Newsbytes: Orlando Shooter’s Widow Arrested, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, New Year’s Day Shooter Arrested, Galaxy Note 7 Announcements

By Staff Writers Jessica Jen & Bethany Woo

Local — Widow of Orlando shooter arrested in California
Noor Salman, the widow of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooter, Omar Mateen, was arrested in Rodeo, California on January 16 and charged with assisting and providing material support for her late husband. Salman’s attorney states that Salman was not aware of her husband’s plans in June. However, Salman has also stated that she drove her husband to the Pulse nightclub before the attack, accompanied him to purchase ammunition, and attempted to persuade Mateen to not go through with his plans. The other residents of Salman’s house in Rodeo have declined to speak with reporters.

 

National — Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day
People across the nation acknowledged Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 16 both in celebration and in protest. In Denver, Colorado, a crowd of several thousand people marched with signs celebrating King and protesting President-elect Donald Trump. Local and state figures in St. Paul, Minnesota spoke about past progress and current inequalities, while President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama painted butterflies on a mural depicting King at a Washington D.C. shelter. The Obamas also donated a swing set used by their daughters to the shelter.

 

International — New Year’s Day shooter arrested
Police in Turkey arrested Abdulgadir Masharipov on January 16. He is accused of having attacked an Istanbul nightclub on New Year’s Day, which the Islamic State claimed responsibility for. Masharipov is alleged to have killed 39 and wounded 69 people during the attack. Turkey police identified the suspect from closed-circuit television and located him in the district of Esenyurt. Masharipov was described as an Islamic State militant and was captured along with one man and three women whose nationalities have not been released.

 

Quirky — Announcements against the Galaxy Note 7 no longer needed on airlines

Airlines are no longer legally required to make an announcement warning passengers not to take Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones onto the plane. The U.S. Department of TransportationA made the announcements mandatory when the company recalled the product which had a defective battery causing it to overheat and catch on fire. However, 96 percent of the phones have been returned, and the Federal Aviation Administration says the notifications are no longer necessary due to sufficient public awareness but the phone is still banned on aircrafts.

 

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