Thursday, April 8th, 2021
Biden’s Gun Reform, UK Strain Dominates & Uber’s Stimulus
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...
Executive Action Expected on Guns
Today, White House officials say President Biden will nominate a gun safety advocate to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Then, President Biden is expected to announce executive actions that put new regulations in place later this year. One would require buyers of ghost guns to get background checks. Those are handmade or self-assembled guns that don’t have serial numbers. Another would target stabilizing braces for pistols. The new rule would classify pistols with braces as short-barrel rifles, meaning owners would need a federal license to carry them.
Read More: Politico, NPR, Fox News, AP, Rep. McCarthy
UK Strain Dominant in U.S.
The COVID-19 strain first found in the UK is now the most common here in the U.S. Studies have shown this variant is more contagious than the original one and also more deadly. However, doctors and scientists say the vaccines should work against both the new strain and the original one. Federal health officials say it’s important to keep our guards up until more of the American population is vaccinated. They’re also tracking reports of new COVID-19 clusters coming from daycare centers and youth sports.
Read More: NY Times, Fox News, NBC News
AstraZeneca’s EU Setback
Europe’s drug regulator says it has confirmed a possible link between AstraZeneca’s shots and rare blood clotting. This vaccine isn’t on the market in the U.S. yet, but it is in more than 100 other countries. The EU regulator says the small blood clot risk should be listed as a possible side effect, but that the benefits of the vaccine still outweigh the risks. So far, blood clots seem to be more common in women under the age of 60. So now, some countries are making the AstraZeneca shot preferential for seniors and they’re offering alternatives to younger people.
Read More: BBC, Stat News, Reuters, NPR, EMA
KY Expands Voting Rights
Kentucky’s governor signed a bill meant to expand voting access. It got an overwhelming show of support from both parties in the state’s legislature. It gives voters in Kentucky three extra days to vote early, an online portal for registering absentee ballots, and more polling places. It comes at a time when other states have been announcing new voting regulations, including Georgia, Arizona, and Texas. Kentucky’s governor said, “While some states have stepped in a different direction, I’m really proud of Kentucky.”
Read More: Lexington Herald-Leader, NY Times, CNN
VA Legalizes Marijuana
Virginia just became the first southern state to legalize recreational marijuana. It makes it legal for adults in the state to have up to an ounce of weed or grow up to four plants starting this July. However, they won’t be able to smoke it in public. Also, the state needs more time to set up the logistics for commercial marijuana shops to start selling it. That part will take almost three years to go into effect.
Read More: AP, NPR, NBC News, WaPo
Tiger Woods Crash Cause
It turns out Tiger Woods was driving nearly twice the legal speed limit when he crashed his SUV back in February and got seriously hurt. The Los Angeles County sheriff explained that Woods was driving about 85 mph in a 45-mph zone when he lost control. Woods says he doesn’t remember what happened, but investigators say it seems he accidentally slammed on the accelerator instead of the brake. Still, they say Woods didn’t appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash. They say Woods won’t be charged or face any citations since there were no witnesses who saw the crash happen.
Read More: ESPN, Fox News, AP, Tiger Woods, LA County Sheriff
Uber & Lyft Offering Bonuses
Rideshare companies Uber and Lyft plan to spend extra money to entice people to work for them. Uber announced it plans to reinvest in its drivers, old and new, by shelling out $250 million in what it calls a one-time stimulus package to increase drivers’ earnings. However, the statement didn’t go into detail about how much money each Uber driver could get or when. Meanwhile, Lyft is reportedly offering $800 bonuses to drivers who return to the app, giving extra cash to drivers when their trips take longer than nine minutes, and more.
Read More: The Verge, Financial Times, CNBC, Uber
Apple’s App Tracking Transparency
Apple has a new feature meant to help protect its customers’ online privacy. It’s called App Tracking Transparency and it’s supposed to come out in the next iOS update. It will change current rules that let apps track your online activity, like taking note of which websites you visit. Advertisers use that information to try to sell you things, but iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV users will soon have more control over this. Going forward, each app will have to send you a notification asking for permission to keep tabs on which sites you visit. Apples will be able to turn this tracking on and off by going to the tracking menu.
Read More: Digital Trends, TechCrunch, Mac Rumors, Apple
Federal Agency Holding Mask Design Challenge
The Health and Human Services Department is holding a contest to find new mask designs that are both effective at guarding against COVID-19 and also comfortable enough that people won’t mind wearing them. During the first round, judges will pick their top 10 favorites. Those ten designers will split $100,000. In the next round, designers will be asked to build prototypes and demonstrate how their masks could be manufactured on a large scale. The top five winners will split a $400,000 grand prize. You have until April 21st to submit your idea.
Read More: HHS, The Hill, CNN
How to Enter the Contest: Challenge.Gov
Thing to Know Thursday: China Creates Digital Currency
The Chinese government has launched its own cryptocurrency trial. About 100,000 people in China have been testing the electronic system on smartphones and cards. Unlike traditional money, this system isn’t tied to coins or bills, just computer code. China’s central bank can regulate the currency and avoid the volatility often associated with digital money. However, the downside is users are sacrificing privacy. The government can track how its citizens are spending money. China has also tested the idea of adding expiration dates to encourage people to spend quickly when the economy needs a jump.
Read More: WSJ, CNBC, South China Morning Post, Business Insider