Harris Makes Her Case To America

Good Friday morning. The biggest and brightest full moon of the year was earlier this week; here are some stunning photos from around the world. Have a great weekend!

In Today’s Brief

• Pentagon: HIV ruling

• Botswana: Huge diamond

• Supreme Court: Voting decision

• Powell: Speech today

• Dancing with the Stars: First name

... and more

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Top Tips

1) ‘New way forward’

Vice President Kamala Harris capped the Democratic National Convention's final night with her presidential nomination speech.

• The address: Harris vowed to be a president "for all Americans" in front of a capacity crowd at Chicago's United Center, calling for "a new way forward." She criticized former President Donald Trump, saying he is an "unserious man," but his re-election would bring serious consequences. Harris pledged a tax cut for the middle class and said she would help create an "opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed."

• The undercard: A slew of Democratic House and Senate candidates also addressed the event, as did several sitting governors, former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords and former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Republican who is a fierce Trump critic. Rumors of a surprise performance by Beyonce (and Taylor Swift) ran wild throughout the day, but neither A-lister appeared.

• History made: Harris is the first Black woman and first Asian American to lead a major party's presidential ticket. Her speech was a personal first -- Harris had never made a speech at a traditional convention, as her VP nomination speech in 2020 came during the coronavirus pandemic, when the event was altered.

2) Jab change

New covid vaccines are on the way, and experts advise everyone should get one.

• The news: Updated shots from Moderna and Pfizer were approved yesterday by the Food and Drug Administration. Novavax's new jab is still awaiting approval. The vaccines have been updated to match currently circulating strains of the virus amid a summer surge across the country; experts say the new formula should prevent severe disease.

• Public guidance: Centers for Disease Control recommends all Americans ages 6 months and older get the new vaccine, which is more precise guidance than past itinerations of the jab. Only about 22% of adults and 14% of children got last year's updated vaccine.

• The rollout: New vaccinations should be available within days. Doctors said some people can wait until the fall, but that anyone who is at high risk for the virus should get it immediately. People who recently had covid should wait three months.

3) Border bust

Federal prosecutors indicted a Guatemalan man they allege was the ringleader of a fatal human smuggling operation.

• Catch up: Fifty-three migrants died after being carried in a closed trailer without air conditioning in sweltering heat for a three-hour ride from Laredo, Texas, to San Antonio in 2022. The trailer was then abandoned on a back road. Forty-eight people were found asphyxiated and five others died following hospitalization.

• Current day: The Department of Justice is seeking Rigoberto Roman Miranda Orozco's extradition following his arrest in Guatemala. He is the first person arrested outside the country to face charges. Prosecutors said he can be directly tied to three deceased migrants and faces life in prison.

• Big picture: Six other people were arrested with Orozco, but they do not face U.S. extradition. DOJ previously charged six others in the incident. Prosecutors said the smugglers were aware of the conditions in the trailer and worked with trafficking operations in several South American countries, but the group has been dismantled.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

• The U.S. military cannot bar HIV-positive enlistees with undetectable viral loads. A federal judge ruled the Pentagon's arguments against recruiting asymptomatic individuals who have the virus were unfounded (More)

• Arkansas' Supreme Court upheld the state's rejection of signed petitions to put an abortion rights initiative on this fall's ballot. Election officials said the pro-choice group failed to comply with state law regarding documentation (More)

• Tropical Storm Hone could approach Hawaii's Big Island this weekend. Meteorologists said Hurricane Gilma, a Category 3 storm, was expected to stay away from land in the Pacific Ocean (More)

World News

• Miners in Botswana discovered the world's largest diamond in almost a century. The stone is close to 2.5K carats large, the second-biggest on record; experts said it will take time to determine its value (More)

• Canada forced its two major railroads into contract arbitration with labor leaders, ending a work stoppage. Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City locked workers out yesterday, but will resume operations once talks begin (More)

• An arrest was made in an Irish Republican Army bombing that killed three Northern Ireland policemen over 40 years ago. Prosecutors said the decision to charge the man with the 1982 murders was made before a controversial amnesty bill took effect in May (More)

Campaign News

• The Supreme Court rejected a Republican push to block over 41K Arizona voters from casting ballots. The high court did partly OK the state's proof of citizenship law for voter registration (More)

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to end his independent presidential campaign today in Arizona. Former President Trump is teasing a “special guest” for a rally in the Phoenix area; Kennedy is likely to endorse him (More)

• A new Alabama law makes it a felony to offer or receive compensation for mail-in ballot assistance. Voters could face up to 20 years in prison for violating the legislation, which targets "ballot harvesting" efforts; the process is legal in over 30 states (More)

Business & Markets

• Major indexes closed lower yesterday as the markets await Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's speech today at the central bank's Jackson Hole retreat (Dow -0.43%, Nasdaq -1.67%, S&P 500 -0.89%).

• McDonald's announced plans to open over 200 new locations in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The fast-food giant will test new formats at some sites and create over 24K new jobs; the company is aiming to open 10K new restaurants worldwide by 2027 (More)

• Nestle tabbed longtime executive Laurent Freixe as its new CEO. He replaces Mark Schneider, who stepped down after eight years atop the world's largest packaged food company amid recent financial struggles (More)

Entertainment & Sports

• Olympic gymnast and "pommel horse guy" Stephen Nedoroscik will be on Dancing with the Stars. The Paris Games bronze medal winner is the first confirmed contestant for the ABC show's upcoming season (More)

• Paramount has extended its shopping period before finalizing a merger deal with Skydance Media. The Edgar Bronfman Jr.-helmed competitor bid was reportedly boosted to $6B; the revised offer now offers more to existing shareholders (More)

• The Drew Barrymore Show will continue through at least 2026. The syndicated daytime talk show received an early renewal for a sixth season; the program is also receiving time slot upgrades in several major markets (More)

Quick Hitters

• Feel Good: Two miracles for the price of one. A Massachusetts woman's water broke on the way to the hospital, forcing her to give birth on the side of the road. The baby was healthy, but her dad lost his wedding ring in the process. He went back to the scene a few days later and found it. 

• Go Deep: An asteroid mining startup has raised $55M as people invest in the (long-shot?) possibility of harvesting precious metals from space rocks. Now to figure out how to land on the moving targets.

• Take Note: Many people struggle with the occasional troubling thought, like fear of being in a plane crash. But many of these common fears are not worth fretting over.

• Extreme Makeover: Towering above-ground air raid shelters were built in Nazi Germany during World War II. One of the still-existing bunkers is now a leisure complex with greenery, shops and more.

• Life Hack: Cleaning your freezer is critical for food safety and maintaining the proper function of the appliance. Here are some ways to stay on top of things.

Watch This

Traveling with kids may be tough on you, but it could be quite beneficial for them.

Links

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• Great food stops in every state 🍔

• Terrifying creatures lurking in the deep sea 🌊

• A NASA nap technique that actually works 🥱

• Using PowerPoint to teach about the birds and bees 🧑‍💻

Looking Ahead …

Africa will have six cities of 10M or more people by 2035, according to a new study. It is the fastest-urbanizing region globally; over half of the continent's population will live in cities or towns within a decade.

Question of the Day — Friday Trivia

Yesterday’s results:

Do you enjoy roller coasters?

• Yes (52%)

• No (48%)