Friday, October 2nd, 2020
Trump Tests Positive, Traffic Deaths Decline & $23 Million Toilet
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...
President Trump Gets COVID-19
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19. President Trump announced it in a late-night tweet, saying “we will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately.” The White House doctor Sean Conley released a memo that says the president and first lady are both “well at this time.” The president should be able to carry out his duties without interruption from the White House. A medical team will be watching him closely.
Read More: AP, WSJ, Politico, NY Times, Trump Tweet, Physician Memo
Hope Hicks Tests Positive
News of President Trump’s diagnosis comes just hours after the White House confirmed one of his closest advisers tested positive for COVID-19. Bloomberg News reported Hope Hicks has been feeling sick for a couple of days now. She had traveled with the president to Tuesday night’s debate and a rally the next day. At the debate, the Trump team entered the Ohio venue without any kind of face coverings. When a Cleveland Clinic doctor offered them masks, they reportedly refused. At Trump rallies, supporters are often tightly packed together in crowds, and masks aren’t required.
Read More: Bloomberg, NBC News, Axios, Trump Tweet
Pharmaceutical CEOs on Vaccine Development
The executives behind the most promising coronavirus vaccine candidates say it’s going to be a while before most of us can get vaccinated Moderna’s CEO says if his company’s vaccines are proven to be safe and effective during the trials, they’ll be made available to the general population in the spring. Specifically, he predicts it will be late March or early April of 2021 for widespread distribution. Meanwhile, Pfizer’s CEO assured his employees in a letter the vaccine development is moving “at the speed of science,” not politics. It came after President Trump said in a debate that vaccines are just weeks away.
Moderna Vaccine Timing: CBS News, CNN, FOX News
Pfizer Vaccine Promise: AP, CNBC, Politico, Axios
Breonna Taylor Grand Jury Recording
Expect some new insights today about why the grand jury reached its conclusion in the Breonna Taylor case. The grand jury decided not to charge any police officers for shooting and killing Taylor in her home in Louisville, Kentucky. Nine days after that decision was announced, Kentucky authorities plan to release audio recordings from the grand jury proceedings today. One of the 12 grand jurors demanded it and a judge agreed. The juror’s lawyer says the special prosecutor in the case hasn’t been clear about what charges grand jurors were told to consider and he wants to make sure the truth comes out.
Read More: ABC News, AP, FOX News, NBC News
Biden Launches In-Person Canvassing
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is changing his campaign strategy one month before Election Day. This weekend, his campaign plans to start canvassing door-to-door across Nevada, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. The AP says Team Biden could expand these efforts into other battleground states soon. This is a big reversal for Biden’s team since until now, it’s been holding off on the typical in-person canvassing events, saying they’re too dangerous in the midst of a pandemic.
Read More: WaPo, AP, Politico, WSJ
U.S. Traffic Deaths Decline
The NHTSA reports fewer Americans died in traffic crashes last year for the third year in a row. New data shows deaths fell 2% in 2019 even though people were driving more. However, this year, it seems people are driving more dangerous than usual. NHTSA issued a report saying that during the height of the coronavirus restrictions with less traffic on the roads, drivers took more risks including speeding, failing to wear seat belts, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Read More: AP, NHTSA, Reuters, Car and Driver
New $23m Toilet Headed to ISS
NASA is making a unique delivery to the International Space Station today. It plans to send about 8,000 pounds of supplies to the ISS, including a $23 million toilet. It’s specifically designed for zero-gravity and it’s apparently easier for female astronauts to use than what they have now. The cargo shipment also includes other items like radish seeds for greenhouse growing, a 360-degree virtual reality camera, and Estée Lauder face cream for a commercial photoshoot. The launch is set for tonight at 9:16 ET.
Read More: AP, CBS News, Space.com
Preakness Stakes Preview
The 145th running of the Preakness Stakes is happening tomorrow. The iconic horse race is in Baltimore, Maryland. This year, Authentic the horse is the favorite to win. He already took home the top prize at the Kentucky Derby and many think he’ll do it again. There won’t be a triple crown this year since a different horse won the Belmont Stakes. However, there’s still a lot of money on the line. The purse prize is $1 million.
Read More: AP, CBS Sports, NBC Sports
SNL Returns
Saturday Night Live is back for its 46th season this weekend. The show will air live from 30 Rock in New York for the first time since March. When it returns, a famous actor will be joining the cast. Jim Carrey will be playing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Alec Baldwin will be back to play President Trump, as he has since 2016. SNL will be in front of a limited live audience, making it the first major network show to bring back fans since the start of the pandemic.
Read More: WaPo, Variety, Hollywood Reporter
Feel Good Friday- Scientists Discover Enzyme to Break Down Plastic
A team of researchers says it created an enzyme that speeds up the breakdown of plastic. It can reportedly eat away at things like water bottles, bringing them back to their original raw materials. Then, they can be reused over and over again. This could be a game-changer since the enzyme works much faster than current recycling methods. It could also be used on a large scale to help the world deal with its plastic problem. If all goes well, we could see this enzyme used for recycling within a year or two.
Read More: The Guardian, NY Times, CNN, Full Study