Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021
GOP Stuns Dems, Pfizer for Kids Rollout & World Series Champs
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Ritual.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 about the latest happenings…
Top Elections Results
The GOP secured big wins in statewide elections. Republican Glen Youngkin was elected governor of Virginia even though that state has been trending blue for years. He had the backing of big-name Republicans like former President Trump. The race for New Jersey’s governor turned out to be closer than analysts expected. As of this morning, the Democratic incumbent, Gov. Phil Murphy, is locked in a neck-and-neck battle with his Republican challenger, Jack Ciattarelli. The race is still too close to call. Meanwhile, new mayors were chosen in major cities like New York, Pittsburgh, Boston, Seattle, Detroit, Miami, and elsewhere.
Read More: WaPo, CNN, NY Times, WSJ, Politico
Raiders Star Involved in Deadly Crash
A young NFL star is now facing felony criminal charges after a deadly car crash. Las Vegas Raiders player Henry Ruggs III was arrested yesterday for a DUI. Police say he slammed his Corvette into the back of a Toyota, and the Toyota went up in flames. The 23-year-old woman behind the wheel wasn’t able to get out, and she and her dog died. The Raiders tweeted last night that they released him from the team. Rugg’s lawyers say they’re investigating the crash too, and they ask everyone to “reserve judgment until all the facts are gathered.”
Read More: NBC News, ESPN, AP, Fox News, NFL, Raiders
More COP26 Commitments
World leaders are making more big promises at the COP26 climate conference. More than 100 countries signed on to the Global Methane Pledge, saying they will lower methane emissions globally by 30% in the next nine years. Also, more than 100 world leaders representing more than 85% of the world’s forests promised to protect and restore those forests. Still, there’s more work to be done. The United Nations still wants to see concrete plans for the world to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Read More: Reuters, BBC, Axios, NY Times, CNN, White House
CDC Recommends Pfizer Vax for Kids
Elementary school children can start getting their Covid-19 shots this week. CDC advisers unanimously gave the thumbs up for a kids-sized version of Pfizer's vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds. Like the adult vaccine, it’s given in two shots, three weeks apart. It may still take a few days before the kids’ vaccine is widely available. The shots will be in pediatricians and family doctors’ offices, community centers, pharmacies, and more. Some school districts have already scheduled vaccination drives before the Thanksgiving holiday.
Read More: NPR, Politico, Stat News, Axios, CDC
DOJ Sues Penguin Random House
The U.S. government doesn’t want the world’s largest book publisher to buy one of its biggest rivals. So, the Justice Department is suing to block the merger. Penguin Random House bought Simon & Schuster last year in a deal worth more than $2 billion. But, the Justice Department’s new lawsuit says the merger would give one company unprecedented control and influence over which books are published in the U.S. and how much authors are paid. The publishing companies disagree and plan to fight the lawsuit in court. They say their deal will make publishing more efficient so books can become more widely available.
Read More: WSJ, NY Times, Axios, WaPo, DOJ
Zillow Permanently Stops Flipping Houses
Zillow is quitting the home-flipping business and laying off a quarter of its staff. Zillow is a digital real estate company best known for publishing real estate listings online and estimating home values. Another major part of its business is to quickly buy, renovate, and then sell houses. But, that part has resulted in huge losses for the company. Zillow’s CEO says, “the unpredictability in forecasting home prices far exceeds what we anticipated.” Now, Zillow is sitting on several thousands of houses worth less than what the company bought them for.
Read More: MarketWatch, NY Times, CNBC, WSJ, Zillow
Facebook Deleting Face Scan Data
Facebook now says it will shut down its facial recognition system. That means it is deleting the face scan data of more than 1 billion people. The social media giant has been using it since 2010. Since then, this type of tech has been used in airports, schools, for police investigations, and more. However, Facebook, and its rebranded parent company, Meta, don’t think the technology is worthwhile anymore, pointing to what the company called “growing societal concerns.” It also says there aren’t enough clear rules from government regulators about how to legally use the technology.
Read More: NY Times, WaPo, Cnet, Financial Times, Meta
Netflix Launches Gaming
Video games are now on Netflix. The streaming platform released a Games tab on its mobile app for Android smartphones and tablets. You have to be a Netflix subscriber to play, but you don’t have to pay any extra fees or buy anything within the app. For now, there are only five games listed. Two of them are based on the popular Netflix original series “Stranger Things,” but more are expected to come out soon. Netflix also says it plans to roll out games for Apple devices in the next few months.
Read More: Gizmodo, Reuters, The Verge, Variety, Netflix
Braves Win World Series
Atlanta baseball fans have reason to celebrate this morning. For the first time since 1995, the Braves are World Series Champions. They beat the Houston Astros 7-0 last night in Game 6. They weren’t even expected to make the World Series, let alone win it. The Braves won just 88 games during the regular season, the fewest of all the playoff teams. On top of that, two of the Braves’ best players were sidelined with injuries. But, they rallied together to secure the win in Houston. A championship parade will happen soon.
Read More: AJC, NBC News, AP, ESPN
Work Wednesday: Microsoft Introduces Loop
Microsoft announced a new program for its Microsoft Office bundle. Microsoft Loop is a program meant to give people a way to collaborate in real-time. It includes Loop components, which are smaller documents that can be easily shared and updated in real-time. There are also Loop pages that work like a modern-day whiteboard. It also has Loop workspaces which are basically the shared hubs or project boards. Loop features are coming to some of Microsoft’s other programs including Teams, Outlook, and One Note this month. Then, a preview of the full app is set to be available in the first half of next year.
Read More: Engadget, CNBC, Cnet, The Verge, Microsoft
Work Wednesday: Microsoft Enters Metaverse Race
Microsoft is also getting into the Metaverse race. This means it’s exploring new virtual spaces and experiences. Teams will be getting new 3D avatars. It’s part of what Microsoft calls Mesh for Teams. The company’s Mesh platform will allow for other shared experiences using virtual and augmented reality. This announcement comes just days after Facebook rebranded its corporate company to Meta.
Read More: The Verge, TechCrunch, Fast Company, Bloomberg