Monday, December 13th, 2021
Deadly Tornado Outbreak, New Omicron Data & Heisman Trophy Winner
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by kiwico.com (Listen for the discount code) 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 to review the latest happenings...
Deadly Tornado Outbreak
Tornadoes ripped through at least six states late Friday night into Saturday morning, leveling entire towns in their paths. Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee were all hit, but the worst was in Kentucky. The governor says he believes more than 100 people died, making this the deadliest-ever tornado event in the state. In some places, devastation goes on for a dozen blocks. First responders and National Guard members are busy with rescue and recovery, and FEMA is set up all around Kentucky with thousands of meals, water, cots, blankets, medical equipment, and more.
Read More: Deadly Tornado Outbreak: CNN, Reuters, NY Times, ABC News, WSJ
How to Help: Kentucky.Gov, Red Cross, CARE, Feeding America, International Medical Corps, United Way
California Winter Storm
California is bracing for the worst of a major winter storm today. The highest elevations could get more than ten feet of snow, and other parts of the state could get drenched in rain. Driving conditions could be dangerous up north, with roads likely covered with ice and snow. Further south, there’s fear of flooding and rockslides. But, this storm could bring a little relief since the western U.S. has been in an “exceptional drought.” The most snow is expected to fall in northern California today. Southern California is supposed to get heavy rain tomorrow. After that, another weather system could bring even more rain and snow to California by mid-week.
Read More: SF Gate, AP, LA Times, Accuweather, NWS
Texas Candlelight Vigil Shooting
A candlelight vigil in Texas became the site of a deadly drive-by shooting. Last night in Baytown, about 25 miles east of Houston, a mother was holding a vigil for her son with about 50 other people. Just as they were releasing balloons, someone drove down the road and shot into the crowd. One person was killed, and 14 others were hurt, some very seriously. As of this morning, the gunman is still on the run. Police haven’t released information about a possible suspect.
Read More: KPRC, KTRK, ABC News, Reuters
SCOTUS Allows TX Abortion Law Challenges
The U.S. Supreme Court decided the controversial abortion law in Texas can stay in place. But, even though the justices didn’t block the law, they said lower courts could take it up. The Texas law bans abortions as soon as doctors can detect a heartbeat, usually about six weeks into a pregnancy, and it’s up to private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone else who helps someone get an abortion. This latest Supreme Court ruling says that while people can’t sue the state of Texas or the state attorney general, they can sue state licensing officials because they’re the ones who can punish doctors, nurses, and pharmacists who break the law.
Read More: NPR, WSJ, AP, CNN, Supreme Court
CDC Releases Omicron Data
Top health officials are starting to learn more details about the omicron variant of Covid-19. The CDC now knows of 43 Americans who were infected with omicron, and nearly 80% of them were already vaccinated. The good news is most of their cases were pretty mild, with only one hospitalization and no deaths so far (that we know of). Still, the CDC says it’s too early for anyone to put their guards down. The experts say omicron might be more contagious than other variants, and if it does spread, the CDC says the potential volume of severe cases could overwhelm the healthcare system. But, it’s going to keep collecting data as more cases pop up.
Read More: Reuters, CNBC, CNN, USA Today, CDC
Chris Wallace Leaves Fox for CNN+
One of America's best-known TV news personalities is leaving his network after 18 years and switching to a competitor. Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace is going to work for CNN’s new streaming service, CNN+. CNN says his new show will feature interviews from influential figures in politics, sports, business, and culture. It will be available when the new platform launches in the new year. It's not clear yet who will fill Wallace's role at Fox.
Read More: CNN, Fox News, NY Times, The Verge
Hackers Exploit Critical Software Flaw
Companies big and small around the world are scrambling to fix a major threat to their systems. The bug is in a widely-used software tool found in a utility that’s almost everywhere in cloud servers and software across industries and governments. The CEO of a cybersecurity firm called it the “single biggest, most critical vulnerability of the last decade,” and possibly the biggest in the history of modern computing. Unless it’s fixed, criminals, spies, and basically anyone can have easy access to internal networks. An update has already been released to fix the bug, but the issue was out there for weeks before a fix was released.
Read More: BGR, The Verge, AP, The Guardian
Heisman Trophy Winner
For the second year in a row, a football player from the University of Alabama won the Heisman Trophy. In other words, he was named college football’s most outstanding player. This time, it was Alabama's sophomore quarterback Bryce Young. Young has led his team to the number-one ranking in the country, has thrown 43 touchdowns this season, and has been intercepted just four times. Next up, Alabama will play Cincinnati at the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Read More: ESPN, SI, CNN, USA Today
Strahan, Shepard Space Flight
NFL Hall-of-Famer and “Good Morning America” host Michael Strahan has now been to space and back. Strahan, along with the daughter of America's first astronaut and four paying passengers, took a ride in a Blue Origin rocket on Saturday. The rocket ride was only ten minutes long, but it was enough to give the passengers the feeling of weightlessness and the chance to see Earth from above. It also marked the 13th human spaceflight mission this year, which is more than any other year.
Read More: AP, WaPo, CNN, Space.Com
Geminid Meteor Shower
The Geminid meteor shower peaks tonight. Usually, it’s one of the best meteor showers of the year. However, this year might not look as spectacular as it has in the past. The brightness of the moon, which will be close to full, may make it tough to see some of the shooting stars. Clouds and city lights can also block your view. The best time to see it will be after the moon has dropped below the horizon, so 2-5 am local time. You may need to give your eyes at least 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
Read More: Space.Com, WSJ, AccuWeather, Earth Sky
Money Monday: Latest Inflation Report
New data from the Labor Department shows inflation got worse last month, hitting a 39-year high. To be more specific, the cost of goods and services were up about 6.8% in November compared to the same time last year, which is the fastest pace since 1982. Even though we’re also seeing the biggest jump in worker wages in decades, experts say inflation means paychecks still aren’t keeping up. Fed officials have blamed the pandemic as the root cause of the price increases. Many economists say inflation, and therefore the cost of living should ease next year. Top central bank officials will meet next week to plan the next steps.
Read More: WSJ, CNBC, MarketWatch, USA Today, BLS