In other news, American companies including McDonald's, Disney, Starbucks and several luxury cruise lines are suspending operations in China where at least 2,900 people have been sickened by the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, British and American officials say a recent wave of cyber attacks against various governments and businesses were carried out by hackers working for the Erdogan regime in Turkey.
The hackers have attacked at least 30 organizations, including government ministries, embassies and security services as well as companies and other groups, according to a Reuters review of public internet records. Victims have included Cypriot and Greek government email services and the Iraqi government’s national security advisor, the records show.
The attacks involve intercepting internet traffic to victim websites, potentially enabling hackers to obtain illicit access to the networks of government bodies and other organizations.
According to two British officials and one U.S. official, the activity bears the hallmarks of a state-backed cyber espionage operation conducted to advance Turkish interests.
Finally, former Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, and his 13-year-old daughter, were killed in a helicopter crash yesterday afternoon along with 7 other people.
Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria Onore Bryant had been expected at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks for a basketball game scheduled for Sunday. Gianna was expected to play in the game and Bryant was expected to coach, according to Lady Mavericks team director Evelyn Morales.
The helicopter crash, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, caused a brush fire, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Daryl Osby said. The crash killed all nine people aboard, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.
I can't say that I was ever a fan of the Lakers or Kobe himself, nor do I catch more than a handful of basketball games each summer, but this did hit particularly close to home for me last night. Multiple other families were torn apart by the crash, not just the Bryant family, and he was not significantly older than I am now. I also know what it's like to lose someone and that's why I try to be the best version of myself every day.
Even if we don't always get it right, it's worth trying to.