BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — It may seem like the coronavirus is the only topic being covered in the news at the moment, but this week there have been plenty of headlines that had nothing to do with COVID-19.
Here's a list of some of the non-coronavirus related stories you might have missed this week.
Weinstein Faces Another Charge
A new sexual assault charges was brought against the imprisoned former movie mogul this week. After being sentenced to 23 years in prison for a criminal sex act in the first degree and rape in the third degree, Harvey Weinstein now faces an additional charge of sexual battery by restraint.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles started the process by requesting custody of Weinstein, who is currently in prison in New York. He will be arraigned on the new charge once he is present in California.
Cohen Is Out Of Solitary Confinement
Michael Cohen, the former fixer to President Trump, was moved into solitary confinement this week after he allegedly got into an argument with another inmate. Reuters reports another inmate had complained about Cohen's internet use.
Cohen, who is being held in a federal prison in New York for violating campaign finance laws, was placed in isolation inside the prison on Wednesday. His attorney confirmed Cohen was removed from solitary confinement on Friday, although he did not give a reason for the move.
Kanye Is Another Kind Of Artist
According to an art specialist on PBS' Antiques Roadshow, drawings done in high school by rapper Kanye West are worth thousands of dollars. This week, the appraiser evaluated five portraits drawn by West during his teenage years in Chicago, and concluded the pictures could go up for auction for a combined $23,000.
The collection includes drawings in graphite, gouache, and scratchboard. In one piece, West depicts a multi-eyed, horned figure in chains. There are also two colorful landscapes, and two portraits.
After West graduated high school in 1995, he went on to study art at the American Academy of Art and Chicago State University where his mother was a professor. He dropped out at age 20 to pursue his music career.
Did Neanderthals Invent String?
Archaeologists in France have unearthed what could be the world's oldest piece of string, made out of tree bark some 50,000 years ago by Neanderthal humans.
While the piece of string that was found is only two-tenths of an inch long, experts say it's enough to hint at the level of intelligence Neanderthals likely had. The now-extinct human species may have even had the capacity to create other soft tools that have since rotted away, like baskets and clothing.
Hot Baths Could Help Your Heart
If you needed another reason to take a long hot bubble bath, researchers may have found it for you; a study out of Japan published this week found that daily hot baths can lower the risk of heart problems.
The research, which looked at more than 30,000 adults for 20 years, found that "frequent tub bathing was significantly associated with a lower risk of hypertension, suggesting that a beneficial effect of tub bathing on risk of [cardiovascular disease] may be in part due to a reduced risk of developing hypertension.”
According to the study, daily hot baths are associated with a 28 percent lower risk of heart disease, a 26 percent lower risk of stroke, and when hotter water is used there is a 35 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
We Had A Pink Supermoon
Last Tuesday night millions of people got to enjoy a pink supermoon hanging low in the night sky. Supermoons happen when the moon is at its closest to the Earth, making it the biggest and brightest moon of the year.
While the April supermoon was pink by name, it was not pink by nature. The name 'pink supermoon' comes from a native North American wildflower that also blooms in early spring: Phlox subulata, known as "moss pink."
(Photo: Getty Images)
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