h/t to u/ogordained for the inspiration to post here
Top snippets: Mueller hoax • SpaceX reshuffle • CPTPP moves forward
POLITICS
1. The FBI is investigating a suspected smear attempt against Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the head of the ongoing investigation into Russian election interference. A woman reached out to several journalists on October 17 claiming she had been offered money to make sexual misconduct claims against Mueller. Mueller's office immediately referred the matter to the FBI.
BUSINESS
2. Elon Musk fired (and replaced) at least 7 senior leaders of the SpaceX management team in an effort to accelerate the timeline of Starlink. Starlink is SpaceX’s attempt at providing global internet connectivity via a constellation of satellites. It’s key to SpaceX’s more ambitious plans (i.e., Mars travel) given it could provide shorter term cash to fund continued space technology development. The mandate of the replacement team is to launch the first batch of satellites by mid-2019.
ECONOMY
3. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) replacement deal will slash tariffs across much of the Asia-Pacific region beginning December. Australia became the 6th nation to ratify the agreement triggering a 60-day countdown. The revised version is called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
More context: The original TPP was in jeopardy after President Trump withdrew from negotiations; however, the remaining 11 nations finalized a revised version in January.
TECH
4. Waymo first to receive California approval to test self-driving cars with no backup driver in the front seat. Alphabet’s self-driving car unit can now test ~36 truly driverless test vehicles in a variety of conditions including “day and night testing on city streets, rural roads and highways.” Approximately 60 companies have permits to test self-driving vehicles with a backup driver in California.
More context: Waymo has already been utilizing a similar approval in Arizona and plans on launching a commercial self-driving ride hailing experience in the state by the end of 2018.
BUZZ
5. Boston gangster Whitey Bulger was murdered in prison at the age of 89. He was beaten to death by inmates shortly after arrival to a new prison in West Virginia (in what may have been an organized hit). Whitey was one of Boston’s most notorious criminals and on the run for 16 years until his capture in 2013.
BUZZ
6. India erected the world’s tallest statue. It’s 600 ft. and cost ~$430M to build. The statue took the “world’s tallest” title from the Spring Temple Buddha in China and is more than 2x the height of New York’s Statue of Liberty.
Submitted October 31, 2018 at 12:27PM by thenewpaper https://ift.tt/2EU2sWE
