theNewsWorthy: Thursday, April 18th, 2019
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All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want perusing the latest happenings...
(Scroll down to read more about our Thing to Know Thursday topic …)
Mueller Report Released: Attorney General William Barr is expected to release a redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's full 400-page report. A news conference is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Eastern, and the Justice Department and White House officials have reportedly already talked about what to expect. Stay tuned.
Read more: NYT, NBC News, AP, CNN, Report Released Here
North Korea Test: North Korea says it test-fired a new type of “tactical guided weapon.” The test hasn’t been verified by the U.S. yet, but if it’s true, it’s the first weapons test since leader Kim Jong-un met with President Trump. The two have been negotiating, but have not reached a deal that sees North Korea getting rid of its nuclear weapons. This new test could be a sign that Kim Jong-un isn’t happy that talks have stalled.
Read more: NYT, AP, BBC
Opioids Sting: Federal officials have charged dozens of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical professionals across multiple states in what’s being called the "largest prescription opioid enforcement effort ever undertaken." They’re accused of scheming to give out millions of the addictive pain pills.
Read more: NPR, WSJ, AP
Brain Research Breakthrough: Scientists have made a “huge breakthrough,” restoring some cellular function in pigs’ brains after they had been dead for hours. Scientists treated the brains with synthetic fluids designed to stop cell degeneration and restore their function, and it worked. Though they didn’t bring the brains fully back to life, the new system did restore some of the cells’ functions. The development could lead to new therapies for stroke and brain disorders.
Read more: Washington Post, National Geographic
NASA Record: Astronaut Christina Koch will spend nearly a year in space, which means she’ll hold the record for NASA’s longest continuous spaceflight by a woman. Koch has been at the International Space Station since last month; her six-month trip has been extended, and now she’ll stay until next February, spending a total of 328 days in orbit.
Read more: The Verge, Space.com
Pinterest IPO: Pinterest expects to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange today. The company priced its initial public offering (IPO) at more than $12 billion. Pinterest admits it’s still in the early stages of actually making a profit, but its revenue is up and the number of users is growing around the world.
Read more: MarketWatch, WSJ
Galaxy Fold Problems: Just two days after getting the device, some tech reviewers are reporting problems with the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Reported issues include flickering screens. Samsung is now telling people not to peel off the protective top layer. The company is reviewing the malfunctions. Still, it’s not a great start for a phone that costs nearly $2,000.
Read more: The Verge, WSJ, CNBC
Facebook Voice Assistant: Facebook is working on a voice assistant meant to be used in its Portal video-chat smart speakers, its virtual reality Oculus headsets and “future products.” It could compete with Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri and the Google Assistant. It's not clear yet when the new voice assistant may be released.
Read more: CNBC, The Verge, CNET
Adidas Recyclable Sneaker: Adidas’ new shoe, called Futurecraft Loop, is designed to be the first 100 percent recyclable shoe. Customers will buy the shoes, use them, wear them out and then give them back to Adidas to be broken down into materials to make another new pair. The shoe is in beta testing right now, but if all goes well, the company plans to release them in 2021.
Read more: Business Insider, Quartz
TIME’s Most Influential People: TIME just released its picks for this year’s top 100 most influential people. President Trump, Michelle Obama, Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Taylor Swift are among the politicians, athletes and entertainers chosen. Six of the 100 people will be featured on their own covers, including Nancy Pelosi, Dwayne Johnson, Sandra Oh and Gayle King.
Read more: TIME, CNN
Thing to Know Thursday:
College Admissions Scandal
Read more: CNN, ProPublica, LA Times, The Price of Admission