Wednesday, December 1st, 2021
School Shooting, Historic Abortion Case & Rihanna’s Hero Status
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by RadPowerBikes.com 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 reading about the latest happenings…
Michigan High School Shooting
A 15-year-old boy opened fire at his high school in Oxnard, Michigan, killing three fellow students and hurting eight other people. The shooter was arrested soon after, but authorities are still trying to figure out what might have motivated him. Investigators say they’re going to pore over the school’s video footage, interview students, and look through social media posts for any warning signs that might have been missed. Already, they say the boy’s father bought the gun his son used a few days ago, but it’s not clear if he’ll face any charges. All schools in that district will be closed for the rest of the week.
Read More: Detroit Free Press, AP, Reuters, Fox News
SCOTUS to Hear Abortion Law Challenge
Today, the Supreme Court is expected to hear the most important abortion case in decades. The specific case being argued comes from Mississippi, where a state law signed back in 2018 was meant to ban most abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. But, it was never allowed to go into effect because lower courts blocked it. They said, because of Roe v. Wade, states can only ban abortions after the point when a fetus can survive on its own outside the womb, roughly 24 weeks into a pregnancy. It’s now up to the Supreme Court to decide if the lower courts were right or not. No matter what, their decision would set precedent for abortion cases everywhere.
Read More: AP, CBS News, WSJ, CNN
CNN Suspends Chris Cuomo
CNN’s top-rated anchor will be off the air for a while, maybe forever. Chris Cuomo was suspended indefinitely after new details came out about how he tried to help his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, when he was still in office and facing sexual harassment allegations. The New York attorney general released thousands of pages of evidence this week, including emails and text messages between Chris Cuomo and his brother’s inner circle. So far, he hasn’t commented about the new documents or his suspension. For now, Anderson Cooper will extend his show for another hour to take over what used to be “Cuomo Prime Time.”
Read More: CNN, NY Times, AP, WSJ
U.S. Search for Omicron
Top federal health officials say they’re now “actively looking” for cases of the new Covid-19 variant in the U.S. So far, they haven’t found an Omicron variant case. But, the CDC is expanding a screening program at some of the largest American airports. That lets officials add Covid testing for specific international arrivals. Remember, the Omicron variant has mutations that make scientists worry it might be more contagious and less susceptible to vaccines. The government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, says it’s too soon to know how dangerous it might be.
Read More: NY Times, Reuters, NPR, CNN
Merck Covid Pill Recommended
Americans are one step closer to having pills that can treat Covid-19. An influential panel of health advisers recommended the FDA authorize a treatment from the drugmaker Merck. They said the pills should only be taken by adults who face the greatest risks with Covid-19. That would include older people and others with conditions like asthma or obesity. Most experts also said vaccinated people shouldn’t take it since they weren’t part of Merck’s research, and it’s not clear if they would benefit. The pills still need the full FDA to sign off before Americans can get them. The FDA doesn’t have to take the panel’s advice, but it usually does.
Read More: CNBC, AP, NY Times, MarketWatch
Dr. Oz Running for Senate
He’s a celebrity TV doctor turned politician. Dr. Oz is running for one of Pennsylvania's seats in the U.S. Senate. In his video announcement, Oz said Covid showed us our system is broken, and Washington got it wrong by taking away freedoms without making us safer. This is already shaping up to be a competitive Republican primary race in a crucial battleground state. The seat is open because Republican Sen. Pat Toomey is retiring at the end of his term next year. Whoever fills that seat could ultimately decide if Democrats will hold on to their slight majority in the Senate or if Republicans regain control in 2022.
Read More: Politico, WaPo, Fox News, CBS News, Washington Examiner, Dr. Oz
First Supervised Drug Injection Sites Open
New York City has now opened the first supervised drug injection sites in the country. The two facilities allow people to use drugs under the supervision of trained staff and provide things like clean needles. Supporters say the centers will save lives, lowering the number of overdose deaths and connect people with the addiction services they need. As The New York Times reports, on the first day, staff reversed two overdoses. But, critics say they allow and even magnify illegal drug use.
Read More: NY Times, NY Post, NBC News, Fox News, Mayor de Blasio
Microsoft CEO Sells Half of His Stock
In the last week, Microsoft's chairman and CEO Satya Nadella sold about half of his shares in the company he runs. That was nearly 840,000 shares, netting him more than $285 million. In a statement, a Microsoft spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal Nadella sold for “personal financial planning,” not anything to do with the company. Analysts suspect the move has to do with a new law in Microsoft's home state of Washington. At the start of the new year, the state is adding a 7% tax for long-term capital gains.
Read More: MarketWatch, CNN, WSJ, The Hill, SEC
UK Orders Meta to Sell Giphy
Lawmakers and regulators around the world have made threats to break up the company Meta, formerly known as Facebook. Now, one group of officials is the first to demand it happen. The UK's antitrust authority ordered Meta to sell Giphy, a searchable digital library of animated gifs and video clips. Facebook bought Giphy for $315 million last year. But, UK regulators say the deal could hurt competitors, and it gives Meta even more power than it already has. Meta disagrees and is now thinking about appealing the ruling.
Read More: The Verge, CNBC, Axios, CNN, Bloomberg, CMA
Rihanna Named National Hero
Rihanna, the singer, actor, entrepreneur, and fashion designer is now also a “national hero”. Her home country of Barbados gave her that title this week at a ceremony that celebrated their new independence. She is only the 11th person to get that “national hero” title in Barbados. She’s also the first person to get that honor in the last 20 years. The country’s prime minister told her, "May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honor to your nation by your works, by your actions," referring to her single “Diamonds.”
Read More: Reuters, AP, The Guardian, WaPo
Josephine Baker Inducted in French Panthéon
The late Josephine Baker became the first Black woman to be inducted into France's Panthéon. She began her career as a jazz performer. Then, during World War II, she helped the French resistance as a spy. Now she’s being memorialized in a beloved French monument. Since the 18th century, France has honored 80 intellectual and cultural heroes with tombs and memorials in the Panthéon. Some of the others include famous writers like Voltaire and Victor Hugo. But, Baker is the first performing artist to be honored there.
Read More: WaPo, NPR, AP, NBC News
Work Wednesday: Where Most Americans are Quitting
The so-called ‘Great Resignation’ refers to Americans quitting their jobs at record rates. And now, some of the latest data from the Labor Department shows another record 4.4 million workers resigned in September. A total of 18 states broke or tied their records in September. The reasons depend on the state. For example, in Hawaii, experts say the labor market is still struggling, so people may be taking time off work because of the pandemic or leaving the state. But in other places, including some states in the northeast, the number of job openings is up. So, workers may be quitting because they have other options.
Read More: CBS News, WSJ, Business Insider, BLS