Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Thursday, July 1, 2021:
COSBY FREED
Bill Cosby is a free man after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction. The decision was not expected; the court ruled that Cosby was denied his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when an earlier prosecutor agreed not to charge him, though that agreement apparently was never put into writing. The 83-year-old comic had served about three years of a three-to-10 year sentence for drugging and assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004, one of 60 women who had publicly accused him of rape or sexual misconduct over the years. NBC NEWS
CONDO COLLAPSE LATEST
President Biden will visit the rescue operation underway in Surfside, Fla. today, where crews pulled the bodies of two children from the rubble as the death toll reached 18. Reinforcements from across the country are coming in to help relieve some of the first responders who have been working nonstop, at least one of whom has been hospitalized with exhaustion. Newly surfaced video taken by a passerby moments before the Champlain Towers South building collapsed shows water pouring from the roof of the parking garage and debris falling on the ground: SEE IT
DONALD RUMSFELD: 1932-2021
Donald Rumsfeld, the consequential -- and controversial -- defense secretary to two presidents, has died. Rumsfeld ran the Pentagon in the Ford administration and then came back to the job under President George W. Bush, where he oversaw the War on Terror and invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq before he was pushed out in 2006. Rumsfeld was 88. OBIT
CAPITOL RIOT COMMITTEE
The House will form a select committee to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot after voting nearly along party lines to establish the slimmed-down panel, which will be controlled by Democrats. House Republicans will have a say in choosing five of the 13 members in consultation with Speaker Pelosi. She’s reportedly considering picking a Republican like Rep. Liz Cheney to fill one of the other eight slots. POLITICO
THE UBER OF CHINA
Didi, the ‘Uber of China’, is now a publicly traded company in the U.S. Didi went public in the biggest IPO by a Chinese company since Alibaba made a splash in 2014. To give a sense of how big Didi is, the platform boasts more active users than there are people in the United States. Uber sold its business in China to Didi five years ago in exchange for a stake in the company -- that stake is now worth more than $8 billion. CHEDDAR
APPLE'S STREAMING TEST
The free ride you may have been enjoying with Apple TV+ is coming to an end -- or at least, it’s being shortened. As of today, customers who buy new Apple devices will only get three months of the streaming service thrown in, instead of the year that has been the norm. Also this month, the first people to activate that promotional offer when it started back in Sept. 2019 will start getting billed $5 a month, after that promo was extended twice. Nearly two-thirds of Apple TV+ subscribers are getting the service for free through promotions, according to an industry survey taken earlier this year. STREAMABLE
GAME CHANGER
Every NCAA athlete in America will be able to earn money from endorsements and other ventures as of today. The NCAA Division I board adopted a rule to temporarily suspend the policy against student athletes profiting off their name, image and likeness. The change comes as several states have their own ‘NIL’ policies going into effect today, and the NCAA says it’s working with Congress on legislation that would make the guidelines permanent. Here’s a list of some of the big-name athletes who are favorites to cash in: ACTION NETWORK
ALLISON MACK TO JAIL
Former Smallville actress Allison Mack has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for her role as a leader of the NXIVM self-help group/alleged sex cult. Mack had pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges and faced up to 40 years behind bars. Prosecutors recommended a more lenient sentence because Mack cooperated with the government. PEOPLE
SPOTTED...
...the most expensive home in Washington D.C., on the market for $18.5 million. Philanthropist owner Adrienne Arsht told Politico she needed to sell the Beaux Arts mansion because it was too small to fit a full orchestra: SEE THE LISTING
...a flying car prototype, making the first ever flight between two cities before turning back into a sports car. The AirCar requires a runway to take off, unlike the drone-taxis that are also in development: WATCH IT
LEFTOVERS: OLYMPIAN MOMS
Olympic organizers reversed course and will now allow breastfeeding athletes to bring their young children along with them to Tokyo. The reversal comes after several Olympians, including Canada’s Kim Gaucher and the U.S. soccer star Alex Morgan, said they felt they were being forced between being mothers and competing in the Games. Nursing mothers and their babies will stay at approved hotels outside the Olympic Village. TODAY
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