Week in 5: Oct 6-12, 2024
Florida reels from Hurricane Milton's severe damage, the third hurricane this season. Nihon Hidankyo won the Nobel Peace Prize for anti-nuclear advocacy, Elon Musk hosts Tesla event, and more...
Top 3:
🌪️Fallout From Hurricane Milton
Just two weeks after Hurricane Helene struck Florida, Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key earlier this week. This powerful Category 5 storm unleashed devastation across Central Florida, with wind speeds reaching up to 180 mph and storm surges between 5 and 10 feet. The flooding and damage are severe, marking Florida’s third hurricane this season.
The storm triggered numerous tornadoes that destroyed homes in multiple counties, leaving over 3 million homes and businesses without power. In Tampa Bay, water levels dropped by five feet due to blowout winds. Although the hurricane has now transitioned into a post-tropical storm, it continues to impact the region with severe weather. TWC, Reuters
🏅Nihon Hidankyo, Atomic-Bomb Survivors Group, Wins Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious awards, celebrating individuals and organizations that make significant contributions to peace. This year, the prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, an organization of atomic-bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for their tireless advocacy against nuclear weapons. Amid rising tensions in Russia, Ukraine, and the Middle East, the award is especially poignant.
Nihon Hidankyo has spent decades promoting nuclear disarmament, calling for a global ban on nuclear weapons. Through storytelling, public speeches, and campaigns, they have educated younger generations about the devastation of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. Personal testimonies from survivors have been a powerful tool in their mission, underscoring the humanitarian impact of nuclear warfare and the urgent need for lasting peace. WSJ
🚖 Tesla Event Creates Excitement, But Investors Want More Details
Elon Musk unveiled Tesla’s plans for a driverless “Cybercab” robotaxi at a recent event, promising full autonomy by 2026 for under $30,000. He also showcased a futuristic “Robovan” capable of carrying 20 passengers. While some found the announcements exciting, many investors were left wanting more concrete details.
Musk emphasized that the technology used in Tesla's vehicles also applies to its humanoid robot development, featuring dancing robots at the event to highlight Tesla’s Optimus robot. While the vision of reducing labor shortages and enhancing worker safety is compelling, full-scale production seems distant. The lack of specifics led to a nearly 9% drop in Tesla’s stock following the event. Reuters, Event in 8 minutes (video) Full Event (video)
🇺🇸 U.S.
The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a significant case about “ghost guns” - untraceable firearms often assembled from kits at home. The case focuses on whether these kits should be regulated like traditional firearms, as a 2022 Biden administration policy requires serial numbers and background checks for ghost guns. Lower courts previously ruled against regulation, arguing that kits aren’t technically “firearms.” The government worries that ghost guns could become more prevalent and harder to trace. The court’s decision is expected by June. Forbes
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a rule requiring all U.S. lead pipes to be replaced within a decade to protect public health, particularly for children. This regulation, expected to cost tens of billions, mandates stricter lead limits in drinking water and establishes the first national requirement to test for lead in schools that use public water systems. Reuters
TD Bank has agreed to pay a record $3 billion settlement after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, marking the largest such case for a bank in U.S. history. The Justice Department found that the bank's insufficient anti-money laundering measures allowed criminals to move hundreds of millions of dollars, including drug and human trafficking proceeds, through its accounts over several years. AP
🌎 World
Canada has passed a bill to cover the cost of contraception and diabetes medications, aiming to eventually expand to a national pharmacare program. The plan, estimated to cost C$1.9 billion over five years, will help Canadians who lack prescription drug coverage, though it has faced some opposition from provinces and critics concerned about costs and jurisdiction. BBC
The Georgia Supreme Court has temporarily reinstated a near-ban on abortions beyond six weeks while it reviews a lower court's ruling that found the ban unconstitutional under Georgia's privacy protections. AP
North Korea announced it will permanently sever road and rail access to South Korea. This move aligns with North Korea's recent shift away from reunification efforts and signals an escalation in its efforts to isolate the South. BBC
🧪 Tech & Science
AI was used by researchers to discover over 70,000 previously unknown RNA viruses, many found in extreme environments like hydrothermal vents and salt lakes. This advance highlights the potential of AI in exploring the vast "dark matter" of RNA viruses, which could help identify the origins of new diseases and expand our understanding of viral evolution. Link
Microsoft discontinues HoloLens, its VR headset. This leaves Apple and Meta as the only companies with serious investment in AR/VR. Link
Toyota invests $500 in electric helicopter development. Link
📺 Sports & Culture
Rafael Nadal's announcement of his upcoming retirement marks the end of an era in tennis. Time
Fat Bear Week is an annual online event hosted by Alaska's Katmai National Park, where fans vote for their favorite brown bears as they bulk up for hibernation. This year’s competition includes a junior category, and the event celebrates the resilience of these bears as they feast on salmon to prepare for winter. Despite a tragic incident where Grazer's cub was killed by another bear, the competition saw intense participation, with over 1.3 million votes, and showcased bears feasting on salmon to build up their fat reserves for the winter hibernation. AP
The puck dropped on the NHL 2024-25 season on Tuesday, October 8.
🏎️ Fast Five
Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners announced. See the photos here: NPR.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which likely originated in the distant Oort Cloud, made its closest approach to Earth on October 12, offering a rare viewing opportunity for observers, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. NASA
Meet “Flippy”, a robot chef developed by Miso Robotics, is designed to work alongside humans in fast-food kitchens, performing tasks like frying and grilling at a lower cost than human workers, highlighting a growing trend of automation in the restaurant industry. LA Times
Credit: Unsplash.com Inflation registered the lowest annual reading since February 2021. Yahoo Finance
After 60 years of exchanging letters and phone calls, lifelong pen pals Emily Conn and Brenda Stowe finally met face-to-face for the first time. Today, Instagram (video)
Thank you for reading. Have a great week!