Monday, July 13 top news briefs
Hello! My name is Renca and I will be subbing for Alex this week. Alex is taking time off to spend time with his family. Today is Monday, July 13. Are you ready for our top news?
Washington NFL team to change name
The Washington Redskins announced yesterday that they will no longer use the “Redskins” name and logo. The team’s owner and coach said they are in the middle of a review process and would announce a new name and logo for the “next 100 years.” The team had the “Redskins” name for 87 years and was criticized by Native American organizations because the word is a racial slur.
For a long time the team’s owner has been resistant to any name change, but the current antiracist movement is probably what pushed the team to make a change now.
Trump pardons Roger Stone
On Friday night, President Donald Trump commuted the prison sentence of Roger Stone, an advisor and friend of Trump’s. Roger Stone was supposed to serve 40 months in prison this week for lying to Congress, obstruction, and witness tampering. He was convicted as a part of the Mueller investigation. President Trump said Stone was unfairly treated, but critics said Trump is wrong and corrupt for becoming involved and letting him go. Stone plans to campaign for Trump’s re-election.
Disney World in Florida reopens on Saturday
Walt Disney World reopened to the public this recent Saturday after being closed for nearly 4 months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
There are 4 main parks at Disney World, two of them- Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom reopened last Saturday . As for Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are expected to open on July 15.
There have been many mixed reactions towards Disney World’s reopening.
Some people said they felt safe going to Disney World and it was what they needed after being isolated for a long time. Some other people are furious and feel that Disney World is contributing to the spike of cases in Florida.
Disney World has set up new safety precautions that include mandatory face masks, hand sanitizers everywhere, and checking your temperature before entering the park. They also set up social distancing for people who wait in line.
Joshua D’Amaro, the Disney theme park chairman, said in an interview with New York Times that the world is changing and he believes that Disney can open safely and responsibly. He mentioned that Covid is here and we have a responsibility to find the best approach to operate for this new normal.
As of today, Florida is one of the top 3 states in the USA with New York as number one and California in second for highest reported Covid cases. Florida has 269,803 reported cases and 4,241 deaths.
Navy ship explosion in San Diego
Yesterday a fire broke out on a navy ship, USS Bonhomme Richard, around 8:30am.
Seventeen sailors and four civilians got hurt and now are being treated at a local hospital. Some of the injuries are serious, but most of the injuries seem to be from smoke inhalation.
There were about 160 sailors aboard during the time that the fire started. Origin of the fire seems to be from the lower cargo hold of the ship, but the cause of explosion is unclear.
Federal firefighters are now working hard to put out the fire. The origin of the fire is still under investigation.
Three celebrity deaths in two days
Three celebrity deaths have happened yesterday and today.
The first one is Kelly Preston (57), an actress and wife of John Travolta, died yesterday after battling with breast cancer for two years. Kelly is known for her acting in movies like “Jerry Maguire” and “Battlefield Earth.” She married Travolta in 1999 and had three children. Travolta shared on his Instagram that his wife Kelly fought a courageous fight with the love and support from many.
The second one is Zindzi Mandela (59), daughter of the late and iconic Nelson Mandela, died this morning at a Johannesburg hospital in South Africa. The cause of death is still under investigation and will release more information later. Naledi Pandor, the Minister of International Relations, said that Zindzi was a heroine. Pandor said that Zindzi was South Africa’s ambassador to Denmark and activist that served South Africa right.
The third one is Benjamin Keough (27), Elvis Presley’s grandson, died yesterday and the cause of death is still under investigation, but a local news article in Los Angeles said that it was apparent suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the chest. Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ daughter and mother of Benjamin, said she is heartbroken and devastated. Before his death, many pondered if Keough would pursue a music career like Elvis and Lisa Marie, but Lisa Marie said she would let her son decide what he wanted for his future career. Benjamin was youngest of his three siblings.
That’s all for now. See you tomorrow. Stay with the light.
**correction: Preston and Travolta married in 1991, not 1999
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/13/entertainment/kelly-preston-dead/index.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53387667
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/lisa-marie-presleys-son-benjamin-keough-dead-at-27/2395004/