Impeachment Opening Arguments

House impeachment managers began the first of three days of opening arguments Wednesday. The Democratic lawyers have 24 hours in total to present their case against President Trump, after which the president’s counsel has 24 hours over three additional days to mount his defense.

Weinstein’s NY Trial Begins

Harvey Weinstein’s trial kicked off in New York yesterday, as lawyers from both sides made their opening statements. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to all seven felony charges, including predatory sexual assault, 1st-degree rape, and 3rd-degree rape.

Additional note: Weinsten was also charged with four counts of rape and sexual battery in Los Angeles earlier this month.

WHO Decision Postponed

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) opted to put off deciding whether to declare a global state of emergency over the outbreak of a strain of coronavirus that originated in China. WHO officials will convene again Thursday to make a decision, as the death count rose to at least 17 (stay abreast of the latest updates with this interactive map from Johns Hopkins University).

Game On

Fortnite creator Epic Games has partnered with LA-based startup PlayVS to make the popular video game an official high school and college sport. Through a partnership with NFHS (the NCAA equivalent for high school), schools can pay a fee to be placed in a league competing against other neighboring schools, with national championships to be held in May.

Hallmark’s Hesitancy

On Wednesday, Hallmark Channel’s parent company Crown Media Family Networks announced that CEO Bill Abbott will be departing the company effective Friday. In early December:

• Hallmark published an ad featuring a same-sex couple.
• The company decided to pull the ad after learning of a petition by conservative group One Million Moms.
• Hallmark later reinstated the ad after their previous decision came under fire.

Total Recall

On Tuesday, Toyota said it will recall 3.4 million vehicles worldwide due to an electronic glitch that may result in the airbags not deploying when needed. Also on Tuesday, Honda announced a recall of 2.7 million vehicles with faulty inflators that may cause the airbags to rupture in a crash.

“Friends” and Family

As an adopted child, UK native Karen Harris grew up dreaming about the whereabouts of her birth mother and father. She began searching for her biological parents after turning 18, and was able to locate and reunite with her birth mother ten years later. But even though she knew the name and occupation of her birth father, Karen was unable to track him down - that is, until he ended up listed as a “suggested friend” on her Facebook page.

Karen was thrilled to see he lived only 350 miles away, and the two met up halfway between their two cities after exchanging messages for several weeks. Her father, Trevor, introduced her to family she never knew she had. Karen says she now feels a sense of completion, knowing both of her birth parents, all thanks to social media.

Warms the Heart

30-year-old Veronika Scott spent parts of her childhood without a home, so she knows just how deadly winter conditions can be for anyone living on the street. Veronika started her company - The Empowerment Plan - after she had the idea for a warm coat that functions as both a sleeping bag and a carryall tote. Since its inception eight years ago, the company has sold and distributed 35,000 coats in over 21 countries, helping those on the streets stay warm and dry.

When Veronika saw how many of the homeless were also in need of jobs, she decided to create a workforce entirely of employees without homes. To date, none of the Empowerment Plan’s workers have reverted back to homelessness, thanks to Veronika’s tireless support. As a founder, innovator, and CEO, Veronika proves that great ideas are born from adversity.