Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022
Russia Invades, ‘Rest in Power’, & Reels Go Global
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Seed.com/newsworthy and BetterHelp.com/newsworthy
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 about the latest happenings…
New U.S. Penalties Against Russia
President Biden says it’s now official: Russia has invaded Ukraine. With that, the U.S. and several allies announced a range of economic sanctions meant to punish Russia. The American sanctions are against two major Russian banks, Russian elites, and their family members. The U.S. also tightened rules that restrict American banks and investors from buying or trading in Russia’s government bond market. This is all in response to Russia ordering troops into the regions of Eastern Europe and Russia’s president saying those territories are no longer part of Ukraine.
Read more: Reuters, NY Times, AP, The Hill, CNN, Axios, White House
Other Countries Punish Russia
Western leaders seem to be losing hope that a diplomatic solution is possible. The U.S. Secretary of State canceled this week’s meeting with his Russian counterpart, saying Russia’s actions show it’s not serious about a peaceful resolution to the crisis. The U.S. has plenty of support, too. More than two dozen European Union members unanimously agreed on another set of sanctions against Russian officials. So did Japan, Australia, and The U.K. Germany also said it was stopping the process of certifying a new Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline.
Read more: WSJ, CNBC, The Hill, Reuters
Hate Crimes in Ahmaud Arbery Case
A jury reached the verdict yesterday against Travis McMichael, his father, Gregory, and their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan. They were already found guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery a few months ago, and they were sentenced to life in prison. Then, yesterday, the three men were also found guilty of federal hate crimes. The Arbery family insisted on going to trial again, so they could affirm what they’ve been saying all along; that Ahmaud was chased down and killed by the three white men just because he was Black.
Read more: WaPo, Axios, Fox News, Reuters, AP
BA.2 on the Rise
Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are steadily falling in the U.S., and some health experts say it’s a sign the omicron variant might be running out of people to infect. However, infectious disease specialists are also keeping a close eye on an even more contagious version of the variant, known as BA.2. It’s already become the dominant strain in South Africa and other countries. Researchers are bracing for the same thing in the U.S. For now, BA.2 accounts for about 4% of all new Covid-19 cases in the U.S.
Read more: NPR, Newsweek, CNN, WHO, CDC
New Vaccine Research
Researchers are still looking into different ways to give Covid-19 vaccines. Two more trials were launched yesterday, one from Moderna. The vaccine maker is researching a combo shot that would combine a Covid-19 booster, flu shot, and a vaccine for what’s known as RSV. That wouldn’t just be convenient; it would be a breakthrough because there is currently no vaccine for RSV. The other trial now underway is meant to see how booster shots work in lower doses. The hope is there won’t be that much of a difference in how effective smaller boosters are. That could help put less of a strain on vaccine supplies worldwide.
Read more: MarketWatch, WaPo, ABC News, MCRI
U.S. Soccer Women Settle Suit
The U.S. women’s soccer team got a historic equal pay win they’ve been working toward for the last six years. Players on the team reached a landmark $24 million settlement with U.S. Soccer over their gender-based pay discrimination lawsuit. Under the settlement, $22 million of back pay will be split up between several dozen former and current players. The other $2 million goes to a fund for the players when they retire. The U.S. Soccer Federation also promised the women’s and men’s soccer teams equal pay and bonuses.
Read more: ESPN, WaPo, NPR, US Soccer
IRS Gives Facial Recognition Opt-out Option
The IRS now says people who want to register for an online account can verify who they are with a live, virtual interview with a representative. To be clear, you don’t need an IRS account to pay taxes or get your refund, but it lets you see tax information and use the agency’s tools online. The agency moved away from using face scans to verify identity after facing backlash from lawmakers and digital rights activists over privacy concerns. For future tax seasons, the IRS plans to also offer the option to use Login.gov instead of a face scan or interview.
Read more: NY Times, NPR, Cnet, WaPo, IRS
Facebook Reels Go Global
Meta’s Facebook is stepping up its TikTok rivalry and going global with short-form videos called Reels. Reels first launched on Instagram in 2020, then on Facebook last year for the U.S. and a few other countries. Now, Meta said it’s releasing Reels to Facebook users in more than 150 countries and adding new features for creators to make money through them. The moves come as Facebook and Instagram compete with TikTok, the most downloaded app of 2021.
Read more: WSJ, Cnet, Engadget, Meta
Wendy Williams Show Ending
‘The Wendy Williams Show’ is ending after 13 seasons, and a new show is taking its place. Williams has been off the air this season dealing with health issues. Many celebrities filled in for her, including Leah Remini, Jerry Springer, and Sherri Shepherd. Producers announced that Shepherd is getting the new talk show called ‘Sherri’, and it’ll take over the time slot for ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ this fall.
Read more: Asbury Park Press, THR, AP, Deadline
Work Wednesday: Silicon Valley Goes East
A new analysis from the research group Conference Board looked at where technology companies are hiring higher-educated, white-collar workers. It found 40% of the postings from traditionally west coast tech companies are for jobs outside of that region. Texas is by far the top state destination, especially in Austin, where Tesla moved its headquarters. As far as big metro areas, Washington, D.C. comes out on top, followed by New York City. Also, Denver, Colorado, and Nashville, Tennessee have seen some of the biggest increases in tech job postings.
Read more: Bloomberg, Protocol, ZDNet, Conference Board