There’s another flying object struck down by the US?

Happening in the World: As Turkey continues to see the devastating result of its most recent earthquake, President Erdogan’s grip on power in the country is beginning to look as if it may loosen. Turkey has always been at risk of large, devastating earthquakes given that the country lies on two fault lines. The flaws of search and rescue are becoming more evident, given that there was a delay in action by the strongest search and rescue team in Turkey, its military, due to the Erdogan government’s efforts to curb military power in the recent decade. In addition to that, many of Erdogan’s critics are pointing out the suspicious spending of “earthquake solidarity taxes” as well as the lack of enforcement of Turkish building regulations, both exacerbating the damage of the earthquakes. Since he first took power 20 years ago, first as prime minister, then as president, Erdogan has become increasingly authoritarian, often using political means to silence his opponents. For now, it is still unclear how dramatic the political aftermath of the handling of the earthquakes will be. (BBC)

Happening in the US: The US shot down a high-altitude object after it had traveled through the northern coast of Alaska, the second unmanned object following the strike down of the Chinese meteorological balloon earlier this week. The object was flying at 40,000 feet (12,000 meters) over the northern coast of Alaska, close to the Canadian border. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was debriefed on the object and supported the decision to take action. The purpose and origin of this new object were unclear, but the “cylindrical and silver-ish grey” floating object appeared to have no propulsion system. Officials are currently investigating recovered debris from the ocean which was being loaded onto vessels and taken to “labs for subsequent analysis”. Many facts about this occurrence remain unknown, but the suspicion from the White House signals growing tension between the US and China. (BBC)

Happening in NYC: Harper-Collins Employees reached an agreement with Harper-Collins after a 66 day strike in a successful effort to raise the floor for their salaries from 45,000 to 50,000—a number still lower than what the Economic Policy Institute considers a living wage. The strike involved nearly 250 employees living on unemployment checks and strike funds in order to make ends meet. Harper-Collins is the one company out of the big five publishing houses with a union, suggesting the possibility of higher labor standards across the five companies and the possibility of an establishment of unions in other publishing houses. (Vox)

Happening in Our Community: The National Association of Hispanic Journalists is holding its inaugural 2023 Emerging Regional Journalists Career Summits on Saturday, February 11. The summits are meant to assist students in developing skill sets and connecting with industry leaders. They will be interactive, with sessions involving learning how to discover your potential, marketing yourself, and receiving help to secure an internship or job offer. Sign up here at this link.

Image via Bwog Archives