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Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Wake-Up Call: Military Must Get Vaxxed

U.S. military members will be required to get vaccinated against Covid-19 beginning next month under a Defense Department plan supported by President Biden. In a memo to all troops yesterday, top Pentagon leaders said it's necessary to maintain military readiness. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that he'll seek Biden's approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, but that could be moved up if the vaccines receive full approval by the Food and Drug Administration before then, or if infection rates continue to increase and affect military readiness. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sent out his own memo soon after Austin's about the vaccine mandate, adding that the military's medical professionals recommended that it be required. A Covid shot will be added to the list of other vaccinations that servicemembers are required to get.

Daily Mail Screenshot 8/10/21



➤BROTHERS CHARGED WITH OFFICER'S MURDER:  Two brothers have been charged in the fatal shooting of Chicago police officer Ella French, the department announced Monday night. Emonte Morgan, 21, is charged with first-degree murder of a peace officer, attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer (two counts), aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.  Eric Morgan, 22, is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and obstruction of justice. Police said Eric Morgan was driving the vehicle.

➤INFRASTRUCTURE BILL VOTE SET FOR THIS MORNING:
A final Senate vote is expected for around 11 a.m. ET this morning on the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure legislation that negotiators from both parties were able to agree to after many weeks of talks. Some 20 Republican senators appear ready to vote with Democrats on the legislation, according to AP, more than the 10 that would be needed to overcome a filibuster. If passed, the measure would then head to the Democratic-controlled House. The Senate is next expected to start work on a massive $3.5 trillion plan, which includes more infrastructure items but also things like child care, elder care and other programs, which is almost certainly going to be done through reconciliation with only Democratic votes if it goes through. That process is expected to go into the fall.

➤MORE THAN 12,000 UNDER WILDFIRE EVACUATION ORDERS IN CALIFORNIA, MOST DUE TO DIXIE FIRE: More than 12,000 people in eight counties are under wildfire evictions orders in California, most of them due to the Dixie Fire, the second-largest in the state's history. The Dixie Fire has burned more than 482,000 acres and destroyed 873 buildings since it began on July 14th. It's just 22 percent contained, and Cal Fire doesn't expect to have containment of the blaze until the end of August. Firefighting aircraft were able to rejoin the battle against the wildfire yesterday as heavy smoke eased.
 

➤U.S. SAYS AFGHANISTAN WILL HAVE TO DEFEND AGAINST TALIBAN, WHICH TAKES OVER MORE TERRITORY: Taliban militants took over two more provincial capitals in Afghanistan yesterday as the group continued to gain control over more territory in the country as the U.S. moves towards all of its forces being out by the end of the month. However, officials said there's been no order to increase the U.S. airstrikes being launched on the Taliban, which amount to only up to a handful each day. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby made clear yesterday that the U.S. sees the fight as now being in the Afghans' hands, saying, "When we look back, it’s going to come down to leadership and what leadership was demonstrated, or not. It’s their country to defend now. It’s their struggle."


➤MIKE RICHARDS ADDRESSES LAWSUIT AS HE REVS FOR 'JEOPARDY!' JOB:  Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards has been named as Alex Trebek’s likely successor, and fans are not happy. He is addressing the backlash, much of which results from a decade-old Price Is Right lawsuit.
 
“I want to address the complicated employment issues raised in the press during my time at The Price is Right ten years ago,” Richards wrote in a memo to the Jeopardy! staff today. “These were allegations made in employment disputes against the show. I want you all to know that the way in which my comments and actions have been characterized in these complaints does not reflect the reality of who I am or how we worked together on The Price is Right. I know firsthand how special it is to be a parent. It is the most important thing in the world to me. I would not say anything to disrespect anyone’s pregnancy and have always supported my colleagues on their parenting journeys.”

During Richards’ time as exec producer of The Price Is Right, he was named in discrimination lawsuits by former models on the show. Brandi Cochran was ultimately awarded $8.5 million in damages; there was an appeal, and the case was settled out of court. Cochran’s suit alleged that he made insensitive comments to pregnant women. Another suit was also settled.

He also set out to refute claims that he essentially appointed himself: “It is true that I was asked if I would consider hosting the show. I was humbled and deeply honored. No final decisions have been made and discussions with me and other potential hosts are still ongoing. I know I have mentioned this to you all before, but the choice on this is not my decision and never has been. As you know, Alex always believed the game itself and the contestants are the most important aspects of the show, and that will continue to be the guiding principle as the decision is finalized.”

LeVar Burton was the fan favorite to replace Trebek, with Ken Jennings, Aaron Rodgers, Mayim Bialik and Robin Roberts also appearing to be in the running.

➤HEAD OF TIME'S UP RESIGNS OVER CRITICISM FOR ADVISING CUOMO ABOUT ACCUSER: The head of Time's Up, the organization founded at the height of #MeToo era by women in Hollywood to combat sexual harassment, resigned yesterday (August 9th) after it was revealed she'd advised New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration in its efforts to discredit one of his sexual harassment accusers. Roberta Kaplan stepped down as chair of the group's board of directors as she was under fire over the disclosure. Cuomo is facing calls to resign and the threat of impeachment after a report last week concluded he'd sexually harassed 11 women. Kaplan, who is an attorney, was consulted over a letter the Cuomo administration drafted attacking the credibility of his first accuser last winter. Kaplan said the letter would be okay to send out with some adjustments. However, others advised against it and it was never sent. Kaplan said in her resignation letter, "Unfortunately, recent events have made it clear that even our apparent allies in the fight to advance women can turn out to be abusers," a reference to Cuomo’s public support of the #MeToo movement.


➤McDONALDS FACING BAG AND STRAW SHORTAGE: McDonalds has warned workers that they are facing a shortage of paper to-go bags and straws. The fast-food chain urged restaurant owners to limit orders from suppliers because orders are already surpassing last year’s numbers, which were already high do to the increase in take-out orders from the pandemic. But the company insists that customers should not see a disruption in service.

➤THE PANDEMIC INCREASED DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN KIDS: A new study on children’s mental health during the pandemic shows just how significant the toll has been on our kids. Research published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that one in four youth around the world are grappling with clinically elevated symptoms of depression and one in ive have increased signs of anxiety. Those numbers suggest that depression and anxiety have doubled among children from the more than 29 countries included in the study. The analysis suggests that older adolescents and girls have experienced the highest rates of depression and anxiety during COVID-19.

➤SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AGE MOMS UP TO 7 YEARS: Scientists have found that the amount of sleep new moms miss out on can age them up to seven years. Experts took DNA samples to study and work out the “biological” age of new moms and discovered that those who slept fewer than seven hours per night were on average three to seven years older. Sleepless nights also made them more susceptible to cardiac problems and cancer.


➤EPSTEIN ACCUSER SUES PRINCE ANDREW, ALLEGING SEXUAL ASSAULT AT AGE 17: One of the late Jeffrey Epstein's accusers, Virginia Giuffre, has filed suit against Britain's Prince Andrew, alleging, among other things, that he sexually assaulted her multiple times when she was 17 years old. Giuffre has repeatedly made the accusations publicly, but has now filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court. She said in a statement, "The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions." Andrew has denied the accusations, saying in a 2019 BBC interview that he had "no recollection" of ever meeting Giuffre and that he never had sex with her, stating, "It didn't happen." Giuffre alleges in the suit that during each of the alleged acts of sexual abuse of her by Andrew, she was given, quote, "expressed or implied threats" by Epstein, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell and/or Andrew to engage in sex acts with the prince, and she "feared death or physical injury to herself or another and other repercussions for disobeying."

➤BEIJING OLYMPICS COVID MEASURES WILL BE EVEN STRICTER THAN TOKYO'S: Because the Tokyo Olympics were delayed for a year due to the pandemic, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics are just six months away. The pandemic will still be affecting the world by then, and the New York Times reports that the measures to protect against Covid-19 for the Beijing Games will be even stricter than they were in Tokyo. Among those measures, design changes of the venues are being made to ensure that athletes have practically no contact with referees, spectators or journalists, with reporters, for instance, having to interview athletes through plastic walls. Beijing will severely limit the number of people allowed to attend the opening and closing ceremonies, and Chinese staff will have to live in a bubble throughout the Games, and then go through a lengthy quarantine after they end.

⚾ROCKIES SAY FAN WAS CALLING FOR MASCOT, DIDN'T YELL RACIAL SLUR AT MARLINS PLAYER: One day after it was reported that a fan at Coors Field repeatedly yelled the n-word at Black Miami Marlins player Lewis Brinson and the Colorado Rockies said they were "disgusted" and were investigating, it turns out that's not what happened. The Rockies said that the fan was actually calling the name of the team's dinosaur mascot, Dinger, who was nearby. 

They said in a statement, "After a thorough investigation that included calls, emails and video clips from concerned fans, media and broadcast partners, [we] have concluded that the fan was indeed yelling for Rockies mascot Dinger in hopes of getting his attention for a photo, and there was never any racial slur that occurred." Brinson, who didn't actually hear it during the game, wasn't entirely convinced, saying yesterday, "I watched the video at least 50 times in the past 15-16 hours. . . . I personally keep hearing the n-word." However, he addressed the Rockies' conclusion, saying, "[I] haven’t talked to the Rockies or that fan personally. If that’s the case, then I’m sorry for any backlash or anything he’s getting right now."

🏀MAVERICKS' DONCIC AGREES TO FIVE-YEAR, $207 MILLION EXTENSION: Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has agreed to a five-year, $207 million supermax rookie extension, ESPN reported yesterday, citing his agent. Doncic is eligible for the rookie max extension because he has twice been voted first-team All-NBA. Doncic, fresh off of playing for his native Slovenia in the Tokyo Olympics, where they finished fourth, will reportedly sign the contract today in Slovenia, where some of the Mavericks' leaders traveled to, including owner Mark Cuban, and hold a news conference.

🏈AFTER SECOND BOUT OF COVID-19, RAVENS' QB JACKSON WON'T SAY IF GETTING VACCINATED: The Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson just returned from his second bout of Covid-19 in eight months, but the quarterback wouldn't say if he now plans to get vaccinated. Speaking to reporters after practice yesterday, the 24-year-old Jackson called it a "personal decision," and said, "Talking to the doctors. We'll see." The Ravens entered training camp with a 90 percent player vaccination rate.

🎾DJOKOVIC PULLS OUT OF WESTERN & SOUTHERN, SAYS NEEDS TO 'RECOVER AND RECUPERATE': The world's top-ranked men's tennis player, Novak Djokovic, pulled out of next weekend's Western & Southern Open Monday, writing on social media that he needs, quote, "a bit longer to recover and recuperate after quite a taxing journey from Australia to Tokyo." Djokovic won the Australian Open in February, the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July, and will be trying to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam at the U.S. Open, which begins August 30th. Djokovic went to the Tokyo Olympics after Wimbledon, playing for his home country of Serbia, but lost in the semifinals and then also lost in the bronze medal match.
 

➤LONGTIME INDY 500 AND ESPN MOTORSPORTS ANNOUNCER BOB JENKINS DEAD AT 73: Bob Jenkins, who called the Indianapolis 500 on TV and radio and was ESPN's lead motorsports announcer for more than 20 years, died Monday of brain cancer, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced yesterday. He was 73. Jenkins was on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network for over five decades and was chief announcer from 1990-98, and was with ESPN from 1979 to 2003. He was also a fixture at the Indy 500 for decades. He retired from TV in 2012.

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