Tuesday, May 17th, 2022
Another Hate Crime, Formula Shortage Relief? & Uber Party Buses
All the news in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by TommyJohn.com/newsworthy and Pampers.com
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 read the latest happenings...
Buffalo Shooting Updates
Today President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are going to visit a city in mourning. They’re traveling to Buffalo, New York, where a gunman recently shot 13 people inside a supermarket in a racist attack. Nearly all the people who were killed were Black. Investigators told ABC News that if the shooter had not been stopped, he would have continued his rampage since he had plans to go elsewhere to shoot more Black people. However, officers responded to the grocery store within one minute of it coming under fire, and the suspect was arrested.
Read More: Buffalo News, AP, ABC News, NPR
White Replacement Theory
Investigators are looking into the Buffalo shooting suspect’s connection to what’s known as the “great replacement” theory. It’s the same idea that has reportedly inspired several mass shootings in recent years. The racist theory says there’s a plot to bring non-white people into the U.S. to replace white voters in an effort to achieve a political agenda. Many white supremacists believe the influx of immigrants, specifically people of color, will lead to the extinction of the white race. The theory has been around since the early 1900s, but it has become more mainstream in the last few years.
Read More: NPR, AP, Fox News, Liz Cheney
California Shooting Update
The FBI is now investigating a shooting at a southern California church as a hate crime. Investigators say the gunman opened fire at a church gathering of mostly Taiwanese seniors. Officials believe the gunman was motivated by hatred of Taiwan, specifically political tensions between China and Taiwan. The suspect is from China. There are also more stories of heroism coming out of the tragedy. The Orange County sheriff says there was a doctor who charged at the gunman. Sadly, he was killed, but his efforts helped other members of the church disarm the shooter. The suspect is now in custody, charged with murder, attempted murder, and more.
Read More: NBC News, CNN, NY Post, NY Times, LA Times
Ground Troops to Somalia
Hundreds of American troops will be going back to Somalia. This reverses a decision President Trump made. He chose to withdraw ground troops stationed there. Now, Biden administration officials say it’s necessary to send some troops back to address a growing threat posed by Al-Qaeda’s largest affiliate. They say the terror group has been stepping up attacks, including against American personnel. Among their duties, the American troops will target the group’s top leaders and help give training and intelligence to partners in Somalia.
Read More: NY Times, Fox News, WaPo, Axios
Biden Lifting Cuba Restrictions
The Biden administration is also changing things up in Cuba. For example, the U.S. says it’s loosening its restrictions on flights to and from the Caribbean nation, even beyond Havana. The U.S. State Department says this will help the Cuban people “pursue a life free from the Cuban government oppression.” However, President Biden is getting some mixed reactions from both Democrats and Republicans. Some of them say the changes will help funnel cash into the communist Cuban government.
Read More: Miami Herald, WaPo, WSJ, BBC, State Dept.
SCOTUS Campaign Finance Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court has now made it easier for political candidates to pay back their personal loans to their campaigns using donations they get after election day. In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court sided with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. He has been in a legal battle because during his 2018 Senate race, he loaned his own campaign $260,000. Then, after the election was over, he wanted to get campaign donations to reimburse his own personal bank account. He said that should be his right, and most Supreme Court justices agreed. However, critics say the ruling opens the door for quid-pro-quo arrangements with winning candidates.
Read More: WaPo, Politico, WSJ, AP, Supreme Court
Primaries in Five States
Voters in five more states are headed to the polls today. Idaho, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania are holding primary elections. A lot of eyes are especially on Pennsylvania because of a few races, including one for U.S. Senate. For the Republicans, celebrity heart surgeon Mehmet Oz is in a tight primary with a former hedge fund CEO and community activist Kathy Barnette. On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who is considered a frontrunner as a Senate candidate, revealed that he had a stroke, but he was on his way to “full recovery.”
Read More: CBS News, AP, Axios, WaPo
More Free Covid Tests
Americans can now get eight more Covid-19 tests for free from the U.S. government. The U.S. Postal Service updated its site, saying people can place another order for the at-home rapid tests. Just go to the site, fill out your name and address, and the tests will show up in your mailbox.
Read More: The Verge, NPR, Axios, Miami Herald
Place Your Order: USPS
At-Home Test for Multiple Viruses
The FDA authorized a new test from Labcorp that tests for Covid-19 and other respiratory viruses, the flu and RSV. You don’t need a prescription for this kind, either. Once you get it, you’ll have to do your own nasal swab from home and send it back to Labcorp for testing. Then, you will be able to see your results on an online portal. If you test positive or if the results come back as “invalid”, a healthcare provider will follow up. The test kit costs $170, but if you have insurance and meet the clinical guidelines, you won’t have to pay anything upfront.
Read More: Bloomberg, Axios, WSJ, FDA
FDA Agreement with Baby Formula Maker
There is a new agreement between one of the largest manufacturers of baby formula in the country and the FDA. The goal is to make more formula available ASAP because there is a massive infant formula shortage in the U.S. The FDA says Abbott Nutrition agreed to fix the safety issues at the plant that makes Similac and other popular brands. Abbott says it’s now set to reopen the facility in two weeks. Then, it’s expected to take another six to eight weeks before the baby formula from that site can make it onto store shelves.
Read More: Politico, Axios, Fox Business, CNBC, Abbott, FDA
JetBlue’s Hostile Takeover Bid of Spirit
JetBlue isn’t giving up on its efforts to acquire Spirit Airlines. Twice already, Spirit’s board of directors turned down JetBlue’s offer to buy them, citing concerns that antitrust regulators wouldn’t give the deal the go-ahead. Instead, Spirit seemed to stay focused on a potential merger agreement with Frontier Airlines. Now, JetBlue has launched a hostile takeover. That means JetBlue is going straight to Spirit’s shareholders, hoping they’ll vote against the Frontier deal and force a deal with JetBlue instead. JetBlue says it can offer more value and benefits.
Read More: Axios, CBS News, WSJ, The Verge
New Uber Features
Uber announced a slew of new features and options. For example, a new feature rolling out this week in the U.S. lets you upload your trip itinerary so you can book rides along the way. This summer, you’ll be able to book a party bus or passenger van on the app through a partnership with US Coachways. Passengers will also be able to request a ride in a premium electric vehicle. However, for now, the feature is only available in certain California cities. Also, at certain stadiums around the country, users will be able to order concessions through Uber Eats.
Read More: CNBC, The Hill, Engadget, Uber
Uber Eats Robots
Uber Eats is now testing out delivering food to people’s homes with robots. The robots will roll on sidewalks for short trips, and self-driving cars will deliver the meals for longer rides. Customers will get instructions on how to get their meals out once the robots arrive. The two pilot programs are happening through a partnership with other companies. They launched in the Los Angeles area this week.
Read More: TechCrunch, CNN, Gizmodo, Motional
Trivia Tuesday
What's the smallest country in the world by area?
Play along on today’s Instagram Stories quiz. We’ll also have the answer right here next week.
Last Week’s Trivia
Q: A male donkey is a jack, but what is the female called?
A: Jenny
Read More: Donkey Sanctuary, NY Times, Live Science, Kiddle