February 10, 2023 — Today’s Biggest News Stories

At least 20,000 people have been killed in the catastrophic 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, making it one of the deadliest disasters in a decade.

In Kahramanmaras, a photo of a father holding onto his daughter’s lifeless hand has become a defining image of tragedy. The photo, taken by Adem Altan, shows Mesut Hançer sitting on the remains of a collapsed apartment building, gripping his 15-year-old daughter Irmak’s hand as it peeks out of the rubble. Irmak was crushed to death when the building caved in during the earthquake.

Salah Aboulgasem, a humanitarian aid worker stationed in Gaziantep, Turkey, said in the last three days rescuers have yet to scratch the surface on this disaster — adding that he thinks at least 10,000 more people are still buried beneath the rubble.

“Every so often you hear screams, and the screams you’re hearing [are] people discovering their family members [have] been taken out of the rubble, dead. It’s really hard,” Aboulgasem told BuzzFeed News. “It’s going to be like this for a while. And therefore, in a week, two weeks, three weeks, we want people to keep thinking of the people of Turkey and the people of Syria.”

If you’re looking to support earthquake victims but aren’t sure where to start, here’s a list of organizations you can donate to.

Zelensky says joining the EU is Ukraine’s “way home”

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on EU leaders to let his country join the alliance, in his second trip outside Ukraine since Russia invaded last year, the New York Times reports. “I would like to stress this is in the interest of all of us, not just Ukrainians, but all Europeans, that Russia should not make new missiles, that Russia should not attack our cities,” Zelensky said.

SNAPSHOTS

A bill to ban gender-affirming care for young adults in Oklahoma is pushing trans and nonbinary people to leave the state. The proposal is the first time legislation in the US has targeted access to care for trans adults.

Prosecutors plan to dismiss the case against the first San Francisco police officer to face charges for killing someone while on duty. Rookie cop Chris Samayoa was in his fourth day of a field training program when he shot and killed 42-year-old Keita O’Neil in 2017.

How dentists can tell if you’re vaping. People who use e-cigarettes may notice physical changes in their teeth, tongue, and gums, and may be at greater risk of cavities.

Alec Baldwin is being sued for negligence by Halyna Hutchins’s parents and sister over the deadly Rust shooting. The new lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and loss of consortium in connection with the Oct. 21, 2021, tragedy.