Welcome to Optimize, a weekly update to keep you informed on what has happened during the week. Here are five national/international stories (and one local one) that you should know:
Tsunami hits Indonesia
Indonesia was hit by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on Friday with multiple shocks afterwards with a 6.7 magnitude that had tsunami waves up to 10 feet tall. The impact caused houses to be swept away and several families to go missing. There have been no official numbers of deaths so far.
Kavanaugh hearings
In a highly anticipated day of testimony, professor Christine Blasey Ford appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to detail her alleged sexual assault by Judge Brett Kavanaugh when the two were in high school. After the revelation of Ford and two other women accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, Kavanaugh also appeared before the committee to address the allegations against him. Kavanaugh has denied all allegations, and the senate committee has asked that a full senate vote on his approval to the Supreme Court take place.
Bill Cosby sentenced three to ten years
The once beloved TV personality Bill Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in federal prison this week on the charges of drugging and assaulting Andrea Constand 14 years ago. Constand is just one of around a dozen women claiming to be a victim of drugging and sexual assault by Cosby.
Facebook security breach
Facebook announced that 50 million users had their accounts breached by hackers. There was a flaw in the view as feature that allows users to check the privacy settings of their account. Facebook is working to address the problem.
Local Bonus: Lotus Festival this weekend
Bloomington’s annual Lotus Festival lasts this weekend through Sunday. It features global musical performances, arts from around the world, and other interesting events. Lotus in the park specifically, is free of charge and has activities for all ages at the Waldron, Hill, and Buskirk park on Saturday. This is Lotus’ 25th year and is a great opportunity to learn more about different cultures from all over the globe.
