Tuesday, August 17th, 2021
Chaos in Kabul, Booster Shots for All & Golfing Boom
All the news 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 read the latest happenings...
Chaos in Afghanistan
Thousands of people in Afghanistan are desperate to leave their own country now that the Taliban have taken over. That’s especially clear at the airport in the Afghan capital of Kabul. The U.S. military has kept evacuating American personnel, Afghan interpreters, and others who could be in danger for helping U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Other panicked Afghan civilians have been trying to get on those military flights too. Huge crowds swarmed the runways yesterday and some tried hanging onto a plane as it was taking off. At least seven people died in that chaos, including several who fell from the flight.
Read More: WSJ, AP, NPR, Fox News, CNN, Defense Dept.
Biden Defends Actions in Afghanistan
Former military leaders and current members of Congress are blaming the Biden administration for chaos in Afghanistan. Some say the withdrawal of American troops should have been better planned and implemented. However, President Biden defended the pace of the withdrawal in a White House speech. He talked about the U.S. giving the Afghan military every tool they needed, including two decades of training and hundreds of billions of dollars worth of equipment and resources. However, he said still, no one could give them the will to fight, and he didn’t want to risk any more American lives fighting Afghanistan’s civil war.
Read More: AP, NY Times, NBC News, Axios, WSJ
More Wildfire Evacuations
Thousands more Americans have had to leave their homes to escape from western wildfires. About 10,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Eastern Utah. The Parleys Canyon Fire started over the weekend. Since then, it’s burned through more than two square miles. Meanwhile, the Dixie Fire in Northern California is still the largest wildfire burning in the U.S. Since it started last month, that one has burned more than 900 square miles. It has destroyed nearly 1,200 buildings, including homes, and thousands are still threatened. Overall, there are still nearly 100 large fires burning in 13 states around the U.S.
Read More: CNN, NY Times, AP, Salt Lake Tribune, NIFC
First Colorado River Water Cuts
In the middle of a brutal drought, the U.S. has declared the first-ever water shortage on the Colorado River. Now, the federal government is making cuts to water deliveries in the southwest. The Colorado River feeds the nation’s two largest reservoirs and they’re now both less than 35% full which is a record low. They’re expected to keep sinking, so starting next year, states like Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico won’t be able to take as much water from the river. For now, it will mostly affect Arizona farmers.
Read More: Politico, CNN, The Guardian, WSJ
Boosters After Eight Months
It looks like all Americans will be told to get an extra COVID-19 shot soon. News outlets like the AP cited officials who say experts will recommend everyone get boosters eight months after they’ve been fully vaccinated. It’s not clear exactly how that rollout might go, but an official announcement is expected as soon as this week. For now, only people with compromised immune systems are eligible to receive boosters.
Read More: AP, NY Times, WaPo
NYC Indoor Vaccine Mandate
New York City is the latest place to mandate vaccines for certain activities. Everyone 12 and older will have to show proof they’ve been vaccinated to do things like eat inside restaurants, work out at a gym, attend sporting events, and a lot more. San Francisco and New Orleans have similar mandates. However, in those cities, either proof you’ve been vaccinated or a negative COVID-19 test from the last 72 hours will do. In New York City, the only option is to get your shots or stay away from almost all public indoor activities.
Read More: Axios, WABC, NY Post, NYC.Gov
Walmart Wades into Cryptocurrency
Walmart could be the next big retailer to accept digital money as payment. The chain says it’s looking to hire a cryptocurrency expert. In the job posting, Walmart says it wants to hire someone who can develop a “digital currency strategy and product roadmap.” Walmart also says it wants this new person to manage possible crypto-related investments. Microsoft, PayPal, and Whole Foods already accept Bitcoin, and Amazon says it’s looking into it too.
Read More: The Verge, Walmart, Fox Business, CNBC
Tesla’s Autopilot Under Federal Investigation
Federal regulators opened an investigation into Tesla’s autopilot system. They cite at least 11 Tesla vehicles that have crashed into parked emergency vehicles since 2018. The investigation covers all cars Tesla has sold since 2014. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will look for possible flaws in Tesla’s autopilot system that could make it dangerous. If they find issues, the federal agency can force Tesla to install new safety features or issue recalls. However, Tesla insists its autopilot system is safe.
Read More: AP, ABC News, NY Times, WSJ
Tinder Adding ID Verification
Tinder is expanding its ID verification system so you can know if the person you’re chatting with is who they say they are. ID verification was already being used in Japan, but it will soon be available to any user who wants it, even here in the U.S. Tinder says it will cross-reference data to verify a user’s identity. Once that’s complete, the user will get a badge added to their profile. The goal is to help others see whether a match has been verified so they can make more informed decisions when communicating with that person.
Read More: TechCrunch, Mashable, Engadget, Tinder
Record Year for Golf Business
Since the start of the pandemic, Americans have been golfing a lot more often. The National Golf Foundation says the number of rounds played at U.S. golf courses is nearly 20% higher than pre-pandemic averages. Public golf courses are seeing the biggest increase. Rounds played at public courses are up 26% this year. There’s been a 13% uptick at private clubs. Both Callaway Golf and the group that owns the Titleist brand recently reported that golf equipment revenues rose by more than 90% between April and June.
Read More: Yahoo!, Golf Digest, NGF
Madonna to Reissue Entire Catalog
It looks like the next generation will start hearing music from the top-selling female artist of all time, Madonna. The pop icon is releasing deluxe editions of her most popular albums, starting next year. That includes Like a Virgin, Like a Prayer, Ray of Light, and a lot more. It’s part of a new partnership Madonna signed with the Warner Music Group. Madonna is bringing her entire music catalog under the company’s umbrella. As part of the deal, Warner Music will kick off a worldwide celebration of Madonna’s music, reissuing everything in her music catalog.
Read More: Rolling Stone, Vulture, Variety, THR
Trivia Tuesday
Q: What was the first toy to be advertised on television?
Play along on today’s Instagram Stories Quiz. We’ll also have the answer right here next week.
Last Week’s Trivia Tuesday Answer
Q: Which country invented ice cream?
A: China
Read More: PBS, IDFA, BBC, Almanac