DNC Begins, Streaming Service Blocked, and Uber-Rich Pets

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DNC Kicks Off

The Democratic National Convention kicks off today in Chicago, the start of four days of political speeches ending with the selection of the party’s candidate for president. Vice President Kamala Harris is slated to speak Thursday night, formally accepting the party’s nomination. President Joe Biden is set to speak tonight. See the full schedule here.

Outside the proceedings, thousands of protesters are expected to call for a cease-fire in Gaza, an issue dividing the Democratic Party. Chicago officials said they had added additional security in anticipation. 

National poll averages show Harris with a roughly one-to-two-point edge; her lead over former President Donald Trump falls within the polling margin of error in most swing states. 

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Find locations to vote in your state here.

Venu Sports, Blocked

A federal judge temporarily blocked the launch of Venu Sports Friday on antitrust grounds. The decision comes a week before the sports-only streaming service was reportedly set to debut in advance of the NFL season.

Venu—a joint venture from Disney's ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros.—planned to charge subscribers $42.99 per month for access to 15 live sports channels. Offerings are set to include the companies' entire sports portfolios, including professional football, basketball, hockey, and tennis, as well as college football and basketball. Each company had agreed to one-third ownership of the platform, which sought to secure 5 million customers in five years.

The judge's ruling sided with competitor streaming service FuboTV, which accused Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. of creating a monopoly to drive up prices—an argument supported by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Venu plans to appeal the ruling.

Perseverance's Climb 

NASA's Perseverance rover is set to begin its most daring climb yet this week, embarking on a monthslong expedition up the western rim of Mars' Jezero crater to a summit scientists have called Aurora Park.

Since landing on the red planet in February 2021, the car-sized lab has collected over 20 rock cores in four campaigns, traveling a collective 18 miles. Among Perseverance's contributions are rock samples supporting the theory the crater was once a vast, watery lake around 3.5 billion years ago. The rover has not yet discovered evidence of life on Mars; some promising rock samples require analysis upon their return to Earth.

Perseverance's latest journey will see the rover climb an estimated 1,000 feet in elevation, traversing slopes as steep as 23 degrees on rocky, unpaved terrain. Scientists have identified two locations in particular for further study, with bedrock indicating a climate very different from that of Mars today.

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