Monday, March 29th, 2021
High-Profile Murder Trial, First ‘Vaccine Passport’ in U.S. & Netflix All-In on Anime
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Stamps.com (Listen for the discount code) and Noom.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 to review the latest happenings...
Nashville Flooding
Near-record levels of rain caused deadly flash flooding in the Nashville, Tennessee area. Rivers shot up to their highest levels in more than a decade. Four people died in Nashville and rescue teams had to pull more than 130 others from their homes or vehicles. Other homes were struck by lightning. Now, first responders are working with the Red Cross to help people find shelter, get medical care, and more. Some in-person Palm Sunday church services were canceled and NASCAR postponed a race at Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway.
Read More: Weather Channel, NPR, AP, CNN, NWS, Red Cross
Chauvin Trial Starts
Today, both sides will start to lay out their arguments in Derek Chauvin’s murder trial. He’s the former police officer charged with killing George Floyd in Minneapolis. Video seen around the world shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for several minutes as Floyd pleaded with officers, saying he couldn’t breathe. Prosecutors are expected to argue it was murder captured on video. However, Chauvin’s lawyers will likely argue it wasn’t Chauvin’s knee that killed Floyd. They’re expected to point to drugs Floyd took and his underlying health conditions.
Read More: Minneapolis Star Tribune, NBC News, FOX News, USA Today
Military Leaders Condemn Myanmar Violence
Military leaders from 12 countries including the United States are condemning Myanmar’s military and security forces. They put out a rare joint statement over the weekend on what the U.N. called the deadliest day of protests since last month’s coup. Reports say police and soldiers killed more than 100 people, including several children. Dozens more were hurt. It’s in response to more mass protests that have been going on for weeks, ever since the military overthrew the country’s elected government.
Read More: CBS News, AP, Reuters, Axios, Joint Chiefs
Suez Canal Progress
That massive ship is still stuck in the Suez Canal, blocking one of the world’s largest trade routes. High winds knocked the container ship off course last Tuesday so it got stuck. Ever since, authorities have removed tons of sand and mud from the side of the ship’s bow. Workers today say they “partially refloated the ship” and they’re hoping to get it moving again soon. Either way, shipping executives say this could impact port traffic for weeks. Some analysts estimate the blockage could lower global trade by as much as $10 billion a week.
Read More: AP, WSJ, NY Times, Reuters
NY Launches ‘Vaccine Passport’ App
New York has become the first state to launch a digital pass that proves you’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 or tested negative recently. It’s called the Excelsior Pass. Starting this week, Madison Square Garden in New York City plans to use it. Other smaller event venues and businesses are expected to start using it soon. They can scan the QR code to see a green checkmark or red X. It’s paid for by the state and it’s free for individuals and businesses there to use. State officials say it’s voluntary, private, and secure.
Read More: USA Today, AP, Engadget, NY Gov
Amazon Workers Union Vote
Several thousand Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama are deciding whether to unionize. Their ballots are due today. If they vote “yes,” they would become the first Amazon employees to do this. It would also provide a roadmap to unionizing hundreds of thousands of other workers at Amazon and beyond. Amazon has been fighting against the union idea though. The company has reportedly sent workers multiple texts a day, urging them to vote “no.” They’re also using ads to remind people about having to pay the union to be a member.
Read More: Business Insider, The Verge, Time
Beverly Cleary Dies
Beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary, best known for her books about Ramona and Beezus Quinby, died at 104 years old. Overall, she wrote more than 40 books that sold more than 85 million copies. All weekend, people have been sharing stories about the connection they felt to Cleary and her work. For example, First Lady Jill Biden, who was a longtime teacher, wrote on Twitter, “Millions of girls saw themselves in Ramona Quimby.” Actress Viola Davis wrote, “You made my childhood fun.” Fellow children’s author Judy Blume called Cleary her “inspiration.”
Read More: AP, The Oregonian, Vulture, HarperCollins
Netflix to Launch Anime Shows
Netflix plans to launch nearly double the number of new anime series and movies this year compared to 2020. This means releasing about 40 new titles. Anime is the Japanese word for cartoon or animation, but it’s used outside Japan to describe animations produced in Japan with a Japanese style. Already, some of Netflix’s anime series, like Blood of Zeus, have become its most popular styles in dozens of countries.
Read More: The Verge, Bloomberg, Variety, Engadget
Money Monday: Vaccine Freebies
Businesses across the U.S. are offering free stuff to people who have gotten their COVID-19 shots. For example, midwest bar chain Up-Down is offering $5 in free arcade tokens to guests with a vaccination card. In Cleveland, certain cinemas are giving out free popcorn to vaccinated moviegoers. In Michigan, there’s a medical marijuana dispensary giving any vaccinated person over 21 a free, pre-rolled joint. All over the country, Krispy Kreme says for the rest of the year, it will give one glazed donut a day to anyone with proof they were vaccinated.
Read More: WSJ, NY Times, CNBC, CNN