From Gaza to South Carolina: News you missed
Photo courtesy of CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
C.J. Eldridge, News and Features Editor
International News
Seven World Central Kitchen aid workers were killed in a series of airstrikes in Gaza by Israeli forces this past week.
Three vehicles were hit in total, two of which were armored. The vehicles were branded with the WCK logo, and the organization was in contact with the Israeli military as they operated. They were also in a zone considered deconflicted.
One of the vehicles was almost completely burned up on the side of the road.
The team that was hit had reportedly unloaded nearly 100 tons of food at a warehouse located in Gaza before the incident. That food was shipped in via the sea as a part of a new program that was launched in the past month.
The aid workers came from all over the world to assist in the WCK’s efforts. Extreme backlash ensued from Poland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia. Israeli forces opened an investigation into the matter, eventually admitting responsibility and firing two senior officers.
World Central Kitchen put out a statement in honor of the workers.
Erin Gore, WCK CEO, said, “These are the heroes of World Central Kitchen. These seven beautiful souls were killed by the IDF in a strike as they were returning from a full day’s mission. Their smiles, laughter and voices are forever embedded in our memories.”
National News
With the rise of artificial intelligence, one such technology has emerged known as deepfakes. Daniel Warren, a Florida resident, has just been arrested for using the tech to make child pornography.
The Oxford English Dictionary refers to a deepfake as “Any of various media, esp. a video, that has been digitally manipulated to replace one person’s likeness convincingly with that of another, often used maliciously to show someone doing something that he or she did not do.”
Warren took multiple photos of a local girl and then used AI to create pornographic images using her likeness.
This is the first case of its kind. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office took their time to release any details because they believed it could be possible that Warren was not the only person using AI to do this.
He was reportedly in contact with others concerning the topic when officials went through his phone.
Warren is currently facing 14 felony charges of possession of child pornography as well as other charges related to voyeurism. His bond is set at $1.46 million with a court date set for May 2.
State News
Lawsuits were filed this week in regards to multiple of Richland County’s Bookman Road Elementary staff members allegedly abusing special needs students in 2023.
The children began acting differently once they began their time at the school.
The students’ parents claim that their non-verbal four-year-olds were physically and verbally abused by three staff members as part of a 4k special education class. The incidents were revealed through a recording that has since been shared with school officials and local police.
There is currently no criminal investigation into the incident. Two of the three staff members allegedly involved are still employed at the school, and one of them has since resigned. The school district refused to comment.
