Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020
Global Vaccine Effort, Evictions on Hold & Venice Film Fest
All the news you need in 10 min:
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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. Won’t Join COVAX
There is a new global effort to find an effective COVID-19 vaccine and distribute it around the world. More than 170 countries are reportedly showing interest, but the U.S. isn’t one of them, in part because the World Health Organization is leading the effort. For months, President Trump has said the UN health agency is corrupt and too heavily-influenced by China. For the countries that are involved, the idea is to vaccinate high-risk people in every country first, instead of vaccinating the wealthiest countries first that are most capable of developing vaccines.
Read More: WaPo, AP, Axios, WHO
NIH Convalescent Plasma Warning
A U.S. government health panel now says convalescent plasma should not be used as the go-to standard of care to treat COVID-19. The FDA gave emergency authorization to that treatment last month. However, now the National Institutes of Health panel says no evidence definitively proves it works. The panel says studies have not yet looked at the long-term risks either. Still, the FDA says it’s safe and available to use.
Read More: NBC News, CNN, NIH
Trump Visits Kenosha
President Trump says recent violence stemming from protests and riots around the country amounts to “domestic terror.” He made that statement during his visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin yesterday. Trump surveyed some damage to cars and businesses left behind from last week’s looting and vandalism. He also met with local police. The president did not meet with the family of Jacob Blake, the Black man shot by a white police officer. The Blake family spent time yesterday at a community rally that peacefully called for justice and police accountability.
Read More: CBS News, AP, WSJ, Politico, Axios
FB, Twitter Suspend Russia IRA
Facebook and Twitter say they have taken down more fake accounts tied to Russia that have tried to interfere in the U.S. election. After getting a tip from the FBI, Facebook says it removed more than a dozen fake accounts that appeared to be targeting left-wing voters in the U.S. The group reportedly also set up a website called “Peace Data” that’s meant to look like a liberal news outlet. Twitter said it also removed several accounts tied to the same Russian disinformation effort.
Read More: NPR, WaPo, CNN, Reuters, Axios, Facebook, Twitter
75 Years Since Official End of WWII
75 years ago today, Japan signed a formal surrender on the battleship U.S.S. Missouri. That action ended the deadliest conflict in human history, World War II. A ceremony is being held today at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii with American Defense Secretary Mark Esper and a few invited guests. Everyone else can watch the event online.
Read More: AP, Hawaii News Now, History.com
Nationwide Eviction Moratorium
Some American renters are now safe from eviction through the end of the year. The Trump administration announced a nationwide eviction moratorium, effective right away. It says single people who make less than $99,000 a year or couples who make less than $198,000 a year, can’t get kicked out if the coronavirus crisis is the reason they can’t make rent. However, this doesn’t mean they’ll never have to pay. It just gives people longer to make payments before getting kicked out.
Read More: USA Today, Politico, White House
Apple-Google Contact Tracing Upgrade
Apple and Google are expanding their coronavirus contact tracing software so more smartphone users can start using it. Until now, Apple and Google’s software only worked if people downloaded an app from their local health department. However, the new software update will make it easier for people to opt in, without having a specialized app. iPhone users in participating states should be able to access it right away. Android users will have access later this month.
Read More: Cnet, Axios, WaPo, Apple
New Third-Richest Person
Tesla founder Elon Musk is now the world’s third-richest person in the world. Bloomberg reports his net worth is $115 billion, meaning he’s knocked Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg out of the top three. His wealth is mostly thanks to Tesla’s increasing stock. However, Musk is also the founder of several other companies like SpaceX, Hyperloop, and Open AI. The only two people richer than Musk are Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
Read More: Cnet, Bloomberg, CNN
Venice Film Festival Begins
The 77th annual Venice Film Festival begins today. This is the first big film festival of the COVID-era that people are invited to attend in-person. However, there will be safety protocols in place, like social distancing and mask requirements. Even with restrictions, big stars like Cate Blanchett and Matt Damon are expected to attend. The festival starts today and will wrap up on September 12th.
Read More: Variety, AP, Deadline
Work Wednesday: Companies Abandon Offices
Companies are starting to abandon buildings as they shift to work-from-home models. For example, Pinterest is terminating its lease for a massive office space in San Francisco. The outdoor retailer REI is also downsizing. It is selling its new corporate office in Washington state, two years into construction. Experts say other companies are expected to follow suit. Companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter have also extended their work-from-home policies.
Read More: SF Chronicle, CNBC, WaPo, Business Insider