Tuesday, July 13th, 2021
New J&J Warning, Rare Cuba Protests & Cannes Jewelry Heist
All the news in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Rothys.com/newsworthy and Ritual.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 read the latest happenings...
New J&J Vaccine Warning
The Johnson & Johnson version of the COVID-19 vaccine now comes with a new warning. The FDA says it might be linked to a rare and potentially dangerous neurological reaction. Out of the nearly 13 million Americans who have received the J&J shot so far, about 100 people ended up with Guillain-Barre syndrome afterward. It can cause muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis, which is usually temporary. Almost all of the 100 people were hospitalized, and one person died. The shots are still on the market in the U.S., but anyone who gets one will also be given information about symptoms to watch out for.
Read More: NY Times, WaPo, WSJ, CNN, AP
Cuba Protests
Thousands of people in Cuba are taking to the streets to protest during an economic crisis in their country that’s left many people without basic goods and services like food, medicine, and electricity. Protesters are calling for an end to Cuba’s communist government. In response, Cuba’s president called on his supporters to take the streets back from protesters. He also cut off internet access to make it harder for protesters to organize and he sent security forces out in droves. Activists say some protesters have been attacked and at least 80 have been arrested.
Read More: AP, NBC News, CBS News, WSJ, White House
Top U.S. General in Afghanistan Stepped Down
It’s another sign of change in Afghanistan. The top U.S. general there stepped down this week. Army Gen. Scott Miller has overseen the war effort for nearly three years, but in a small ceremony yesterday he gave up his responsibilities. He then left for Washington D.C. Another four-star general took over authority of the American post in Afghanistan, but he’ll only be there until the U.S. withdrawal wraps up at the end of next month.
Read More: WaPo, Politico, AP, WSJ
Texas Democrats Leave the State
Texas Democrats took dramatic action to block new voting restrictions from becoming law in their state. The bill would do away with things like drive-through voting, late-night voting, and more. Republicans say it will make elections more secure, but Democrats say it will discourage people from voting at all. More than 50 Dems hopped on planes and headed to Washington, D.C. They’re now hoping to pressure the U.S. Congress to act on expanding voting rights at the federal level. Texas’ governor says as soon as the Democrats return to Texas, they’ll be arrested and detained until they do their jobs.
Read More: Texas Tribune, NBC News, Politico, Fox News
MLB All-Star Game Tonight
Tonight’s MLB All-Star game is happening in Denver, Colorado. The All-Star events were originally slated for Atlanta, Georgia, but Major League Baseball decided to move the event to protest Georgia’s new election restrictions. It’s estimated that the All-Star game will bring in $100 million in revenue for Denver. On the diamond, the National League team is looking to end a long losing streak tonight. The American League has won the last seven All-Star games in a row. The action starts tonight at 7 o’clock EST on Fox.
Read More: Fox Sports, NY Times, AP, NPR, CBS News
Home Run Derby
The Home Run Derby was held at Coors Field last night. The idea of the Home Run Derby is that each player has to hit as many home runs as they can in the time allotted over three rounds. In rounds one and two, they get three minutes. In the finals, it’s just two minutes. Mets slugger Pete Alonso came out on top, making him only the third player in history to win it back-to-back. He ended the derby with 74 home runs, and his longest one went 509 feet at about 111 miles an hour.
Read More: USA Today, WaPo, MLB
Wall Street Closes at Record Highs
Stocks rose to their highest levels ever yesterday. We’re talking records for the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite. Some of the biggest gains were from financial companies like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. Starting today, big banks are going to be turning in their earnings report from the last quarter. Yesterday’s rally is likely a sign that investors expect to hear good news. Disney shares were also up after Black Widow had an especially successful weekend.
Read More: Reuters, Fox Business, WSJ, Forbes
Elon Musk SolarCity Lawsuit
Tesla CEO Elon Musk testified about his acquisition of SolarCity back in 2016. SolarCity used to be its own company that made solar panels for homes. A few years ago, Musk owned a pretty big part of both Tesla and SolarCity, but at the time, neither one was profitable. Musk’s solution was to combine the two companies into a single clean-energy business in a takeover worth roughly $2.1 billion. He ended up getting sued by people who say there was a conflict of interest in the deal. In court yesterday, Musk defended himself, saying it just made sense to combine businesses and that he didn’t make any money off the merger.
Read More: WSJ, CNBC, Reuters, Bloomberg
Amazon to Monitor Sleep With Radar
Amazon wants to analyze how you’re sleeping, and federal regulators have given the company the go-ahead. Amazon just got permission from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop and sell a specific device. It will use radar sensors to track how much a person moves in their sleep without actually touching them. Amazon says the technology could help people figure out why they’re having trouble sleeping, and could ultimately lead to better health. Amazon hasn't said exactly what the device might look like, but says it will be more precise than anything else on the market.
Read More: Business Insider, Bloomberg, The Verge
Cannes Jewelry Heist
There was a major jewelry heist at the Cannes Film Festival in France. Thieves reportedly broke into British actress Jodie Turner-Smith’s hotel room. She wasn’t there at the time. The robbers took tens of thousands of dollars worth of her personal jewelry, including her mother’s wedding ring. Local sources say the hotel uses magnetic key cards to get into the rooms, and there was no sign that anyone forced in the door. Turner-Smith and her young daughter were given security guards and were moved to another hotel. The investigation is ongoing.
Read More: Variety, Vanity Fair, People
Engagement Ring Sales Soar
More people are shopping for engagement rings these days. Retailers say there’s been a recent spike in sales as pandemic restrictions have eased. An engagement ring company in New York called The Clear Cut says sales have quadrupled compared to last year. The company’s CEO says a lot of customers have been eager to find rings now because many are planning long-awaited trips with their boyfriends or girlfriends, and they want to propose during these summer vacations. Retailers also say more shoppers are coming in to replace or upgrade their old rings too.
Read More: CNN, AJC, KSAT
National French Fry Day
Today is National French Fry Day! Many restaurants are celebrating by offering special deals and discounts. McDonald’s is giving out free medium fries to rewards members. At Burger King, one large order of fries is $1 if you order it through the restaurant’s app. Red Robin is offering bottomless steak fries with its burgers. Finally, at Checkers and Rally’s, any size fries is just a dollar today.
Read More: Elite Daily, RetailMeNot, CouponCabin, National Today
Trivia Tuesday
Q: What is the hottest planet in the solar system?
Play along on today’s Instagram Stories Quiz. We’ll also have the answer right here next week.
Last Week’s Trivia Tuesday Answer
Q: When and where was the nation’s very first 4th of July fireworks show?
A: 1777 in Philadelphia.
Read More: History, PBS, Library of Congress, USA Today