Friday, August 27th, 2021
Americans Attacked, Hurricane Watch & DWTS History
All the news you need in around 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by kiwico.com/newsworthy and Policygenius.com
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 reading the latest happenings...
Troops Killed in Kabul Attacks
Two explosions ripped through the crowds outside the Kabul airport just hours after the U.S. and other governments warned about terror threats. 13 American service members were killed, and 18 were hurt. The blasts also killed at least 60 Afghans and hurt at least 140 of them. The explosions happened outside the gate where huge crowds of people are screened for bombs and weapons before moving forward to get on an evacuation flight. The ISIS terror group claimed responsibility for the attack. President Biden says he asked commanders to strike back with force. He told ISIS leaders, “we will hunt you down and make you pay.”
Read More: WaPo, AP, NY Times, WSJ, CBS News
Afghanistan Evacuation Future
Top military officials say they worry about more ISIS attacks, but the evacuation efforts continue. Flights kept taking off from the Kabul airport after the bombings yesterday, but with more security. The U.S. has evacuated about 100,000 people so far and has promised to keep flying Americans and American allies out of Afghanistan until August 31st. Tens of thousands of Afghans who qualify for special immigration visas are still waiting to be evacuated as well as hundreds of American citizens.
Read More: Axios, CNBC, NPR, WSJ
Israel PM White House Visit Today
Today, Israel’s new prime minister is set to meet with President Biden for the first time. Both leaders say they still want to normalize relations with each other, but there are disagreements. One main topic of discussion will be the Iranian nuclear deal. Biden has said he wants to bring back an agreement that’s meant to keep Iran from building weapons. However, talks have stalled, and Israel is worried this pause will give Iran the chance to keep developing a nuclear program without pressure from the U.S. or European allies. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is expected to give Biden a new plan to take on Iran.
Read More: LA Times, WSJ, Axios, Reuters, Fox News
Capitol Police Officers Sue Trump
A group of police officers is now suing former President Trump and others for the January 6th Capitol invasion. The seven officers were attacked and beaten during the riot. They filed a lawsuit against Trump, the Trump campaign, his longtime adviser Roger Stone, and members of far-right extremist groups. They say those people encouraged the mob to violently try to overturn the results of the presidential election. The officers are seeking damages. So far, Trump and his lawyers haven’t responded to this latest lawsuit.
Read More: NY Times, Politico, Reuters, AP
House Panel Demands Jan 6th Records
A House committee investigating the January 6th riot made its first requests for detailed records this week. The lawmakers on that panel want to see Trump’s every movement and meeting from January 6th as well as all communication between government agencies on that day. They also want information about the planning, organization, and funding of the “Stop the Steal” rally Trump spoke at just before the riot broke out, among other records. Former President Trump says he’ll try to block those requests, and he called the investigation “partisan.”
Read More: ABC News, WSJ, NY Times, CNN
SCOTUS Ends Eviction Ban
A nationwide freeze on evictions is ending. The government first banned landlords from evicting their tenants last year when a lot of people lost their jobs and got behind on rent. Congress first approved the ban as part of a relief bill. Then, the CDC kept extending the freeze. However, last night, the U.S. Supreme Court said in a six to three decision that the CDC didn’t have that power and only Congress could impose a new ban. The latest Census Bureau data shows about 3.5 million American households face eviction in the next two months.
Read More: Reuters, NY Times, AP, Fox News
Tropical Storm Ida
Meteorologists are keeping a close eye on another tropical storm that could hit the U.S. as a powerful hurricane. Tropical Storm Ida formed in the Caribbean near the Cayman Islands. Forecasts show it could get a lot stronger and reach the gulf coast near Louisiana by Sunday. However, the path could change, so experts are telling people who live on the coast, from Florida to Texas, to get ready. This hurricane could bring winds stronger than 100 miles an hour, rain totals over a foot, and possibly a storm surge above 10 feet.
Read More: Weather Channel, CBS News, WaPo, NBC News, NHC
Gov’t to Expand Facial Recognition Tech
A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows at least 10 federal agencies want to greatly expand face scanning in the next two years. Most agencies use the technology now so employees can unlock their phones and laptops or access buildings. However, a growing number of agencies say they want to use it to track people and investigate crimes too. Supporters say this type of tech has played a crucial role in finding and stopping criminals, but critics argue it’s an invasion of privacy. At least one expert says it might be up to Congress to decide how far the extra surveillance can go.
Read More: Axios, WaPo, GAO
Computer Chip Prices Rising
Your phones and other electronic devices may be about to get more expensive. That’s because the world’s largest computer chip supplier decided to raise prices to help deal with the ongoing global chip shortage. The prices for more advanced chips like the ones Apple uses in its iPhones are going up by 10%. Less advanced chips like what car companies use in new vehicles will cost about 20% more. It’s unclear how soon those price hikes will be passed onto shoppers.
Read More: WSJ, The Verge, Apple Insider
Demand for Electricity Surges
Electricity demand has spiked worldwide. Researchers say, so far this year, we’ve used about 5% more electricity compared to 2019. It means carbon dioxide pollution has also gone up. The report also found wind and solar power is generating about a tenth of the world’s electricity which is double what it was six years ago. However, it’s not enough to meet the rising demand, so coal is making a comeback. This is all according to a new report from a London think tank called Ember.
Read More: WaPo, NPR, The Verge, CNBC
College Football Begins This Weekend
The college football season kicks off tomorrow. Teams have extra incentives this year to make sure their athletes stay healthy. The five major conferences say if a team can’t play because of a COVID-19 outbreak, they’ll have to forfeit. Some schools like Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State are requiring all of their students and student-athletes to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Programs without mandates are strongly encouraging vaccination. As for the fans, the rules will differ by state.
Read More: CBS Sports, ESPN, AP
College Football Preseason Ranking
Sports analysts say the University of Alabama will once again be the team to beat this football season. For the fourth time in six years, the Crimson Tide was ranked in the top spot on the AP’s annual Top 25 Preseason Poll. Alabama also won last year’s championship. The teams rounding out the top five are Oklahoma, Clemson, Ohio State, and the University of Georgia.
Read More: AP, Sporting News, NCAA
JoJo Siwa, Suni Lee Join 'DWTS'
The next season of Dancing with the Stars will be a historic one. For the first time in the show’s 30 seasons, there will be a same-sex couple on the dance floor. Singer and internet personality JoJo Siwa was revealed as one of the contestants this week. She says the show asked if she wanted a woman or a man as her partner, and she chose a woman. Olympic gymnast Suni Lee is also joining the Dancing with the Stars cast. Lee and Siwa’s dancing partners, as well as the rest of the cast, will be revealed next month. The new season premieres September 20th on ABC.
Read More: GMA, Deadline, CNN, Variety
Feel Good Friday: $1 Thursdays Program
A Georgia man says he’s on a mission to “change the world $1 at a time.” Anthony Talley started his program called $1 Thursdays. Every Thursday, Talley asks people for $1 donations to help someone in need. He raised about $8,000 in the last year. Most of that was donated to a man whose house burned down. Now, Talley says he’s focused on helping a mother of 10 children buy a new car because her old one was totaled in a crash. Talley also uses donations for smaller acts of kindness like buying ice cream for elementary school classrooms.
Read More: 11Alive, The Week, Anthony Talley