Wednesday, April 27th, 2022
Majority Had Covid, Bitcoin for Retirement & Reddit Grants
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by bollandbranch.com (Listen for the discount code) 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 reading about the latest happenings…
Most Americans have had Covid
New CDC data shows about 60% of Americans have been infected with Covid-19. That includes 75% of all American children. The numbers are expected to keep going up, since the virus is still spreading. The number of new cases is trending upward, especially in the northeast. However, not as many people are going to the hospital, as compared to earlier waves of Covid-19.
Read More: Stat, NY Times, AP, Axios, NBC News, CDC
VP Harris Tests Positive
Vice President Kamala Harris is the latest top official to test positive for Covid-19. For now, she doesn’t have any symptoms, and she plans to keep working from home until she tests negative. Harris credits the Covid-19 vaccine for keeping her feeling okay. Health experts agree that could have something to do with it. They say the rising number of people who have either gotten the vaccine or recovered from Covid-19 could keep millions of Americans from getting the most life-threatening cases.
Read More: NPR, Axios, AP, CNN, VP Harris
Russia’s Latest Nuclear Warnings
Military officials from more than 40 countries are promising to send more weapons to Ukraine. It’s another big step to support Ukraine in its war against Russia. Russian leaders are responding to the news with more nuclear threats. Russia’s top diplomat says that by western nations sending aid, they are effectively sabotaging peace talks. Then, he said the threat of a nuclear conflict “should not be underestimated.” Still, the American defense secretary says the U.S. and dozens of other allies are standing by their promises because the stakes are high.
Read More: NY Times, WSJ, The Hill, Axios
Russia Gas Supply Cuts
Russia is following through on a different kind of threat. Starting today, the Russian government says it will stop sending natural gas to Poland and Bulgaria because the two countries are refusing to pay in Russian rubles. Russia’s president has demanded rubles instead of dollars or euros because of sanctions his country is facing over the war in Ukraine. A lot of countries have refused, so more could be cut off soon. Stopping deliveries could reportedly hurt the economies of both Europe and Russia.
Read More: CNN, AP, WSJ, Reuters
Biden Pardons, Commutes Sentences
President Biden issued pardons for three people, forgiving their crimes, and he commuted the sentences of 75 more. One of the pardons went to Abraham Bolden. He was the first Black Secret Service agent to serve on a presidential detail during the Kennedy administration. Bolden was arrested on charges of trying to sell a copy of a Secret Service file, something he says he never did. The other two pardons went to people who were involved with drug deals decades ago. As for the people who got their sentences shortened, all 75 were nonviolent drug offenders.
Read More: WaPo, NY Times, NPR, Fox News, NBC News, White House
Harvard Legacy of Slavery Fund
Harvard University released a report this week that details its connections to slavery, segregation, and discrimination. The ivy league school says Harvard faculty and staff enslaved more than 70 Black and Native American people in the 16- and 1700s, and that’s likely an undercount. After that, the university says it kept profiting from slavery through donors. Now, Harvard says it’s going to advance research into those issues and honor enslaved people through memorials. The university says it will work to give the descendants of slaves more educational opportunities and more.
Read More: AP, WSJ, WaPo, Axios, Harvard
No More Aspirin for Heart Health
Major new guidance has come out about taking aspirin as a precaution. For years, doctors recommended people in their 50s start taking a baby aspirin every day to keep them from getting heart attacks and strokes. However, new research now says there’s not that much benefit for healthy people, and aspirin could end up doing more harm than good. The influential U.S. Preventive Service Task Force finalized its recommendations this week to say most people over 60 shouldn’t take a daily aspirin, and people between 40 and 59 should talk to their doctor about what’s right.
Read More: Stat, ABC News, CNN, The Hill, USPSTF
First US City Mines Bitcoin
Fort Worth, Texas is said to be the first city government in the U.S. to mine bitcoin. The city council unanimously approved the donation of three bitcoin mining machines that now make up a small mining farm inside city hall. Bitcoin mining is how new bitcoins are put into circulation, and the network of these types of machines confirms new transactions. It needs professional-grade equipment, technical know-how, and a lot of electricity. The city of Fort Worth expects the cost of the bitcoin mining pilot program to be covered by the value of the bitcoin mined. That program will last at least six months.
Read More: Axios, CNBC, CBS News, CNET, Mayor Parker
Fidelity Allows Bitcoin in 401(k)
Fidelity will allow people to put bitcoin into their 401(k) accounts, becoming the first major retirement plan provider to offer that option. Fidelity will reportedly allow retirement savers to allocate up to 20% of their nest eggs to bitcoin. However, not everyone with a Fidelity retirement plan will get access. It’s up to companies whether to offer it to their employees. It’s happening despite the U.S. Labor Department sharing concerns about making crypto part of workers’ retirement plans, pointing to concerns like valuation, volatility, and changing laws and rules. However, supporters believe it can raise expected returns without too much extra risk.
Read More: WSJ, The Verge, CNN, Reuters, Fidelity, Labor Dept.
Snowboarder Chloe Kim Takes a Break
A two-time Olympic gold medalist is taking a break. Chloe Kim will sit out the 2022-23 snowboarding competition season to focus on her mental health. Kim told Cheddar News she wants to “reset” after a fun but draining year. However, she plans to come back to go for her third gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. She’s not the only athlete at the top of her game to choose to take a step back. Tennis star Naomi Osaka and Olympic gymnast Simone Biles also recently took time off for their mental well-being.
Read More: USA Today, Cheddar News, CNN, NBC News
First Black Woman to Join ISS Crew
SpaceX is headed back to the International Space Station. This time, it’s taking four professional astronauts. One of them is set to be the first Black woman to join the ISS crew. NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins spoke about the milestone, saying she’s honored to be a part of the legacy of Black women astronauts who have come before her. She and her colleagues will spend six months on the ISS. They will conduct more than 200 science experiments and maintenance duties.
Read More: CNN, The Verge, Space.com, NASA
Reddit Launches Community Funds
Reddit announced it’s expanding its Community Funds program. It will spend $1 million funding different projects across the platform. Reddit is asking communities of people to submit ideas for projects, events, contests, or anything else that brings people together. Groups can ask for anywhere between $1,000 and $50,000. Starting this summer, Reddit will issue grants to support ideas that are the most creative and could have the most community impact.
Read More: TechCrunch, Gizmodo, The Verge, Reddit
Work Wednesday: New College Grads Earning More
When the class of 2022 graduates, they’ll have a lot of opportunities, some that could bring in big paychecks. A new report from the job site Monster says people entering the job market this year stand to make more money in their first job than last year’s class and the classes before that. Almost three-quarters of the employers surveyed said they’ve raised their entry-level salaries in the last year. New job seekers can probably be more selective, too. The National Association of Colleges and Employers says companies will hire at least 30% more new graduates this year than last.
Read More: Fortune, WSJ, Monster, NACE