On Saturday, a chemical attack by the Syrian government is believed to have killed approximately 40 people. It is believed that the Syrian Air Force dropped chemical bombs over Douma. A rebel group that opposes the Syrian government is located in Douma and have not given in to the Syrian government. A stall in negotiations between rebels and the Syrian government is believed to have led to the attack, BBC reported. The Syrian government denied the attack and called it false. However, it is widely believed that the attack evidently occurred.
It is reported that 500 people, most of whom were women and children, were brought to hospitals with “symptoms indicative of of exposure to a chemical agent,” the Syrian Civil Defense and Syrian American Medical Society said. Rescue workers said they found others when searching homes in the area where the attacks occurred that appear to have been killed from the effects of chemicals.
President Donald Trump said there had been a “heinous attack on innocent Syrians with banned chemical weapons.” After the attack, BBC reported that Trump met with military leaders to decide who was responsible and said “nothing is off the table.” Trump is skipping a summit to South America to “oversee the American response to Syria and and to monitor developments around the world,” the White House announced. The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, said that any confirmed use of chemical weapons is a clear violation of international law.
Russia, an ally of Syria, has also suggested that there is no evidence of the chemical attack. Russia has called for an “honest and transparent” investigation into the attack. They fear the U.S. and western allies of the U.S. will use a military strike against Syria before an investigation into whether the attack occurred is finished. The UN has also called for an full investigation in order to understand the facts behind the alleged attack.
Local News
Five people were forced to flee their homes after a fire early Saturday morning in Fall River, Massachusetts. Firefighters said that everyone made it out of the fire, but five people had to go to the hospital. No one was killed in the fire. The cause of the fire is not yet clear. Firefighters are investigating what may have caused it.
Two new direct flights are available at T.F. Green Airport in Providence. Frontier Airlines is offering flights from Raleigh, North Carolina, and Austin, Texas. The company said the first first flight from Raleigh arrived at T.F. Green Airport Sunday afternoon. The first flight from Austin arrived at T.F. Green airport on Monday.
A Narragansett man is facing charges after a head on crash in South Kingstown on Friday night. The crash occurred around 8:00 p.m. on South County trail. Police said one driver suffered broken bones and was rushed to South County hospital. Police said the other driver, who is the one facing charges, was taken to the hospital as a precaution. The suspect was identified as 64-year-old Michael Tobin. He is charged with driving under the influence resulting in serious bodily injury and refusing to submit to a chemical test, according to WPRI. Police said this is Tobin’s second offense within five years. The police investigation into the crash is ongoing.
National News
Firefighters were called to Trump Towers in New York Saturday night after reports of a fire. A fire engulfed a 50th floor apartment, which resulted in the death of a 67-year-old man. The man died of smoke inhalation. Six firefighters were injured while fighting the fire. No working smoke detectors or fire sprinklers were installed in the apartment in which the man was killed. Other apartment rooms in the building suffered smoke and water damage.
When the building was built in 1983, there were no requirements for sprinklers on residential floors, NBC News reported. However, the New York Times reported that a smoke sensor in the building’s ductwork detected smoke and alerted the fire department. Employees who noticed the alarm went off went to the 50th floor and attempted to enter the apartment, but the smoke was too thick to enter the room. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in front of Congress on Tuesday about misleading information being shared on the platform during the 2016 election, Facebook’s terms of service, Facebook’s data collection practices and the company’s alleged monopoly power. Forty-four senators questioned Zuckerberg during Tuesday’s testimony. A Louisiana Senator, Republican John Kennedy, told Zuckerberg, “your user agreement sucks.”
At the testimony, Zuckerberg apologized for the scandal involving Facebook, in which the app collected in-depth information about many of its users. Zuckerberg said that it is his company and that he has an obligation to protect users. He also said that Facebook wants to allow all viewpoints to be shared on the platform, and that they do not want to attempt to silence certain political opinions.
International News
On Friday, a bus crash in Canada killed 15 people, including 10 hockey players. The crash injured 14 others. The crash occurred when the bus collided with a tractor trailer. The 10 hockey players killed in the crash were members of a junior hockey team, the Humboldt Broncos. Two coaches, two broadcasters and the bus driver were also all killed in the crash.
The crash occurred when the bus carrying the team was t-boned by the truck. The driver of the truck was not injured, and was released after being questioned by police. The cause of the crash is not yet clear. The investigation into what caused the crash has not yet been finished. However, the company that owned the truck has been ordered to keep all their trucks off the road until the investigation is finished. A Go-Fund Me for the families of the victims has raised $5.8 million dollars, which is one of the five most successful Go-Fund Me’s created. An online letter showing support for the driver of the crash has also been widely circulated.