Chaos in Syria, Columbus Day Dropped & Fortnite Mystery

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 perusing the latest happenings...

“Chaos” in Syria:
The U.S. is working to evacuate more troops from northeastern Syria as the fighting gets worse, and reports say hundreds of IS supporters have escaped a holding camp. Turkey’s attack is apparently reaching further, while Syrians and Russians plan an attack back. President Trump announced a week ago that the U.S. would step aside, which has led to some criticism for abandoning Kurdish fighters, who are U.S. allies.
Read more: AP, WSJ ,NYT, WaPo, The Hill, CBS News

Hunter Biden Resigns:
Hunter Biden will step down from the board of a company in China. His lawyer put out a statement working to explain more of his dealings with businesses in Ukraine and China. Biden promises to stay off the boards of any foreign companies if his father, former VP and current presidential candidate Joe Biden, becomes president. President Trump called on foreign governments to investigate Hunter Biden's business dealings, which then led to the impeachment inquiry. No charges or evidence show the Bidens did anything wrong.
Read more: WSJ, CBS News, Politico, Full Statement

Typhoon Hagibis:
Typhoon Hagibis brought record levels of rain to large parts of Japan over the weekend. At least 35 people have died, and at least 100 were injured.
Read more: USA Today, Weather Channel, NYT

SoCal Fires:
In the U.S., wildfires have been a problem in Southern California. At one point, 100,000 people were forced to evacuate over the weekend and at least three people have been killed. The largest fire is in Los Angeles, but firefighters are making progress and evacuation orders have now been lifted.
Read more: NBC News, CNN

No-Fur Law:
California is the first state to ban new fur clothing. Once the ban goes into effect in 2023, stores will no longer be able to sell or make shoes, clothes or handbags with fur. They’ll still be able to sell second-hand fur clothing, fake fur, leather, cowhides and other decor.
Read more: NBC News, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post

Columbus or Indigenous People’s Day:
It’s Columbus Day in many parts of the U.S., but not all states observe the federal holiday. Critics say Native Americans were in North America first. More than 100 cities and states now recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day, and several states have legally changed the holiday. It’s still recognized as a federal holiday, so the post office and other government offices will be closed.
Read more: ABC News, CNN

Athlete Victories:
Simone Biles is now the most decorated gymnast in world championship history. She won her 24th and 25th medals. Another young athlete is celebrating a first: Coco Gauff won her first singles title, becoming the youngest American woman to win a tennis title in 15 years.
Read more (Simone Biles Record): ESPN, ABC News, AP
Read more (Coco Gauff Win): CNN, NYT

Fortnite Mystery:
Fortnite season 10 ended with what looked like an explosion yesterday afternoon, leaving millions of gamers unable to play and wondering what happens next. Some think this is just a teaser for the next season. Fortnite is a hugely popular online video game. No official word yet on when the game will be back online.
Read more: CNET, TechCrunch, Business Insider

Google Pixel 4:
Google’s Pixel 4 is coming. It will likely be announced tomorrow, but we are already hearing about some of the specs: the Pixel 4 and 4 XL should have dual rear cameras and hands-free controls. Google could also roll out a new Chrome OS device, Pixel earbuds and Google Wi-Fi.
Read more: TechCrunch, Engadget

Uber’s Cornershop:
Uber is buying a major stake in a grocery delivery company called Cornershop. Right now, the company runs in Chile, Peru, Mexico and Canada, but Uber says it hopes to bring grocery delivery to millions of customers on their platform. The deal is expected to be finalized next year.
Read more: The Verge, CNBC

Weekend Box Office:
Joker topped the box office charts for the second weekend in a row. It brought in more than half a billion dollars globally by its second weekend. Last weekend, it set the record for the highest-grossing October debut ever. The Addams Family came in second and Gemini Man came in third.
Read more: THR, Variety, Deadline

Money Monday - Allowance:
A new survey shows parents usually give their kids about $30 per week in allowance, nearly double what it was in 2016. Experts suggest paying kids based on their age and encouraging them to save early in life.
Read more: USA Today, NYT, American Institute of CPAs