Friday, February 11th, 2022
#MeToo Landmark, Super Bowl LVI & MoviePass 2.0
All the news you need in around 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.com/newsworthy and kiwico.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 reading the latest happenings...
New Russia Military Drills
Thousands of Russian troops are now holding massive drills in what could be the largest military exercises since the Cold War. They’re happening on the borders of Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania, all of whom are U.S. allies. Russia’s military released a video showing Russian tanks crossing snowy fields, soldiers firing weapons, jet fighters taking off, and missile systems deployed. Some military analysts say this could be a sign Russia plans to launch an attack from several directions, making it harder for Ukraine to defend itself. Russia says it’s just a response to a threat from the west.
Read more: AP, NY Times, WSJ, BBC
Funding Plan for EV Chargers
This week, The Biden administration rolled out a plan to send states $5 billion for electric vehicle chargers. It’s part of the bipartisan infrastructure package that passed in Congress last year. The new plan aims to tap all the money for the EV charging stations over the next five years. It gives priority to interstate highways and fast chargers before expanding to remote, rural, and crowded urban areas. Stations will have to be installed every 50 miles, no more than one mile off the interstate. This plan depends on states, though, since it will be up to each one to request the money and pitch in.
Read more: WaPo, WSJ, Axios, CNBC, USDOT
#MeToo Era Legislation
Congress passed a new bill that will change up a lot of employment contracts. It bans any rules that force victims of sexual assault and harassment to pursue their cases in forced arbitration. That means instead of taking a case to criminal court, victims have to agree to a private proceeding to settle disagreements. However, that’s not the case anymore. Workers will have a choice to settle it in arbitration or court. That change was overwhelmingly passed with bipartisan votes in both the House and Senate. President Biden says he plans on signing it, too.
Read more: NPR, WSJ, Politico, NY Times, US Congress, White House
CDC’s New Pain Treatment Guidelines
The CDC is proposing new guidelines for treating pain, specifically when it comes to opioid painkillers. These are the first revisions to the CDC’s prescribing guidelines in six years. Last time, they included strict limits on opioid doses. Even though they led to a nationwide drop in opioid prescriptions, they got backlash from chronic pain patients and pain medicine specialists. Now, the CDC is removing the limits. Instead, it is encouraging doctors to use their best judgment. It does recommend doctors try non-opioid therapies first.
Read more: NY Times, USA Today, Stat News, CDC
Super Bowl Preview
The entire NFL season comes down to this: Super Bowl LVI. It’ll be the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals duking it out for eternal glory this Sunday at Sofi Stadium near Los Angeles. It’s expected to be a great matchup, both are No. 4 seed teams, and both quarterbacks were No. 1 draft picks. Even if you’re not in it for football, between the halftime show and the iconic commercials, there’s something for everyone. You can catch it live on NBC and Telemundo or live-streamed on Peacock. The kickoff is Sunday at 6:30 PM ET.
Read more: CBS Sports, NBC Sports, ESPN, People, NFL
Update on Apple AirTag Tracking
Apple says it's stepping up security, making it harder for people to track its AirTags. The smart Bluetooth tracking devices first debuted last year with a lot of hype. They were advertised as a harmless tool to help keep track of things like car keys, but that’s been overshadowed by privacy concerns, with reports of stalking and car thefts. Now, Apple is adding more safety features for those gadgets through updated software. Those updates include letting a person know sooner if their AirTag is being tracked. There’s also a feature that shows iPhone users if an unknown AirTag is nearby
Read more: CNBC, The Verge, WaPo, TechCrunch, Apple
MoviePass Relaunching
MoviePass, the subscription movie ticket service that was once wildly popular but didn’t last, is coming back. The company plans to relaunch this summer with a new version. It won’t offer unlimited movies for just $10 like MoviePass used to. Instead, it’ll have a tiered subscription service. So, customers can buy credits to redeem movies for movie showings. The most popular movies at prime times will cost more credits. The company hasn’t said yet how much the credits will cost or what the difference in tiers will be.
Read more: Variety, The Verge, AV Club, NY Post
Sting Sells Music Catalog
Hitmaker Sting struck a deal with Universal to sell his entire music catalog for a reported $300 million. That includes hits he made with his band The Police and by himself. An executive at Universal called Sting “a songwriting genius whose music permeates global culture.” He joins a wave of other older, high-profile artists cashing in on their music rights, like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.
Read more: NY Times, Variety, NY Post, Reuters, UMG
First Day of NY Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week kicks off today. Fashionistas will no doubt be donning accessories, including masks because they’re mandatory. It’s part of the event’s strict Covid-19 protocols. So is proof of vaccination and Covid-19 tests for those who haven’t gotten boosted. Plus, there will be smaller crowds at the catwalk. People can count on designers like Michael Kors and Carolina Herrera to present their latest lines live, while some others are going digital. After this, the fashion capitals of London, Milan, and Paris will host their in-person shows, too.
Read more: Reuters, Fashionista, Them, NYFW
Feel Good Friday: NFL Dedicates Super Bowl to Park Program
The head of the NFL and some Los Angeles team owners say they’re dedicating this year’s Super Bowl to getting local kids more space to play. It’s called the Park on the Move program. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and owners of the Rams and Chargers promoted it yesterday near the So-Fi Stadium, home of this year’s big game. The new program is being compared to an ice cream truck for sports. It will travel around to places in the community that doesn’t have enough parks, and it will bring sports equipment to kids there.
Read more: AP, NFL