Get '5 Things' in your inbox
The Nasdaq topped 10,000 for the first time ever, proving that during this period of economic uncertainty, America still has faith in tech stocks like Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Netflix.
Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
(You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)
1. Police reform
Three vaccines are now in Phase 3 trials in the US, and the UK has just announced its candidate for a vaccine is in the works. It may seem like this is taking a while, but experts warn the frustratingly long process is necessary: Several incidents, including a polio vaccine disaster in 1955, show why rushing a vaccine (like people worry the FDA may do) is not only dangerous but erodes public trust in vaccines. And no, herd immunity isn’t an option, experts say, with one estimating 2 million people could die if the US tried to achieve non-vaccine-aided herd immunity to the coronavirus. Meanwhile, the House Select Subcommittee on Coronavirus published eight weeks’ worth of state reports on the virus from the White House’s task force. They reveal that, while President Trump was painting an optimistic picture of the pandemic fight in July and August, the information he was getting was increasingly dire.
MONDAY
President Trump will visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, today as the city simmers with unrest after the police shooting of Jacob Blake and more ugly incidents in its aftermath. A volunteer group reports nine members were arrested by Kenosha police on their way to deliver food and water to protesters. Similar demonstrations have persisted around Portland, Oregon, where two sheriffs say they won’t send deputies to rein in the protests due to what they consider a lack of support from city officials. Many have been waiting for President Trump to condemn the actions of his supporters in Portland and Kenosha after violent clashes in the two cities, but he has so far refused to do so. Joe Biden has spoken out against the violence.
3. Election 2020
An Australian TV host at China’s state broadcaster has been detained in Beijing, marking a new dark spot in the worsening relationship between the two countries. Cheng Lei, the detained anchor, worked for the international arm of CCTV, one of the most important propaganda outlets in China. That raises questions, since it’s unlikely she would be considered a political dissident. China and Australia have been at odds since Canberra months ago called for an investigation into the coronavirus pandemic. The two countries have lobbed trade restrictions at each other, including a new Chinese investigation into Australian wine imports. This situation has led some in the Australian media to speculate that Cheng’s detention could be political.
4. Coronavirus
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform plans to subpoena Postmaster General Louis DeJoy over documents they say he’s intentionally withholding from Congress. The records pertain to controversial changes made to the post office that caused widespread delays and sparked suspicion the Trump administration was trying to use the USPS to harm mail-in voting efforts. This planned subpoena is an escalation in the battle between Democrats and DeJoy as he faces ongoing questioning from the committee. Multiple House Democrats have called for his resignation or removal.
5. Nigeria
Amazon is one step closer to its goal of drone delivery. The company received a Part 135 air carrier certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, which companies need to begin using drones for deliveries. Amazon said it would use the approval to begin to test deliveries. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced plans for a drone delivery project way back in 2013, and the first such delivery happened in 2016 in the UK, but the process has lagged since then. After all, the FAA is still developing regulations for widespread drone use. Ultimately, the company wants to achieve 30-minute drone deliveries – something that is definitely in demand in the pandemic economy.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
A woman asked the Merriam-Webster people to update their definition of ‘racism.’ They listened
Well, luckily it wasn’t a surprise for her. Congrats!
A New York artist is chronicling the pandemic by sketching people wearing masks on the subway
Is this what happens when these strange times start to feel normal?
Channing Tatum wrote a children’s book and dedicated it to his daughter
The ultimate dad flex.
Bronze Age Britons kept human remains on display in their homes
“We love what you’ve done with the place!”
Being a jerk at work doesn’t actually pay off, study says
You have permission to passively-aggressively email this article to that special work someone.
HAPPENING LATER
More storms are brewing
The National Hurricane Center is closely watching a new tropical depression and two other areas for possible tropical development. These potential storms would add to an already record-breaking hurricane season. Meanwhile, residents in parts of Louisiana affected by Hurricane Laura are learning they may not have power for weeks – if not months – due to the widespread destruction.
TODAY’S NUMBER
That’s how many calls a health insurance telemarketing group called Rising Eagle allegedly made in the first half of 2019, in violation of Federal Communications Commission rules. The US government is seeking fines of up to a record-breaking $225 million.
That’s how much Mayor Mario Kranjac of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, asked a teen to pay the municipality after she organized a Black Lives Matter and affordable housing protest in July that drew some 30 to 40 people. The bill was for police overtime accrued during the protest, and Kranjac said it was eventually rescinded.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“Ebola was scary, but Ebola would never be easily transmitted … HIV, as important as it is, was drawn out and over an extended period of time … Now, we have something that turned out to be my worst nightmare.”
French-Gabonese politician Danièle Obono, sarcastically responding to an article in a right-wing magazine, Valeurs Actuelles, that depicts Obono as an 18th-century slave with chains around her neck. The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the illustrations.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY
Ahhhhh …… It’s Friday
These praying mantises are probably trying to look tough, but they’re really just putting their exotic beauty on display. (Click here to view.)