The Update: Pray For Beirut
Here's your weekly news drop.
Welcome back to the News. Now. NXT. newsletter.
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Here’s your news for the week:
NEWS
In a bit of Breaking News: New York’s Attorney General, Letitia James has filed a lawsuit to disband the National Rifle Association, after an 18-month fraud investigation. The NRA’s CEO, Wayne LaPierre, has been accused of using charitable donations to fund a luxury lifestyle, and top NRA leaders have been accused of providing contracts to former employees to ensure their loyalty.
Beirut, Lebanon is still reeling after a massive explosion rocked the city, decimating a highly populated port & blowing out windows for miles. Death tolls are still climbing, as crews continue to search through rubble at the center of the blast site. The images from social media have been both astounding & scary. Officials in Beirut say ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse was the cause of the explosion, but that hasn’t stopped people on social media from questioning whether or not this was an intentional attack.
Image via Reuters
Three years after the end of the reign of former Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, citizens of Zimbabwe are still suffering under what many feel is a dictatorship filled with corruption. Similar to the social justice movement we’re facing in the United States, people have taken to the streets in protest of what seems to be a poor response to the Coronavirus pandemic, horrifying healthcare system, lack of jobs, and a shaky economy led by the current leader Emerson Mnangagwa. Protesters have been beaten, sexually assaulted, and some even killed by government forces. For more - make sure you follow the #ZimbabweLivesMatter tag on social media, as people on the ground are updating daily.
Image via New York Magazine
Back to School prep looks different for many educators and families in the US this year, due to the uncertainty caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. While President Trump is adamant about children returning to school in person, there is some push back from critics who fear that close quarters could make schools a breeding ground for outbreaks. 260 employees of Georgia’s largest school district are already in quarantine after returning to work. A school in Indiana had a student test positive on the first day of class, and a high school in Georgia has gone viral after warning students not to post anything on social media that would show the school in a negative light for lack of enforcement of social distancing and mask-wearing. New York Magazine’s latest cover story highlights the issue in grand fashion.
Speaking of schools, Jay-Z’s company Roc Nation has unveiled plans for a partnership with Long Island University to introduce The Roc Nation School of Sports, Music & Entertainment. Enrollment will begin in the fall of 2021, and 25% of the incoming freshmen will receive Roc Nation Hope Scholarships, which will allow them to graduate debt-free.
In sports news, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is a part of a group that purchased the XFL for $15 million. If you recall, the league filed for bankruptcy and laid off all of its employees in April after shuttering their season due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s a full-circle moment for The Rock, who played football at the University of Miami, and in the Canadian Football League before beginning his professional wrestling career.
NOW & NXT
The USPS is a service and an essential one at that. I don’t care how many times we’ve laughed and joked, especially during the course of the pandemic about how inefficient their tracking system is or the speed at which they deliver, the United States Postal Service is vital.
It makes sure that small businesses can continue to run efficiently and effectively. It ensures that people get medicines that they need, and in November, the postal service will be key in the election process in this time of Corona.
Many states are shipping out ballots by mail to allow people to vote from home, in an effort to keep people safe. The President, however, suggested last week that the election be postponed because he didn’t want to have to wait for results while mail-in ballots are counted. He also noted that mail-in ballots are susceptible to widespread fraud, and has appointed a new postmaster general - and former Trump fundraiser - Louis DeJoy. DeJoy’s new policies have increased backlogs, and postal workers are concerned about the effect this could have on the election.
This is definitely a story to watch, as the ramifications of discrediting the USPS would reach far beyond this year’s election.
That’s it for this week! Don’t forget to check out the News. Now. NXT. podcast, and share it with a friend.
Until next time… Keep your eyes open.