February 15, 2024 - Thursday

[WORLD] Ukraine claims to have disabled a third of Russia's Black Sea Fleet after sinking another Russian warship using sea drones.

According to Ukrainian military intelligence, the landing ship Caesar Kunikov was attacked and sunk with sea drones, causing critical damage to its left side. This comes after Ukraine previously claimed to have disabled 33% of Russia's warships, amounting to 24 ships and one submarine. The attack was carried out by Ukraine's special forces unit in collaboration with the country's security and defense forces. The Kremlin has not commented on the reported incident.

No sources available.

[NATION] Democrat Tom Suozzi wins special election, narrowing GOP majority in the House and providing a boost to President Biden's party.

Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, has won the special election for New York's third congressional district, defeating Republican Mazi Pilip. Suozzi's victory is seen as providing a narrative reshuffle for President Biden and national Democrats, boosting their morale amid concerns over the president's poll numbers and potential rematch with former President Trump. This win narrows the GOP's House majority and strengthens the Democratic Party as the general election campaign approaches.

No sources available.

[BUSINESS] Jeff Bezos recently sold over $2 billion in Amazon stock, while his move to Florida is expected to save him hundreds of millions in taxes.

Jeff Bezos, the founder and executive chairman of Amazon, has sold approximately $2.08 billion worth of company shares. The sales were executed under a prearranged trading plan. Bezos' recent move from Seattle, Washington, to Miami, Florida, will save him a significant amount in taxes. By avoiding Washington's 7% tax on capital gains, Bezos could potentially save hundreds of millions of dollars. Florida's lack of state income tax and capital gains tax make it an attractive place for high-net-worth individuals like Bezos.

No sources available.

[TECHNOLOGY] Mark Zuckerberg mocks Apple's Vision Pro headset, claiming Meta's Quest 3 is not only a better value but the better product overall.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, took a dig at Apple's Vision Pro headset in a video review on Instagram. He argued that Meta's Quest 3 VR headset is not only a better value for money but also a superior product. Zuckerberg highlighted the passthrough feature, where the user can see digital screens floating in space around them, which is a key selling point of the Vision Pro. This marks an escalation in the rivalry between the two tech giants.

No sources available.

[SPORTS] The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to make history by becoming the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls.

The Chiefs have proven themselves as a dynasty with their back-to-back Super Bowl victories, solidifying their status as one of the greatest teams in NFL history. Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid, they are now aiming to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls. Despite their flaws and an unimpressive start in Super Bowl LVIII, the Chiefs have shown their resilience and determination, making them a formidable force to reckon with. With Mahomes at the helm, they have the talent and the drive to achieve their ambitious goal.

No sources available.

[SCIENCE] SpaceX-NASA Intuitive Machines moon lander launch postponed to Thursday morning due to liquid methane fuel issue.

SpaceX has postponed the launch of the Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission to Thursday due to a temperature issue with the spacecraft's liquid methane fuel. The privately-funded unmanned spacecraft will transport scientific instruments for NASA and commercial customers to the South Pole region of the moon. This mission is a significant milestone for both US space travel and Elon Musk's vision of sending humans to Mars. The launch is part of NASA's CLPS initiative and Artemis campaign.

No sources available.

[HEALTH] An Oregon resident was diagnosed with bubonic plague likely from a sick pet cat, raising concerns about the return of the disease.

Health officials in central Oregon reported a case of bubonic plague in a resident who likely got the disease from their sick pet cat. The infected resident and close contacts have been provided medication, and the community is not believed to be at risk. Plague cases are uncommon but not unheard of in the western United States, with a handful of cases occurring annually. The plague is different from Alaskapox, a rare disease that recently killed a man. Plague was once a deadly illness but is now treatable.

No sources available.

[ENTERTAINMENT] 'The Fantastic Four' cast, consisting of Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, could be Marvel's fresh start.

Marvel Studios has revealed the cast for 'The Fantastic Four' movie, featuring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. These actors, like Robert Downey Jr. in 'Iron Man,' have not headlined their own studio action blockbuster before, but their casting could have a significant impact on the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is set to be directed by Matt Shakman and has a release date of July 25, 2025.

No sources available.