Skimm This: US Space Command, Vaping, ‘Planet’ Pluto

It’s August 29th. Today, we Skimm’d This: 

• The future is here: President Trump announced today the US will create a US Space Command to defend against military threats in space. But the details on how exactly it will operate are TBA. 

• Nearly 200 cases of vaping-related illnesses have been reported across the country this summer. One patient in Illinois died. E-cigarettes are coming under heavy scrutiny as a result. 

• Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro has faced criticism at home and abroad for his perceived failure to tackle the Amazon rainforest fires. Now he’s announced a 60-day ban on starting fires to clear land.

• Pluto’s status as a planet was taken away in 2006 when astronomers changed the definition of what one is. But NASA’s chief thinks we should let it be a planet again. 

theSkimm: Today President Trump announced the lift-off of a new part of the military: the United States Space Command. We’ll explain what it might look like, and what its role could be. Then: this summer, 22 states have reported cases of people suffering from respiratory illnesses after vaping. We’ll look into what doctors are saying, and why the e-cigarette industry is under pressure. Also on today’s show: Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro takes steps to prevent more fires in the Amazon, and NASA’s chief thinks Pluto should be considered a planet again.