Monday, June 27th, 2022
Abortion Clinics Close, G7 Unity & Stanley Cup Champs
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by kiwico.com (Listen for the discount code) and Zocdoc.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 to review the latest happenings...
Roe v. Wade Overturned
Emotions are running high in response to a landmark Supreme Court decision. In a 6-3 ruling, the high court overturned Roe v. Wade, taking away the constitutional right to an abortion that’s existed for nearly 50 years. That leaves it up to the states to come up with their abortion laws. Within hours of the ruling, Missouri, Louisiana, Kentucky, South Dakota, Alabama, Arkansas, and Utah banned abortions. Also, every clinic is now closed in Texas, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma. Six more states have laws that will automatically ban the procedure within weeks. More are considering doing so after that.
Read More: SCOTUS, NY Times, WSJ, Axios, WaPo
Abortion Ruling Protests/Celebrations
All weekend, several American cities have been filled with huge crowds of people either celebrating or protesting the Supreme Court ruling. People rallied, marched, chanted, and carried signs in cities like Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Cedar Rapids, Albuquerque, Austin, Atlanta, and many more. In some places, protests got tense. People were arrested for things like blocking traffic, disorderly conduct, and interfering with police. Many activists on both sides of the issue say they plan to keep making their voices heard in the weeks ahead.
Read More: Fox News, USA Today, NY Times, Vox
Gun Safety Bill Signed
The first major gun safety reform in three decades is now a U.S. law. President Biden signed the bipartisan deal over the weekend after it passed in the House and Senate late last week. It heightens background checks for gun buyers 18-21. It includes incentives for states to pass red flag laws. It also expands an existing law that prevents people convicted of domestic abuse from owning a gun. That law now includes boyfriends or girlfriends instead of just people who are or were married. Plus, it gives billions of dollars to mental health services and school safety.
Read More: White House, CBS News, NPR, Fox News, Reuters
G7 Summit
The G7 is meeting this week in Germany. Members have agreed to ban imports of Russian gold, the latest in a series of sanctions against Russia since the war started in Ukraine. They are also considering other ways to crack down on Russia and more ways to support Ukraine. Another thing they’ve already agreed upon is a pledge to raise $600 billion for infrastructure for developing countries over the next five years. The money will go to things like high-speed internet, clean energy, cybersecurity, vaccine manufacturing, and more. Other things on the agenda include climate, energy, and health initiatives, global food security, inflation, and more.
Read More: President Biden, White House, Reuters, AP, CNBC, USA Today, Fox Business, Politico, WSJ
Pfizer’s Omicron-Specific Vaccine Data
Experts will be reviewing more Covid-19 vaccine candidates this week. They plan to look at options from Moderna and Pfizer that were made specifically to target the now-dominant omicron variant as well as the original strain of the virus. Ahead of the meeting, Pfizer released the results from its most recent study. They show the modified booster shots produce a much stronger immune response than Pfizer’s original one. Modera already released similar data about its new shot, too. Both said the side effects are mostly mild and temporary.
Read More: Pfizer, FDA, Stat, WSJ, Axios
Juul Ban Delayed
The ban on Juul e-cigarette products in the U.S. is now on hold. A federal appeals court granted Juul’s request to delay the FDA’s ban. So, the products are still going to be sold for now. This isn’t a ruling about whether the FDA’s ban should ultimately stay in place or not, but the decision gives the court time to hear arguments. The FDA says Juul provided conflicting and insufficient evidence that its products were safe. Juul says the FDA’s decision is unlawful and political. The company has argued that its products provide a beneficial alternative to traditional cigarettes.
Read More: WSJ, Forbes, Fox Business, NY Times
New Apple Devices Coming
A slew of new Apple devices could be coming soon. Bloomberg is reporting Apple is about to “embark on one of the most ambitious periods of new products in its history.” The report says the new products will include four iPhone 14 devices, a set of new iPads, three Apple Watches, the company’s first mixed-realty headset, updated Airpods, a new Homepod, an updated Apple TV model, and more. They’re all expected between this fall and the start of 2023. Apple hasn’t confirmed the report or commented.
Read More: Bloomberg, The Verge, 9to5Mac, Mashable
Colorado Avalanche Wins Stanley Cup
For the first time in 21 years, the Colorado Avalanche are Stanley Cup champions. They beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in game six of the finals last night, dethroning the two-time defending champions. This comes only five years after the Avalanche had the worst record in the history of the NHL. Now, the Avalanche are bringing the Stanley Cup back to Denver and will be holding a victory parade on Thursday.
Read More: NHL, Denver Post, USA Today, AP, ESPN, KDVR
Wimbledon Starts
Today, some of the biggest names in tennis are playing on the most famous grass court in the world. It’s time for Wimbledon. However, things are going to be different this year. Players from Russia and Belarus aren’t allowed to compete, so the top men’s player in the world, Daniil Medvedev, is out. Also, the reigning women’s champion Ashleigh Barty is out since she recently retired. With that, the top players to watch on the women’s side include Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek. For the men, the two top contenders are Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. You can catch the tournament on ESPN and the Tennis Channel.
Read More: ESPN, CNN, WaPo, CBS Sports
BET Awards Highlights
Last night’s BET Awards brought together the best in Black culture, music, movies, television, and sports. Many stars used the occasion to address serious issues like gun violence and the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. There were some light-hearted moments, too. Brandy did a surprise performance with Jack Harlow, Mariah Carey belted out the high notes with Latto, and Babyface and Kanye “Ye” West presented Sean “Diddy” Combs with a lifetime achievement award. Diddy also performed with several fellow artists and collaborators like Mary J. Blige, Lil Kim, Busta Rhymes, Faith Evans, and more.
Read More: BET, AP, People, E!, THR
Money Monday: Home Owning Costs More Than Renting
Having a mortgage is now a lot more expensive than having a lease. That’s according to a new report from an industry advisory firm called John Burns Real Estate Consulting. It says owning a home will cost you nearly $840 more each month than renting a home. Just over a year ago, the monthly cost of owning and renting was pretty much identical. Zillow says the typical value of a home last month was nearly $350,000. That’s about $100,000 more than in January 2020, before the pandemic changed up the market. Rents are going up, too. Redfin says the median monthly rent surpassed $2,000 last month, up more than 15% over the last year.
Read More: NY Times, Newsweek, MarketWatch, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, Zillow