Monday, February 10th, 2020
Oscars History, Coronavirus Update & XFL Begins
All the news you need in less than 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by www.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...
'Parasite' Makes Oscar History:
Last night was Hollywood’s biggest night: the 92nd Academy Awards. South Korean film Parasite won Best Picture and became the first non-English language film in Oscar history to win that top prize.
Read more: Hollywood Reporter, PEOPLE
Tense Dem Debate:
Friday’s Democratic debate was the most contentious one yet as candidates tried to differentiate themselves and go after frontrunners. The two top candidates in Iowa last week, Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders, were targeted more this time around while Joe Biden admitted he expects to do poorly in New Hampshire this week. New Hampshire’s primary is tomorrow.
Read more: Politico, NPR, NYT
Trump to Unveil Budget:
President Trump is expected to unveil his budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year. The White House budget helps show an administration’s priorities for spending, which is a big deal during an election year. The House and Senate have to approve the plan, so negotiations and changes are expected before a final budget is passed.
Read more: CNBC, WSJ, Politico
Trump Ousted Impeachment Witnesses:
The Trump administration ousted U.S. Ambassador to the E.U. Gordon Sondland and the top Ukraine expert at the National Security Council, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman following the impeachment trial. Eight of the 12 officials who testified publicly during the impeachment hearings have now left their roles, been fired or reassigned.
Read more: The Hill, FOX News, WaPo
U.S. Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan:
Two U.S. soldiers died and six others were injured in Afghanistan over the weekend. Someone wearing an Afghan uniform opened fire on U.S. and Afghan forces working together in a joint operation. The shooting is being investigated as a possible insider attack, even though a motive isn’t entirely clear.
Read more: ABC News, FOX News
Thailand Mass Shooting:
At least 29 people died and nearly 60 others were hurt in a mass shooting in Thailand. The attack stretched from Saturday to Sunday and spanned several different locations. The shooter was a disgruntled Thai soldier who wasn’t happy about a property deal. He was eventually killed by police.
Read more: Reuters, BBC, NYT, CNN, AP
Coronavirus Update:
The Chinese government has eased some of the restrictions on work and travel that were meant to help contain the coronavirus, so some people are finally heading back to work today. The World Health Organization is also leading a team of experts heading there to help investigate. The illness has killed more than 900 people, which is as much as the 2002-03 SARS outbreak in China.
Read more: Reuters, WSJ, NYT, TIME, The Guardian
First-of-its-Kind Mission to the Sun:
A new spacecraft is headed toward the sun for a never-before-seen view. The Solar Orbiter was launched as part of a partnership between NASA and the European Space Agency. Its goal is to get as close as possible and take pictures of the star’s north and south poles in order to better understand the sun’s magnetic field and how it affects Earth.
Read more: Space.com, The Verge, CBS News
Fastest Flight from NYC to London:
British Airlines set a new world record this weekend as one of its flights flew from New York City to London in less than five hours, making it the fastest subsonic flight to cross the Atlantic. The plane apparently hit a top speed of more than 800 miles per hour as the crew took advantage of the strong jet stream winds.
Read more: NPR, CNN, FOX News
World’s Largest Firework:
The world’s largest aerial firework was set off over Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The 2,800-pound shell shot up more than 2,000 feet in the air. It apparently took seven years and a failed attempt last year to make the massive firework.
Read more: AP
Uber's “Make My Train” Feature:
Uber’s new “Make My Train” feature allows riders to enter the desired train station and what time they need to be there. Uber will determine what time the rider needs to schedule a ride to make it. For now, it’ll only be available for the Long Island Rail Road in New York and Caltrain in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Read more: Business Insider, The Verge
XFL Begins:
The XFL started this weekend with four games. The new start-up professional football league is meant to be an alternative to the NFL. There are eight teams in the XFL. Teams will play every weekend until the end of April.
Read more: CBS Sports, FOX Sports
Box Office:
Despite landing at number one over the weekend, Birds of Prey didn’t do as well expected at the box office. The sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad brought in about $33 million, making it the worst opening for any film by the DC Extended Universe.
Read more: Variety, Deadline
Money Monday - Pets Impact Real Estate:
Damage from pets can lower the resale value of your home by as much as 2 to 5 percent. Homeowners can make repairs to avoid the lower valuation; if that’s not an option, getting the carpets and floors cleaned and hiding toys, litter boxes and pictures of your pets can be helpful when it’s time to sell.
Read more: Money, WSJ