Your Must-See News Headlines for Today, July 2

Nike Nike pulls new line of shoes featuring an early version of the American flag.

Nike had planned to sell a new shoe featuring the American flag historically thought to have been sewn by Betsy Ross. But the company pulled the sneaker at the last minute after Colin Kaepernick reportedly called the design “offensive.” Read more on the fallout below.

Military members may have to abide by a much stricter diet in the future, one that does not include pizza and beer! See why proponents are pushing for the keto diet.

And there’s a total solar eclipse happening today. Heavy has a live stream you can follow.

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


TOP STORY: Nike Dropped Its New Sneaker Featuring an Early Version of the American Flag After Colin Kaepernick Said the Design Was Offensive

Nike had planned to release a new sneaker featuring the earliest version of the American flag, which was believed to have been created by Betsy Ross. The flag was displayed on the heel of the shoe, called the Air Max 1 USA. It had already been shipped to retailers and was meant as a celebration of the July 4th holiday.

But Nike has decided to pull the shoes back. According to the Wall Street Journal, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick urged the company against releasing the shoe. His argument was that the “Betsy Ross flag” is offensive to many people “because of its connection to an era of slavery.” The early flag has also been used by white nationalist groups, according to the Washington Post.

The decision to cancel the shoe could have financial consequences for Nike. The company had planned to build a multi-million dollar manufacturing plant near Phoenix. But Arizona’s governor, Doug Ducey, announced on social media today that financial incentives offered to Nike would be rescinded. The plant had been expected to create 500 jobs.

Governor Ducey’s thread on Twitter included, “Instead of celebrating American history the week of our nation’s independence, Nike has apparently decided that Betsy Ross is unworthy, and has bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism. It is a shameful retreat for the company. American businesses should be proud of our country’s history, not abandoning it.”

Read more about the Nike shoes and the fallout here.


OFF-BEAT: Active Military Members May Have to Cut Pizza & Beer From Their Diets

Soldiers may have to cut back on pizza, pasta, burritos, and beer in the future. The Special Operations Command is looking into a proposal that would require active servicemembers to abide by a keto diet.

The idea was floated following a research study on Army ROTC cadets at the Ohio State University. According to the Military Times, a keto diet could be best suited for servicemembers who conduct underwater missions.

Lisa Sanders, the director of science and technology at Special Operations Command, explained, “One of the effects of truly being in ketosis is that it changes the way your body handles oxygen deprivation, so you can actually stay underwater at depths for longer periods of time and not go into oxygen seizures.”

Such a change would mean major overhauls at military base dining facilities. But it would also mean that soldiers would have to abide by the strict dietary rules during time off. Defense Department officials say they are looking into the proposal.


WHAT’S BUZZING THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING: See a Live Stream of the Solar Eclipse Today

Getty

There’s another total solar eclipse happening today! The path of totality crosses the southern Pacific Ocean, east of New Zealand, to the Coquimbo Region in Chile, and finally to Argentina.

Unfortunately, this eclipse will not be visible from the United States. You’ll have to wait until April 8, 2024, for it to happen in the U.S. again.

The solar eclipse will be visible today from approximately 2pm until 4:44pm ET. For live streams of the eclipse, click here.


DAILY NEWS ROUNDUP


CHECK THIS OUT: A Young Fox’s Epic Journey Across the Arctic

She’s the little fox that could! Researchers at the Polar Institute in Norway released a young female fox into the wild in March of 2018, equipped with a tracking device, in order to study her movements. The path she traveled stunned the research team.

The fox traveled more than 2,100 miles from the Svalbard islands in Norway to northern Canada, according to the BBC. Amazingly, she accomplished this feat in just 76 days. That’s an average of 28 miles per day.

The GPS stopped working in February of 2019 somewhere in Canada, so it’s unclear where the fox ultimately ended up or whether she is still on the move.

Missed Yesterday’s Roundup? Click here.

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