Tuesday, September 15th, 2020
Hurricane Sally, Life on Venus? & Hip Hop Auction
All the news in less than 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by HelloFresh.com/80newsworthy
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...
Hurricane Sally Intensifies
More than 17 million Americans in the Deep South are bracing for a powerful hurricane. Hurricane Sally is expected to make landfall this afternoon. The National Hurricane Center predicts it will be deadly, since it will likely bring a storm surge of up to 11 feet and 16 inches of rainfall. Tennessee and Texas sent dozens of search and rescue workers to Louisiana in preparation. President Trump also proved an emergency declaration for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi.
Read More: AP, NBC News, CBS News, ABC News, Axios, NOAA, NHC
Trump, Biden Clash on Climate Change
During President Trump’s trip to California yesterday, he again pointed to fire management as the core cause of the worsening wildfires. At once point, he publicly disagreed with a top California environmental official who urged the president to recognize the impact of climate change. Trump responded by saying, “it will start getting cooler, just you wait.” Meanwhile, his Democratic challenger Joe Biden called Trump a “climate arsonist,” and that four more years of his leadership would mean worsening natural disasters.
Read More: AP, Reuters, WSJ, LA Times, Politico, White House
Western Wildfires Latest
The western U.S. wildfires are still burning out of control. Winds have been picking up and the smoke is getting thicker, making it harder for firefighters to contain the flames. Tens of thousands of people are still evacuated in California and Oregon. At least 36 people have died. For millions of people, the air is still considered unhealthy to breathe. Smoke can be seen as far away as Canada, Hawaii, New York, and Washington, D.C.
Read More: WSJ, SFGate. LA Times, NY Times, Air Quality Index
CDC: Kids Can Spread COVID-19
A new CDC study found young children can get COVID-19 and spread the virus to adults. Researchers looked at three daycare facilities in Utah. They found 12 kids and 10 staff members got infected from someone else at daycare. All the kids had mild or no symptoms However, through contact tracing, investigators found each of those children spread the virus to at least 25% of the people they were in contact with outside daycare.
Read More: NBC News, Forbes, Axios, CDC
Dems Investigate Trump Admin Interfering with CDC
House Democrats are launching a formal investigation into whether the CDC has faced political pressure to change its reports about COVID-19. It comes after Politico reported that the Department of Health and Human Services has been reviewing the CDC’s scientific reports before they’re released. In a few cases, Politico says the CDC agreed to compromise on its wording to match President Trump’s optimistic tone.
Read More: Politico, WaPo, The Hill, CNBC, CBS News
Israel, UAE to Sign Deal Today
For the first time in more than a quarter-century, a U.S. president will host a signing ceremony between Israelis and Arabs at the White House. Today, representatives from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Israeli governments will come together to sign a normalization agreement. The deal was announced last month when the UAE said it would become the third Arab country to open diplomatic relations with Israel.
Read More: AP, The Hill, BBC, Jerusalem Post, Al Jazeera
UN General Assembly Begins
The United Nations General Assembly begins today in New York City. It marks the UN’s 75th anniversary. President Trump will be the only world leader speaking in-person. Most speeches and all meetings are going virtual because of the pandemic. Still, the UN says the “wheels of diplomacy” will be turning at the usual speed. World leaders will talk about developing a COVID-19 vaccine, tackling climate change, and advancing gender equality.
Read More: United Nations, Agenda
Signs of Life on Venus
Scientists say they’ve found possible signs of life on Venus. New research shows traces of a rare molecule known as phosphine was found in Venus’ clouds. On Earth, phosphine is created by bacteria that grow in oxygen-free environments. Astronomers say this is an astonishing discovery since Venus can reach 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Now, NASA says it's considering sending a probe to Venus to learn more.
Read More: NBC News, CBS News, Reuters, NASA, Full Study
Surfer Sets New World Record
A Brazilian surfer set a new world record, breaking her last record, for the largest wave ever surfed by a woman. It was also the largest wave surfed by anyone this year. Maya Gabeira rode a 73.5-foot wave in Portugal last February. It took a while for Guinness to announce her record because a team of experts had to analyze videos of the wave to confirm its height.
Read More: The Atlantic, CNN, Guinness World Records, Watch the Record-Breaker
Walmart+ Launches
The world’s largest retailer is launching its new subscription service, Walmart+, today. It has several features like unlimited free delivery and discounts on gasoline. Wamart+ members will also have access to a scan-and-go feature they can use in-store. It lets them scan items using an app and pay without stopping at a cash register. The subscription is just under $100 a year. Walmart is offering a 15-day free trial now.
Read More: AP, NBC News, TechRadar, Walmart
Amazon Hiring New Workers
Amazon is hoping to hire another 100,000 full-time and part-time employees to help keep up with the online shopping demand. The new hires will help sort, pack, and ship orders. Pay will start at $15 an hour. Some people will also get a sign-on bonus of up to $1,000.
Read More: AP, WSJ, Amazon
Sotheby’s Hip Hop Auction
Today, the international auction house Sotheby’s is holding the first auction devoted entirely to hip hop. People will be able to bid on art, photography, jewelry, fashion, and more. Among the items up for sale are love letters written by Tupac Shakur when he was a teenager. The auction also includes the crown Notorious B.I.G. wore in the last photoshoot before his death. A portion of the proceeds will benefit good causes like the Queens Public Library Foundation.
Read More: Mashable, CNN, Sotheby’s
Trivia Tuesday
Q: What is the world’s first national park?
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: Who were the first two human beings to walk on the moon?
A: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin
Read More: NASA