These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, February 25, 2020:
- WEINSTEIN TRIAL: SPLIT VERDICT: Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of two felony sex crimes, but acquitted on the most serious charges of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape, in one of the first major verdicts of the #MeToo movement. The disgraced movie mogul was immediately remanded into custody on New York’s infamous Rikers Island, as his lawyers said they would appeal and challenge his detention. While considered a victory for his victims, the jury did not vote to convict on the two most serious charges, which could have carried life in prison. Weinstein will be sentenced on March 11, and could spend a maximum of 29 years behind bars. Reuters
- WEINSTEIN TRIAL: VICTIMS SPEAK: Ashley Judd, Patricia Arquette and other Hollywood actresses who were among those to accuse Weinstein of assault praised the witnesses who testified against him. “You did a public service to girls and women everywhere,” Judd tweeted. “Harvey Weinstein is now a convicted rapist,” wrote Padma Lakshmi. Buzzfeed
- MARKET PLUNGE: THE LATEST: Stocks around the world plummeted, as fears about the spreading coronavirus outbreak took their biggest one-day toll on global markets yet. For only the third time ever, the Dow dropped more than 1,000 points, or about 3.6 percent. This morning, markets in Europe and the U.S. have stabilized, which tends to happen right after deep sell offs. CNBC
- CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: Amid the market turmoil and as new infections spread in South Korea, Iran and Italy, the World Health Organization said the coronavirus is unlikely to be contained, though it stopped short of declaring the virus a pandemic. That’s not going over well with some public health officials, who believe governments should start using “the P word” in order to help push people to prepare. Here’s the argument from two prominent epidemiologists: Read it
- KOBE MEMORIAL: Vanessa Bryant spoke publicly for the first time since the death of her husband and daughter in front of 20,000 celebs, athletes and fans, who crammed into the Staples Center for the Kobe Bryant memorial. Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé performed, while Shaq and Michael Jordan were among those to give emotional tributes. In a lighter moment, Jordan — tears streaming down his face — acknowledged the “Jordan crying” meme to laughs from the crowd. Watch highlights
- IN MEMORIAM: KATHERINE JOHNSON: Katherine Johnson, the brilliant NASA mathematician who is credited with helping the U.S. reach the moon — and get home safely — has died at 101. Johnson lived the majority of her life in relative obscurity, despite being one of a handful of African-American women who did some of the most crucial work at NASA during the Space Race in the 1960s. She received more recognition in her later years,culminating with her portrayal by Taraji P. Henson in the movie Hidden Figures. Johnson she was known to play down her role in the Apollo 11 mission, once saying: “I’m as good as anybody, but no better.” Obit
- SPOTTED… ...K-pop supergroup BTS performing in a deserted Grand Central Terminal on Jimmy Fallon. Their new album is set to open huge this week. Watch
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