Friday, January 15th, 2021
Biden’s Wishlist, D.C. Lockdown & Samsung Smartphones
All the news you need in around 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Apostrophe.com/Newsworthy (Listen for the discount code) and BlueNile.com
Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want reading the latest happenings...
Biden Unveils COVID-19 Relief Proposal
President-elect Biden revealed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan and he wants Congress to pass it right away. It calls for more direct payments to most American households worth $1,400 a person. Plus, it has an extra $400 a week for unemployed workers as well as money to support state and local governments, businesses, and schools. Top Democrats say they’ll work right away to turn Biden’s vision into legislation, but there is already pushback from some Republicans who say it’s too broad and too costly.
Read More: Reuters, ABC News, AP, WSJ, Biden Plan
Dozens of Rioters on FBI Watch List
Investigators have learned some disturbing details about some of the rioters involved in last week’s Capitol invasion. The Washington Post is reporting that dozens of people on the FBI’s terrorism watch list were in Washington, D.C. for the pro-Trump events that ended with a violent mob storming the Capitol building. Sources say most on that list are suspected white supremacists. Some law enforcement officials pointed out that having so many people on the watch list in one place should have raised alarms.
Read More: WaPo, WSJ, The Hill
FBI’s Inauguration Preps
Top national security officials are laying out their plans to keep people safe at next week’s inauguration. FBI Director Christopher Wray said there’s an “extensive amount of concerning online chatter.” He confirmed authorities are preparing for “potential armed protests'' in Washington, D.C., and state capitols around the country. They’ve deployed about 21,000 national guard members to D.C. They’ve closed off threats and installed new fencing. The FBI also set up command posts to assess threats nationwide.
Read More: AP, FOX News, Bloomberg, WaPo
Inauguration Performers Announced
Next week’s inauguration ceremony will be a star-studded event. All the major TV networks will air a 90-minute primetime special called “Celebrating America.” Actor Tom Hanks will host it. You’ll also see performances from pop stars like Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, and Demi Lovato. Of course, it will also include remarks from President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. If you would rather watch the Inauguration live, the ceremony is set for noon ET on Wednesday.
Read More: USA Today, ABC News, AP, Inaugural Committee
2020 Tied for Warmest Year on Record
2020, the year of record-breaking hurricanes, wildfires, and heatwaves, was one of the hottest years ever recorded. NASA says 2020 tied the last record set in 2016 and scientists weren’t necessarily expecting this before 2020 hit. The last record-setting year was an El Niño year. That’s part of the natural climate cycle that spreads unusually warm waters across the Pacific Ocean. 2020 was the opposite. A La Niña developed, which should have made the planet relatively cool.
Read More: AP, NY Times, WaPo, NASA
Siegfried Fischbacher Dies
The entertainment world is saying goodbye to Siegfried Fischbacher, better known as half of the famed Vegas act Siegfried and Roy. Fischbacher passed away Wednesday night of pancreatic cancer. He was 81. His death comes eight months after the passing of his longtime domestic and stage partner Roy Horn who died of COVID-19 complications at 75. At the time, Fischbacher said in a statement, “There could be no Siegfried without Roy, no Roy without Siegfried.” They performed in Las Vegas for more than 30 years.
Read More: USA Today, NBC News, NPR
COVID-Related Tech at CES
Pandemic-related technology was a hit at the largest tech expo in the world this week. Every year, the Consumer Electronics Show shows off the latest and greatest in technology. This year, “smart” masks were among the big talkers. Some of those on display monitor your breathing rate, log how many pollutants are being blocked, and keep tabs on the air quality. Others have built-in fans and air purification systems. Other items included UV lights to kill germs and a doorbell that uses an infrared thermometer.
Read More: WSJ, Cnet, WaPo
New Samsung Products
Samsung unveiled its newest fleet of smartphones. The Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra range in price from $800-$1200. That’s up to 20% cheaper than last year’s models. Samsung says the phones have bigger screens, better cameras, and longer-lasting batteries. All three are now available for preorder and will officially launch on January 29th. Samsung also showed off some new earbuds to compete with Apple AirPods. They’re waterproof, plus they include surround sound and noise-canceling capabilities. The Galaxy Buds Pro are out now for $200.
Read More: The Verge, TechCrunch, AP, Cnet
Google Completes Fitbit Acquisition
Google sealed the deal to take over Fitbit. The acquisition is worth more than $2.1 billion and it’s expected to give Google a huge edge in the health market since Fitbit has some of the most popular fitness trackers out there. However, the deal is raising privacy concerns. Critics worry Google could mine the health data of FitBit users and potentially use it to sell ads, but the tech giant says that’s not the case. It promises to protect user privacy. The Department of Justice is still investigating the merger before signing off.
Read More: CNBC, Reuters, Google
GrubHub Will Deliver Girl Scout Cookies
It’s Girl Scout cookie season and starting next month, you can use Grubhub to get your favorites delivered. This is a game-changer for the scouts. It’s the first time in their more than 100-year history that they’ve partnered with a food delivery service. Usually, they sell the most cookies outside supermarkets, malls, and other high-traffic areas, but the pandemic has made that a challenge. That’s why this year, they’re going more high-tech. You can also order on the Girl Scouts website starting February 1st.
Read More: NY Times, GMA, CBS News, Grubhub, Girl Scouts
Feel Good Friday: Volunteers Bake Bread for Food Bank
More than 500 home bakers have teamed up to bake loaves at home and deliver them to Seattle-area food banks. It was all spearheaded by an avid baker named Katherine Kehrli. The group she calls Community Loaves donated 19 loaves of bread at the start of the pandemic, but its most recent donation was more than 1,300 loaves. Members have developed a simple recipe for honey oat loaf bread. Volunteers are encouraged to make four loaves using their formula. That way, they can donate three and keep one for themselves.
Read More: TODAY, Community Loaves