Monday, July 18th, 2022
Mass Shooter Stopped, Biden’s Fist Bump & Gold Medalist Restored
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.com/newsworthy and Rothys.com/newsworthy
Story Summaries
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 to review the latest happenings...
Indiana Mall Shooting
Once again, Americans going about their normal routines were interrupted by gunfire. Authorities say a man in Greenwood, Indiana walked into a mall with a rifle and started shooting in the food court. He shot and killed three people, and two others were hurt before a civilian stopped the attack. Investigators say a “good samaritan” who was legally armed was able to shoot and kill the gunman before he was able to get to anyone else. So far, officers haven’t said what motivated the shooter or whether he knew any of the people he shot. They do say there is no longer a threat.
Read More: IMPD, WTHR, ABC News, AP, NBC News
State’s Uvalde Shooting Report
Texas state lawmakers released their investigative report about the deadly elementary school shooting in Uvalde. This is the first report to criticize state and federal law enforcement, not just local authorities in Uvalde. It says even though hundreds of officers were on the scene, no one took control. It also says everyone lacked basic communications, and there wasn’t enough urgency to take down the gunman. Since the report was released, a Uvalde police lieutenant who was leading the department the day of the shooting was placed on administrative leave.
Read More: Full Report, Texas Tribune, NY Times, AP, Fox News, Austin American Statesman WARNING: some articles include videos that are difficult to watch
Most-Wanted Drug Kingpin Captured
A top drug kingpin was captured over the weekend. Rafael Caro Quintero was arrested in northern Mexico. Now, the Biden administration is working on getting him to the U.S. to face charges. Caro Quintero was convicted decades ago of orchestrating the torture and murder of an American DEA agent, but he was released from prison on a technicality in 2013. Ever since then, he’s been on the FBI’s ten-most-wanted list. The drug lord is known as a pioneer in producing and trafficking massive amounts of drugs into the U.S. Authorities say he has also hired hitmen to commit murders, assaults, kidnappings, and acts of torture.
Read More: DEA, DOJ, AP, NY Times, The Guardian, Bloomberg
Biden Mideast Trip Recap
President Biden wrapped up his trip to the Middle East by telling Arab leaders the U.S. wants to keep being an active partner in the Mideast. He also announced $1 billion in food security assistance for the Middle East and North Africa, but the president didn’t accomplish his main two objectives on the trip. He wanted to set up a regional security alliance that could go head to head with Iran. He was also hoping to reach a deal with Saudi Arabia to produce more oil to help drive down gas prices. He left empty-handed on those issues but says he hasn’t given up yet.
Read More: White House, Reuters, CNN, The Hill, WaPo, WSJ
Bannon Contempt Trial
Today, one of former President Trump’s longtime advisors is headed to trial for not cooperating with the January 6th investigation. Steve Bannon is facing two charges of contempt of Congress because he chose to ignore a subpoena, asking him to turn over documents and testify before lawmakers. He is pleading not guilty, arguing that complying with the subpoena would have gone against executive privilege, but it’s not clear if that applies in this case. If found guilty, Bannon could get up to two years in prison.
Read More: WaPo, CBS News, Forbes, WTTG
European Heat/Wildfires
The U.K. declared a national emergency because of a record-breaking heatwave. The National Weather Service issued its first “red warning” for extreme heat this week. Temperatures could exceed the U.K.’s highest temperature in history, nearly 102 degrees. High temperatures have already fueled wildfires around Europe. Thousands of people have had to evacuate parts of France, Spain, and Portugal, and hundreds of deaths have been attributed to the heat.
Read More: BBC, AP, Axios, NBC News
Montana Dust Storm
A dust storm turned deadly in Montana. Wind gusts of more than 60 miles an hour created the dust storm and made it impossible to see drivers on a mile-long stretch of Interstate 90. It caused a massive pile-up of more than 20 cars and trucks. Six people died, and eight others went to the hospital. One driver who said he and his dad were one truck away from the disaster posted a video of the aftermath. He was reportedly able to help authorities save a man who was trapped.
Read More: Accuweather, USA Today, WaPo, NY Post, TODAY, Facebook
TikTok Content Levels
TikTok plans to launch a new system in the coming weeks that’s meant to be like a movie rating. TikTok says “content levels” will help block “overtly mature themes from reaching audiences between ages 13-17.” TikTok requires users to be at least 13 to use the app. However, researchers have said many younger kids use it, too. TikTok also plans to roll out a new tool that will allow users to filter videos with certain words or hashtags from showing up on their feeds.
Read More: TikTok, TechCrunch, CNET, Variety, NBC News
ESPN+ Rates Rising
The cost of ESPN+ is going up the same week the college football season starts. The streaming service costs $6.99 a month right now. However, starting August 23rd, that will jump to $9.99. That’s a more than 40% increase. Some reports say the price hike is a reflection of the streaming service investing more in live sports instead of just on-demand shows. Disney-owned ESPN+ currently offers more than 22,000 live sporting events per year.
Read More: Variety, Bloomberg, Fox Business, Axios
Jim Thorpe Reinstated as Gold Medalist
It took more than a century. Now, a man who was widely considered one of America’s greatest athletes is getting some recognition. Jim Thorpe was reinstated as the winner of two Olympic gold medals: one for the decathlon, the other for the pentathlon. He dominated his two events at the 1912 games in Stockholm. However, his medals got taken away after it came out that he earned money playing minor league baseball before his Olympic career. That violated existing amateur sports rules. The decision has been controversial ever since. Now, the official records have been corrected to make Thorpe the sole winner of both events.
Read More: IOC, Fox News, NY Times, ESPN, WaPo
Cameron Smith Wins British Open
An Australian golfer won his first major and broke a big record along the way. Cameron Smith came from behind to win the British Open, finishing with the lowest score in British Open history. It also matched the lowest score to par in any major championship. His win was a bit of an upset since Rory McIlroy was favored to come out on top and was leading for much of the tournament. However, Cameron Smith bested him on the last day. Now, Smith is going home with a $2.5 million prize, a trophy, and a medal.
Read More: ESPN, CBS Sports, UPI, AP, Fox News
Money Monday: Americans Tap Pandemic Savings
Americans are chipping away at their savings, just as they were starting to add up. Analysts say Americans were able to save more than the historical norm for most of the past two years. However, it now seems rising prices are starting to catch up to them. The Federal Reserve found the U.S. personal savings rate hit 5.4% this past May. That’s down from 12.4% one year earlier. A chief economist at the research firm Moody’s Analytics says if inflation stays where it is, low-income households will have about six months before their savings dry up. Others think it will be even sooner.
Read More: FRED, WSJ, Fortune, CBS News