Friday, June 25th, 2021
High-Rise Collapse, Trillion-Dollar Compromise & Pride Weekend
All the news you need in around 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 the latest happenings...
Florida Condo Collapse
Part of a 12-story condo building collapsed just outside of Miami yesterday. At least one person was killed and many more were trapped inside. Dozens of survivors were pulled from the wreckage, and rescue crews are desperately searching for dozens more. As of this morning, nearly 100 people are still missing. Florida’s governor declared a state of emergency to help get resources and assistance to the people affected. Local authorities say it’s too soon to know what caused the building to crumble. Work was being done on the roof and building inspectors had visited the tower recently, but it’s not clear if any of that had to do with the collapse.
Read More: Miami Herald, AP, WSJ, CNN
Derek Chauvin Sentencing
The former police officer who was convicted of killing George Floyd is set to be sentenced today. Prosecutors are pushing for 30 years in prison, but his defense team is asking for probation. Derek Chauvin was found guilty back in April, nearly a year after a video showed him kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as Floyd pleaded with officers and said he couldn’t breathe. Today, Floyd’s family and friends will get the chance to speak about how they’ve been impacted by all of this. Chauvin could also share a statement, though legal experts say he likely won’t. It will then be up to a judge to sentence Chauvin.
Read More: AP, CBS News, Fox News, KMSP, NBC News
Thousands of Officers Leave Police Force
Thousands of police officers have left their jobs nationwide. A new survey found from April 2020 to April 2021, officer retirements were up by 45% and resignations were up almost 20% compared to the same time one year earlier. This is all happening while many cities are dealing with a rise in shootings and murders. The survey found many of these resignations had to do with anti-police sentiment, low pay, and because many officers say they were asked to handle too much. They say they’re ill-equipped to handle many situations and then get blamed when things go wrong.
Read More: NY Times, NPR, The Hill, PERF
Bipartisan Police Reform Deal
Members of Congress are hoping nationwide police reform might help with anti-police sentiments and make more people interested in policing as a career. Just yesterday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers announced they had reached an agreement on the “framework” of new legislation. So far, they haven’t given any details about it, and they say there’s “more work to be done on the final bill.” They are set to move ahead by next month.
Read More: Politico, CNN, The Hill, NY Post
Infrastructure Deal
President Biden, along with a group of Democratic and Republican Senators, reached a compromise on infrastructure this week. They agreed to a roughly $1 trillion package to be spent over five years. It includes new spending on roads, internet, electric utilities, and other projects. Unlike the original proposal President Biden has been pushing for, this one doesn’t include any new taxes on wealthy Americans or corporations. The White House says the money will instead come from unspent COVID-19 relief funds. There’s still a long way to go before this package can become law though. It still has to pass the House and the Senate.
Read More: WaPo, WSJ, NPR, Fox News, White House
Giuliani Suspended from Law
Rudy Giuliani is no longer allowed to practice law in the state of New York. The former New York City mayor, who was later hired as former President Trump’s personal attorney, had his license suspended over his claims of election fraud. A court found Giuliani made “false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers, and the public,” and that it was all done to prove the election was stolen from former President Trump. The suspension might not be permanent though, as Giuliani can challenge the decision at a future hearing. So far, he hasn’t commented on the decision, but he’s been retweeting posts that criticize it.
Read More: NY Times, NPR, BBC, ABC News, NY Courts
Trump’s First Post-Presidential Rally
Tomorrow, former President Trump is hosting his first big campaign-style rally since leaving the White House. He’s going to be in Ohio to campaign for a Republican who’s running for a spot in Congress next year. Trump says he’ll also keep promoting his “America first” policy agenda. Already, some people are camping outside the venue in hopes of getting a good spot for his speech.
Read More: KUTV, WKYC, WJW, Donald Trump
Severe Blood Shortage
Hospitals across the country are running extremely low on blood. The American Red Cross is warning about a severe shortage nationwide. Blood is in high demand right now because more patients than usual are showing up in emergency rooms and trauma centers, and people who delayed elective procedures over the last year are deciding to get them now. There have also been fewer donors. The shortage means hospitals may be forced to delay necessary procedures if they don’t have enough blood to safely operate.
How to Donate: Red Cross
Read More: WaPo, USA Today, NY Times, Red Cross
New Campaign to Unionize Amazon
One of the largest labor unions in the U.S. has its sights set on Amazon. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters voted this week to support and fund Amazon employees in their unionization efforts. The Teamsters plan to target Amazon in a national campaign. So far, Amazon has not commented on the Teamster’s resolution. However, in the past, Amazon has stressed that its employees don’t need a union, saying the company already offers higher hourly wages and the type of benefits unions would typically push for. The Teamsters disagree though, saying Amazon workers need safer and better working conditions.
Read More: AP, WSJ, CNN, The Guardian, Teamsters
Major Windows 11 Updates
Microsoft unveiled the latest version of its operating system this week. With Windows 11, users can expect a redesigned home screen. The start menu will be moved to the middle of the screen and the video conferencing app, Teams, will automatically show up in the taskbar. There will also be a new Microsoft store for apps, and Android apps will be compatible with Microsoft’s system. Microsoft also says Windows 11 will run about 40% faster than the current system. It will be a free update for anyone who already has Windows 10 on their computers, which accounts for more than 1.3 billion devices. Windows 11 is expected to be out by the holidays.
Read More: CNET, CNBC, TechCrunch, The Verge
NYC Pride This Weekend
It’s the final weekend of pride month, which means three days of celebrating the LGBTQ community all around the country. Some of the biggest celebrations are happening in New York City. However, the city-run pride march, which is usually the nation’s largest, will be virtual again this year. The theme of this year’s celebration is “the fight continues.” Organizers said the theme is about highlighting all of the work that still needs to be done in the United States, like ending the pandemic and protecting the LGBTQ community’s legal rights. Other pride events are happening this weekend in places like San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, and Chicago.
Read More: NY Daily News, NY Times, WABC, NYC Pride
Feel Good Friday: Sewing Machine Project
A Wisconsin woman, Margaret Jankowski, has made it her mission to improve people’s lives all over the world. She started The Sewing Machine Project 16 years ago after she saw a story about a woman in Southeast Asia who lost her sewing machine during a devastating tsunami. Jankowski said she started asking people in her community to donate sewing machines they weren’t using anymore. She soon shipped the first boxes to Sri Lanka and India. Over the last 16 years, Jankowski’s organization has donated more than 3,300 sewing machines around the world, saying the machines help many people, especially women, earn a living.
Read More: CS Monitor, Sewing Machine Project