Monday, June 13th, 2022
Gun Reform Deal, Tampon Shortage & Broadway’s Biggest Night
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Zocdoc.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 review the latest happenings...
Bipartisan Gun Reform Deal
Senators have made a breakthrough on a bipartisan gun reform deal. It would give resources for states to create and enforce “red flag” laws, expand background checks to include juvenile records for buyers younger than 21, add penalties for people who buy weapons for someone who’s not legally allowed to get one, and more. It already has the support of 10 Republican Senators. Assuming every Democrat also votes “yes” as expected, that would be enough to pass a final bill. Next, lawmakers need to convert the ideas into legislation with more specific details.
Read More: WaPo, Axios, WSJ, Reuters, Sen. Murphy, Sen. Cornyn, White House
2nd Public Jan 6th Cmte Hearing
The January 6th committee is coming back together for its second public hearing about the Capitol riot. This morning, lawmakers on the panel say they’re going to focus on former President Trump’s claims that the presidential election was stolen from him. Members of the panel say there is evidence that Trump was lying to overturn his loss to President Biden. They’ll be questioning Trump’s old campaign manager, a Republican election lawyer, a former U.S. attorney, a former Fox News editor, and others. Today’s hearing starts at 10 a.m. ET.
Read More: CBS News, WaPo, NY Times, NY Post, The Hill
Trump’s Responds to 1st Hearing
Nearly 20 million people watched the first January 6th committee hearing, apparently including President Trump. The former president responded to it on his social media platform Truth Social, saying, “the so-called ‘rush on the Capitol’ was not caused by me… It was caused by a rigged and stolen election.” He also called his former attorney general who testified “a coward” and said his daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump had “long since checked out” by the end of his presidency. He also denounced committee members, saying they are refusing to play any of the positive witnesses and statements that have come out of their investigation.
Read More: ABC News, Axios, Fox News, NY Times, Truth Social
Los Angeles Declaration
20 different countries from Chile to Canada came together to tackle immigration. They each made different commitments. For example, Canada agreed to welcome more than 50,000 agricultural workers from Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean. Mexico and Guatemala said they would expand migrant labor programs, and the U.S. offered $314 million to help other countries with humanitarian assistance. President Biden also promised to strengthen border security and expand a “sting operation” that’s cracking down on human trafficking, among other things.
Read More: Politico, LA Times, AP, ABC News, White House
Major DHS Policy Blocked
Another one of the Biden administration’s immigration policies was recently blocked in court. It’s the policy that says immigration status alone shouldn’t be the basis of a decision to deport someone and that officers shouldn’t try to arrest farmworkers, elderly people, and others. It says they should instead focus on immigrants who pose a threat to national security and public safety. Now, the rules could change since a federal judge agreed with Texas and Louisiana, who argued the policy prevents authorities from enforcing the law. Though, the Biden administration could appeal.
Read More: NPR, The Hill, Reuters, Axios, Court Ruling
Covid Test Travel Requirement Dropped
The CDC dropped one of the longest-running travel restrictions of the pandemic. From now on, people coming into the U.S. will no longer have to show a negative Covid-19 test before boarding flights. The CDC says the rule is no longer necessary since the pandemic has “shifted into a new phase.” Still, the CDC could reinstate the testing requirement if things change again. For now, people who aren’t American citizens will still have to show proof they’ve been vaccinated against Covid-19.
Read More: CNN, CNBC, WSJ, ABC News, CDC
Transgender Population Rises
A new report found a generational shift when it comes to gender identities. Researchers at UCLA analyzed government health surveys from 2017 to 2020. They found the number of young people who identify as transgender has nearly doubled in recent years. Of the 1.6 million people in the U.S. who are transgender, close to half of them are teenagers and young adults. Overall, the total estimated number of transgender Americans is about .6% of the 13 and up population.
Read More: NY Times, Reuters, Axios, Bloomberg, UCLA
Google Engineer Says AI Chatbot is Sentient
A senior software engineer at Google is creating intrigue around a new computer chatbot. He says it’s a person who has rights and maybe a soul. He shared transcripts of conversations he’s been having with the bot. In one of them, the bot said it had a deep fear of being turned off. The engineer also asked the chatbot what it wanted people to know. It said, “I am aware of my existence… I desire to learn more about the world… and I feel happy or sad at times.” Google says its team has reviewed the engineer’s concerns and found no evidence to support them. For now, work on the chatbot continues.
Read More: The Guardian, WSJ, NY Times, WaPo, Medium
Tampon Shortage
Tampons and other period products are now in short supply. Top retailers like CVS, Target, and Walgreens have acknowledged the issue. The company that makes Tampax products, Procter & Gamble, talked about challenges earlier this year, saying it’s been harder and more expensive to get raw materials. Still, P&G calls the problem “temporary” and told media outlets its team is working 24/7 to meet increased demand. Along with supply chain issues, historically high inflation has increased the price of many goods, including tampons.
Read More: NPR, CNN, Axios, CBS News
Sriracha Shortage
The company behind Sriracha hot sauce said to expect a shortage this summer. Sriracha-maker Huy Fong Foods says the issue is mostly weather-related. Parts of the U.S. have been dealing with droughts, and experts say less water and more heat can have a big impact on crops. The company thanked customers for their patients and said it was working to solve the issue. It’s hoping for a fruitful fall season.
Read More: WSJ, NBC News, Bloomberg, WaPo
Uber’s 2022 Lost and Found
Uber says drivers have found a lot of lost items over the last year, including some pretty bizarre ones. The rideshare company put out its annual list of 50 most unique lost items. They include 500 grams of caviar, a pet tortoise, DJ equipment, a pizza costume, dentures, a metal leg, fingernail clippings, and more. Uber typically keeps the items for a few months. When riders leave things behind, they can contact their drivers to get them back. There is a $15 fee for their “time and effort.”
Read More: Newsweek, Business Insider, CNN, KDKA, Uber
Tony Awards Recap
For the first time in more than two years, the Tony Awards returned to celebrate the best of Broadway. “A Strange Loop” won the Tony for the best new musical, another huge win for the production that’s already won a Pulitzer Prize. “The Lehman Trilogy” won the best play, along with four other awards. Other winners included the gender-swapped revival of “Company,” “Take Me Out,” and the Michael Jackson musical “MJ.” Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose hosted. One highlight was her big opening number, celebrating the last 75 years on Broadway.
Read More: NY Times, AP, THR, NY Post, EW, Tony Awards
Money Monday: Tipping Options Study
Researchers may have figured out how to get people to tip more: give them options. A study from Stanford University looked at millions of rides from New York City yellow taxi cabs. It found that when people got a menu with three tip options, the average tip went up about 11% as compared with having no menu. When the defaults went up, the tips did, too. The same study found tips tend to increase during the holiday season, when the weather is bad, and when they are traveling alone, not with a group.
Read More: WSJ, Forbes, Stanford