News Roundup 08/27/20


The Rage Taken for Jacob Blake

As protests go up in an array as citizens demand justice, investigators above the Kenosha Police Station work heavily on Jacob Blake’s case. Tuesday, Aug. 25 demonstrators stood in front of city hall, occasionally shaking the fence, while the national guard stood behind and shot rubber bullets. As the curfew of 7 p.m. spilled over to 8 p.m., officers filled the air with tear gas.

Protesters fled to a gas station a few streets down, where an armed group of men awaited them. From here, Kyle Rittenhouse killed two protesters, stating this was for the protection under the city of Kenosha.

Sheriff Beth states:

“‘I’ve had people saying, ‘Why don’t you deputize citizens?’ [..] ‘This is why you don’t deputize citizens with guns to protect Kenosha.’”

Source: New York Times

Source: CNN

Led by N.B.A., Boycotts Disrupt Pro Sports in Wake of Blake Shooting

Influenced by the Milwaukee Bucks players and their opponents the Orlando Magic, athletes and teams, both men and women, ranging from soccer, tennis, baseball and basketball, boycott games to stand against racism and police brutality during the injustice of Jacob Blake.

The Milwaukee Bucks acted in frustration to injustice as the N.B.A. has tried numerous times to raise awareness by kneeling during the national anthem, and wearing jerseys that took the Black Lives Matter movement into account. They realized that their actions weren’t enough and read a statement on Wednesday night, Aug. 26 speaking of police reform and accountability and left without a game.

Source: The New York Times

Chief Executive of TikTok Resigns

Walt Disney Company’s top streaming executive Kevin Mayer joined TikTok as their new chief executive only three months prior to resigning from the position. Trump continues to rise tension with social media platform’s owner, Chinese company ByteDance, in “‘address[ing] the national emergency with respect to the information and communication technology supply chain.’”

The president has also signed an executive order stating if ByteDance does not sign TikTok over to America, the app will be banned from our nation within 45 days. China will have another 45 days, after the ban, to make their decision.

Mayer resigns for his place being in the middle of the geopolitical position, and claims of being happy with his job at Disney already.

Source: The New York Times

Source: The Verge

Hurricane Laura strikes Louisiana as Category 4 storm, battering Lake Charles area and bringing flood threat

Hurricane Laura has been described as one of the most powerful hurricanes that has been seen in the Gulf Coast in decades. It hit downtown Lake Charles, Louisiana leaving what The Washington Post describes as:

“Roofs were peeled off, buildings were destroyed, and lampposts were tossed into the streets. An industrial plant that makes chlorine-based products nearby was on fire, sending caustic smoke throughout the area and leading to a shelter-in-place order.”

The town was earlier evacuated and haven’t heard reports of injuries or lost family members. President Trump spoke of taking a trip down and visiting Texas and Louisiana.

Source: The Washington Post

CDC director clarifies change in coronavirus testing guidelines after backlash

The C.D.C. corrects their comment on only allowing testing to be for those who have been in contact with COVID-19 patients or show symptoms. Director Robert Redfield speaks in opposition stating that those who are also asymptomatic should have a right to testing just as much, since people have seen the virus spread without any symptoms. They received the backlash from health experts after their comment that was found to be influenced by political appointees outside of the C.D.C.

Since, “[...] the number of coronavirus tests across the United States [have] fallen in recent weeks,” it was questionable to be making just as many tests.

This point was quickly corrected, as people are still living through the pandemic.

Source: The Hill