What do a cold iguana, a missing person, a mysterious virus and Alexander Hamilton have in common with the Senate impeachment trial? They’re all anyone can talk about this Wednesday. Let’s talk news.
But first, coocoo for coconuts? New research on coconut oil raises concerns about its effect on heart health. Here’s what the experts say. ??
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She vanished years ago. Her mother says the FBI told her news is coming soon
Something may break soon in the case of Kristin Smart, the freshman at California Polytechnic State University whose disappearance in 1996 at age 19 remains unsolved. Kristin’s mother, Denise, said the FBI told her to be ready for a development that might bring closure to her more-than-20-year nightmare. “Be ready. This is really going to be something you don’t expect,” Smart said authorities told her. What the FBI didn’t tell her is when this development might be announced.
Kristin Smart, 19, a freshman at California Polytechnic University-San Luis Obispo, disappeared May 25 after walking home from a party with another young woman and a young man. (Photo: Stockton Record handout via AP)
History has its eyes on Trump’s impeachment trial
? I am not throwing away my shot ? … at quoting Alexander Hamilton (the musical!) in the Short List, just as Rep. Adam Schiff did in his opening arguments of the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump. Quoting the famed treasury secretary, Schiff said that in a letter in 1792, Hamilton warned George Washington against a leader who would “pursue his own interests” by seeking office. Schiff said Trump “has acted precisely as Hamilton and his contemporaries feared.” Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have used Hamilton and other founders to argue their case for or against the impeachment of Trump, who is accused of pressuring Ukraine to investigate a political rival and leveraging official U.S. acts to do so. Follow along with our live impeachment trial updates.
What everyone’s talking about
- Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ phone was reportedly hacked. By whom?
- Harry and Meghan are not amused by the paparazzi – and threaten legal action.
- Is Tylenol a cancer risk? California considers a warning on the common painkiller.
- The American dream may be unattainable in these cities.
- Jessica Simpson revealed in her upcoming memoir that she was sexually abused as a child and later overcame alcohol and drug addictions.
The night the iguanas fell
The National Weather Service in Miami issued an unusual warning Tuesday: Watch out for iguanas falling from trees, “they are not dead.” (No, I’m not making this up.) An unusual cold snap hit the Sunshine State, causing cold-stunned iguanas to fall from trees across South Florida. By Wednesday morning, reports and photos began circulating the interwebs of iguanas lying on the ground. The raining reptiles prompted a sale of iguana meat, dubbed “chicken of the trees,” on Facebook Marketplace overnight in South Florida, the Miami Herald reported. “Mango season may be months away, but if you live in South Florida today, your trees may be ripe for the picking – of iguanas,” the Herald said.
- People are really selling iguana meat dubbed “chicken of the trees.”
Cold weather in Florida stunned cold-blooded iguanas who dropped from their perches in trees Jan. 22. (Photo: Joe Cavaretta, AP)
Coronavirus death toll: 17
The death toll from a new global virus rose to at least 17 Wednesday (not to mention 500 confirmed cases) as experts from around the world gathered in Switzerland to figure out how to manage this sketchy outbreak. To reduce the spread of the virus, China Daily reported, the government in Wuhan canceled all flights and trains from the city Thursday and temporarily closed all public transportation. The first U.S. case, reported Tuesday, involves a Washington state resident in his 30s who first displayed symptoms Sunday. He was listed in good condition at Providence Regional Medical Center in Snohomish County north of Seattle.
Real quick
- Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard sues Hillary Clinton for defamation.
- More suing: D.C.’s attorney general sued Trump’s inaugural committee, saying the nonprofit organization “grossly” misused its funds.
- The locker next to Tom Brady: What it’s like sharing space with the GOAT.
- Trump and billionaire Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer traded insults on social media.
- Airlines would no longer be required to accept emotional support animals under a proposed federal rule.
Discovery may lead to ‘one-size-fits-all’ cancer treatment
A team of researchers in the United Kingdom discovered a type of immune cell that they say could one day be used as a “one-size-fits-all” therapy for most cancers. Scientists say a T-cell has a new type of receptor that can recognize and kill most cancers. Though the discovery has not been tested in patients, study author Andrew Sewell called it “an exciting new frontier.” Experts in the field were cautiously optimistic about the results. Marcel van den Brink, a medical oncologist, called the discovery “a very nice step forward” but said more work is needed before determining whether the research could lead to results for patients.
A break from the news
- Job recruiters’ go-to candidates are millennials, by far.
- This 3-year-old’s prayer will steal your heart. ❤️
- The 5 best Amazon deals you can get Wednesday.
This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network.
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