5 things you need to know Friday
NTSB to begin its investigation into horrific bridge collapse
The National Transportation Safety Board plans to begin its investigation Friday to identify the cause of the horrific bridge collapse at Florida International University that killed at least six people. The installed 950-ton pedestrian bridge spanned 174 feet over a seven-lane road linking the university's campus to the city of Sweetwater. Miami-Dade Deputy Mayor Maurice Kemp said teams were in an "urgent search-and-rescue mode" and mobilized search dogs and heavy cranes to look for more victims. Experts say the bridge, which was hoisted into place on Saturday and scheduled to open in 2019, was vulnerable to collapse until it was complete.
March Madness rolls along after wild night
The NCAA tournament rolls on Friday with the remaining 16 games of the round of 64. Thursday’s big opening first-round slate was highlighted by a pair of upsets. No. 13 Buffalo rolled over No. 4 Arizona — the Pac-12 champions whose exit marked the end of the entire conference’s tournament stay. No. 11 Loyola (Chicago) pulled the second-biggest upset in more dramatic fashion as Donte Ingram drilled a late three-pointer that gave the Ramblers — and 98-year-old chaplain Sister Jean — a big win over No. 6 Miami. If you can't watch all the nonstop action, here are five matchups we think will provide the most entertainment on Friday.
- Key takeaways from Thursday's 16 first-round NCAA tourney games
- Why the Pac-12 had a disastrous NCAA tournament
- Houston's Rob Gray is the March Madness star we deserve
- Loyola-Chicago gets inspiration from 98-year-old nun
Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+ smartphones hit stores
Samsung on Friday takes aim at the iPhone X and Google's Pixel 2 with the launch of its flagship Android handsets, the Galaxy S9 and S9+. Available at all four major U.S. carriers, the S9 line features a radically improved camera, speedier Snapdragon 845 processor and stereo speakers. Paste BN's Ed Baig says they're the best Android phones yet — but not by a huge margin. "If you spent your money on last year’s Galaxy phones, you have every reason to stand pat this time around," he says. And they aren't cheap: The S9 costs between $720 and $800, depending on the features and the carrier; the S9+ runs between $840 and $930. Here's how to find the best deals.
50 years ago: My Lai massacre in Vietnam
On March 16, 1968, a company of U.S. Army soldiers were sent to the South Vietnamese village of My Lai in search of Viet Cong fighters. They encountered no resistance, but over the next few hours, they killed as many as 500 unarmed men, women and children. When the incident came to light more than a year later, it sparked outrage and intensified the growing anti-war sentiment in the United States. The company leader, Lt. William Calley Jr., was convicted of murder in 1971 and sentenced to life in prison. But President Richard Nixon ordered his sentence reduced, and Calley only served three years of house arrest.
Chance of winning the $345M Mega-Millions jackpot better than a perfect bracket
That pot of gold at the end of the rainbow could be yours this weekend if you win either Friday's $345 million Mega Millions (9th biggest ever) drawing or Saturday's $455 million Powerball (8th largest ever). The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million, but here's the good news: You're more likely to win one of this week's big lottery big prizes than pick a perfect March Madness bracket. For those of you feeling lucky, the drawing is at 11 p.m.
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