What we’re reading: State of the Union address, earthquake death toll rises

AP

President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., listen. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

By Ella M. Mercer
Published Feb 9, 2023

Biden speaks of bipartisan ‘possibilities’ in State of the Union address

Members of Congress must work together to prioritize more bipartisan legislation and retain the confidence of all Americans, President Biden said in his State of the Union address Tuesday.

Biden bragged about America’s newfound control of COVID-19, noting a return to normalcy across the country.

The president received boos from Republicans including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., when he discussed the national deficit. He responded immediately.

“No president added more to the national debt, in any four years, than my predecessor,” Biden said. “They’re the facts. Check it out. Check it out.”

Biden received bipartisan applause when he spoke about legislation that is helping victims exposed to toxic burn pits. He said that his work with Republicans over the past two years gives him hope for the next two, despite a divisive political atmosphere.

Many viewed the address as a “soft launch” for Biden’s re-election campaign, according to The Washington Post.

“Let’s finish the job,” Biden said multiple times in his speech.

Guests included Oksana Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador; Brandon Tsay, the man who disarmed the shooter during the Monterey Park mass shooting; RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, the parents of Tyre Nichols; and Bono, the lead singer of U2.

Earthquake death toll in Turkey and Syria exceeds 12,000

The death toll continues to rise in Turkey and Syria as rescue workers search through the rubble from the earthquakes Monday. 

Over 12,000 people have been confirmed dead, while about 50,000 are injured, according to The Washington Post. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake was followed by a magnitude 7.5 quake shortly after.

Frigid temperatures in the 30s are only making rescues more difficult, with hypothermia threatening victims trapped under buildings.

“In all the years I’ve covered war here, I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Khalil Ashawi, a photojournalist, in a statement to CNN. “Paramedics… can’t handle it at all.”

People posted videos of children being pulled from underneath buildings. 

A baby girl who was born under the rubble caused by an earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey receives treatment inside an incubator at a children’s hospital in the town of Afrin, Aleppo province, Syria, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. Residents in the northwest Syrian town discovered the crying infant whose mother gave birth to her while buried underneath the rubble of a five-story apartment building levelled by this week’s devastating earthquake, relatives and a doctor say. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

Rescue workers saved and cut the umbilical cord of a newborn after her mother died beneath the rubble. The baby is being treated for bruises, lacerations and hypothermia, according to the BBC. 

Turkish citizens are questioning the effectiveness of their government’s “earthquake tax,” according to the BBC, which was instituted to develop emergency services. The government has collected approximately $4.6 billion since a 1999 earthquake that killed over 17,000 people.

 

 

Memphis police officer texted photos of beaten Tyre Nichols to five people

On Jan. 27, an ex-Memphis police officer texted at least one photo of Tyre Nichols to five people after kicking, hitting and pepper-spraying him, according to NBC News.

Demetrius Haley was one of several officers fired and charged with murder after the beating. Haley took two photos of Nichols after handcuffing him and sent the images to colleagues and acquaintances.

The image from video released on Jan. 27, 2023, by the City of Memphis, shows Tyre Nichols leaning against a car after a brutal attack by five Memphis police officers on Jan. 7, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn. Nichols died on Jan. 10. The five officers have since been fired and charged with second-degree murder and other offenses. (City of Memphis via AP)

Haley violated multiple Memphis police regulations, including sharing confidential information and using a personal cellphone while performing police duties, according to The Washington Post. 

This is not the first time Haley has been accused of using excessive force. According to CBS News, Haley was involved in a civil rights lawsuit after allegedly beating an inmate in 2015. The claims were dismissed after a judge ruled the plaintiff had not filed a grievance in time.

 

 

 

Artificial intelligence to be implemented in search engines

Microsoft and Google are updating their search engines to include AI software similar to ChatGPT, according to CBS News.

Microsoft has partnered with OpenAI to reimagine Bing by changing the search engine into a conversational experience. 

Users can ask the software extensive follow-up questions, and they should expect more comprehensive answers, according to NBC News.

“It’s a new race in the most important software category, or the largest software category, in search,” said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. In an interview with CBS News, he said he is excited for Bing to compete with other search engines.

According to Reuters, Microsoft launched a “desktop limited preview” of Bing on Tuesday.

Google has announced plans for an AI program called Bard, according to ABC News. 

“Bard seeks to combine the breadth of the world’s knowledge with the power, intelligence and creativity of our large language models,” said Google CEO Sundar Pichai. 

Bard will be available to the public in a few weeks.