated and that there is a strong successor lined up,” according to CNN.
• While students in a South Carolina school participated in the National School Walkout this week, a custodian helped herself to their cash, police said. The incident occurred at Richland Northeast High School on Wednesday.
According to Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Aisha Evans, a custodian at the school, went into a classroom while students were outside and rummaged through three book bags. In all, Evans stole $180. The custodian was arrested soon afterward and charged with three counts of petty larceny.
• “Rihanna does not think much of Snapchat’s apology for an advertisement that appeared to mock her domestic violence incident with her former boyfriend, Chris Brown. The ad, for a game called ‘Would You Rather?,’ featured photos of the two singers and asked users if they would ‘rather slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown.’
The ‘Would You Rather’ ad was removed earlier this week, and Snapchat released an apology,” according to CNN. Snapchat removed the ad, but the singer voiced her displeasure that the advert was ever posted in the first place.
“I’d love to call it ignorance but I know you ain’t that dumb. You spent money to animate something that would intentionally bring shame to [domestic violence] victims and made a joke of it,” the award-winning singer published on her Instagram story. Snapchat will be investigating the posting and has said they will ensure nothing this “disgusting” ever happens again.
