Friday, April 23rd, 2021
Higher Taxes Possible, J&J Shot Future & Hollywood’s Biggest Night
All the news you need in around 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Rothys.com/newsworthy and Ritual.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 reading the latest happenings...
Biden Tax Proposals
President Biden is expected to roll out a historic plan to raise taxes on the richest Americans. Reuters and others spoke with sources who previewed the proposal. They say the president wants to increase the marginal income tax rate from 37% to 39.6%. The plan would also nearly double the capital gains tax to around 40% for people who earn $1 million or more a year. It’s reportedly all to pay for what Biden calls the American Family Plan. Reports say it will include $1.5 trillion in new government spending and tax credits meant to fight poverty, lower child care costs, make pre-K and community college free to everyone, and more.
Read More: Reuters, Bloomberg, NY Times, Fox Business
Countries’ Climate Pledges
At an Earth Day summit, several of the world’s top leaders announced new targets for reducing greenhouse gases. First, as expected, President Biden said the U.S. would cut emissions by up to 52% by 2030, as compared to 2005 levels. Biden also says the U.S. government plans to double the amount of money it offers to developing countries to deal with the same issue. China, which is now the world’s biggest greenhouse gas polluter, promised to limit coal production and it renewed its pledge to cut carbon emissions to net-zero by 2060. Canada’s prime minister said his country would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2020 and Japan’s prime minister said his country would cut emissions by 46% in the same time.
Read More: NY Times, Axios, AP, WSJ, White House
Senate Passes Anti-Asian Hate Crime Bill
The Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill meant to address an uptick in anti-Asian hate crimes. If the bill becomes law, it would name a Justice Department official to speed up the review of hate crimes. Local and state law enforcement agencies would create hotlines and online portals for reporting hate crimes and the attorney general would give those departments more guidance about how to do that. Next, the bill goes to the House. Lawmakers there say they’ll take it up next month and it’s expected to pass. If it does, it goes to President Biden to sign it into law.
Read More: NPR, WSJ, WaPo, NY Times
Committee Meeting About J&J Vaccine
The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine could be back on the U.S. market soon. The CDC’s vaccine advisers are meeting about it today and the Washington Post reports they’re leaning toward recommending the shot again. It was put on hold last week while health officials investigated a possible link to rare but serious blood clots. The pause was also meant to give experts more time to let doctors know what to look for and how to treat the clots. Now, U.S. federal health authorities are expected to say the J&J vaccine should come with a warning, but no restrictions.
Read More: WaPo, CNN, ABC News
SpaceX Crewed Launch to ISS
All eyes are on SpaceX this morning. Its rocket is launching a crew of four astronauts into space before dawn. They’re headed to the International Space Station. This is the third crew going to the ISS on a SpaceX mission. However this time, it’s making history because it’s the first time NASA astronauts are flying in a reused capsule. The astronauts will then spend six months in space. NASA says the team will continue experiments to prepare for future missions to the moon. They’re also going to be researching to hopefully better understand the Earth’s climate.
Read More: The Verge, Space.com, NASA, SpaceX
Safety Concerns About Tesla’s Autopilot
There are new safety concerns about the autopilot feature on Tesla’s electric cars. Consumer Reports tested it and now says the autopilot system can be tricked into thinking someone is sitting in the driver’s seat even when that’s not the case. So far, Tesla hasn’t commented on the test. It came a few days after two people were killed in a Tesla crash near Houston, Texas. Local officials say they don’t think anyone was sitting in the driver’s seat when the crash happened. Tesla says it’s possible in that case, the autopilot feature wasn’t on. The NHTSA is investigating.
Read More: Consumer Reports, The Verge, CNET, WSJ, KHOU
SW Airlines’ First-Quarter Comeback
Southwest Airlines says it turned a profit for the first time since the global pandemic began and it’s the first major U.S. airline to do it. The company says it made about $116 million in net income for the first quarter. It was reportedly possible, in part, because of payroll aid from the federal government. Southwest’s CEO also says leisure travel is picking up big time, especially domestically, which is the key market for Southwest. However, other airlines are still waiting for a turnaround. American, Delta, and United all reported losses of about $1 billion for the first quarter. Reports say those airlines tend to rely more on business and international travel.
Read More: NY Times, CNBC, AP
Oscars Preview
The biggest night in Hollywood is happening this weekend. We’re talking about the 93rd annual Academy Awards. Presenters and nominees had to go through a quarantine period and get tested for COVID-19 so they can attend in person without needing to wear masks. Some nominees may appear via satellite. It’s a record year for diversity. Nine of the 10 acting nominees are people of color and more women received nods than ever before, including two women nominated for best director. The Oscars air this Sunday night on ABC.
Read More: USA Today, Deadline, AP, ABC7
Feel Good Friday: Nursing Student Leaves Paintings for Strangers
A nursing student in Boston is making strangers smile through his artwork. Jake Garcia uses oil paints to replicate scenes from nature, especially on the beach. However, he doesn’t keep the paintings for himself or sell them. Instead, he leaves them in spots around Boston. Garcia says he hopes to “make someone’s day without saying a word.” Garcia has been posting photos of his artwork on Twitter and Instagram and shares their locations. Garcia says he would love to see how far each painting could travel and who ends up with each one.
Read More: WBZ, People, Caught in Southie, @JakeScapes on Twitter, @JakeScapes on Instagram