Thursday, March 17th, 2022
Plea to ‘Do More’, Higher Airfares & St. Patrick’s Day
All the news you need in about 10 min:
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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 peruse the latest happenings.
Rather read? Here's a quick overview of the show today:
Zelensky’s Plea to Congress & Biden’s Response
Ukrainian President Zelensky called on America to “do more” and specifically for President Biden to be a “leader for peace.” In his virtual address to Congress, he asked lawmakers to remember Pearl Harbor and 9/11, and he said Ukrainians are experiencing something similar every day. So once again, he asked for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, or at least, for the U.S. to send fighter jets. President Biden didn’t specifically respond to those requests yesterday, but the White House has said in the past those actions could lead to WWIII. For now, Biden says he’s answering Zelensky’s call by sending $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, including anti-aircraft systems, drones, and other weapons.
Zelensky’s Speech: WSJ, PBS, NYT
Biden’s Response: ABC News, FOX News, NY Post, Axios
Russia Continues Attacks, Ukraine Fights Back
New videos and reports from Ukraine show a theater that was sheltering hundreds of civilians was destroyed in the southern port city of Mariupol. It’s not clear how many people may have died. Even as attacks around the country keep coming, Ukraine keeps fighting back. Russian forces on the ground trying to reach Kyiv have mostly stalled. Plus, Ukrainian forces reportedly launched a counterattack near its capital and other key cities.
Read more: AP, NYT, WSJ, WaPo
Peace Talks & Warnings
Peace talks are still happening, with both Russia and Ukraine saying there’s hope for a compromise. Meanwhile, the White House National Security Adviser spoke directly with his Russian counterpart in what appears to be the highest-level talks between the U.S. and Russia since the invasion began. The U.S. warned Russia against using any chemical or biological weapons against Ukraine. Also, the UN’s highest court ordered Russia to stop military actions against Ukraine immediately.
Read more: Reuters, The Guardian, WaPo, FT, U.S. News, NBC News
Powerful Quake Hits Japan
A powerful earthquake hit off the coast of Japan with shaking that lasted more than two minutes. The latest reports say the quake killed at least four people and hurt about 100 others. The 7.4 magnitude earthquake was near Fukushima, which was the site of the 2011 nuclear disaster. This latest quake prompted a tsunami alert again, but it’s since been lifted. Power was also knocked out to more than 2 million homes but most of it is already restored.
Read more: CBS News, NYT, AP
FBI Settles with FL Families
The U.S. Justice Department confirmed it reached a multi-million dollar settlement with families of most of those killed or hurt in the Parkland, Florida high school shooting. Families of the victims had sued, accusing the FBI of failing to investigate a tip it got about the gunman’s plans a month before he opened fire in 2018. Federal officials say the $127.5 million settlement resolves 40 cases connected to the shooting, but it doesn’t mean the government admits any wrongdoing.
Read more: AP, CBS News, DOJ
Trial for New HIV Vaccines
The technology behind some Covid-19 vaccines is now being used in three experimental HIV vaccines. Moderna is manufacturing the shots, and the government agency NIH is funding an early-stage clinical trial to track the safety of the new vaccines. “With the success of safe and highly effective COVID-19 vaccines, we have an exciting opportunity to learn whether mRNA technology can achieve similar results against HIV infection,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said.
Read more: Gizmodo, New Atlas, MarketWatch, NIH
Plane Ticket Prices Up
Your next plane ticket may cost you more than you expect. New data shows the cost of flying has been going up. Experts blame a few things, including fuller planes. Some airline executives said ticket sales are back to pre-pandemic levels, and a recent analysis found the number of bookings last month was higher than the same time in 2019. Experts also blame the rising cost of fuel.
Read more: CNN, NY Times, USA Today, CNBC
Netflix: Pay for Password-Sharing
Netflix is trying to crack down on password-sharing. A new test in three countries hopes to encourage people to pay an extra fee for accounts outside their households. The fee would still cost less than the price of starting new accounts. The test is rolling out in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru, but it could then expand to more places.
Read more: Variety, The Verge, TechCrunch, Netflix
Meta’s New Parental Controls
Meta is giving parents more control over kids’ use of social media and virtual reality. First, new features launched this week on Instagram to give parents access to how long their kids spend on the app and get updates about who their kids follow. Parents will also get more control over the company’s Quest VR headsets. Starting next month, Meta says parents will be able to lock their children out of certain apps or games that are too mature.
Read more: NPR, The Verge, Cnet, TechCrunch, Meta
Eiffel Tower Taller
One of the most iconic landmarks in the world is now even taller than before. Tourists watched this week as a new digital radio antenna was helicoptered up and attached to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. It added an extra 20 feet, meaning the structure now stands at 1,083 feet. The Eiffel Tower Company’s president called it a historical moment.
Read more: ABC News, AP, CNN
St. Patrick’s Day!
Here’s your reminder to wear something green today, because it’s Saint Patrick’s Day! From today’s parade in New York City to the Chicago River turning green, there’s no shortage of celebrations in the U.S. Many restaurants around the country are also celebrating with special menus, discounts, or freebies. Read more for the history of the holiday…
Read more: Britannica, USA Today, History, CNN, Fox Business
Thing to Know Thursday: Gambling with Gas Tanks
Experts say to avoid letting your gas level go below a quarter tank. A repair systems expert at AAA warns that letting the gas level in your car get below 1/8th of a tank raises your risk of damaging your fuel system, which could cost hundreds of dollars to fix. So to play it safe, he suggests refilling when you’re down to a quarter of a tank. Other quick tips for saving money while gas prices are at record highs: don’t let your tire pressure get too low (it could decrease gas mileage) and unload stuff in your car that weighs it down.
Read more: USA Today, Fox Business, GasBuddy, AAA