08.26.2023

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Good morning. It's Saturday, Aug. 26, and in this weekend edition, we're covering the fallout from an incident at the Women's World Cup, a grocery delivery giant's plans to go public, and much more. First time reading? Sign up here.

You share, we listen. As always, send us feedback at [email protected].

One Big Headline

Spanish Soccer Scandal

Spain's women's soccer team—the winner of this year's Women's World Cup—released a statement yesterday saying the players won't participate in any more matches until Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales resigns. Rubiales faces criticism for unsolicitedly kissing Jennifer Hermoso after grabbing her face during Spain's trophy ceremony last Sunday in Sydney, Australia (see footage).

The 46-year-old Rubiales, in an emergency meeting of the Spanish soccer federation yesterday, said he won't step down from his post, which he has held for the past five years. He called the kiss spontaneous and claimed it was consensual. Hermoso, in a separate statement, claimed she did not consent to it.

The parties' responses come a day after FIFA opened a disciplinary case against Rubiales for the incident; a three-person committee will determine whether he violated the governing body's basic rules for decent conduct. Spain's national sports council also said it plans to file a case against Rubiales at a sports tribunal next week.

Quick Hits

Deadly thunderstorms, tornadoes roll across Michigan.

At least five people were killed in the aftermath of the extreme weather event, which included severe storms with winds of up to 75 mph and at least seven tornadoes. Roughly 400,000 people in Michigan and more than 120,000 people in Ohio were without power Friday night.

March on Washington anniversary event to draw 75,000 people.

Civil rights leaders will hold an event at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, today to honor the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. The main event is expected to kick off around 11 am ET. Livestream it here.

Federal Reserve's Powell warns of more interest rate hikes.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, in his annual Jackson Hole, Wyoming, policy speech Friday, suggested the central bank might still need to continue to raise interest rates in the coming months as inflation remains too high. The Fed has increased interest rates 11 times since it began its campaign to bring inflation down to its annual 2% target, pushing the benchmark rate to a range of 5.25%-5.5%.

Grocery delivery company Instacart files to go public.

Instacart, which was founded in 2012, filed paperwork for its initial public offering Friday and expects its shares to start trading under the ticker symbol "CART" on Nasdaq next month. The company had planned to go public last year but pushed it, citing market volatility. Instacart's internal valuation once stood at $39B but was since slashed to about $13B in October 2022.

DOJ sues SpaceX over hiring discrimination.

The Justice Department's lawsuit alleges SpaceX violated the Immigration and Nationality Act by discouraging applicants who were asylees and refugees from applying to jobs and refusing to hire or consider them based on their citizenship status.

Second annual National Cinema Day to be held tomorrow.

More than 3,000 theaters around the US, including AMC Theaters and Regal Movies, are offering $4 discounted movie tickets to celebrate the second annual National Cinema Day. The discounted tickets will be offered for all movie formats, including premium large format screens.

World Wrestling Entertainment star Bray Wyatt dies at 36.

Wyatt, whose real name was Windham Rotunda, was a third generation wrestler and the son of WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda. Wyatt was named WWE Champion in 2017. His cause of death was not disclosed; however, he had been dealing with health issues.

In partnership with Pendulum

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Humankind

Meet Stella Weaver, the 22nd girl to play in the Little League World Series and who broke the US record for hits by a girl in the series. (More)

A pair of 80-year-old pen pals for 70 years—one from South Carolina and the other from the UK—meet for the first time. (More)

Tennessee reporter surprises news anchor girlfriend with on-camera marriage proposal. (More, w/video)

... and Slovakian race walkers get engaged at the finish line at the World Athletics Championships 2023. (More, w/video)

Chicago's "Woo Lady" keeps morning crowd of bikers and runners motivated on the city's Lakefront Trail. (More)

Sweet elderly couple explains how they met and what they love about each other. (More, via Reddit)

According to a study, greeting your neighbors can boost your well-being. (More)

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Humankind(ness)

Today, we're sharing a story from reader Deb J. in Deerwood, Minnesota.

"I have a garden every summer. I am not a great gardener, but usually end up with plenty of tomatoes. This year, my tomatoes were rotting on the vine. I am an RN in a cardiology clinic, and I mentioned this to two of my patients. One woman told me what was wrong and that I needed to add calcium & magnesium to my soil. She actually called me a couple of days later with her homemade remedy. I am cautiously optimistic! My other patient actually brought me 5 gorgeous tomatoes from her own garden. What a treat! I am very grateful to both of them."

What act(s) of kindness did you experience this week? Tell us here.

Etcetera

Bookkeeping
> About 4 million children in Pakistan need humanitarian aid, UNICEF finds.

> Heineken sells business in Russia for roughly $1, incurring a $325M loss.

> A $123K watch was designed by a 4-year-old boy. Read about the backstory.

> Spain intercepts record 10.5 tons of cocaine hidden in a banana shipment.

Browse

> Slang terms from the 1930s.

> Lego is releasing Braille versions of its toy bricks.

> Can you spot the camouflaged cat in this garden?

> Oscar Mayer is giving away free hot dog straws.

> When it's hot enough to bake cornbread outside.

Listen

> The strange world of how we think and the pros and cons of inner speech.

Watch

> How to tell if you are addicted to your phone.

> Inside Thailand's homemade rocket festival.

> A fly that swims in a shimmering bubble shield.

Long Read

> The ways our skin shapes our health.

> A visual dive into how aircraft and drones penetrate monster storms.

> How to get your mojo back.

Best of the Week: Zoo welcomes rare spotless giraffe.

Historybook: Mother Teresa born (1910); 19th Amendment, granting US women right to vote, takes effect (1920); First televised Major League Baseball game (1939); NBA star James Harden born (1989); 13 US military personnel, more than 169 Afghans killed during suicide bombing at Kabul airport (2021).

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- Mother Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu

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08.26.2023