Weinstein Faces New Charges

Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacy announced yesterday that Harvey Weinstein has been charged with four counts of sexual assault in LA County. The announcement is separate from Weinstein’s trial in New York (which began yesterday) for similar charges.

U.S. Troops in Iraq

An unsigned draft letter from a top U.S. general to the Iraqi government was leaked on Monday, stating that the U.S. military would be preparing for “movement out of Iraq.” However, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper later told reporters that the letter was misleading, and the U.S. has not made a decision to leave Iraq.

Venezuelan Election Dispute

Venezuelan politician Juan Guaidó was barred from attending a special session of the National Assembly where he was expected to be reelected as the legislature’s leader - political rival President Nicolás Maduro is believed to be responsible. In Guaidó’s absence, supporters of Maduro elected one of their own to head the legislature, but hours later a majority of National Assembly lawmakers met elsewhere and reelected Guaidó.

Pier Done

Pier 1 Imports unexpectedly reported quarterly earnings on Monday, tallying a net loss of $59 million or $14.15 per share for the quarter. The retailer also said that it intends to close up to 450 stores, nearly half of its 942 locations nationwide - Pier 1 stock is down more than 40 percent over the past 12 months.

Echo Chamber

Amazon on Monday announced a partnership with automakers Lamborghini and Rivian to integrate the Alexa voice-enabled assistant into the companies’ upcoming vehicles. The company also detailed plans to roll out the Echo Auto car-companion device in India starting Jan. 15, and said it will be bringing the latest Fire TV edition to future BMW and Fiat Chrysler vehicles.

Making Amend$

Boeing has agreed to pay an undisclosed amount to American Airlines to cover lost revenue from the grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft series. American Airlines has said it plans to add $30 million to an employee profit-sharing program, similar to Southwest Airlines’ $125 million pledge after the company reached a similar agreement with Boeing last month.

The Art of Love

Peggy Pasko was coming off a recent divorce when she happened upon a newspaper article about a homeless artist and felt called to support his work, but she had no idea she would end up with more than a hand-crafted sculpture. Peggy said she felt she just had to get in contact with Michael - who was living in a transition home and had been down on his luck - after seeing a picture of the artist with a wood-carved bust he’d created of John Wayne.

After sending a letter to the newspaper and waiting a long three weeks, Peggy got a call from Michael, and the two hit it off right away. After months of getting to know each other, the two set their first official date for New Year’s Eve - back in 2002. 18 years later, the Paskos are a married couple living in San Antonio, with their story reminding us that the best things in life can come from the most unexpected places.

Irwin Inspiration

Reports are showing that as of this week, nearly 500 million animals have died in Australia’s recent brush fires. Although that number is staggering, there are organizations dedicated to helping rehabilitate and save these animals in need. The late Aussie legend Steve Irwin - “The Crocodile Hunter” - dedicated his life to engaging with, rescuing, and teaching about wild animals, and his spirit is survived by the work of the family he left behind.

Steve’s wife, Terri, and two children, Bindi and Robert, now continue his legacy, having recently passed the threshold of 90,000 animals treated at the Australian Zoo Wildlife Hospital over the last 16 years. In the face of the ongoing crisis, Steve would be proud of his family, who continue to inspire others to show kindness to animals and to protect the vulnerable planet that we all share.