Monday, June 28th, 2021
Search for Survivors, Chauvin Sentenced & Wimbledon Begins
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.com/newsworthy and Noom.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...
Condo Collapse Update
Rescuers are still working to find people who survived a condo collapse in Florida who may still be trapped under the rubble. So far, nine people have been found dead and more than 150 people are still missing. Hundreds of emergency workers are working to dig through the wreckage very carefully so they don’t shift the rubble or put extra weight on it since they don’t want to cause another collapse. This process could take months. About half of the 13-story condo complex crumbled early Thursday. Investigators are still looking into what caused the collapse.
Read More: NY Times, ABC News, CNN, AP, Reuters
U.S. Airstrikes in Syria, Iraq
Early this morning, the U.S. military launched another round of airstrikes in the Middle East. The Pentagon says it targeted two Iranian-backed militia groups near the Iraq-Syria border. All the targets were hit and one British-based human rights group says at least five militiamen were killed. This airstrike was in response to recent drone strikes against American troops. This is the second time President Biden has ordered airstrikes against militias, with the first time being back in February. Now, a Pentagon spokesperson says “the strikes were both necessary to address the threat.” So far, there is no comment from Iran.
Read More: AP, NY Times, WSJ, ABC News, DOD
Derek Chauvin Sentence
The former police officer who killed George Floyd in Minneapolis last summer was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison, which is one of the longest prison terms ever given to an American police officer for killing a Black person. It’s ten years more than what state guidelines suggest for this kind of case, but the judge cited Chauvin’s “particular cruelty” and the fact that he abused “a position of trust and authority.” In court, Chauvin spoke publicly for the first time since the incident, offering condolences to Floyd’s family. Chauvin’s defense attorneys are expected to appeal his sentence.
Read More: NPR, NY Times, AP, Fox News
DOJ Suing Georgia
The federal government is now suing the state of Georgia over its controversial new voting law. The law limits how much time voters have to request mail-in ballots, adds more voter ID requirements, gives state lawmakers more control over the elections office, and a lot more. The U.S. Justice Department says those restrictions make it harder for people to vote, and that they especially discriminate against Black voters. The state’s governor accused the Biden administration of using the DOJ to carry out a “far-left agenda,” and Georgia Republicans who pushed for the new law have said the regulations were about election security, not suppression.
Read More: WaPo, Axios, NPR, DOJ
WHO Recommends Keeping Masks
The World Health Organization is recommending you hold onto your masks for a little longer, even if you’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19. WHO leaders say people need to keep their guards up as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread. Officials say it’s best to play it safe since Delta outbreaks are growing quickly all around the world. However, here in the U.S., officials say almost everyone who’s been hospitalized or died from COVID-19 recently hasn’t been vaccinated. Experts have said that’s proof the vaccines work, even against new variants. So far, the CDC hasn’t responded to the new advice from the WHO.
Read More: Fox News, CNBC, Forbes
Pentagon UFO Report Released
The nine-page government report about UFOs was officially released over the weekend. The Pentagon analyzed 144 sightings that happened between 2004 and this year. Officials could only explain one of these sightings, saying it turned out to be a “large deflating balloon.” The other 143 reports are still mysteries. There is no mention of aliens. However, the report said some UFOs could belong to foreign governments, though officials say there’s no conclusive evidence to prove it. The report says a more in-depth analysis is still needed.
Read the Report Here: DNI
Read More: Reuters, The Verge, CNN, NBC News
Google Unreliable Searches Warning
Google is trying a new tactic to stop misinformation from spreading online. The search engine says from now on, when you try to look up information about breaking news or another evolving topic, it will give you a warning. That warning will just tell you all relevant facts might not be online yet and to check back later. It’s not clear how many or which sources need to weigh in on a topic before the warnings go away. For now, the notifications are only showing up in a small percentage of searches.
Read More: Vox, Mashable, CNET, Google
Wimbledon Begins
Wimbledon begins today after two years away, but a few of the top players are sitting it out. Men’s tennis star Rafael Nadal decided to take a break to let his body recuperate from recent competitions, while women’s tennis star Naomi Osaka withdrew earlier this month, citing mental health concerns. Still, there will be plenty of big stars to see, with Novak Djokovic, who is heavily favored to win, and Roger Federer, who holds the record with Nadal for the most Grand Slam wins in men’s tennis. Serena Williams will also be there and is looking to win a record-breaking 24th Grand Slam.
Read More: WaPo, ESPN, CBS Sports
‘F9’ Box Office Success
The ninth Fast and Furious movie was another box office hit. F9 brought in more than $70 million over the weekend, which was the best opening weekend since December of 2019 when the last Star Wars movie came out. Unlike some other new releases, the Fast and Furious movie has not been released on any streaming networks yet. Despite the success of F9, Variety reports ticket sales overall have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Read More: CNBC, Deadline, Variety, AP
BET Awards Highlights
Last night’s BET Awards are still causing a stir on social media. Rapper Cardi B announced she was pregnant with her second child, and Lil Nas X made history by sharing a passionate kiss with one of his male backup dancers. As for the awards, Megan Thee Stallion was one of the night’s big winners, taking home the award for best female hip hop artist along with five others. Rapper Lil Baby was named best male hip hop artist, while Jazmine Sullivan took home album of the year. Queen Latifah was honored with a lifetime achievement award.
Read More: BET, Vulture, HuffPost, Billboard
Money Monday: What’s Driving Higher Utility Bills
You can expect higher electricity bills this summer due to higher prices in the natural gas industry that are getting passed on to consumers. Power plant fuel costs twice as much now as it did a year ago. American producers reportedly used to have a big surplus of natural gas for plants which was keeping energy prices relatively low, so they stopped drilling as much. Now, demand for natural gas is ticking back up, but natural gas suppliers don’t have the same level of reserves the market has gotten used to, so we’re dealing with price increases and more expensive utility bills.
Read More: WSJ, CBS News, AP, AAA