Monday, November 15th, 2021
Climate Deal, FBI Hacked & Britney Freed
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.com/newsworthy and kiwico.com (Listen for the discount code)
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 review the latest happenings...
COP26 Wrap
COP26, a crucial climate summit, ended with nearly 200 nations in agreement. They all promised to do more to tackle climate change, but there are questions over how governments will follow through on the next decade. The deal relies on promises, and there aren’t any sanctions or penalties for countries that don’t follow the rules. Some of the specifics include moving away from coal and urging rich nations to “at least double” funding to protect poor countries from the dangers of a warmer climate. It also tells top governments to come back next year with better plans to cut emissions.
Read More: AP, WaPo, USA Today, NY Times, WSJ, White House
2019 Deadly Airstrike in Syria
The U.S. military reportedly covered up airstrikes that killed dozens of women and children in Syria. That’s according to a new report by the New York Times. It says the back-to-back airstrikes happened in March of 2019. 80 people were killed, including 16 ISIS fighters. However, the military still says it’s not sure about the rest of the people who died. The only investigation right after the strike was done by the same unit that ordered it. It determined the attack was legal. U.S. military leaders say the attacks were justified and for self-defense purposes.
Read More: NY Times, Reuters, BBC, The Guardian
Grand Jury Indicted Bannon
A former White House aide is now facing criminal charges. Longtime Trump advisor Steve Bannon was indicted for contempt of Congress. He was charged for refusing to work with the lawmakers investigating the January 6th Capitol riot, even though they subpoenaed him. Today, Bannon is expected to turn himself in and appear in court. If he’s found guilty, he could spend up to two years in jail. Dozens of others in Trump’s inner circle were also subpoenaed. Most have already turned over documents and testified.
Read More: CNN, Fox News, Politico, NY Times, CNBC, DOJ
FBI Email Server Hacked
Hackers were able to get into email servers at the FBI over the weekend. They sent out thousands of phony messages that look like they’re warning people they were victims of a “sophisticated chain attack.” However, it’s not clear what the hackers’ motives might have been, especially since the emails didn’t include any links or attachments. The FBI says hackers exploited a flaw in an FBI messaging system. However, they were not able to access any sensitive FBI files or data. Since the hack happened, the agency says it fixed the flaw.
Read More: WaPo, NBC News, The Verge, NY Post, FBI
Biden Vaccine Mandate Banned
It was another setback for the nationwide mandate for large businesses. This is the one that says companies with 100 employees or more have to make sure their workers get vaccinated or are tested for COVID-19 weekly. A federal appeals court kept it blocked. Supporters say vaccines are necessary to end the COVID-19 pandemic. However, critics say they go against individual liberty. In this case, the court sided with the critics. That said, it likely won’t be the final word. This case is expected to make it to the Supreme Court.
Read More: Reuters, Fox Business, CNBC, NY Times
Britney Spears Conservatorship Ends
Britney Spears’ conservatorship is officially over. That means neither her father, Jamie, nor anyone else, will formally have control over her personal life, finances, and career. Remember: her father had been in charge of it all since 2008 until earlier this year when Britney’s legal team got a replacement. Britney has been trying for years to end the conservatorship, saying her father was taking advantage of her for profit, though he denied that. Britney fans celebrated outside the courthouse after the decision was announced.
Read more: NPR, CNN, NY Times, Hollywood Reporter
Hike in Medicare Premiums
Medicare premiums are going up next year, and it’s one of the largest increases ever. Medicare is federal health insurance for people 65 and older or those with a disability. It covers more than 60 million people. Now, the standard premiums for Medicare’s outpatient coverage will go up by nearly $22/month for 2022. The government is blaming the pandemic and an expensive new Alzheimer’s drug, but it says the hike in Medicare premiums will be offset by a cost-of-living boost to Social Security payments.
Read more: CNBC, AP, CNN, AARP
J&J Splitting Up
Johnson & Johnson is splitting into two companies. One will be for its consumer products, which include well-known brands like Neutrogena, Band-Aid, and Tylenol. The other will be its riskier, but faster-growing pharmaceuticals division, which includes the company’s COVID-19 vaccine. The consumer products business has not yet received a new name. The split is expected to finalize within the next two years.
Read more: WaPo, Reuters, NY Times, CNBC, J&J
Toshiba Splitting, Too
Toshiba says it’ll divide into three companies. One will focus on energy and infrastructure. Another will be electronics, including its lineup of laptops, TVs and more. The third will be the company’s memory chip business. Toshiba’s split comes after years of issues within the company, such as a 2015 accounting scandal.
Read more: CNN, WSJ, Reuters, Toshiba
Trump Selling DC Hotel
Former President Trump and his family business are selling the rights to the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Wall Street Journal says an investment firm is buying the lease for $375 million. CGI Merchant Group is going to remove the Trump name and have the hotel rebranded and managed by Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria. The hotel is just a short walk from the White House. It opened under the Trump name in 2016. Now, this sale is expected to close early next year, assuming the federal government approves.
Read More: WSJ, CNN, Bloomberg, Forbes
Taylor Swift Breaks Records
It’s been a record-breaking few days for Taylor Swift. First, she broke a record on Spotify for the most-streamed album in a day by a female. She did it with her latest album “Red (Taylor’s Version.)” The album includes 21 re-recordings from her original 2012 release of “Red.” The other nine are new songs. It tallied 90.8 million streams on day one, beating Swift’s record from her album “Folklore.” Swift also broke a record Saturday night when she was on SNL for the longest single performance in the history of the show. She performed a new 10-minute version of her song “All Too Well.”
Read More: Deadline, EW, CNN, Billboard, Spotify
Money Monday: Household Debt Record
The Federal Reserve says household debt passed $15 trillion for the first time. That’s almost 2% more than the previous quarter. Mortgages make up the biggest difference. They rose by hundreds of billions of dollars, making up about two-thirds of Americans’ debt. Auto loans and student loan balances also increased in the last few months. Credit card debt is ticking up, too, but it’s still much lower than it was before the pandemic. More Americans are also paying their credit cards on time.
Read More: CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN, Reuters, NY Fed