Three things for October 21
1. Debate Commission announces new rule for final presidential debate
The Commission on Presidential Debates announced the Oct. 22 presidential debate will be divided into six 15-minute segments. At the beginning of each segment, the two candidates will have two minutes to speak uninterrupted with the opposing candidate’s mic muted.
After each candidate's two minutes are up, the remainder of the segment will continue with both candidates' mics live.
Both candidates have agreed to adhere to the guidelines put in place by the debate commission.
“President Trump is committed to debating Joe Biden regardless of last-minute rule changes,” the Trump administration said in a statement.
Each 15-minute segment will have a designated topic as chosen by the moderator, Kristen Welker, a journalist for NBC News.
The topics covered will be COVID-19, American families, race, climate change, national security and leadership.
The presidential debate will air at 9 p.m. EST on Oct. 22, a week and a half before Election Day on Nov. 3.
2. OSIRIS-REx will collect a sample from near-earth asteroid
On Tuesday, the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission that first launched in 2016 completed the main event of the mission, collecting a sample from near-earth asteroid Bennu.
OSIRIS-REx is a van-sized spacecraft that briefly landed on the site, designated Nightingale. The area was merely the size of a few parking spaces.
Once safely landed, the spacecraft collected a sample from the surface of the asteroid.
The Touch-and-Go Sample collection occurred at 5 p.m. EST on October 20.
3. Department of Justice files antitrust suit against Google
On Tuesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, alleging violations of anti-competitive protections.
According to the lawsuit, Google has been engaging in anti-competitive practices by being a gatekeeper to the internet through exclusionary business agreements, aimed at preventing potential competitors from entering the search engine market.
The DOJ alleged Google is buying exclusive rights from businesses to have Google as the preset search engine on the devices they market.
Approximately 80% of search queries are powered by Google, according to the lawsuit.
In response to the lawsuit, Google said consumers use their search engine willingly and not out of force or necessity.
