Meta lawsuit, 1,000 cats rescued, and new Cheetos.

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US News, Politics, & Government

Georgia abortion ban remains in effect after state Supreme Court ruling

Georgia's abortion ban, which prohibits abortions once cardiac activity is detected in an embryo (generally around six weeks), will remain in effect as the state Supreme Court reversed a lower court's decision declaring it unconstitutional. Abortion rights advocates plan to challenge the law using other legal arguments, including violations of constitutional privacy and equal protection rights. The law, which took effect in 2021, has reduced Georgia’s monthly abortion totals by 50%. The Georgia Life Alliance, which supported the bill, sees the court's decision as a "huge win for life." (More)

Ex-Trump attorney Jenna Ellis pleads guilty in Georgia election interference case

Attorney Jenna Ellis has pleaded guilty in the Georgia election interference case, becoming the fourth defendant to do so. Ellis admitted to aiding and abetting false statements and writings. In exchange for future truthful testimony, she pleaded guilty to one felony count, avoiding racketeering charges. Her sentence includes five years probation, $5,000 restitution, community service, and an apology to Georgia citizens. The trial for other co-defendants, including Trump, is pending. (More)

Mike Johnson becomes fourth GOP House speaker nominee in past two weeks

Mike Johnson, the House Republican Conference Vice Chair, has won the party's internal vote to become the fourth GOP nominee for House Speaker. Johnson defeated a field of other Republican candidates, but he will need to secure 217 Republican votes to become Speaker. He initially finished second to House Majority Whip Tom Emmer in an earlier vote Tuesday, but Emmer dropped out hours later due to lack of support from conservatives. The ongoing GOP leadership struggle has disrupted Congress's ability to pass legislation and could complicate the upcoming federal funding deadline. (More)

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World

Scoop: Israel willing to delay Gaza invasion to discuss large release of hostages

Israel is willing to delay a ground invasion of Gaza for a few days to allow talks about the release of a large number of hostages held by Hamas. The Israeli government and the Biden administration both want to explore all options for freeing the hostages. The Israelis have asked that Hamas release all women and children hostages as part of any deal. The US is supporting Israel's efforts and believes that some of the hostages may include American citizens. Despite discussions about a possible hostage deal, Israel is still planning a ground assault in Gaza. (More)

Cruise ship passengers win COVID outbreak lawsuit

Carnival Cruise Lines was found "negligent" by Australia's Federal Court in a class action lawsuit related to a 2020 COVID outbreak aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship, which resulted in 28 deaths. The court ruled that Carnival knew or should have known about the heightened risk of coronavirus infection on the vessel and its potentially lethal consequences before it left Sydney for New Zealand in March 2020. Some 700 people contracted COVID-19 on the Ruby Princess. (More)

1,000 cats rescued in China from being slaughtered and sold as pork, mutton

Police in China have rescued around 1,000 cats from a truck headed to a slaughterhouse, where they would have been sold as pork or mutton. The rescue followed a tip-off from animal activists who noticed wooden boxes containing the cats being transported. The activists patrolled for several days and then alerted the police when the truck began moving the cats to the slaughterhouse. The illicit trade of selling cat meat as other meats has raised concerns about food safety, as well as animal rights in China. (More)

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Business & Economy

Daily stock market update

US stock markets closed higher on Tuesday (S&P +0.73%, Nasdaq +0.93%, Dow +0.62%) ~ The major averages all secured gains in the main trading session on the backs of several strong corporate earnings reports. (More)

Verizon stock soars toward its best day in almost 15 years

Verizon's stock surged over 8%, marking its best single-day performance in nearly 15 years. The company exceeded analysts' expectations for Q3 earnings and revenue. It reported revenue of $33.34 billion, beating the estimated $33.25 billion, and adjusted earnings per share of $1.22, surpassing the $1.18 estimate. (More)

Fed moves to close massive racial homeownership gap

Bank regulators have introduced a rule to address lending discrimination, amending the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) for the first time in decades. The new rule requires banks to increase lending to low- and moderate-income communities where they have a concentration of mortgages and small-business loans, rather than just where they have physical branches. Banking groups oppose the new requirements, arguing they could lead to lenders shuttering operations in sparsely populated regions to avoid triggering CRA obligations. The rule aims to correct historical lending discrimination and the widening racial homeownership gap. (More)

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Sports & Entertainment

D-backs top Phillies in Game 7, make 1st World Series since '01

The Arizona Diamondbacks upset the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series to advance to the World Series against the Texas Rangers. The Diamondbacks lost the first two games in the series by a combined score of 15-3, but were able to win four of the next five. Arizona will be returning to the World Series for the first time since 2001. (More)

Richard Roundtree Dies: ‘Shaft’ Star Was 81

Richard Roundtree, known for his iconic role as detective John Shaft in the 1971 action thriller "Shaft," has passed away at the age of 81 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. His career spanned five decades and included film, television, and stage performances. "Shaft" earned him recognition as the first Black action hero, and the film's theme song by Isaac Hayes won an Academy Award. Roundtree's portrayal of Shaft had a profound influence on filmmakers and helped advance the cultural significance of Black cinema. (More)

Denver Nuggets receive championship rings as the NBA season kicks off

The Denver Nuggets celebrated their first NBA title with a pregame ceremony, receiving championship rings and unveiling a new banner. They then defended their champions' status in the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, winning 119-107. Head coach Michael Malone recognized the challenge of defending their title in a competitive Western Conference, especially since most teams improved their roster in the off-season. (More)

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Science, Health, & Tech

Dozens of states sue Meta over addictive features harming kids

Thirty three states have collectively filed federal and state lawsuits against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging that their apps are designed to be addictive and harm children's mental health. These legal actions could result in significant fines and force Meta to change its platform design and marketing approach. The legal process could take years to resolve and may prompt lawmakers to pass more online child safety laws. (More)

Burnout, harassment driving mental health crisis in health care workers

A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that US healthcare workers are experiencing higher levels of harassment, burnout, and poor mental health compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of days health workers reported poor mental health in the past 30 days increased more than other workers between 2018 and 2022. Nearly half of healthcare workers reported burnout in 2022, compared to 32% in 2018. Harassment doubled, with 13.4% reporting it in 2022. The CDC recommends measures like building trust in management, providing supervisor support, and addressing harassment to alleviate these challenges. (More)

Space junk risk gets real

Space debris, or "space junk," poses increasing risks to both satellites and Earth itself as our planet’s orbit becomes more congested. Surviving debris re-entering the atmosphere could potentially harm people on Earth, according to an FAA report, while traces of metals from burnt-up satellites are polluting the atmosphere. Policymakers are beginning to address the space junk problem, with new rules proposed for debris disposal and penalties for negligence. Companies like LeoLabs are helping to track debris, but the issue of who will fund the cleanup remains a challenge, as there is currently no clear business case for it. (More)

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Bonus Material

Gaza Strip size compared to US cities.

Cheetos is launching two new snack flavors.

Michigan may now be home to the world’s largest snake collection.

Young Americans are ditching cities for these less populated states.