Friday, February 26th, 2021
First Biden Airstrikes, Trump’s Comeback? & Gaga’s $500K Reward
All the news you need in around 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Rothys.com/newsworthy and Ritual.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 reading the latest happenings...
U.S. Airstrike in Syria
In the first military action from the Biden administration, the U.S. launched airstrikes in Syria. American fighter jets dropped bombs on a command hub there where a couple of Iranian-backed militia groups reportedly store weapons. Several facilities were destroyed and a UK-based human rights group says 17 people were killed. The Pentagon says the strikes were in retaliation, meant to send a message to Iran and its militia not to launch any more rockets at U.S. forces in the Middle East. So far, no response from Iran.
Read More: AP, WSJ, Reuters, FOX News, Defense Dept.
Militia Groups Threaten State of the Union
Security is staying tight around the U.S. Capitol for a little while longer. The acting Capitol Police chief told lawmakers some of the same militia groups tied to the Capitol invasion now plan to target President Biden’s first State of the Union. She cited intelligence that found people want to “blow up the Capitol” and kill as many lawmakers as possible. It’s not clear how developed or serious the plans are. Now, Pittman says extra fencing needs to stay up and National Guard troops should continue to patrol Capitol grounds until there’s no longer a threat.
Read More: Politico, CNN, NY Times
Former Gymnastics Coach Charged
A coach of the 2012 women’s Olympic gymnastics team was charged with human trafficking and sexually assaulting at least one teenager. He was supposed to turn himself in yesterday, but law enforcement officials say he died by suicide hours after the charges came down. John Geddert faced years in prison if convicted. So far, there’s no official comment from his lawyer. USA Gymnastics put out a statement that said, “We share the feelings of shock, and our thoughts are with the gymnastics community as they grapple with the complex emotions.”
Read More: NY Times, AP, WaPo, NBC News
CPAC Begins
Some of the biggest names in the Republican party are coming together. The Conservative Political Action Conference, commonly known as CPAC, kicks off today with controversial topics on the agenda. One panel is called, “Protecting Elections: Why judges and the media refused to look at evidence.” Other panels are about debt, abortion, education, big tech, and “cancel culture.” Former President Trump is Sunday’s headliner. It’s going to be his first major address since he left office last month.
Read More: The Hill, FOX News, NY Times, CPAC
Golden Globes Sunday
The 78th annual Golden Globe Awards are happening this Sunday. The awards show celebrates the best in film and television. Of course, this year will look a little different from usual. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will host the show live, but they’ll be socially distanced by about 3,000 miles. Fey will be in New York and Poehler will be in Los Angeles. All the nominees will accept their awards virtually from around the world. The Golden Globes are set to air Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
Read More: Variety, USA Today, Golden Globes
Lady Gaga’s Dog Walker Shot
Two of Lady Gaga’s French bulldogs were stolen. Police say her dog walker was taking the dogs for a walk when a white car pulled over and two men got out. There was reportedly a struggle and the dog walker got shot. He was critically injured but is expected to survive. Now, Lady Gaga is offering a $500,000 reward to get her dogs back, no questions asked. It’s not clear if the robbers knew the dogs belonged to the singer or not. Police say they’re looking at nearby security footage, hoping to get the dogs back and arrest the people responsible.
Read More: LA Times, AP, Reuters
House Passes Equality Act
An LGBTQ rights bill called the Equality Act passed in the U.S. House. If it were to become law, it would make it illegal for people in many industries to discriminate against anyone based on their sexual orientation or gender identities. Democrats say it’s long overdue. However, critics, including most Republicans, say the bill threatens religious freedoms. Some also worry about transgender women playing sports or being in locker rooms and bathrooms with other women. Now, the bill goes onto the Senate where its future is uncertain.
Read More: WaPo, NBC News, FOX News, Politico
Mr. Potato Head Goes Gender Neutral
The iconic Mr. Potato Head brand is going gender-neutral. Toymaker Hasbro says it’s dropping the ‘Mister’ from the brand’s name and from now on, it will just go by Potato Head. Still, the toys will pretty much stay the same as they have for the last 70 years. Hasbro says it will still sell the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head toys. However, starting in the fall, it will sell kits that let kids create their types of potato families, including two moms or two dads.
Read More: AP, NY Times, Hasbro
Twitter Super Follows
For the first time, Twitter is planning to give people the option to charge money for their tweets. It would be called Super Follow. Some of Twitter’s most popular users would create bonus content. Then, their followers would pay a small fee for it. It could include things like extra tweets, exclusive videos, newsletters, or discounts. Twitter also talked about another upcoming feature called Communities that could be similar to Facebook Groups. So far, there’s no specific launch date for either feature.
Read More: The Verge, AP, NBC News, TechCrunch
Feel Good Friday: College Dropout Donates to College
A man who dropped out of college donated millions of dollars to that same college. Calvin Tyler Jr. left what’s now Morgan State University nearly 60 years ago. He says he had to drop out because he couldn’t afford it. Instead, he became a UPS driver. Tyler eventually worked his way up to the company, but he never forgot where he started and the feeling of dropping out. This week, he gave the school $20 million. His money will go toward scholarships for other students who can’t afford a college education.
Read More: NY Times, CBS News, Morgan State