SmartSheet - Test - WIYC - 9/29

1. Have You Herd?

That new White House pandemic adviser Scott Atlas is pushing for herd immunity as America’s best defense against the coronavirus that has now infected more than 6 million people in the country? The strategy proposed by Atlas mirrors a controversial approach taken by Sweden, which has a higher death rate than the U.S. That would require allowing 65 percent of the population to become infected, possibly leading to nearly 2 million deaths in the U.S. beyond today’s toll of 180,000. Should the U.S. pursue herd immunity? Vote on Twitter.

Rwandan authorities have arrested Paul Rusesabagina, who used his influence to hide 1,200 Tutsis in the hotel he managed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. They’ve accused him of terrorism-related offenses. The 66-year-old U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, the inspiration behind the 2004 Oscar-nominated film Hotel Rwanda, is the latest critic of President Paul Kagame to find himself behind bars. He was arrested abroad, in an undisclosed location.

3. Killer Defended

President Trump on Monday appeared to justify the actions of a 17-year-old accused of fatally shooting two protesters in Kenosha last week. "I guess he was in very big trouble. He probably would have been killed," Trump said, referring to Kyle Rittenhouse, who faces a first-degree intentional homicide charge among six criminal counts.

4. Pain and Gain

India’s GDP shrank by nearly a quarter between April and June, the country announced Monday, on a day when the world’s fifth-largest economy lost ex-President Pranab Mukherjee, a well-regarded former finance minister who died at the age of 84. Argentina, meanwhile, heaved a sigh of relief, declaring that it had ended its ninth sovereign debt default. And in the U.S., shares of Apple and Tesla rose after stock splits that make their shares less expensive — and leave them even more in demand.

5. Embassy Embrace Next

Israel and the UAE have launched talks to open embassies in each other’s nations, days after they announced a historic peace accord. On Monday, an El Al flight became the first Israeli commercial plane to land in the UAE, after flying over Saudi Arabian airspace — breaking another barrier. 

Time will tell us how well Israel and the UAE do together. There’s no doubt about these iconic musical duos though — let them lift your day.

There hasn’t quite been a bromance in music like that of Colombia’s J. Balvin and Puerto Rico’s Bad Bunny. The reggaeton and Latin trap stars have been dominating the charts — both in Latin America and the U.S. — through collaborations with artists like Drake. But nothing beats the music they make together. It started with their single “Si Tu Novio te Deja Sola” in 2017 which landed them a Latin Grammy nod. Since then, they’ve even performed at the Super Bowl.

2. Diana Ross + Lionel Richie

You could argue about there being better duos but their defense is air-tight when it comes to the best duet of all time. That’s their song “Endless Love.” This Diana Ross ballad featuring Lionel Richie spent nine weeks at the number one spot in 1981 and remains the perfect wedding song.

3. Megan Thee Stallion + Cardi B

What happens when an unstoppable force and an immovable object work in tandem? You get Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B. Both chart-toppers in their own right, they combined forces for the powerful and culture-shifting tune, “W.A.P” in August, becoming the first pair of women to debut at the top of the Billboard charts. Read more about them and other Black women reshaping our culture in OZY’s latest Sunday Magazine. 

What’s your favorite musical duet of all time? Tell us on Twitter or below.

Former Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O'Rourke joins Carlos on The Carlos Watson Show today to talk about his regrets from his Senate and presidential runs, his screenplay-worthy relationship with his dad and turning Texas blue. Subscribe to OZY’s YouTube channel to be notified when it's live. New subscribers get a chance to join a Zoom taping with a celebrity guest! 

You can also get invited to a taping if you correctly identify what he did not say to Carlos.

a. He regrets being outspoken during his 2018 Senate run.

b. He thinks Donald Trump should be prosecuted once he leaves office.

c. His wife Amy is a major influence behind his style of politics.  

Share your answers below.

While we wait for a COVID-19 vaccine, scientists in other fields of health care are innovating and discovering pathbreaking fixes that could keep us safe long after the pandemic has passed.

It’s real. Researchers are concluding that augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality can cut the costs of training doctors, reduce risks during surgeries and help with treating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

2. Tiny Fix

Nanoscience in medicine might seem like Ms. Frizzle and her magic school bus. But China’s showing how microscopic nanoparticles can help in everything from the treatment of breast cancer to the editing of genes. Protein-targeting particles have reduced breast cancer tumors by half in mice. Read more.

3. Infect the Mosquitoes

Dengue kills 25,000 people — and infects 390 million — every year. Now scientists have discovered a novel way to fight the disease: by infecting mosquitoes with another bacteria that prevents them from passing the virus when they bite people. It works, they’ve found, in a landmark study in Indonesia.

4. Timely Ambulance

In large parts of the developing world, street addresses aren’t perfect — and signage can be all over the place — making it hard for emergency medical aid to reach patients in time. Enter SnooCODE Red, Ghanaian technology that allows ambulances to track down patients to within 10 inches. It works even if the patient is moving — as can happen in the aftermath of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. Read more.

Medical science is stunning, but nothing can beat the majesty of the Andean Condor.

They’re among the world’s largest birds and a national symbol in multiple South American nations. Soak in this image of a condor in flight.

What we have next for you won’t get you nearly as far or as fast as the condor. But I promise you these crazy cycles will make you smile.

There are no bikes more ridiculous than the two longest ones in the world: a Dutch bike that’s 117 ft long and an Australian giant that’s even longer, at 136 ft. Watch the Dutch bike in action: It takes two riders to operate — one in the front handling the steering and the other in the back doing the pedaling.

2. Penny Farthing

This was essentially the first bicycle to truly get it right. Developed by French inventor Eugène Meyer, the penny farthing came with a large front wheel and was all the rage in the 1870s and 1880s. It was better on rougher surfaces than other models of its time. But the height also meant falling could be more painful — and getting back on harder.