Wednesday, October 28th, 2020
USPS Delays, Bracing for Zeta & World Series Champs
All the news you need in 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by MunkPack.com and NativeDeo.com/newsworthy (Listen for the discount codes)
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. Mail Slows
Experts have a warning for anyone who still has a mail-in ballot. They suggest you drop it off in-person at election offices or secure drop boxes, instead of sending it through the mail. That’s because, as the Washington Post reports, mail service is lagging, especially in certain swing states like Michigan and Wisconsin. Those same states don’t accept mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, regardless of the postmark. Around the country, 86% of first-class mail is being delivered on time and the USPS says election mail is the agency’s top priority.
Read More: CNBC, WSJ, WaPo, Axios, Vote.org, Elect Project
Protests Over Philadelphia Police Shooting
Protests turned violent in Philadelphia two nights in a row. They started in response to officers shooting and killing a Black man named Walter Wallace on Monday who was armed with a knife. The first protests involved hundreds of people Monday night. It ended with 30 police officers injured and 91 people arrested for assault and looting. There were more protests throughout the day yesterday, but those were mostly peaceful. Last night, things got tense again. Police said about a thousand people looted businesses.
Read More: Philadelphia Inquirer, WSJ, CBS News, Police Union
NXIVM Founder Sentenced
A disgraced self-improvement guru who founded the NXIVM cult will spend the rest of his life in prison. A federal judge sentenced Keith Raniere to 120 years in prison. He was convicted of sex trafficking and extortion, along with other criminal charges. Prosecutors say Raniere branded his victims, treated them as slaves, and sexually assaulted them for 15 years. He and his lawyers continue to defend NXIVM and argue Raniere never used force. The judge spoke to victims directly, telling them what happened to them was not their fault.
Read More: AP, Reuters, NBC News
DOJ Can’t Defend Trump in Defamation Suit
A judge ruled the Department of Justice cannot defend President Trump in a defamation lawsuit. This goes back to a dispute between Trump and columnist E. Jean Carroll. She accused the president of raping her in the 1990s. Trump called her a liar and said he had never met her before. Carroll says that’s not true, so she’s suing him for defamation. The DOJ tried to take over the case last month, but a federal judge said Trump’s statements were not made in any official capacity as president, so the lawsuit should move forward as-is.
Read More: NY Times, FOX News, NPR
Tropical Storm Zeta
Another tropical storm is churning in the Gulf of Mexico and it’s on track to make a direct hit on New Orleans as a Category 1 hurricane by this evening. Louisiana has already been hit by three other named storms since August: Marco, Laura, and Delta. Now, Zeta is headed that way. It could bring heavy rain and powerful winds. The good news is it seems to be a fast-morning storm which means there’s not a big flood risk. Still, Louisiana’s governor says, “it’s important that everyone get their game plan together.”
Read More: Weather Channel, NBC News, AP, WaPo, NHC
Dodgers Win World Series
For the first time since 1988, the Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions. The Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays last night in game six by 3-1, capping off an unusual year for the MLB. This season was supposed to start on March 26th but was delayed four months because of the pandemic. When it did restart, it did so with few fans in attendance. After their victory, the Dodgers put out a statement on Twitter, saying “this is more than just a trophy, it’s a tribute to the resilience of this organization and the people of Los Angeles.”
Read More: ESPN, CBS Sports, LA Times, Dodgers
New Recs on Colon Cancer Screening
A panel of U.S. health experts says Americans should start getting screened for colon cancer earlier. They now say testing should start at 45-years-old, instead of 50. The new recommendations come from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. That’s a team of doctors and experts who set health guidelines for Americans. If the panel finalizes these recommendations, screenings for people 45 and up will likely be covered by most private insurance plans with no co-pay.
Read More: AP, WaPo, ABC News, USPSTF
SpaceX Begins Testing of Starlink Internet
SpaceX is one step closer to launching its Starlink Internet. The company is now reportedly letting select people sign up to test the service in states like Washington, Wisconsin, and Idaho. The Internet service is provided by satellites orbiting the Earth. Internet speeds could vary and there might even be brief periods of no connection. The company says people should get better with time though. It already has 800 Internet satellites in space. Eventually, it hopes to have thousands. The Internet service will cost $99 a month, plus a $500 setup fee.
Read More: Reuters, CNBC, The Verge, TechCrunch
Massive Coral Reef Discovered
Scientists discovered a massive coral reef off the coast of Australia. It’s about 1,600 feet tall, taller than the Empire State Building, and its base is nearly a mile wide. It was discovered in The Great Barrier Reef which is the world’s largest coral reef system. Researchers say they were surprised and elated to stumble upon the massive underwater structure. It’s the first discovery of its kind in 120 years. Scientists now plan to study the reef further to better understand its role within the ocean’s ecosystem.
Read More: CNN, NBC News, CBS News, Schmidt Ocean Institute
Work Wednesday: Older Workers Face Higher Unemployment
For the first time in 50 years, people over 55 have lost their jobs at a higher rate than younger people who are mid-career. The data comes from the New School in New York City. It found older workers also became unemployed earlier in the crisis and it took them longer to get rehired if they were at all. The authors of the study say companies may be offloading older workers because they usually make more money. Also, with everything going on this year, age discrimination rules aren’t being tightly enforced.
Read More: AP, The Hill, Forbes