Monday, June 7th, 2021
Harris’ Migration Mission, Western Water Crisis & New Royal Baby
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.com/newsworthy and Framebridge.com (Listen for the discount code)
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...
Harris Traveling to Mexico and Guatemala
Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting Guatemala and Mexico to address the challenges that make people want to leave and migrate to the U.S. They include poverty, violence, corruption, and more. Harris is meeting with foreign leaders, community organizers, and entrepreneurs to have conversations that could shape some policy changes. The U.S. might end up giving more aid or partnering with more organizations. Some analysts say they don’t expect any big compromises or agreements on this trip, stating it’s probably just the start of many discussions to come.
Read More: Politico, USA Today, Reuters, Fox News
Global Minimum Tax Agreement
This week, President Biden will attend a G7 summit in the U.K. where he’ll meet with six other world leaders about the economy. They’ve already made a historic deal before the meeting even begins. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and her G7 counterparts agreed to back a new global minimum tax rate of at least 15%. This means corporations would pay the same tax rate no matter where their headquarters are. The G7 will have to sell the concept to a group of 20 nations in Italy next month. If all goes well, officials hope to reach a final deal by this fall.
Read More: WSJ, NY Times, Reuters, CNBC
CA Assault Weapons Ban Overturned
California’s ban on assault weapons might not be around much longer. A federal judge recently ruled it unconstitutional. More than 30 years ago, California banned the sales of military-style rifles. However, the judge said that the ban robs people in California from getting weapons that are widely available in most other states, and it goes against the right to bear arms laid out in the U.S. Constitution. California is expected to fight this decision, with the state’s governor calling the ruling a “direct threat to public safety.” The state’s attorney general is promising to appeal it in the next month before the ban is officially undone.
Read More: AP, WaPo, Axios, Fox News, Full Ruling, Gov. Newsom
Severe Western Drought
Much of the western half of the U.S. is dealing with a severe, historic drought. Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) say nearly half of the continental U.S. is now dealing with exceptionally dry conditions. The worst of it is in California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and North Dakota. More water isn’t coming anytime soon either. The drought could have an impact on water supplies, farming, livestock, energy production, and more. Meteorologists expect it to last through the summer.
Read More: NY Times, CNBC, AP, Axios, Drought Monitor, Drought.Gov
Trump’s Facebook Ban
Facebook formally suspended former President Trump from its platform for two years. Trump’s Facebook account has been frozen since January. Facebook banned him indefinitely following the U.S. Capitol invasion over fears he might rile up more unrest. However, Facebook’s oversight board said the decision to remove Trump indefinitely was too open-ended, so company leaders set a more specific timeline. Facebook said after the two years are up, it’ll analyze whether Trump’s return to the platform risks public safety or not. Trump called the decision an insult and accused Facebook of censoring him.
Read More: Facebook, AP, Fox News, WSJ
Apple’s WWDC Begins
Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference starts today. At the weeklong virtual event, Apple is expected to unveil new versions of its operating systems like iOS 15 for iPhones and iPads. Apple is also expected to debut software updates for its Mac computers and the Apple Watch. They may also discuss progress on new computer chips and possibly unveil a new version of the Macbook Pro. You can stream the Developer’s Conference live on Apple’s YouTube page with CEO Tim Cook kicking things off at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Read More: Wired, The Verge, CNET, MacRumors
Stars Out at French Open
Two of the world’s biggest tennis stars, Serena Williams and Roger Federer, are out of the French Open. Williams lost in the fourth round yesterday to a player from Kazakhstan who is nearly half her age. Federer, on the other hand, won his third-round match but decided to withdraw out of concern for his knees. In a statement, he said he needed to not push himself too quickly as his body continues to recover from two knee surgeries he had last year. Both Williams and Federer are planning to compete at Wimbledon later this month.
Read More: The Guardian, ESPN, Reuters, CNN, Roland-Garros
Kennedy Center Honors
The star-studded Kennedy Center Honors event aired last night. The annual ceremony recognizes artists, musicians, and other performers for their contributions to American culture. This year’s honorees were actor Dick Van Dyke, country singer Garth Brooks, singer and activist Joan Baez, choreographer and actress Debbie Allen, and violinist Midori. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, instead of the usual one-night affair inside the Kennedy Center, the tributes to the honorees were recorded last month.
Read More: NPR, USA Today, EW, Kennedy Center
Harry and Meghan Welcome Baby Girl
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their baby girl over the weekend. She was born on Friday in Santa Barbara, and both she and Meghan are said to be doing well. The couple named the girl Lilibet Diana, and they plan to call her by the nickname Lili. The baby’s first name comes from her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and her middle name is after Prince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.
Read More: BBC, People, Archewell, Royal Family
Money Monday: Clothing Rentals Rebound
The fashion rental market has been rebounding in a big way as shoppers start experimenting with fashion and renting clothes again. The most well-known company in the industry, Rent the Runway, says its active subscriber base increased 92% last month. The company says it’s on track to bring in more customers this year than it did in 2019 before the pandemic. Other major retailers like Ralph Lauren, Lululemon, and Banana Republic have also been diving into the rental and resale space.
Read More: NY Times, Go Banking Rates, CNBC