Friday, July 22nd, 2022
Trump’s Outtakes, Polio Returns & $660M Jackpot
All the news you need in around 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Rothys.com/newsworthy and 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...
Hearing Examines Trump’s Jan 6th Actions
Lawmakers investigating the Capitol riot focused their eighth public hearing on what former President Trump was doing as the attack was happening. They say Trump was told the Capitol was being invaded within 15 minutes of him wrapping up his speech at a rally. From that point, White House staffers say he watched Fox News, checked Twitter, and called Senators to encourage them to put off certifying President Biden’s victory. Senior law enforcement officers, military leaders, and top government officials say they didn’t hear anything from Trump during the riot. Trump has said the committee’s work is one-sided and political and that he has done nothing wrong. The investigation is still far from over, and there will be more hearings this fall.
Read More: Jan. 6th Committee, WaPo, AP, WSJ, NY Times, Reuters, ABC News
SCOTUS Blocks Immigration Plan
The federal government won’t be able to enforce some of its recent immigration policies, at least not for now. The U.S. Supreme Court decided to let the lower court’s ruling to block the policies stand until justices can take up the case later this year. They’re considering the guidelines that say immigration status alone shouldn’t be the basis of a decision to deport someone but that officers should focus on immigrants who pose a threat to national security and public safety. Texas and Louisiana sued over those guidelines, saying they grant immunity to millions of noncitizens and put a strain on state resources.
Read More: SCOTUS, NY Times, NBC News, AP, WSJ
Biden Gets Covid
President Biden is in isolation this weekend, fighting off a case of Covid-19. This week, he tested positive for the first time, even though he has been vaccinated and had two booster shots. The White House spokesperson says he’s still able to carry out all of his duties while dealing with mild symptoms. Biden is also being treated with an antiviral. He will have to stay isolated for at least five days. If he tests negative after that, he will be able to return to his usual business.
Read More: White House, POTUS, Newsweek, Fox News, AP, NY Times
Right to Conception Bill
The U.S. House passed a bill to protect certain types of birth control on a federal level. We’re talking about methods like birth control pills, IUDs, and Plan B. Every Democrat and eight Republicans voted “yes”. 195 other Republicans voted “no”. Some GOP lawmakers who said “no” worried it could open the door to more abortion access. Others said it could potentially force medical providers to offer birth control, even if it goes against their moral or religious beliefs. Since the Senate is more evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, the bill will likely fail there.
Read More: US House, Reuters, CBS News, NY Times, WSJ, AP
Heatwave Latest
Heat alerts now span from Phoenix to Boston, and millions of Americans are dealing with triple-digit temperatures. Several cities have issued heat emergencies. With that, cooling centers will be open, and special field teams will go out to check on people. Extreme heat is also making some businesses change things up. For example, farmers in Texas are selling off their cattle at a rate not seen in more than a decade. Texas has already gotten some of the highest temperatures on record this summer, and Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio are expected to stay at or above 100 degrees for at least the next week.
Read More: NWS, CNN, NBC News, WaPo, WSJ
Monarch Butterfly Endangered
Monarch butterflies are closer to the brink of extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature added the migrating monarch butterfly to its endangered list. Experts point to droughts that slow the growth of milkweed, which monarch caterpillars depend on. They also blame an increase in wildfires and extreme weather events. In the western United States, the monarch butterfly population declined by an estimated 99.9% between the 1980s and last year. Still, there is hope. One expert pointed to people and organizations planting native milkweed and cutting back on pesticide use.
Read More: IUCN, CBS News, WaPo, Fox News, AP
NY Polio Case
New York health officials and the CDC confirmed the nation’s first polio case in nearly a decade. The patient is reportedly a young adult who lives in Rockland County and has developed paralysis. The patient had not been vaccinated for polio. Still, officials are trying to figure out exactly how the infection occurred and whether other people were exposed to the virus. Most Americans are vaccinated against polio, and officials say if you are, you don’t need to worry because the risk is extremely low. However, they’re encouraging everyone who isn’t vaccinated to get up-to-date on their shots.
Read More: NY Health, Politico, AP, NY Times, Reuters
Amazon to Buy One Medical
Amazon is making one of its largest acquisitions, helping to further the tech giant’s presence in healthcare. Amazon says it will require One Medical for about $3.9 billion. One Medical is a public company that operates a network of boutique primary-care practices and offers telemedicine services. It has more than 180 medical officers in 25 markets, and it works with thousands of companies to provide health benefits to employees. An Amazon executive said the company hopes to improve how people book appointments and make the overall experience of seeing a doctor easier.
Read More: Amazon, CNBC, MarketWatch, WaPo, WSJ
Facebook Feed Changes
The Facebook app is getting a makeover. Parent company Meta announced the changes that make Facebook look more like TikTok. It moves the most recent posts from friends and family to a different area called the Feeds tab. You’ll see the Home tab when you first open Facebook. That one leans on an algorithm to choose what videos you’ll see, giving you recommendations for new content and creators to follow. The changes are rolling out around the world over the next week.
Read More: Facebook, USA Today, Axios, Bloomberg
Instagram Updates
Meta-owned Instagram also announced a few changes this week. For example, most videos uploaded on Instagram will now be reels. Reels will now offer templates to use in the hopes of making it easier to create them. There is also a new dual feature that allows you to record using both the front and back camera of your phone at the same time. You will also be able to “remix” other people’s reels and public photos on the app.
Read More: Instagram, TechCrunch, The Verge, Engadget
$660M Mega Millions Drawing
The Mega Millions grand prize for tonight’s drawing is now $660 million. If someone wins, it will be the nation’s ninth largest jackpot. It has become so large because there hasn’t been a winner in three months. That said, the odds are not in your favor. You have a one in more than 302 million chance of winning.
Read More: Mega Millions, AP, CBS News, Fox Business
Feel Good Friday: Pizza Delivery Driver Saves Kids
An Indiana pizza delivery driver ran into a burning home and saved five people inside. When Nick Bostic saw flames, he immediately went to see if anyone was inside. An 18-year-old, two of her younger siblings, and one of their friends were able to follow him outside. However, there was still a six-year-old who didn’t get out. Bostic went back inside and found her, but at that point, smoke was filling the home. They had no choice but to get out through a second-floor window. Bostic hurt his arm during the rescue. However, everyone is now expected to be okay.
Read More: Fox News, CNN, People, AP, WaPo, GoFundMe