09.06.2017

Irma.
Hurricane Irma may become the first Category 5 hurricane to hit the US in the last 25 years - and only the fourth since records began - after being upgraded Tuesday. Arriving in the Caribbean this morning, the National Hurricane Center declared Irma "extremely dangerous" with maximum sustained winds reaching 185 mph. The high wind speeds tie Irma for the second strongest hurricane ever, behind Hurricane Allen which reached 190 mph in 1980. Florida officials ordered mandatory evacuations for Monroe and Miami-Dade counties as the storm's trajectory sends it directly over Puerto Rico and into south Florida by the weekend. And even as prep for Irma begins, tropical storm Jose is close on its heels. With Irma barreling towards landfall, take a minute to check out amazing photos and satellite videos of the storm, and read about how a monster storm can form.  


DACA.
The Trump administration officially ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals - or DACA - program - opting to delay implementation of the decision for six months. The program delays the deportation of minors who entered the country illegally under the age of 16 and before 2007, and who haven't committed a crime. The program is generally popular and has some bipartisan support, and the decision gives legislators six months to craft a solution. Lost in the announcement was the September 5th deadline set by ten state attorney generals - led by Texas AG Ken Paxton - for the White House to rescind DACA or face a lawsuit. With reports suggesting Chief of Staff John Kelly doubted the rule would hold up in court, the administration punted the issue to Congress. Some parts of the GOP are beginning to soften on the law, under which 800,000 people have gotten work permits 

Congress.
Is back in session following a five-week recess with a number of new high-priority items crowding an already busy schedule. Before the break, lawmakers were eyeing a major push on tax reform while quietly and quickly raising the debt ceiling - the limit on how much the US is allowed to borrow - by the October 3rd deadline. Leadership must now figure out how to pair Hurricane Harvey aid with a debt ceiling increase, a move which more conservative GOP members oppose. Lawmakers must also decide whether to renew the Children's Health Insurance Program - which provides coverage for about 9 million low-income children and expires September 30th. This is against a backdrop of crafting a legislative fix for DACA, passing a defense bill, and coming up with a spending bill to keep the government open - all in the fall session. 
 

Drug that reverses diabetes in mice also makes bones stronger (More)
I, Doggo: Study confirms recent research, dogs are self-aware (More)
Flying car startup Lilium receives $90M investment from Chinese giant Tencent (More)
 

Lego to cut 8% of workforce after first sales decline in over a decade (More)
Carpool service Via raises $250M from Daimler, VCs; eyes European expansion (More)
Houston Rockets sell for $2.2B, breaks NBA record (More)
 

iCheaters: Boston Red Sox use Apple Watch to steal signs from Yankees, other teams (More)
Lucasfilm axes Colin Trevorrow as director of Star Wars: Episode IX (More)
US Soccer draws with Honduras in crucial World Cup qualifying match (More)
 

Sean Spicer cashing in, lands next gig on paid speaking circuit (More)
Seoul begins conducting live-fire drills on land, sea (More)
House leadership to take up 3 month stopgap spending bill to avoid shutdown (More)

The Ringer Podcast Network. Larry Wilmore (The Daily Show, Black-ish) hosts this weekly socio-cultural podcast where he tackles topics ranging from sports and entertainment to politics and race relations. Wilmore’s at his best when he’s completely uncensored, which happens frequently during the hour-long podcasts. Recent guests included Issa Rae (Insecure), Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bernie Sanders, and Malcolm Gladwell. Black on the Air is available at The Ringer website or wherever you get your podcasts.
 

USA Network. Jessica Biel stars and produced this crime thriller about a young mother who commits a gruesome murder in broad daylight with no reasonable explanation. The lead detective (Bill Pullman) grows obsessed with uncovering the motive and along the journey into her psyche', discovers a dark past.  The eight episode series is the TV equivalent of a page-turner, airing on USA on Wednesday nights. Currently five episodes into the eight episode season, watch it on USA on Demand and check out the trailer here.

ProPublica looks at where the government spends to keep people in flood-prone homes in Houston. 

Black infants still have highest mortality rates, especially in rural areas. 

College: 2018 World University rankings released, US drops. 

The first veggie-based fast food drive-thru to begin nationwide expansion. 

Bad Neighbors: What Chinese scholars think about the North Korea situation.

Secret Hitler: A board game simulating the rise of fascism becomes a hit. 

Why no aquarium has a great white shark.

Conor McGregor to launch clothing line.

Humans: Why do people die fighting for a cause?

Ents: Badass trees that refuse to die.

Historybook: Magellan circumnavigates globe (1522); Mayflower departs Plymouth (1620); Benedict Arnold burns New London (1781); Thoreau wraps it up at Walden (1847); HBD Jane Addams (1860); Frederick Douglass becomes first black delegate to National Convention (1866); RIP President William McKinley (1901); HBD Roger Waters (1943); Cal Ripken Jr. plays in 2,131st consecutive game, breaks record (1995); 2.5 Billion viewers watch Princess Diana’s funeral (1997); Barack Obama accepts nomination for President (2012).

"IT IS EASIER TO BUILD STRONG CHILDREN THAN TO REPAIR BROKEN MEN."
-Frederick Douglass

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