Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020
200K Deaths, China’s Climate Promise & TIME 100
All the news you need in 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 about the latest happenings…
U.S. Surpasses 200,000 Covid-19 Deaths
The U.S. death toll has officially surpassed 200,000. In comparison, the annual death toll for the flu is usually between 12,000 and 61,000. Sadly, an average of about 800 more Americans are still dying from COVID-19 each day. However, there is some silver lining. The percentage of infected people dying from the coronavirus is lower than it was at the beginning of the pandemic. That’s partly because doctors have gotten better at treating the virus and partly because outbreaks are now most common among younger people who are at lower risk of death.
Read More: AP, Reuters, CBS News, ABC News, WSJ, Axios, Johns Hopkins
Louisville Declares Emergency
A decision is expected soon in the case of Breonna Taylor, the EMT who was shot and killed by police in her own home in Louisville, Kentucky back in March. In the months since, protesters around the world have been calling for the three officers involved to be fired and charged with crimes. Now, the city is preparing for a strong reaction to whatever the decision may be. Louisville’s mayor signed two executive orders. One would implement a state of emergency in the city. The other blocked parking and access to downtown.
Read More: Louisville Courier-Journal, WaPo, Reuters, AP
One Week Until Shutdown
It seems there’s a last-minute deal to prevent a government shutdown. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin came up with a compromise. It includes tens of billions of dollars in aid for farmers. Republicans and the White House have been pushing for that. In return, Republicans agreed to add in nearly $8 billion in nutrition assistance for hungry American families. That resolution overwhelmingly passed in the U.S. House yesterday. The Senate is expected to approve it this week too, then send it to President Trump.
Read More: Politico, WaPo, WSJ
Next Week’s Debate Topics
The first presidential debate of the general election is just six days away. It’s the first time President Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden will come face-to-face during this election cycle. Debate organizers say the 90-minute debate will be divided into six 15-minute discussion areas. They include the Supreme Court, the coronavirus pandemic, race and violence in American cities, election integrity, the economy, and both candidates’ records. FOX News anchor Chris Wallace is moderating the debate on Tuesday, September 29th.
Read More: NBC News, Reuters, Politico, FOX News
Trump and China UN Speeches
U.S.-China tensions came to a head at the United Nations General Assembly. In a pre-recorded speech, President Trump blamed China for the pandemic and demanded the UN hold China accountable. Chinese President Xi called the coronavirus a crisis shared by everyone and he said China acted responsibly to fight against COVID-19. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said we must avoid a new cold war and “our world cannot afford a future where the two largest economies split the globe.”
Read More: BBC, NY Times, FOX News, White House
China to go Carbon Neutral
Also at the United Nations General Assembly, China announced it will be carbon neutral by 2060. President Xi said it will happen through “vigorous policies and measures,” but he didn’t give many specifics yet. This is significant since China has the largest population in the world and it’s now the world’s top producer of greenhouse gases. Xi also called on other nations to “achieve a green recovery of the world economy in the post-COVID era.”
Read More: AP, Bloomberg, The Hill, United Nations
NASA Unveils Plan for 2024 Moon Mission
NASA gave more details about the plan to send humans back to the moon in 2024. It’s a $28 billion project that will land the first woman and next man on the moon. First, it plans to send two test flights around the moon. One will happen next year without any humans on board. The second, slated for 2023, will have an astronaut crew. When the big launch happens in 2024, astronauts will spend a week collecting samples, doing science experiments, and searching for resources like water.
Read More: USA Today, BBC, CNN, NASA
Healthiest Communities in the U.S.
A new report details the healthiest communities in the U.S. Authors looked into each community’s economic performance, their education system, access to parks and affordable housing, and more, to determine how well and how long people live. U.S. News and World Report found Los Alamos County in New Mexico is the healthiest community of them all. The runner up is Douglas County in Colorado.
Read More: CNN, USA Today, US News & World Report
Time 100: Most Influential People
Time Magazine revealed its 2020 picks for the 100 Most Influential People in the world. The nation’s leading infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, made the list. The magazine says more health professionals and scientists are on the list than ever before since the U.S. is focused on dealing with the pandemic. The list also included politicians, Hollywood stars, and athletes like President Trump, Jennifer Hudson, and Patrick Mahomes
Read More: Time, USA Today, EW, ABC
‘Dating’ Website to Connect Pets
A new dating website isn’t meant for humans. It’s designed to connect dogs, cats, and more for playdates. It’s called Pinder, not to be confused with the human dating app Tinder. On Pinder, people can build a profile for their pet. Then, they can swipe right or left on the other pet profiles. When there’s a match, pet owners can chat and potentially set up meet-and-greets.
Read More: Fox News, NY Post, Pinder, Pet Costume Center
Work Wednesday: Companies Address Mental Health
More companies are trying to address mental health in the workplace. For example, Microsoft announced it’s partnering with the meditation app Headspace. This could have a big impact since companies all around the world use Microsoft Teams. This partnership will give employees a virtual commute feature. It’s meant to help users organize their work for the day, log their feelings about the workday, and go into a guided meditation.
Read More: Forbes, Fast Company, VentureBeat, GeekWire, Microsoft