Wednesday, January 8th, 2020
Iran’s Revenge Attack, Ivanka Talks Tech & Girl Scout Cookies
All the news you need in 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Rothys.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...
Iran’s revenge attack, Trump to address nation:
President Trump is expected to address the nation this morning after Iran launched at least a dozen ballistic missiles toward two military bases housing U.S. forces in Iraq. U.S. officials say there were no immediate reports of American deaths.
Read more: Washington Post, NYT, NBC News, ABC News, MarketWatch, CNN
Ukrainian plane crash in Iran:
A Ukrainian International Airlines flight crashed shortly after take-off while leaving Tehran for Kyiv. At least 170 people died. The Iranian state news media cited technical problems, but there isn’t much other information yet. The plane was a Boeing 737-800 (not the same as the aircraft involved in two previous crashes).
Read more: Reuters, NBC News
State of emergency in Puerto Rico:
Puerto Rico declared a state of emergency after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit yesterday morning. It's the latest of two recent intense earthquakes. At least one person died and eight others were hurt; buildings collapsed and parts of the U.S. territory are left without power.
Read more: ABC News, Weather Channel, Washington Post
New vaccination policy for students:
Starting today, students who haven't received the MMR vaccine will not be allowed to attend class within Seattle Public Schools. At last check, the rule affects nearly 1,000 students. It comes after a new law in Washington stops parents from citing “philosophical” or “personal” reasons for not getting their kids vaccinated.
Read more: FOX News, USA Today
Billionaires buy dueling Super Bowl ads:
The presidential campaigns for both President Trump and Michael Bloomberg are spending a reported $10 million each on 60 second Super Bowl ads.
Read more: WSJ, Politico, ABC News
Ivanka Trump talks tech & more from CES:
Ivanka Trump gave a keynote speech about the current and future state of the U.S. workforce at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Also at CES: Google announced several new features. For example, Android users will be able to ask Google to read online articles out loud, schedule 'smart home' actions for the future, and more.
CES highlights: TechCrunch, CNET, AP
Ivanka Trump's keynote: WaPo, Variety, Gizmodo
Facebook bans deepfake videos:
Facebook is banning deepfake videos. The new policy only covers fake videos made with machine learning. Some say banning deepfakes is a step in the right direction, but critics say Facebook should do more to fight misinformation online.
Read more: Business Insider, TechCrunch, Vox, Facebook
Uber activates PIN system:
Uber is rolling out its PIN system nationwide this week for added safety. It's meant to make sure riders get in the correct car. The Uber app will send riders a PIN code before pick-up; drivers will have to enter the PIN for the trip to start. Riders can choose whether or not they want to use the new feature.
Read more: CNET, AP
Rascal Flatts is breaking up:
The country music group Rascal Flatts is breaking up after 20 years together. The trio is holding a farewell tour this summer. The group didn’t say why they’re splitting but said there’s “no sadness...just new chapters.”
Read more: Variety, Yahoo Entertainment
New Girl Scout cookie:
It’s Girl Scout Cookie season, and there’s a new cookie in town: Lemon-Ups. Each cookie has an inspirational message on it, and the recipe uses clean palm oil. Girl Scout Cookie season starts this month and ends in April.
Read more: NBC News, CNN
Work Wednesday - Companies who ghost:
Reports say companies are 'ghosting' potential employers more than they used to. In the past, employers would provide feedback after an interview, but now, that doesn't typically happen. Why? Several reasons, but some experts say the ease of applying to jobs online means companies may not have time to respond to everyone.
Read more: Forbes, Fast Company