Monday, April 12th, 2021
Violent Traffic Stops, Amazon Wins Union Fight & History-Making Masters
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Fitbod.me/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 to review the latest happenings...
COVID Hospitalizations Rising
A record-breaking 4.6 million vaccine doses were given out this past Saturday. So far, about 46% of American adults have received at least one shot, and more than 28% are fully vaccinated. However, that also means more than 70% of American adults aren’t fully vaccinated and the U.S. has seen the fourth week in a row of new cases and hospitalizations going up. The CDC points to lifted restrictions and new coronavirus strains. However, the death toll in the U.S. keeps going down.
Read More: CNN, NY Post, WaPo, CDC
MN Police Shooting, Protests
A controversial traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota has sparked outrage. A police officer shot and killed a 20-year-old Black man named Daunte Wright. Hours later, hundreds of protesters gathered and marched to police headquarters. Demonstrators pushed past police tape and confronted officers wearing riot gear. Officers used tear gas and rubber bullets to get the crowd to leave. For now, police aren’t saying much about the shooting itself except they pulled over Wright for a traffic violation and found out he had a warrant. Then, when officers tried to arrest him, Wright got back in his car, so an officer shot him.
Read More: Minneapolis Star Tribune, WaPo, ABC News, Brooklyn Center Police
VA Controversial Traffic Stop
Video has been circulating online showing police officers confronting a Black and Latino military officer during a traffic stop in Windsor, Virginia. Army Lieutenant Caron Nazario was pulled over for not having tags displayed on his new SUV. Eventually, Nazario was released without being charged. The video shows before that, two police officers with their guns drawn ordered Nazario to get out of the car. One of the officers is seen pepper-spraying him and kicking him. Nazario is then handcuffed as police search his car. Since then, the police department says it disciplined the officers. State authorities and the NAACP are now investigating.
Read More: NY Times, NBC News, USA Today, Axios
Prince Philip Dies
The British royal family is mourning the death of Prince Philip. He died at 99 years old. The Duke of Edinburgh, as he was officially known, has been married to Queen Elizabeth and been by her side throughout her 69-year reign. Philip is also being remembered for his career in the Royal Navy during WWII and many charitable ventures. His funeral this Saturday will be open to family only. Prince Harry has already flown back to the UK to be with his family. It’s his first trip back since stepping down as a senior royal last year.
Read More: BBC, USA Today, Reuters, NBC News
Rapper DMX Dead
The music world is saying goodbye to an iconic hip-hop artist who died Friday. DMX passed away in the hospital a week after having a heart attack. He was only 50 years old. DMX is known for delivering his raps in a growl. He toured with rappers like Jay-Z, Method Man, and Redman and became the first artist in the history of the Billboard 200 chart to reach number one with each of his first five albums. Fellow hip-hop artists have been sharing tributes all weekend. Memorial plans have not yet been announced.
Read More: NPR, AP, Vulture
Biden Spending Proposal
President Biden released his first budget proposal and it’s now up for debate in Congress. It shows where Biden wants to spend the government’s money starting October 1st. He is calling for more funding for cancer research, schools in high-poverty areas, renewable energy, and a lot more. One main area of disagreement so far is over defense spending. It would go up by 1.7%. That’s less than what Republicans called for, but more than what some Democrats wanted. Overall, some Republicans also say Biden’s budget plan is too big and gives the federal government too much power.
Read More: WSJ, WaPo, NPR, The Hill
Amazon Wins Union Fight
Workers at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama decided they did not want to join a labor union. After months of campaigning on both sides followed by weeks of voting and hours of counting, the “no” votes won by a margin of more than 2-1. However, the debate isn’t done yet. The National Labor Relations Board has to certify the results before they’re considered final and the union the workers would have joined is challenging the results. It argues Amazon illegally used intimidation tactics to persuade workers to vote a certain way. However, Amazon says it didn’t violate any laws.
Read More: Time, CNBC, Amazon
Facebook Tests ‘Hotline’
Facebook is testing a new Q&A product called Hotline where people can take live questions from an audience. The program is thought of as a potential rival to the audio-only social media app Clubhouse. However, unlike Clubhouse, Hotline uses video during discussions too. Audience members submit questions and hosts choose which questions to answer. They can bring in audience members to take part in the conversation. Facebook says it hopes to attract “knowledge experts” as hosts who could offer insight and advice on topics like finance and healthcare.
Read More: TechCrunch, Reuters, Screenrant, PCMag
First Japanese Masters Winner
Hideki Matsuyama became the first Japanese man to win a major golf championship. He secured the win at the 85th Masters by a single stroke. He finished with a score of 10 under par. American Will Zalatoris came in second. After his win, Matsuyama said he hoped to be a “pioneer” and inspire other Japanese athletes to compete in the sport. Golf legend Tiger woods congratulated Matsuyama, saying his win would “impact the entire golf world.”
Read More: CBS Sports, CNN, Fox News, Tiger Woods
Ramadan Begins
Tonight marks the beginning of Ramadan for about 1.6 billion Muslims around the world. Believers are encouraged to pray, reflect, and do charity work during the month-long holiday. Muslims also fast between sunrise and sunset, meaning no eating or drinking during daylight hours. Ramadan lasts until May 12th. At the end of the holiday, Muslims traditionally celebrate with a three-day festival.
Read More: WaPo, Forbes, Vox
Money Monday: Electric Vehicle Sales Rising
Worldwide, more than 181,000 electric vehicles were sold during February. Morgan Stanley says that number represents a 138% increase from the year before. That said, the sales in the U.S. are lower compared to other countries. Here, electric vehicles made up 2.3% of the total vehicle sales in February. The percentage in Europe was nearly triple that and it was even higher in China. Analysts say the shift from gas to electric vehicles could take many years, likely decades.
Read More: Axios, NY Times, Canalys
