Friday, August 28th, 2020
March on Washington, Walmart Wants TikTok & Amazon’s Wellness Wristband
All the news you need in less than 10 min:
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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...
Trump Accepts Nomination at RNC’s Final Night
On the final night of the RNC, President Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination and made his case for a second term in office. The president promised to use the next four years to heal the nation from a public health standpoint and the economic one. The president also said the current justice system is ready to handle the cases of police misconduct and he condemned the violence that’s popped up alongside peaceful protests this summer.
Read More: AP, WSJ, Politico, WaPo
Biden, Harris Criticize Trump
Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden told MSNBC President Trump is “rooting for more violence, not less” because President Trump thinks that benefits him politically. Also yesterday, Biden announced plans to start traveling to swing states. President Trump is headed to Texas and Louisiana over the weekend to tour damage from Hurricane Laura.
Read More: AP, NBC News, Axios
2020 Black National Convention Today
Today, Black Lives Matter activists are holding their First Black National Convention. The top priority is similar to that of the RNC and DNC participants will be working to adopt a political agenda. It will reportedly include calling for slavery reparations, universal basic income, environmental justice, and legislation that reimagines criminal justice reform.
Read More: AP, Forbes, Black November
March on Washington
The National Action Network is holding a 2020 version of the March on Washington. During the original 57 years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I have a dream” speech. Today, speeches will be held at the same site, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Speakers include the families of Black Americans shot or killed by police officers, as well as Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III.
Read More: Vox, CBS News, WaPo, National Action Network, Watch Live
Hurricane Laura Updates
One of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the U.S. swept across Louisiana, leaving a large path of damage behind. At least six people were killed. Recovery crews are now on a search and rescue mission to find people who may be trapped in their homes or under rubble. A full damage assessment is likely to take days. Now, the National Weather Service says the remnants of Hurricane Laura could spawn tornadoes and cause flash floods in parts of Arkansas and Tennessee.
Read More: AP, WaPo, NBC News, CBS News, WSJ
Social Distancing Guidelines Questioned
New research found COVID-19 might be able to travel farther than six feet, but only under certain conditions. Scientists at MIT and Oxford University said instead of relying on the six feet guideline, we should learn how to better access certain situations. For example, shouting in a crowded, indoor area with no masks is high risk, but speaking quietly in a small group of people while wearing masks is low risk. Other researchers not involved in the study say the further away, the better.
Read More: WaPo, WebMD, Business Insider, Full Study
White House Test-Kit Deal
The Trump administration struck a deal to get 150 million COVID-19 tests from Abbott Laboratories. They’re reportedly set to be deployed in nursing homes, schools, and other areas with high-risk populations. The tests only cost $5 each. They can produce results in 15 minutes without using any lab equipment. Abbott Laboratories says by October, it will be able to produce about 50 million of these tests every month.
Read More: NYT, Politico
Japan’s PM Stepping Down
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will step down. He’s reportedly resigning because of poor health. The prime minister has battled a chronic disease called Ulcerative Colitis. His term was set to expire in one year, but now he’s announced he’ll be leaving early. The deputy prime minister is next in line to take over, but he is reportedly not interested in the job. So it’s not clear yet who the long-term replacement will be.
Read More: WSJ, The Guardian, Reuters, WaPo
Walmart Joins TikTok Bid, CEO Quits
Walmart announced it’s joining Microsoft in a bid for the popular video-sharing app TikTok. President Trump has threatened to ban TikTok unless an American company takes it over in the next couple of months. At this point, it seems the most likely options for a takeover are now either Microsoft and Walmart or the software giant Oracle. TikTok’s newly-hired CEO won’t be part of a deal either way. Kevin Mayer announced he’s stepping down, just three months after joining TikTok.
Read More: AP, Reuters, Engadget, Financial Times, Walmart
Sports Protests
Basketball, baseball, and hockey games were all put on hold for a second day. Teams from the NBA, MLB, and NHL all decided not to play to take a stand against police brutality. The NBA will reportedly start playing again tomorrow. The NHL also rescheduled its games for tomorrow. As for the MLB, the seven games that were postponed were rescheduled as double-headers later in the season.
NBA Players to Continue Season: USA Today, AP, ESPN, CBS Sports, NBA
NHL, MLB Games Postponed: AP, Axios, NHL, Reuters, ESPN, MLB
United Pilot Cuts
United Airlines is preparing the biggest pilot furlough in history. More than 2,800 pilots will reportedly have to stop working by the end of the year, unless the airline gets help from the federal government. For now, the furloughs are on track to begin October and last through at least November 30th. Already, American Airlines announced it’s about to furlough 19,000 people, including 1,600 pilots. Delta is also reportedly planning to furlough nearly 2,000 pilots.
Read More: AP, Reuters, Chicago Tribune
Amazon’s New Fresh Supermarket
In Los Angeles, Amazon Fresh opened its first grocery store. The shopping carts use cameras and sensors to tally the items people put in their carts. Then, when customers are done shopping, they can instantly check out. Amazon also put Echo Show devices throughout the store to help people find things. For now, the new store is open by invitation-only. It will welcome the rest of the public within the coming weeks.
Read More: USA Today, The Verge, TechCrunch, Amazon
Amazon Unveils Wellness Wristband
Amazon is rolling out a new wellness wristband. Unlike other fitness trackers, this does more than just sense heart rate and sleep patterns. It also listens to the tone of your voice to track your emotional state. People who request early access can get the ‘Halo’ tracker for $65. The price will eventually go up to $100. After the first six months, users will also have to pay a $4 monthly subscription.
Read More: NBC News, The Verge, WSJ, Amazon
Feel Good Friday - Couple Donates Wedding Catering
A bride and groom stepped up on their wedding day. Tyler and Melanie Tapajna’s wedding reception had to be canceled because of COVID-19. However, they had already paid for the food, so they decided to donate it to an Ohio shelter for women and children. The couple also helped serve the food while still wearing their formal wear. Their donation will last the shelter several more days.
Read More: CBS News, WaPo, Today