Monday, February 8th, 2021
Bucs Beat Chiefs, New Vaccine Megasites & Winter Weather Warnings
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by NativeDeo.com/newsworthy and MunkPack.com (Listen for the discount code)
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 to review the latest happenings...
Super Bowl Highlights
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are this year’s Super Bowl champions. They defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 last night, nabbing their first Super Bowl win since 2003. For star quarterback Tom Brady, this was his 10th Super Bowl appearance and 7th win, the most of any player in NFL history. There were plenty of performances to see too. For example, Miley Cyrus performed for a live audience of health care workers before the game, Amanda Gorman read a new poem about pandemic heroes, and the halftime show featured Grammy-winning singer The Weeknd.
Read More: AP, NY Times, Fox Sports, SI
Impeachment Trial Tomorrow
Former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial starts tomorrow. However, we still don’t know if there will be witnesses and we don’t know how long each side will get to present their case. However, Senators from both sides of the aisle are saying they don’t expect it to last any longer than a week. They’re considering just one impeachment article that says Trump’s words provoked a mob to storm the U.S. Capital last month. At least 17 Republicans would need to join all 50 Democrats to convict Trump.
Read More: The Hill, Politico, AP, WSJ
Myanmar Protests Continue
Myanmar is seeing some of the largest protests in its history. For the last two days in a row, tens of thousands of protesters filled the streets of the country’s largest city. The crowds are rallying against a coup. The military overthrew the government last week and the country’s elected leaders were detained. The military claimed, without evidence, there was fraud in the last election. Protests over the weekend were largely peaceful. They happened despite a weekend internet shutdown.
Read More: Reuters, BBC, WaPo
UK Virus Variant Spreading
The newer COVID-19 strain that shut down much of the UK is spreading quickly across the U.S. A new report found the more contagious strain is doubling in the U.S. every ten days. The CDC has predicted it will be the dominant strain in the U.S. by next month. This version of COVID-19 is said to be at least 40% more contagious than the original one and scientists say it might be more deadly. Infectious disease experts say the vaccines on the market should work against this strain too.
Read More: NY Times, WaPo, CNBC, Full Study
More Vaccine Mega-sites Open
Yankees Stadium in New York City opened its doors as a COVID-19 vaccine mega-site. It will reportedly be able to handle 15,000 vaccination appointments in its first week. On the other end of the country, another mega-site is set to open in California this week. That one will be in Levi’s Stadium where the San Francisco 49ers usually play. More may be coming too. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell offered up all 32 of the league’s football stadiums that could be transformed into vaccine supercenters.
Read More: CBS News, Reuters, WSJ, ESPN
Aaron Rodgers Wins NFL MVP
Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers has now won his third Most Valuable Player award. Rodgers threw 48 touchdown passes last season and only five interceptions. He also led the Packers to the NFC title game before falling to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. Rodgers says winning the MVP was “really special.” He’s now one of only six players to win it at least three times. The others include Brett Farve, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning.
Read More: ESPN, NBC Sports, WaPo
NFL Hall of Fame Selections
Over the weekend, retired quarterback Peyton was selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Manning is an Indianapolis Colts icon and one of the game’s most recognized stars. He’ll be enshrined in the Hall of Fame alongside other picks like retired defensive back Charles Woodson and retired wide receiver Calvin Johnson. The ceremony is set for August in Canton, Ohio.
Read More: USA Today, ESPN, WaPo
Winter Weather Warnings
Millions of Americans who live in the Upper Midwest and Plains are dealing with the coldest weather they’ve experienced so far this season. In Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota, people are seeing actual temperatures in the 20s below zero. The wind chills are even lower than that. The National Weather Service has issued advisories, saying the wind chills could be dangerous in those areas, as well as in cities like Chicago, Illinois, Omaha, Nebraska, and Des Moines, Iowa.
Read More: Accuweather, NY Times, USA Today, Weather Channel
Tiny Chameleon Discovered
Scientists say they may have discovered the smallest reptiles on Earth. They’re miniature chameleons that are so small, they can fit on your fingertip. An expedition team found two of them, a male and female, in northern Madagascar. One of them is only about half-an-inch long. Scientists are now looking for more of the tiny reptiles so they can study them further. However, they’re hard to spot, not only because they are so small, but also because they’re camouflaged and move slowly.
Read More: AP, Reuters, Scientific Report
Money Monday: Coronavirus Surcharges
Some businesses are trying to make up for lost profits during the pandemic with some controversial fees. The Washington Post says the extra fees can range from a $5 disinfection charge in a hair salon to $1,200 for extra food and cleaning in a senior living center. Now, there are questions about whether they’re all legal. At least 510 consumer complaints have reportedly been filed in 29 different states. Advocates say they help businesses cover extra costs, but financial experts suggest asking for an itemized bill so you know what you’re paying for.
Read More: WaPo, Cnet