Bloomberg for President?, No More Mint & Digital James Dean

All the news you need in less than 10 min:

Today's episode is brought to you by www.Ancestry.com/newsworthy

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...

Bloomberg in 2020 Race for President?:
Billionaire and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is preparing to file paperwork to qualify for the Democratic primary in Alabama. It would be the first step toward a national campaign. He's reportedly considering the 2020 run, but hasn't definitely decided just yet.
Read more: Politico, CNN

Jeff Sessions Runs for Senate:
Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he’s running to get back the Senate seat he held for two decades in Alabama. Trump fired Sessions last year, which could make things tricky for Sessions since Alabama is a pro-Trump state.
Read more: FOX News, CNBC, CBS News

Trump Fined for Charity Misuse:
A New York judge is forcing President Trump to give $2 million to several charities as a fine for misusing his own charity to pay off debts, boost his 2016 campaign and buy paintings of himself. The New York Attorney General called the ruling a “major victory.” Though Trump acknowledged some wrongdoing in a court filing, he tweeted yesterday that the lawsuit is a politically motivated attack.
Read more: AP, Washington Post

U.S.-China Trade Agreement:
Reports say the U.S. and China have tentatively agreed to roll back some tariffs in an initial trade deal, if finalized. There’s no set timeline, but word of a potential deal sent stocks higher yesterday.
Read more: Reuters, WSJ, NYT, Washington Post, BBC

Newly-Identified Strain of HIV:
For the first in nearly 20 years, researchers have identified a new strain of HIV, but experts say there's no need to panic. It's actually been around for decades, but new technology can now recognize it as an official subtype of the virus. Experts say current testing will find it, and current treatment will treat it.
Read more: NBC News, CNN, Salon

Cold Temps Coming:
Large parts of the U.S. could see record low temperatures over the next few days as cold air sweeps across the Midwest and Northeast. The first wave of cold weather is moving in this weekend, and it’s supposed to get even colder next week.
Read more: CBS News, CNN, The Weather Channel

Juul Stops Sales of Mint Flavor:
Juul will freeze sales of mint flavored vaping products in the U.S. The decision comes after two new studies show mint is a favorite among teens. Juul already stopped sales of its fruit-flavored pods, so only tobacco and menthol flavors are left.
Read more: Reuters, AP, The Verge

Text Message Mess-Up:
Did you get a random text message this week? Many people received text messages that appear to have originally been sent on or around Valentine’s Day. The error impacted both iPhones and Android devices across all major carriers in the U.S. A third-party system used for messaging seems to be at fault. The issue has reportedly been resolved.
Read more: The Verge, Engadget

Older Devices Losing Netflix:
Older Samsung smart TVs and Roku devices will lose support for the Netflix app starting next month. Samsung says it notified impacted customers. As for Roku, if your device doesn't auto-play the next episode in a series, then it'll likely lose support for Netflix on December 1st. The companies say it’s due to technical limitations.
Read more: TechCrunch, Yahoo, CNET

James Dean on Screen:
The late James Dean — who’s been dead since 1955 — will be starring in an upcoming movie about the Vietnam War. Finding Jack will use CGI and old footage to digitally restore him, while a different actor will provide the voice. Critics call it a bad publicity stunt, but the production company says they have the support of Dean’s family.
Read more: Hollywood Reporter, Variety, NBC News, CNN

Cookies in Space:
Cookies and a special oven have now made the trip to the International Space Station. If the experiment goes according to plan, astronauts will bake cookies in space for the first time. The goal is to see how astronauts could cook baked goods on future missions and to learn about the effects of zero gravity on foods.
Read more: FOX News, Space.com