Sports:
The Good: Congress Presses U.S. Olympic Committee Over Sexual Abuse
This week the United States Congress questioned Kerry Perry, the new chief executive at U.S.A. Gymnastics on how they plan to protect athletes from abuse following the Larry Nassar scandal that rocked the sports world with the one of the biggest scandals in athletic history.
In 2016, investigators uncovered Nassar in possession of child pornography and heard over ten victims who claimed they were assaulted by Nassar during his time as a physician within the organization. As Nassar faces 40-125 years in prison, Perry as well as other executives answered questions about how and why they failed to act previously and what changes are being made to ensure assaults don’t take place again. Before telling Congress that she’ll be clearing house she took time to apologize to the victims, promising to do better.
The Bad: NFL Commission Rules On Players Taking A Knee
Today, the Nation Football League made an official announcement about it’s new policy restricting on field personnel from “taking a knee”. Via Twitter the N.F.L. brandished it’s newest decision polregarding protesting to a mixed reaction from fans, celebrities and social media.
The policy states that all players and staff on the field must stand for the National Anthem or the team will face fines and penalties. Those who choose to kneel must stay in the locker room until the Anthem is over. Owners of the Jet’s and 49er’s were unwilling to vote on the new policy with Jed York (the owner of the 49er’s) saying they’re wasn’t enough player involvement within the voting process, and Christopher Johnson (the co-owner and chairman of the New York Jets) announcing he would pay all fees accrued by his players for any new rules.
Health:
The Good: U.S. Passes Law For Terminally Ill Patients
Lawmakers addressed a sensitive issue this week in health care as it heard arguments for and against the “right to try” which is a law that allows terminally ill patients to experiment with medication or treatment that hasn’t been fully approved by the Food & Drug Administration. In years past terminally ill patients were restricted to medicine that had gone through the lengthy clinical trials and approval process. Now patients will be able to coordinate with their physicians to access newer medicine and trials still undergoing testing. An initial approval must be completed by the FDA but access will be granted to individuals who qualify. President Trump still has to sign the legislation before it becomes official, however Trump has previously shown support for the law and is expected to sign the bill.
The Bad: Ebola Outbreak Claims 27 Lives
The World Health Organization has confirmed an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has now claimed 27 lives. WHO reports that there are 28 confirmed patients, 21 probable, and 9 suspected of having the disease which causes fever and severe headache. The current strain of the disease Zaire, has one of the highest mortality rates, taking the lives of 60%-90% of its victims. The pharmaceutical giant Merck has agreed to supply doctors working on the front lines with WHO with 8,000 doses of an experimental Ebola vaccine and will be making another 8000 doses available over the next few days. Although Ebola has been synonymous with crippling fear and bleak outcomes, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa, said the nine countries bordering the Congo have already moved forward with preparedness tactics, making sure clinics are equipped and trained. So far the outbreak has remained isolated to rural areas however Moeti believes it’s still too early to say the virus has been fully contained. “The next few weeks will really tell if this outbreak is going to expand to urban areas or if we are going to be able to keep it under control.”
Hilarity:
Senior’s End Of Year Quotes Are Lit
As another school year comes to an end for seniors across the country, media, entertainment, and popular references heavily influenced their final farewells. With references from Gucci Mane, Spongebob Squarepants, Stranger Things and more, social media overwhelming showed support for the hilarious and creative quotes.
Florida Accidentally Sends Out Zombie Warning
Officials are still investigating how a city wide text warning against zombies was sent out to residents in Lake Worth, Florida this week after a power outage. The city said that they first encountered the issue after hurricane Irma and believed they had successfully eliminated fake mass texts but apparently one was left hiding in the system. Lake Worth’s spokesman Ben Kerr says that an independent investigation has been started and determined the “invasion warning” wasn’t made by a current or former employee but has also said no one has been formerly held responsible.
Make sure to stay up to date on the latest news every week here at Emcee!
