Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, September 30, 2020:
TRUMP VS. BIDEN
The first presidential debate is being widely panned by pundits across the political spectrum as the worst debate in memory, with some even calling it a low point in American democracy. The event went off the rails immediately as President Trump steamrolled both Joe Biden and the moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News. Policy differences took a back seat to fierce personal attacks and insults from both candidates, much of which was incomprehensible to the viewing public as the three men spoke over each other over the course of a chaotic 90 minutes. Didn’t stay up for it? Good decision. Here’s a three-minute montage: WATCH
COVID-19: NY IN FOCUS
On the first day that students returned to schools and a day before residents can begin eating inside restaurants, New York City reported a test-positivity rate above 3 percent. If it stays at that level on a seven-day rolling average, schools will be forced to shut again. Gov. Cuomo is meeting with leaders of Orthodox Jewish communities in a handful of NYC and nearby zip codes that have seen the biggest spikes, and where mask guidelines are largely ignored. GOTHAMIST
BRINK OF WAR
While the U.S. has been busy dealing with its various crises and an election, two strategically important countries are on the brink of war in a remote and unstable corner of the world. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in a kind of cold war for years, but it’s turning hot -- and the implications could be widespread. Armenia claims that Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, shot down a warplane and is mobilizing long-range weapons after fighting in the border region flared up, killing dozens. Russia is supporting Armenia, and the U.S., EU and NATO all appear either disinterested or incapable of getting involved to cool tensions. ARAB NEWS
FUSION BREAKTHROUGH?
The question of how to capture energy from nuclear fusion has been one of the greatest scientific quests of mankind since it was discovered in the 1930s. Now researchers at MIT, who have been researching how to make a compact fusion reactor, are saying that it could really work. In new research papers, the scientists say that they will start constructing the SPARC reactor next year, with the goal of completing it in three or four years and a full-scale fusion power plant to follow. Should it succeed, nuclear fusion, which is basically how the sun makes energy, has profound impacts for the planet: it can produce an enormous amount of energy with zero emissions. MIT TECH REVIEW
DISNEY LAYOFFS
Disney will lay off 28,000 workers in its theme parks division who have been furloughed since the spring. Two-thirds of those positions are part-time. Disney blamed the pandemic -- but, notably, also California restrictions that have kept Disneyland closed. This is one of the biggest reductions in a single company’s headcount since the lockdowns started. ORLANDO SENTINEL
AMAZON WANTS YOUR HAND
Amazon is piloting a new biometric device that reads your palm print and can then authorize a payment or grant access to a space. Amazon believes the device could have broad implications for stadiums, offices and retailers, especially in a contactless-world. The company says palm prints aren’t stored on the device, but rather in an encrypted cloud, and customers can permanently delete them at any time. The tech is already being used in two Seattle stores. APNah, we’re good.
SPORTS WRAP
NFL: The first wrinkle of the football season is here. The Tennessee Titans have closed their facilities until at least Saturday after five team personnel members tested positive for Covid-19. The NFL is reportedly planning to go forward with Sunday’s Titans-Steelers game in Nashville, but may move it to Monday. The Minnesota Vikings have also closed their facilities as a precaution after playing the Titans last weekend. ESPNMLB: A sense of normalcy has returned to a year that’s been anything but: there’s playoff baseball in the fall. The American League Wild Card Series kicked off with its new best-of-three format, and the Yankees, White Sox, Rays and Astros all won their first games. YAHOO SPORTS
PREQUELS & SEQUELS
LION KING: Disney has tapped Oscar-winning Moonlight director Barry Jenkins to helm a prequel to The Lion King. The film will be a continuation of the 2019 remake, not the original cartoon, and will include the same screenwriter and photorealistic special effects. That movie got mixed reviews but made a truckload of money: more than $1.5 billion worldwide. THRBORAT: The surprise Borat sequel has landed at Amazon Studios. The Sacha Baron Cohen film, tentatively titled Borat: Gift of Pornographic Monkey to Vice Premiere Mikhael Pence to Make Benefit Recently Diminished Nation of Kazakhstan, will hit Amazon Prime on Oct. 23, just in time for the election. DEADLINE
'CAKE BOSS' INJURED
Buddy Valastro, better known as the Cake Boss and owner of New Jersey’s famous Carlo’s Bakery, is recovering after he crushed his hand in an at-home bowling alley freak accident. Valastro says he was manually resetting pins at his home alley when a metal rod impaled his dominant hand. His son had to cut the machine with a saw to free him, and now Valastro says he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to bake again. MERCURY NEWS
LEFTOVERS: ONE BIG PUMPKIN
Utah’s Giant Pumpkin Growers group is having a heck of a season. For the first time ever, the group has recorded eight pumpkins that weigh more than 1,000 pounds a piece. The first-place gourd came in at 1,825 pounds, about the weight of a Smart car: SEE IT
Listen to the N2K Podcast! Looking for more context and analysis on the big stories of the day? Check out our podcast! Hosts Jill and Carlo break down the headlines, every weekday morning Listen on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!
