Tuesday, February 18th, 2020
Boy Scouts Bankruptcy, Bezos Earth Fund & Redbox Streaming
All the news you need in less than 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by www.Blinkist.com/news
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...
Boy Scouts Filed for Bankruptcy:
The Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy. The organization is hoping to deal with financial pressures stemming from declining membership and sex-abuse lawsuits. A new wave of lawsuits came recently after several states expanded legal options for childhood victims to sue. Filing for bankruptcy protection means any pending lawsuits will be put on hold, so it could be one of the most complex bankruptcies ever seen. The bankruptcy is not expected to impact local scouting activities in the near future.
Read more: WSJ, LA Times, AP, USA Today
COVID-19 Mostly Mild, Causes Surprise:
Fourteen more Americans who were on the once-quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan have tested positive for the new coronavirus known as COVID-19. By the time the test results came back, they were already on their way to the flight. Now, all of the evacuees are back in the U.S. and under another two-week quarantine. Though the virus is deadlier than the seasonal flu, new data shows most cases have been mild.
Surprise During Ship Evacuation: NBC News, CNN, NPR, NYT
Most Cases Mild: AP, NPR
Coronavirus Hurts iPhone Sales: WSJ, CNBC
Flooding Updates:
The Pearl River in Jackson, Mississippi reached major flood levels but still didn’t rise as much as some had feared. Meanwhile, a major storm is also hitting Europe. Britain is now in its second week of serious rain, wind and flooding, and other parts of Europe are also dealing the impact of this deadly storm.
Mississippi Flooding Update: Fox News, AccuWeather, CNN
Britain Flooding: CBS News, AP
Bezos Earth Fund:
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos just made a $10-billion promise to help fight climate change. He's committing the money to launch the Bezos Earth Fund. He says it'll issue grants to scientists, activists and organizations to help preserve and protect the planet.
Read more: Instagram, CNBC, Fox Business, USA Today
Daytona 500 Winner:
Denny Hamlin won his third Daytona 500. He’s now the first driver in 25 years to win twice in a row. The race was postponed a day due to weather, but it was still a grueling day Monday. There were several crashes during the last 20 laps, including one during the final lap where a car caught on fire. Driver Ryan Newman is in serious condition, but his injuries are not expected to be life-threatening.
Read more: CBS Sports, USA Today
New Slide-Out Phone, Durability Issues:
Some new reports are showing the latest foldable phones, including the Motorola Razr and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, may have some durability issues. Meanwhile, leaked pictures suggest TCL is coming out with an expandable smartphone that slides out instead of folding.
Slide-Out Phone: The Verge, Mashable, CNET
Durability Concerns: Mashable, The Verge
Redbox Streaming Service:
DVD rental company Redbox is the latest to get into the video streaming game. Redbox Free Live TV is a free ad-supported service. Despite its name, it doesn’t actually offer live TV. Programs are organized into channels and themed categories. For now, it’s only available to a select audience, but it will soon be offered nationwide.
Read more: The Verge, Engadget, TechCrunch
Moon to “Eclipse” Mars:
If you happen to read this early in the morning, you may still be able to see the lunar occultation. The Earth, moon and Mars will all align. The exact time Mars will vanish behind the moon depends on location, but it'll be visible with the naked eye early this morning in the central and western U.S. It’s the first lunar occultation of the red planet that’s been visible from the U.S. since 2013.
Read more: Space.com, AccuWeather