It’s almost Friday, but we’re not quite there yet. While you’re waiting, take a few minutes to catch up on the news. Here are the top stories everyone will be talking about:
1. #BlackOnCampus
The situation at the University of Missouri continues to escalate. You’ll recall the president of the university resigned this week amid protests — including the entire football team refusing to play — after his failure to address racism on campus. Rather than fixing the problem, his resignation ignited a series of online threats and violence. Two students have been arrested for allegedly making threats to shoot and kill black students. Some professors have even cancelled class over concerns about the safety of their black students. Protests have also launched at other colleges, and students across the country are now using #BlackOnCampus to share stories of times they’ve encountered racism at school. The whole situation is shameful and sad, and it shows just how alive and well racism in the U.S. actually is. — ABC News
More:How to talk to your kids about racism
2. What a hero
An army captain who saved his commander and others in an attack in Afghanistan will receive the Medal Of Honor from President Obama. He’ll be the 10th living recipient of the medal, which is reserved for “members of the armed forces who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry above and beyond the call of duty.” The captain, Florent A. Groberg, was leading a security detail when they encountered a suicide bomber. Rather than backing away, he rushed the bomber, sparing his team and suffering horrific burns and almost losing his leg in the process. — WHNT
3. Too much of a good thing
For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration is recommending we limit our intake of sugar. You’ve probably seen articles for months about the effects of sugar on the body and how “sugar is killing us.” It might be a little strong to say it’s “killing” us, but we’re definitely eating too much. The FDA recommends capping your intake at 12.5 teaspoons (50 grams) per day, though as Refinery29 notes, that is still double what the World Health Organization recommends. They’re also proposing changes to food labels to make it easier to spot hidden sugars in sauces, dressing, nut butters and other foods that contain way more added sugar than we might suspect. — Refinery29
More:The five steps of sugar rehab
4. Bill Nye The Writer Guy
Bill Nye has a new book in stores today. It’s called Unstoppable: Harnessing Science to Change the World, and it tackles the harsh realities of climate change and their possible solutions. Despite taking a stern approach to the subject, Nye remains optimistic that we can still maintain a “high quality of life for billions of people as we pass through this era,” and that’s why he decided to write the book. Climate change has become an increasingly divisive and political issue, but it’s happening whether we like it or not, so it’s probably worth it to listen to what the Science Guy has to say. — CBC News
5. Shoppers, start your engines
Walmart has announced its Black Friday plans, as well as two pages of its official Black Friday advertisement (Star Wars drone for $25, anyone?). The retailer will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day — because employees don’t need to eat dinner with their families, right? — and will launch all of its deals online and in stores at once. Formerly, they rolled out deals on an hourly basis, but apparently this year they thought, why go for the trickle effect when you can create a stampede? If you’re a Black Friday shopper, you’ll probably want to skip dinner and get their early too. It’s going to be a zoo. — USA Today
More:Black Friday makeup deals to shop until you drop
6. The future has arrived
David Mayman, an Australian entrepreneur who invented a personal jetpack, showed off his latest contraption by flying it around the Statue of Liberty. Mayman has been working on the jetpack with his co-partner, Nelson Tyler, for 10 years. His maiden flight was granted approval by the Federal Aviation Administration, but it’s hard to say if personal jetpacks will ever become a thing. Obviously, there are a lot of safety concerns and regulations to work out. Still, it looks pretty darn awesome and I’d totally pay to give it a try next time I’m in New York City. — IFL Science
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