Your Must-See News Headlines for Today, July 19

hot temperatures heat wave

Weather Channel

Stay inside in the air conditioning this weekend if you can. A dangerous heatwave is stretching across much of the United States.

Shoppers spent more than $2 billion during the Amazon Prime Day event! Read on to see what were the most popular items.

And the new trailer for the musical “Cats” has dropped and is scaring some viewers.

Here’s what you need to know in the daily roundup.


TOP STORY: The Dangerous Heat is Expected to Last Through the Weekend

Just a few seconds standing outside and you’re going to feel it– it’s hot! The extreme heat is stretching from the Rockies and across the Plains, Midwest, and the East Coast. The heatwave is expected to last until early next week.

Meteorologists from the Weather Channel say temperatures will rise close to 100 degrees in many areas. Combined with the humidity, it will feel even hotter than that.

The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings and heat advisories. Health experts advise limiting the amount of time spent outside and to make sure to stay hydrated. Families are also urged to watch over relatives more vulnerable to the dangerous heat, such as an elderly parent or a very young child.


WHAT’S BUZZING THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING: Shoppers Spent $2 Billion During Amazon Prime Day

To call the Amazon Prime Day event a success is certainly an understatement. The online retail giant revealed in a news release that shoppers purchased more than 175 million items during the 48-hour period to the tune of more than $2 billion.

That’s more money than shoppers spent during the 2018 Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales days combined. Amazon said the top-selling items were tech devices, including the Echo Dot and the Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote. Smart home devices were also a top seller, such as the iRobot Roomba 690 Robot Vacuum, MyQ Smart Garage Door Opener Chamberlain MYQ-G0301, and Amazon Smart Plug.

Amazon also said that shoppers in the United States purchased more than 100,000 laptops, 200,000 TVs, one million headphones, 350,000 luxury beauty products, and more than one million toys.

The company saw more people sign up for Prime memberships than ever before. But it’s unclear how many of those new customers will keep their subscriptions. Google searches about how to cancel a Prime membership also skyrocketed during the event, indicating that many people may have signed up, bought their items, and then promptly looked to cancel it.


OFF-BEAT: ‘Cats’ Movie Trailer Debuts to Mixed Reactions

The first trailer for the upcoming musical “Cats” made its debut yesterday. The movie, based on the award-winning Broadway show featuring music from Andrew Lloyd Webber, is scheduled to appear in theaters on December 20.

The cast is stacked, to say the least. Some of the stars of the film include Taylor Swift, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, James Corden, Judi Dench, Rebel Wilson, and Jason Derulo.

But the reaction to the first trailer was mixed online, as many commenters expressed horror upon seeing the costumes and makeup. Here’s a roundup of some of the best memes.


DAILY NEWS ROUNDUP

    • Married hunters Darren and Carolyn Carter received backlash after posting a picture of them kissing over a lion they had killed.
    • A man climbed 15 stories down a West Philadelphia high rise to escape a fire Thursday night.
    • Parents Joel Stallworth and TaMiya Dickerson say they were racially profiled at a Nike store and accused of stealing a basketball.
    • Famous animator Yasuhiro Takemoto is missing following the deadly fire at the Kyoto Animation studio.
    • Bud Light is offering free beer to any aliens that make it out of Area 51 and promoting a special edition “alien beer.”
    • The lineup for the next round of Democratic primary debates has been announced.

CHECK THIS OUT: You Can Rent Out the Wienermobile

Have you ever seen the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and thought about driving it? The company is banking on plenty of hot dog lovers being curious enough about the iconic vehicle to want to rent it out!

Beginning Wednesday, July 24, the Wienermobile will be available for one-night rentals on Airbnb for $136. The 27 foot-long camper sleeps two people and is parked in Chicago.

The Wienermobile will have a mini-fridge stocked with– what else– Oscar Mayer hot dogs. Customers can also take the roller grill home and chill out in a specially created hot dog eating area.

Missed Yesterday’s Roundup? Click here.

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