theNewsWorthy: Thursday, July 26th, 2018
ALL THE NEWS YOU NEED - IN ONE PLACE.
(in less than 10 minutes!)
Want more? I got you.
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 Three Question Thursday guest)
EFFORT TO IMPEACH DEPUTY AG
There’s a new measure to try and impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
He’s the one overseeing the special counsel’s Russia investigation and some republican lawmakers say they’re not happy with how it’s going.
Not all republicans are on board, but supporters question steps to spy on a trump campaign official and say he hasn’t been upfront about providing documents.
Critics say this is just a partisan move to try to undermine an important criminal investigation. Stay tuned...
Read more: The Hill
TRUMP, EU MAKE A DEAL
The U.S. and EU have made a deal to help stop a trade war. The Wall Street Journal says the European Union agreed to buy more soybeans and natural gas. Both sides agreed to hold off on tariffs and other trade barriers while talks continue. President Trump called it a “very big day for free and fair trade.”
Remember, there was a looming trade war that started with President Trump increasing tariffs on steel and aluminum coming into the U.S. Other countries retaliated with tariffs on U.S. products. It’s been affecting the farming and auto industries. But this new deal seems to ease the trade tension, at least for now.
Read more: WSJ, NYT, Reuters
PUTIN VISIT DELAYED
It turns out President Trump won’t meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin again until at least next year. Remember, President Trump invited Putin to Washington, D.C. for a second visit recently after the first one last week. It was going to happen as soon as this fall.
The Wall Street Journal reports that’s now changed. Why? National Security Advisor John Bolton says they want to wait until the Russia investigation is over. You know, the special counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and whether or not the Trump campaign or anyone else colluded with Russia. The announcement assumes that investigation will end by the end of this year, but there’s no official timeline.
By the way, the AP says many lawmakers made it clear they don’t want there to be a meeting at all, and that Putin is not welcome on Capitol Hill.
Read more: WSJ, AP
SECRET RECORDING RELEASED
A quick update about the secret recording of President Trump talking to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen. CNN has now obtained the actual recording.
Remember, earlier this week we learned the details of the recording. It was from just a couple months before the 2016 election. In it, you can hear the two men talking about a payment to buy Karen McDougal’s story. She’s a Playboy model who said she had an affair with Trump years ago.
Ultimately, the National Enquirer bought her story and never published it. But the audio is a bit muffled at times. There’s also some debate about whether Trump tells Cohen to pay with cash or don’t pay with cash, and exactly what this evidence could be used for. The FBI got a hold of the tape and nearly a dozen other recordings as part of an investigation into Cohen.
Read more: CNN
WILDFIRES IN YOSEMITE AND GREECE
It’s the largest evacuation at Yosemite National Park in nearly three decades. The New York Times reports thousands of visitors had to leave large sections of the park yesterday, all because of a wildfire that’s been burning for two weeks now.
By the way, an update about the devastating fires affecting Athens, Greece. ABC News reports investigators think it may have been arson. Apparently, 15 fires began at the same time in three different spots. Remember, at least 79 people have died in those fires.
Read more: NYT, ABC News
LAKE ON MARS
It’s being called groundbreaking. For the first time, scientists found what they believe is a lake of liquid water on Mars. They say it’s about a mile under an icecap. Researchers have thought this existed, but now they say they found it using a sort of radar that can permeate the ground.
USA Today reports that with water could be life. It raises the possibility that life has existed on Mars, although it doesn’t prove it at this point. Other researchers say they want to confirm the findings with their own tests. There’s more work to be done.
Read more: USA Today, NYT, CNN
WAYMO + WALMART
How would you feel about a self-driving car picking you up to go shopping? Well, Walmart is teaming up with Waymo to try it out.
Waymo is part of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, and will test the self-driving cars program in Phoenix, Arizona. NPR says people who use Waymo’s “early riders” program will have access to a driverless shuttle service. The service will then pick them up when they order from Walmart online.
To get people on board, Walmart will start by offering discounts on groceries, and the rides will be free. We’ll see if it works and expands to more cities.
Read more: CBS News, NPR
FACEBOOK WATCH PARTY
Facebook wants you to have a watch party. As in, watch videos on Facebook with your Facebook friends. Mashable reports Facebook is letting users watch live and recorded videos with others in the same Facebook groups. The new “watch party” feature is starting to roll out now. You can just click on the “watch party” button in a post inside your Facebook group. Then you choose which videos to watch, and group members can watch together in real time.
One thing of note, though: you can only watch videos together that are hosted by Facebook. No other content will work with it.
Read more: Mashable, The Verge
HAMILTON MOVIE
The popular Broadway musical Hamilton may become a movie. Variety says movie studios are already getting into bidding wars over the rights to a recording of a live performance. The Wall Street Journal cites unnamed sources who say they know about a potential movie deal. Don’t expect it to be released until at least 2020.
Read more: Variety, WSJ
THREE QUESTION THURSDAY:
PILOT SHORTAGE
with Bobby Laurie
Bobby Laurie is one of two television travel hosts/correspondents with hands-on travel industry experience. Currently Laurie serves as co-host of the nationally syndicated travel & lifestyle show "The Jet Set," as a Traffic Anchor in Washington, D.C. for iHeartMedia and is a travel expert routinely seen on The TODAY Show, Dr. Oz, Inside Edition, and HLN among others.
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