Thursday, April 22nd, 2021
Feds Investigate MPD, Olympic Protests Banned & Pay by Palm
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by and Ritual.com/newsworthy and Rothys.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 peruse the latest happenings...
DOJ Investigating Minneapolis Policing
The U.S. Justice Department is now looking into policies and behavior at the Minneapolis Police Department and whether its officers discriminate against any group of people. The new U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland says investigators will try to find out whether police in Minneapolis violate people’s rights through a pattern of excessive force, discrimination, or other behavior and whether the police department holds its officers accountable. Depending on what the investigation finds, this could lead to new police training or other changes.
Read More: NY Times, Axios, WaPo, AP, WSJ
NC Deputy Shoots, Kills Man
A sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a Black man yesterday in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, about an hour south of Virginia Beach. We know the deputy was executing a search warrant at the time, but other than that, authorities haven’t said much about what happened. Some witnesses say Andrew Brown Jr. was shot while he was trying to drive away. State investigators are looking into it. Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets in protest and council members called for investigators to be transparent and release the bodycam footage.
Read More: AP, NBC News, Fox News, CNN
COVID-19 Worldwide Outbreaks
The World Health Organization says in the last week, the world added a record-setting 5.2 million new cases. Cases increased week-over-week in every region of the world except Europe. India is dealing with the biggest increase. That country recorded about 314,000 new cases yesterday. That’s the highest single-day cases count from one country since the pandemic began more than a year ago. India also reported about 2,000 new deaths. Many Indian states and cities are now going into lockdown.
Read More: NY Times, CBS News, CNN, WHO
U.S. Outbreaks Latest
75% of last week’s COVID-19 cases in the U.S. came from five states: Michigan, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Public health officials point to a few reasons: the spread of more contagious COVID-19 strains, an increase in younger people getting infected who are often not yet vaccinated, and looser restrictions as well as pandemic fatigue. On the other end of the spectrum, the rate of new COVID-19 cases is the lowest in Hawaii and California. More restrictions are being lifted in those two states.
Read More: LA Times, WSJ, Becker’s Hospital Review, CDC
200 Million Vaccines in 100 Days
The pace of people getting COVID-19 vaccines may be slowing down. About 1.8 million shots were given out in the U.S. on Tuesday. That’s the lowest one-day number in about two weeks, even though all American adults are now eligible for vaccines. The demand has softened so much at certain vaccination sites, they’re now allowing walk-ins. That said, President Biden, yesterday announced Americans have received 200 million shots since he took office. He called it an “incredible achievement for the nation.”
Read More: USA Today, NPR, NBC News, Politico, CDC
Vaccine Leave Tax Credit
President Biden told companies to give their employees paid time off work to get the shots and to recover from possible side effects. He says the federal government will reimburse businesses with fewer than 500 workers for the cost of giving people paid vaccine leave. It will be a special tax credit paid for by part of the last relief plan. Biden says there are more companies can do too, like sharing accurate information and providing possible incentives, such as product giveaways and discounts for vaccinated people.
Read More: CNBC, The Hill, Axios, White House
COVID Vaccines Safe in Pregnancy
The CDC published one of the largest studies on getting COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy. It was based on reports from more than 35,000 American women who got either the Moderna or Pfizer shots while pregnant. It found the vaccines didn’t affect the rate of miscarriage, premature births, or other complications. Separately this week, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine endorsed getting COVID-19 vaccines while pregnant. Still, the CDC says more evidence is needed, especially when it comes to women who get vaccinated in the early stages of pregnancy.
Read More: NY Times, CNN, AP, NEJM
Tokyo Olympics Protest Rules
Athlete protests will be banned at this summer’s Tokyo Olympics. That’s the latest from the International Olympic Committee or IOC. The ban includes raising a fist or taking a knee as well as making statements about racial or social justice. The rules apply to both competitions and medal ceremonies, but not news conferences, team meetings, or interviews. If athletes break those rules, they’ll face sanctions. The IOC says the rules are meant to make sure the games are politically neutral and to protect athletes from what it calls “political interference or exploitation.”
Read More: Reuters, BBC, USA Today, Olympic.Org
Instagram Tool Blocks Abusive Messages
Instagram is launching a new feature it says will protect its users from bullying and harassment. First, the user has to go to the section of the app called “hidden words.” There, users can customize which words or phrases they want to be blocked and turn the feature on. Then, the tool will filter through direct message requests and it will block ones with abusive or offensive content, so the user never has to see them. The tool is activated only when the DM request is coming from a stranger, not a friend. Instagram says the new features will be available in the coming weeks.
Read More: TechCrunch, The Verge, Instagram
Amazon’s Pay by Palm Feature
Amazon is rolling out a new feature that lets shoppers pay by simply placing their hand over a scanner. The system is called Amazon One. It debuted at a Whole Foods store in Seattle this week and Amazon plans to expand to other locations soon. Right now, users can sign up for Amazon One by scanning their pal at a special kiosk at some of Amazon’s physical stores. A credit card or Amazon account is linked to the palm print. Shoppers can then pay for items without having to get out their wallets or phones, just by waving their hands.
Read More: AP, CNBC, Amazon
Earth Day
Today is Earth Day. The holiday started more than 50 years ago when millions of Americans protested against the negative impacts of industrial development. Now, more than a billion people in almost 200 countries mark the occasion. It’s meant as a day to appreciate nature as well as raise awareness about environmental challenges. EarthDay.Org says this year’s theme is “Restore Our Earth.” Its focus is on rebuilding ecosystems in natural ways and also with green technologies and innovative thinking.
Read More: USA Today, Vox, Boston Globe
Find an Earth Day Event: EarthDay.Org
Thing to Know Thursday: Second-Most Severe Drought in Western U.S.
The western U.S. may be entering its most severe drought in modern history. Groups of California farmers say they’re especially concerned about having enough water for their crops. That could lead to shortages or price hikes at grocery stores all over the country. According to state data, California supplies about two-thirds of the fruits all Americans eat and about a third of the vegetables. The severe dry spell also means lakes people rely on for drinking water are at dangerously low levels. Part of the reason is less snow last winter since rivers and lakes are typically filled by melting snowpacks. Scientists also say climate change has worsened some of the conditions and a La Niña is bringing warm and dry conditions.
Read More: CBS News, Axios, Vox, AP, CA Dept. of Food & Agriculture