Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021
Violent Crime Surge, Great Barrier Reef Warning & Britney Spears Testifies
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.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…
White House Targeting Violent Crime
The White House has some new ideas to tackle a recent spike in violent crime. Today, President Biden is set to announce a series of new executive orders and again call on Congress to pass new gun legislation. New FBI data shows the murder rate went up about 25% last year. Experts think the trend is changing directions now because of the pandemic since it’s created more economic hardship and anxiety. Also this week, the Justice Department announced another initiative to combat violent crime. It’s addressing illegal gun trafficking in the cities of Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
Read More: AP, WaPo, WSJ, Fox News, DOJ
Republicans Block Voting Bill
For months, Democrats have been pushing what’s been called the most ambitious voting rights bill in a generation. However, yesterday, that bill faced a major setback in the Senate. Every Democrat voted “yes,” but every Republican voted “no.” Democrats needed some Republican votes to move forward, so for now, the bill is dead. It would have expanded early voting and mail-in voting, let people register to vote on the same day as elections, and a lot more. Democrats say these kinds of changes are necessary to make sure all Americans have a chance to vote, but Republicans argue it should be up to states to make those kinds of laws.
Read More: WSJ, Politico, AP, NY Times
Delta Variant Doubling
The Delta variant of COVID-19 is becoming more widespread in the U.S., now accounting for more than 20% of the nation’s new cases. This is up from 10% just about two weeks ago. The White House’s chief medical advisor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, is calling Delta the “greatest threat” to the nation’s efforts to beat COVID-19 for good. Fauci also reminded people that the variant is “unquestionably” more dangerous than previous strains and it seems to lead to more severe symptoms. Fauci encouraged more Americans to get their COVID-19 shots, mentioning that almost everyone who’s dying from coronavirus now is unvaccinated.
Read More: Reuters, CNBC, CNN, WSJ
The U.S. to Miss Vaccine Deadline
The White House says it looks like the U.S. isn’t going to reach President Biden’s latest vaccine goal of getting 70% of adults at least partially vaccinated by July 4th. Now, since vaccination rates have been lagging, the White House says it will need a few more weeks. In the meantime, it’s doing a lot of outreach geared toward young people. Dr. Fauci has been doing Q&As on TikTok, and advertisements have been introduced on video game platforms. States have also been offering incentives like lotteries. As of this morning, about 66% of adults have had at least one shot, and 56% are fully vaccinated.
Read More: WaPo, USA Today, Fox News, CDC
Great Barrier Reef Might be in Danger
According to the United Nations, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia should be on a list of World Heritage Sites that are in danger. The UN says the long-term outlook for the site has gone from “poor” to “very poor” in the past few years and it is calling on Australia to take immediate actions to slow down the impacts of climate change. The Australian government disagrees, saying the reef still has pristine beauty and is the best-managed reef in the world despite climate change. If the reef is added to the endangered list, it could lose its status as a World Heritage Site, which could impact tourism and Australia’s economy. A final decision will be made next month.
Read More: BBC, NY Times, CBS News, AP, Unesco
Connecticut Legalizes Marijuana
Connecticut is the latest state to legalize recreational marijuana. Gov. Ned Lamont signed the bill into law yesterday. The bill says people 21 and older will be allowed to have up to five ounces of weed in their homes or vehicles. The law also erases some marijuana-related offenses. The state is already clearing the criminal records for thousands of people who were convicted of having marijuana between 2000 and 2015. Connecticut’s new law takes effect July 1st and commercial sales will start there next year.
Read More: Axios, NY Times, Vox, Gov. Lamont
U.S. Airports Get Federal Boost
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says $8 billion in grant money is going out to hundreds of U.S. airports. However, to get the money, airports have to promise to keep at least 90% of employees. Airports can use the funds to cover operating costs, reduce debt, or pay for things that help keep workers and travelers healthy. This grant money is part of the nearly $2 trillion stimulus package Congress approved back in March. Americans are starting to travel again, but traffic is still about 25% lower than it was before the pandemic, and airports are still recovering financially from last year’s drop in business.
Read More: WSJ, AP, Bloomberg, FAA
Britney Spears Court Appearance
Britney Spears is speaking on her own behalf before a judge today as part of the ongoing battle over her conservatorship. Her father, Jamie, has had control over various parts of her life since 2008. Originally, that arrangement was put in place because of concerns over Britney’s mental health and alleged drug use. However, a new report from the New York Times says the pop star has been pushing to have her father stripped of his authority for at least seven years. Britney’s legal team has said she is “afraid” of her father and refuses to work again until he’s removed as her conservator. Jamie’s attorneys have argued that he has his daughter’s best interests in mind.
Read More: NY Times, CNN, ET, Page Six
Harlem Globetrotters Ask to be an NBA Franchise
The Harlem Globetrotters are pushing to join the NBA as the league’s 31st team. The Globetrotters are an exhibition team that plays all over the world. They are known for a family-style show, which combines basketball skills with theatrical tricks and comedy. The Globetrotters wrote an open letter this week saying they have the talent to compete in the professional league and that the NBA should acknowledge the contributions they have made to the sport. The NBA has not publicly responded yet, but there have been rumors they are considering adding more teams soon.
Read More: Bleacher Report, NBC Sports, SI, Globetrotters
Work Wednesday: Wall Street’s Rush Back to the Office
Big banks are telling employees they need to get back to the office by Labor Day or think about getting a new job. Wall Street firms say they want their workers interacting with clients face-to-face and they believe it’s easier to train people in person. Recent ransomware attacks also have officials worried about cybersecurity which can be harder to control when workers are virtual. However, Wall Street firms could risk losing top talent by forcing them back to their office towers. Surveys show most American workers prefer to keep a hybrid work schedule, and there’s plenty of options for people who want that kind of job.
Read More: CNN, NY Times, Bloomberg, Forbes