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Stranger Than Fiction
A brief daily note on things you might find interesting or useful
You can support the newsletter that you’re reading right now using PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, or purchase a subscription on Substack.Don’t forget to join us in the Stranger Slack for access to source documents and a running feed of news throughout the day. (this link was broken for awhile and has now been fixed)TOP NEWS
Abe Will Resign as Japan’s Prime Minister, Citing His Worsening Health “Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he would resign, citing his worsening health, ending the reign of the man who held the top job longer than anyone else.”
Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Is a Growing Concern for Researchers, Health Officials “Scientists, drugmakers and health officials are already fighting to counter pockets of public skepticism about a coronavirus vaccine, as candidate inoculations move closer to approval.”
Hurricane Laura Exacts Lethal Toll, Causes Widespread Damage “The strongest storm to make landfall in Louisiana in more than a century leaves tens of thousands without power. At least six died.”
New Charges Against Teen Accused of Killing Two During Kenosha Protest “Prosecutors charged the 17-year-old man accused of opening fire on protesters with killing two people, amid unrest that has rocked Kenosha after Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot in the back by police.”
Jobless Americans say they won’t forget that Congress let benefits lapse “Millions of desperate Americans, some facing evictions or having trouble paying bills, are livid that Congress left them in the lurch when the $600-a-week benefit expired.”
U.S. Announces Deal With Abbott Laboratories for 150 Million Rapid Covid-19 Tests “The Trump administration unveiled Thursday a $750 million deal to buy 150 million rapid Covid-19 tests from Abbott Laboratories, a move that would substantially expand the nation’s capacity for rapid testing.”
WHAT I’M READING + WATCHING + LISTENING TO
🎧 LISTEN: A Vaccine Trial Recruiter Battles MistrustDr. Angela Branche is recruiting Black participants for Covid-19 vaccine trials. She explains why the diversity of the trials may affect who trusts the vaccine.
Recent attempts to co-opt the identities of African Americans with fake social media accounts to simulate support for President Donald Trump in the run-up to the election have had success online, researchers say.
Hackers tied to the North Korean government are trying to rob banks across the globe by draining ATMs and initiating fraudulent money transfers, in an effort by the cash-strapped Pyongyang regime to fund its nuclear weapons program.
THE COMMENT
“Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. And Trump presented the mother of all fabrications Thursday night on the South Lawn of the White House. With the Truman Balcony as his backdrop and a massive convention stage erected outside the People’s House, he made only passing references to the pandemic that has disrupted our lives. And the 1,500 Republican lawmakers, party officials and others in the crowd sat cheek by jowl, for the most part without face masks, pretending there was no such thing as covid-19. Jumbo screens projecting “TRUMP/PENCE” lit up the South Lawn. And at 11:35 p.m., after Trump’s 70-minute speech, the extravaganza ended with fireworks lighting up the capital’s night sky.” - Dana Milbank
THE STRANGEST
THE AV ROOM