SUN SUNI KHABAR FEBRUARY 8TH 2016
SAN JOSE: A HOST OF NEW TAX PITCHES ON THE ANVIL
The 2016 ballots could flood San Jose residents with a host of new tax pitches. Two proposed moves could hike the sales tax from the current 8.75% to a potential 9.5%. Another proposed measure would raise taxes on large city businesses. San Jose officials are eyeing a sales tax hike to pay for general services such as police and fire protection, parks and roads. The proposed quarter-cent sales tax increase would generate about $40 mn annually and the half-cent would bring in $80 mn, according to city officials.
FLORIDA REPORTS 16 ZIKA VIRUS CASES
The number of confirmed Zika infections in Florida has risen to 16 cases statewide. According to the State Health Department, all of the cases in Florida are travel related. The state is yet to see its first locally transmitted infection. None of the cases in Florida involve pregnant women, who are believed to be at a higher risk due to the virus. According to a memo from the Miami-Dade Mayor, the county’s mosquito control section is prepared to respond “aggressively” with truck or aerial spraying.
UNITED STATES MAY NOT ATTEND OLYMPICS
With the Zika virus posing a threat to much of South America, U.S. Olympic officials have said that athletes worried about their health should consider missing the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On February 1st, The World Health Organization declared the Zika virus as a public health emergency. The officials’ statements about athletes missing the games is indicative of how serious the threat of this virus has gotten.
DOZENS STILL MISSING AFTER TAIWAN QUAKE
More than 100 people are believed to still be under the debris after a powerful earthquake struck Taiwan on the eve of the Chinese Lunar Year. Saturday's quake has killed at least 38 people in Tainan city in southern Taiwan. The 6.4 magnitude earthquake damaged many buildings with rescuers continuing to look for survivors. Earthquakes rattle Taiwan frequently with most of them causing minor damage. However a 7.6 magnitude quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.
NORTH KOREA CONTINUES TO TEST MISSILES
In what has become a saga of don’t ask, don’t tell, North Korea has launched yet another long range missile. While reports are still unconfirmed, the Asian country’s latest test will have America on alert. United States officials have said that they will begin talks with South Korea about implementing a defense system at the tip of the Korean Peninsula. However, South Korea is reluctant to address this defense system due to concerns about upsetting a major trading partner in China.
SYRIAN REFUGEES CONTINUE TO WAIT FOR THE PROMISED LAND
Syrian refugees, fleeing from their home country, gathered at the Turkish border, waiting to be let in. Despite Turkey’s alleged open door policy, it is growing increasingly difficult for refugees to enter. Russian offensives against the Syrian capital of Aleppo have left many displaced. Many have held out hope that Turkey would prove to be a salvation for refugees, but with nearly 40,000 civilians currently displaced, as well as 300,000 in danger, that hope is looking to be very slim.
WOMAN WHO CLAIMED ASSAULT BY BILL CLINTON TO FIGHT AGAINST CLINTON CAMPAIGN
Kathleen Willey, a White House intern during the Clinton administration who claimed that she had been groped by Bill Clinton, is joining an anti-Clinton group formed by a former advisor to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump. The group is meant to become active should Clinton win the Democratic nomination this year. In a statement, Wiley said that this is an opportunity for her to get her message out about the Clintons.
DENVER BRONCOS WIN SUPER BOWL 50
The Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10 to win Super Bowl 50 yesterday at the Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara. The Broncos outlasted the Panthers by stifling quarterback Cam Newton. 39-year-old Peyton Manning created history by becoming the oldest starting quarterback in Super Bowl history. There are speculations that yesterday's game was the last one of Manning's career. After the win, Manning was non-committal on his future. Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, was named as the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player.