What to Know
- The CEOs of Under Armour, Intel and Merck resigned from the White House's American Manufacturing Council
- At least five people have died after receiving gastric balloons to help them lose weight, the Food and Drug Administration said
- Taylor Swift won $1 and long-awaited vindication after a jury decided in a civil trial that a radio host groped her four years ago
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Merck, Under Armour, Intel CEOs Resign From Trump Panel
The CEOs of athletic wear manufacturer Under Armour, computer chip maker Intel and pharmaceutical company Merck resigned from the White House's American Manufacturing Council — with the Merck withdrawal drawing a quick and angry Twitter outburst from President Trump. Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier cited the president's failure to explicitly rebuke the white nationalists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend. He wrote on Twitter Monday that "America's leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy, which runs counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal." Frazier is one of the few African-Americans to head a Fortune 500 company. Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank resigned from the panel, saying his company "engages in innovation and sports, not politics." Plank did not specifically mention Trump or Charlottesville, but said his company will focus on promoting "unity, diversity and inclusion" through sports. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich followed, writing that while he had urged leaders to condemn "white supremacists and their ilk," many in Washington "seem more concerned with attacking anyone who disagrees with them."
As North Korea Holds Onto Launch Plans, South Korea Pushes for Diplomacy
North Korea's military presented leader Kim Jong Un with plans to launch missiles into waters near Guam and "wring the windpipes of the Yankees," even as both Koreas and the United States signaled their willingness to avert a deepening crisis, with each suggesting a path toward negotiations. The tentative interest in diplomacy follows unusually combative threats between President Trump and North Korea amid worries that Pyongyang is nearing its long-sought goal of accurately being able to send a nuclear missile to the U.S. mainland. Next week's start of U.S.-South Korean military exercises that enrage the North each year make it unclear, however, if diplomacy will prevail. Kim appeared in photos sitting at a table with a large map marked by a straight line between what appeared to be northeastern North Korea and Guam, and passing over Japan — apparently showing the missiles' flight route.
5 Die After Being Fitted With Balloons for Obesity, FDA Says
Local
At least five people have died after receiving gastric balloons to help them lose weight, the Food and Drug Administration said. It’s unclear whether the balloons or the surgery to implant them could have caused the deaths, but the FDA issued an alert to doctors to monitor patients who have the devices, according to NBC News. The balloons are intended to treat severe obesity by reducing how much a person can eat by filling the stomach, closing off part of the stomach or surgically reducing stomach volume. Two different balloon devices have been involved in reports of the deaths, which came as quickly as a day after surgery: one made by Apollo Endo-Surgery, the other by ReShape. Apollo said the company has sold 180,000 of Orbera balloon devices worldwide.
Apple, Aetna Hold Secret Meetings to Bring Apple Watch to Customers, Sources Say
Apple and Aetna held secret meetings to bring Apple's health- and fitness-tracking device, Apple Watch, to Aetna customers, according to three sources who spoke with CNBC. Aetna, which covers an estimated 23 million people, is negotiating a deal with Apple to either provide the smartwatch for free or at a discounted rate to its members. Recently, Apple has focused on developing new health sensors for people with chronic disease, according to a CNBC report. Apple Watch recently surpassed Fitbit as the top-selling health-tracking device, after shipments reached an estimated 22 million in early 2017.
Jury Sides With Taylor Swift in Lawsuit, Orders Ex-DJ to Pay $1
Taylor Swift won $1 and long-awaited vindication after a jury decided in a civil trial that a radio host groped her during a pre-concert photo op four years ago. After a weeklong trial over dueling lawsuits, jurors determined that fired Denver DJ David Mueller assaulted the pop star by grabbing her backside during a backstage meet-and-greet. Swift hugged her crying mother after the verdict and reiterated how she wanted to stand up for other women. The six-woman, two-man jury also found that Swift's mother and radio liaison were within their rights to contact Mueller's bosses about the groping. Mueller sued the Swifts and their radio handler, Frank Bell, seeking up to $3 million for his ruined career. At the end of the trial, the judge dismissed Taylor Swift from Mueller's lawsuit, saying he failed to prove that she sought to get Mueller fired or had any reason to believe that someone else may have assaulted her. The singer-songwriter said in her countersuit that she wanted a symbolic $1.
Stunt Driver Dies While Filming “Deadpool 2”
A female stunt driver has died after a motorcycle crash on a set for the movie "Deadpool 2" in downtown Vancouver, police said. The driver's name was not immediately released. Witness Sharmina Kermalli said she had just walked into a Starbucks next door to where the accident happened when she heard a loud crash. She ran out of the coffee shop and saw glass still falling on the body of the woman. A crumpled motorcycle was seen lying on its side at the location of the accident near Vancouver's waterfront. Police said officers were at the scene and investigators with WorkSafeBC, the provincial workplace safety agency, were also looking into the crash.
