Wednesday, July 1st, 2020
100K Daily Cases Possible, New NAFTA & Baseball is Back
All the news you need in 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by www.FunctionofBeauty.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…
U.S. Coronavirus Records
The United States broke another record for the most COVID-19 cases confirmed in one day. That was the fourth time in the last week the U.S. broke the single-day record. It was reached with 48,000 infections reported yesterday. Still, the nation’s top infectious disease expert says it could get a lot worse. Dr. Anthony Fauci told lawmakers if recent outbreaks aren’t contained, we could end up doubling the last record, with 100,000 new cases daily.
Fauci: Daily Cases Could Double: WSJ, FOX News, AP, Reuters, Axios
Case Count/Death Toll: Johns Hopkins
Lawmakers Push Mask Wearing
More lawmakers in Congress this week have been proudly wearing masks and telling their constituents to do the same. That’s one of the few things Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agree on. We’ve also heard similar mask endorsements from former Vice President Joe Biden and Dick Cheney, as well as the current Vice President Mike Pence. President Trump isn’t joining in yet. He still hasn’t worn one in public.
Read More: AP, WaPo, Politico
Vaccine Must be 50% Effective
The FDA outlined conditions for approving a COVID-19 vaccine. Among them, it will require the vaccine to be at least 50% more effective than a placebo. Otherwise, it won’t get approved. The Trump administration has promised to get a vaccine on the market by early 2021 without cutting corners on safety or effectiveness. So far, that plan appears to be on track.
Read More: WSJ, Reuters, USA Today
USMCA Goes into Effect
The new U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement goes into effect today. That means NAFTA is a thing of the past. The new trade deal is pretty similar to the old one, but there are some key differences. For one, the USMCA should give American auto manufacturing a boost because it requires 75% of a vehicle’s parts to come from one of the North American countries. The Trump administration has said it’s ready to enforce the deal right away and lean on trade partners to do the same.
Read More: Politico, CNN, USMCA
China Passes Hong Kong Security Law
China passed a controversial security law for Hong Kong. It gives China the power to investigate, charge, and punish suspected criminals in Hong Kong. It is a crime to oppose China’s leadership, so Hong Kong’s pro-democracy, anti-government protests are now illegal. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised America would not stand idly by while Beijing attacks freedoms of speech, press, and assembly. Already, he has said the U.S. will no longer give Hong Kong any special treatment on trade.
Read More: Reuters, BBC, NY Times, CNN
Carl Reiner Dies
The world is saying goodbye to one of the most celebrated comedy writers of all time. Carl Reiner died at 98 years old. He’s best known for creating the sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show and the movie The Jerk in the 60s and 70s. Reiner has also worked with, and was best friends with, fellow comedy legend Mel Brooks. He posted a farewell on Twitter, calling Reiner a giant, unmatched in his contributions to entertainment.
Read More: TMZ, NY Times, Reuters, USA Today
AA to Book Flights to Capacity Again
Starting today, American Airlines will book full flights again. That said, the airline will let passengers know in advance if their flight will likely be full, so if they want to change their plans, they can. United Airlines has been willing to sell every seat throughout the pandemic, so nothing changes there. Delta and Southwest Airlines still have policies to leave the middle seat empty. They plan to keep that up through the end of September.
Read More: AP, USA Today, American Airlines
Baseball Comeback Begins
Major League Baseball teams return to training today. Players and staff are just reporting to their home ballparks to cut down on travel. Also, their practice times will be staggered. When they show up, they’ll get their temperatures taken. They’ll also have to give samples for coronavirus tests every other day. Teams are gearing up for a 60-game season that’s set to begin later this month. By the way, the minor league baseball season is canceled.
MLB Summer Camp: NBC Sports, AP, CBS Sports
Minor Leagues Canceled: AP, CNN, USA Today
Red Light Could Preserve Vision
A new study suggests looking into a certain kind of red light could dramatically improve your vision. Scientists asked two dozen people to stare into a specialized light for three minutes a day. After two weeks of testing the light, participants had their vision tested. They all saw improvement. The biggest changes were in people over the age of 40. Still, more tests need to be one before it’s considered for FDA approval.
Read More: Newsweek, CNN, Gizmodo, Study
YouTube TV Raises Monthly Rate
YouTube TV is about to get more expensive. It is raising its monthly subscription from $50 a month to $65. For new members, that starts today. The company says the price hike reflects the rising cost of content. It added new channels to its lineup including MTV, BET, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central. Now, YouTube TV’s base plan has more than 85 channels. The price change will affect current users after July 30.
Read More: TechCrunch, Mashable, Engadget, YouTube
Bob Dylan Milestone
Musician Bob Dylan made history. His new album Rough and Rowdy Ways has debuted No. 2 on the Billboard album chart. That means the 79-year-old has had a Top 40 album in every decade since the 1960s. He is the only musician to have ever achieved that.
Read More: NME, NY Times, Billboard
Work Wednesday: Microsoft Launches Job Skills Initiative
Microsoft plans to help train 25 million people worldwide by the end of the year. It’s working with LinkedIn Learning. It has “paths” aligned with specific jobs, like software developers and IT administrators. Those will be free for eight months. Microsoft is also discounting its certification exams for people whose jobs were impacted by COVID-19. They’re now only $15 instead of the typical $100 or more.
Read More: Microsoft, Engadget, TechCrunch