Friday, March 11th, 2022
Minorities Miscounted, Travel Mandate Cont’d & ‘Spring Forward’
All the news you need in around 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.com/newsworthy and StitchFix.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 the latest happenings...
No Progress in Ukraine-Russia Talks
The highest-level talks so far between Ukrainian and Russian diplomats ended without a hint of progress. Ukraine suggested a “neutrality” proposal with security guarantees from world powers. Russia rejected that, saying it wouldn't back down until Ukraine was “demilitarized” and its government toppled. During the talks, the two sides also talked about a 24-hour cease-fire, but they didn’t agree on that either.
Read more: NBC News, LA Times, NY Times, Fox News
Ukraine War Status
Fighting continues in Ukraine, especially in the cities of Mariupol in the south and Chernihiv in the north. Meanwhile, the 40-mile long convoy of Russian troops northwest of Kyiv seems to have broken up. However, troops are still moving closer to the Ukrainian capital, just through other routes. A U.S. official told The New York Times that the Russian military is capable of completely surrounding Kyiv in a week or two. The battle for control of the city could take more than a month.
Read more: AP, WSJ, Axios, CNN
2020 Census Miscounted Minorities
The Census Bureau says it undercounted the number of Latino, Black, and Native American people in the U.S., and it overcounted the white and Asian American population. On top of that, it undercounted children younger than five and overcounted adults older than 50. So, even though the overall population count was fairly accurate, the demographics were off. Even though the mistakes were caught after the fact, the 2020 Census won’t be adjusted. The Bureau says the results are “fit to use” for their purposes, like allocating where federal money gets sent and redrawing voting districts.
Read more: NY Times, WSJ, NPR, AP, Census Bureau
Eastern US Winter Storm
Millions of Americans are in the path of another strong winter storm this weekend. It could bring rain, snow, and extreme winds to the eastern half of the U.S. Already, the storm brought heavy snow to much of Colorado and Kansas. Starting tonight, it moves into the Ohio Valley and the part of the country the National Weather Service calls the “interior east.” Even more of the country will deal with extreme temperatures, too. Today everywhere from Minnesota to Texas will see temperatures 20-30 degrees below normal. The weather is expected to be the harshest tomorrow in the northeast. People could be dealing with blizzard conditions.
Read more: Weather Channel, Accuweather, USA Today, CNN, NWS
Mask Mandate Extended
If you plan on traveling in the next month, you’ll still need to wear your mask. The TSA is extending its mandate through April 18th. After that, things could change since the CDC says it’s going to revise its recommendations. In the meantime, masks are going to stay mandatory on airplanes, airports, trains, train stations, buses, ships, subways, taxis, and more.
Read more: Reuters, CNN, Axios, WSJ, WaPo, TSA, CDC
Flu Vaccine Poor Match
It seems this year’s flu vaccine isn’t a great match for the most common forms of the virus this season. New CDC data says that the shot is only 16% effective against the most common strain of flu going around. However, The CDC says if you do get the flu, the shot could keep it from getting severe. The good news is it’s been a mild flu season so far. Experts say the surge of the omicron variant of Covid-19 may have helped since people were wearing masks and staying distanced from each other.
Read more: CNN, NBC News, Bloomberg, CDC
MLB Reaches Bargaining Deal
After a 99-day lockout, MLB and its players agreed to a deal that paves the way for a full season. The league says Opening Day can now be April 7th, just a week later than it was originally. Spring training camps will open up this Sunday. There will still be 162 games. The delay will be made up throughout the season with doubleheaders. Also, get ready to see the changes from this new deal, like a universal designated hitter, a longer postseason, added advertisements on player uniforms, and more.
Read more: ESPN, CNN, NY Times, CBS Sports, MLB
Wall Street Banks Leave Russia
The first major American banks are pulling out of Russia because of its violent war in Ukraine. Big Wall Street banks Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase say they are winding down business there. Both of them do limited business in that country already. Now, they’re officially closing up shop. The only major U.S. bank that still has a big presence in Russia is Citigroup. It says it’s “assessing operations in the country” now.
Read more: Bloomberg, NPR, CNBC, NY Post, Western Union, Citigroup
3 Major Music Labels Leave Russia
Three major American music labels are the latest to leave Russia in the massive entertainment exodus. Sony Music, Warner Records, and Universal Music Group all said they’ve stopped work in Russia while donating to Ukrainian efforts. Even though so many nations and individual companies have pulled their money and business out of Russia, President Putin says it’s a good thing. He told Russian government officials, “In the end, it will enhance our independence, self-sufficiency, and sovereignty.”
Read more: Variety, Rolling Stone, NPR, WMG, Universal, Sony
Jussie Smollett Sentenced
Former Empire star Jussie Smollett just learned his sentence for faking a racist and homophobic attack against himself. A judge sentenced him to jail for 150 days. He’s also on 30-month felony probation and has to pay $120,000 in restitution on top of a $25,000 fine. Even after the guilty verdict in December, and last night’s sentencing, Smollett still maintains he’s innocent. His lawyer says he plans to appeal.
Read more: AP, NY Post, WMAQ, CNN
Daylight Saving Time
Get ready to spring forward. Daylight savings time begins this weekend, meaning you might lose an hour of sleep. Many Americans will set their clocks forward, or their smartphones will do it for them, by one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday. However, the days will start to feel longer since the sun sets later. Critics argue having to change the clocks twice a year is outdated, and it messes with people’s sleep patterns which could impact their health. A handful of U.S. states and territories already don’t recognize it, including most of Arizona, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
Read more: Freep, WaPo, Seattle Times, Wirecutter
Feel Good Friday: Pep Talks From Kindergarteners
A group of kindergarteners has a new hotline that offers free pep talks. Peptoc was put together by the students’ art teacher and a local artist. They were inspired by the students’ positivity even through tough times, like the coronavirus and wildfires. So, if you call Peptoc, you’ll hear a menu of options, like a series of mantras, saying, “Be grateful for yourself” or, “Bro, you’re looking great.” It seems to be successful, since just two days after the launch, the hotline was getting up to 700 calls per hour. If you need a boost, call Peptoc at 707-998-8410.
Read more: NPR, Mashable, GMA