Monday, May 9 top stories

It is Monday, May 9. Here are today’s top stories.

Three Americans die at Sandals resort in the Bahamas

Three Americans died on Friday at a Sandals resort in the Bahamas of unknown causes. They were two men and a woman. A fourth American, a woman, was hospitalized.

Authorities in the Bahamas said they are investigating and so far they do not suspect foul play. A man was found dead in a villa with no signs of trauma and a couple was found dead in another villa. A report said the couple complained that they were ill the night before they passed away. The report also said two of the victims showed signs of convulsion.

Sandals Resorts did not provide any information other than saying they received reports of a health emergency and immediately alerted emergency medical professionals.

A son of one of the three people who died told the New York Post that their parent had severe swelling in their limbs.

The US State Department said it is monitoring the Bahamas police investigation into the deaths.

Alabama bans gender-affirming medical treatment for transgender youth

Alabama Gov. Ivey signed into law a bill that bans medical professionals from providing gender-affirming medical treatment to transgender youth.

This means that it is now banned to provide a transgender person with hormones, puberty blockers, or medical treatment to transition to the gender that corresponds with their identity.

The new law now makes it a felony with up to 10 years in prison to provide gender-affirming medical treatment.

Reuters said a federal judge is now weighting whether to grant a motion to put a temporary hold on it. Reuters also explained that “gender-reassignment surgery for people under 18 is extremely rare… and that Democrats and LGBTQ organizations have said this type of law is harmful and unnecessary.”

Nepali Sherpa climbs Everest 26 times

Kami Rita, a Nepali sherpa, has broken his own record of the amount of times a person has climbed Mount Everest on Saturday when he scaled the mountain for the 26th time while guiding another group of climbers.

Kami is 52 years old. In 2019 when he climbed the mountain for the 23rd time, he said he felt strong and wanted to climb Everest 25 more times.

Kami’s father was one of the first professional guides at Everest when it opened up to foreign climbers in 1950.

[Sponsored Video from Sorenson: www.sorenson.com]

——

[Advertisement from Disaster Distress Helpline: After a disaster, you may be at risk for emotional distress. Warning signs can include feeling isolated, anxious, having trouble sleeping and more. If you or someone you know is Deaf or hard of hearing, the Disaster Distress Helpline offers a direct videophone option.

This free service for ASL users is answered 24/7 by trained crisis workers fluent

in ASL and can be accessed using any videophone-enabled device and dialing 1-800-985-5990 or at disasterdistress.samhsa.gov.]

—----

Pelosi says Republicans want to criminalize abortion nationwide

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) said she believes that Republicans want to criminalize abortion nationwide after they achieve their goal of overturning Roe.

Pelosi said the Supreme Court’s decision, if it becomes official, would mean that “for the first time in our history, America’s daughters will have less freedom than their mothers.”

Pelosi warned that Republican state legislators across the country are already advancing new laws that includes calling for the arrest of doctors for performing abortions and/or charging women with murder.

Updates on Russia’s war on Ukraine

Here are four updates on Russia’s war on Ukraine.

First Lady Jill Biden visited Ukraine on Sunday to met with the Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska. It was to mark Mother’s Day. It is the first time that the Ukrainian First Lady was seen in public since the Russian invasion began February 24.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said 60 people were killed when Russian forces bombed a school in Luhansk, in the eastern part of the country. There were about 90 civilians seeking shelter in the school from shelling. It is not known how many children were killed. Zelenskyy said the strike was “another crime of the occupiers.”

Russian President Putin gave an address in Moscow today on Russia’s Victory Day, which is an annual remembrance of the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. In the speech, Putin said that the Ukrainian government is filled with Nazis and that the US and NATO supports Nazis.

In Poland, Russia’s ambassador to Poland was doused with red paint by protesters while he was visiting a cemetery with Soviet soldiers who died during WWII.

That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/07/americas/sandals-resort-deaths-bahamas/index.html

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/alabama-ban-gender-affirming-care-transgender-youth-takes-effect-2022-05-09/

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/everest-record-nepal-kami-rita-sherpa-intl-hnk/index.html

https://www.axios.com/2022/05/09/pelosi-republicans-abortion-roe-v-wade

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/08/jill-biden-ukraine/

https://www.axios.com/2022/05/08/governor-dozens-feared-dead-russian-bombing-ukrainian-school

https://www.axios.com/2022/05/09/putin-russia-victory-day-parade-speech

https://www.axios.com/2022/05/09/russia-ambassador-poland-red-paint-protesters