Rapper Pop Smoke was killed during a burglary
Twenty year-old rapper Bashar Barakah— commonly known as Pop Smoke— was killed in his home early Wednesday morning after four men broke into his home. The perpetrators allegedly found the rapper’s address through an Instagram post where the musician opened a gift bag with his address written on it. Just one day earlier, his album Meet The Woo, V.2 reached #7 on the Billboard 200 chart and his song “Welcome to the Party” was re-mixed by Nicki Minaj.
Ja’Net Dubois died at age 74
Emmy-award winning actress Ja’Net Dubois died of natural causes on Monday night. She was known for playing Wilona Woods in the 1970s comedy “Good Times”; Janet Jackson, who was on the show alongside Dubois, posted on social media after her death, saying that the actress “broke stereotypes and changed the landscape for Black women in entertainment.”
Bloomberg joined the Democratic debate for the first time
Former Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg joined the Democratic debate for the first time in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Polling in second place just behind Bernie Sanders, Bloomberg is a highly divisive figure for his “stop-and-frisk” policies that lead to the incarceration of thousands of Black and Hispanic people throughout New York City. Notably, several women have also spoken out about the misogyny they experienced while working for Bloomberg.
“I’d like to talk about who we’re running up against,” Senator Elizabeth Warren said during the debate. “A billionaire who calls women fat broads and horse-faced lesbians. And no, I’m not talking about Donald Trump, I’m talking about Mayor Bloomberg.”
…and Bernie Sanders won by a landslide in Nevada
Bernie Sanders won the Nevada primary with 46.6 percent of the votes, according to CNN polling. The second runner up was Joe Biden (19.2 percent) followed by Pete Buttigieg (15.4 percent).
Rosario Dawson discussed her sexuality
In an interview with Bustle, actress Rosario Dawson, who is currently dating U.S. Senator Cory Booker, spoke about her rumors around her sexuality. “I never did come out come out,” she said. “I mean, I guess I am now.”
The actress then clarified that she’s never had a queer relationship and calling herself a part of the LGBTQ did not feel “authentic”.
A top Pentagon official resigned
John Rodd, the Pentagon’s top policy official, resigned at the request of President Trump on Wednesday. Rodd had warned the president against withholding aid to Ukraine last year.
The body of a missing Georgia college student Anitra Gunn was found
The body of Anitra Gunn, a 23 year-old student attending Fort Valley State University in Georgia, was found off the side of a road on Wednesday. Gunn had gone missing on Friday and her 23 year-old boyfriend DeMarcus Little has been arrested in connection to her murder.
South Korea experienced a dramatic increase in coronavirus cases
➡️ WHO Chief: “ The window of ‘containment’ opportunity is narrowing’ #coronavirus ( Guardian)
➡️ South Korea confirms huge rise in cases , raising the total to 433.
➡️ Italy reports second coronavirus death, 30 cases reported so far.
➡️ Iran reports 5 death, 28 cases pic.twitter.com/QvtWxN9Mbq
— Coronavirus Live Updates (@Rntk____) February 22, 2020
The number of people infected by the coronavirus in South Korea doubled from Friday to Saturday, raising that country’s toll to more than 430 infections, according to CNN.
…Plus, coronavirus infections rise among Cruise Ship passengers after they were let off ship
634 new coronavirus infections were confirmed from passengers aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined for 14 days in the Japanese city of Yokohama. Two of the cruise ship passengers, who were in their 80s, have died. Japan is now the country with the second most coronavirus cases after China.
