Tuesday, December 15th, 2020
300K Deaths, Latest Biden Victory & Holiday Shipping Deadline
All the news in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by ButcherBox.com/NEWSWORTHY and www.Rothys.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 read the latest happenings...
U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 300,000
The U.S. hit a heartbreaking milestone in the coronavirus pandemic. The American COVID-19 death toll surpassed 300,000 and it’s still rising faster than ever. Every day now, almost the same number of Americans are dying from COVID-19 as were killed on the September 11th terror attacks or the attack on Pearl Harbor. Also, COVID-19 has officially surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death in the U.S.
Read More: AP, Axios, NY Times Johns Hopkins
First COVID Vaccines Given
The U.S. began its largest vaccination campaign in U.S. history and so far, no major hiccups have been reported. High-risk health care workers were first to get the newly-authorized COVID-19 shot from Pfizer. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he believes this vaccine is “the weapon that will end the war.” It often takes 10-15 years to get a vaccine developed in the U.S. However, this time, it took less than a year from the time the coronavirus was first identified to the time we had a studied, proven, and highly effective vaccine.
Read More: AP, Reuters, Politico, WSJ
Electoral College Votes
The Electoral College formalized President-elect Joe Biden’s election win. Biden got a solid majority of 306 electoral votes, going beyond the 270 needed for victory. That’s the same margin President Trump got when he beat Hillary Clinton and won the White House four years ago. Next, Congress will meet to certify the electoral votes on January 6th. Then, the next president will be sworn into office on Inauguration Day, January 20th.
Read More: NY Times, AP, Reuters
Biden Primetime Speech
President-elect Joe Biden addressed the nation in a primetime speech last night. Biden mentioned how a record 81 million people voted for him, so he said the Electoral College’s confirmation was a triumph for the “will of the people.” Meanwhile, President Trump has still not conceded defeat. He’s not expected to since it’s not required by law. On Twitter, he again posted about massive election fraud. However, so far, the campaign has not proven in court that any widespread fraud happened.
Read More: AP, The Week, CBS News, Biden Transition
AG Bill Barr Resignation
One of the most powerful members of President Trump’s cabinet is calling it quits. Attorney General Bill Barr resigned and he’s leaving next Wednesday, December 23rd. President Trump says it’s so he can spend the holidays with his family. However, tensions between Trump and Barr have also been high lately. For example, the AG said this month that the Justice Department found no evidence of widespread voter fraud, directly contradicting the president. However, yesterday, they both praised one another for jobs well done.
Read More: Axios, NPR, WaPo, WSJ, Trump Tweet
Congress Negotiates Spending, Relief Bills
Negotiators in Congress say they’re getting close to reaching bipartisan deals on two big priorities. The first is an overall spending bill. It’s needed to ward off a government shutdown by the end of this week. Lawmakers will reportedly announce a $1.4 trillion bill today. Also, a bipartisan group of lawmakers revealed two COVID-19 relief bills last night. One deals with unemployment benefits, small business aid, and other programs that have broad support in Congress. The other includes more controversial issues.
Read More: Politico, WaPo, CNN, CNBC
FTC Needs Data from Big Tech
The Federal Trade Commission is asking nine of the world’s biggest tech companies to explain how they gather and use personal data. The tech giants will also need to explain how they decide which ads and what content users see, as well as how their practices affect children and teens. They have 45 days to respond. For now, the companies aren’t in any legal trouble. The FTC says this is just for research, but it’s possible their findings could bring about new rules for big tech companies.
Read More: Engadget, Axios, CNBC
Facebook Launches TikTok-Esque App
Facebook launched an app called Collab that lets people create short music videos. Users can record up to three videos of themselves performing the same song, but in a slightly different way. For example, they can play it on different musical instruments, or try a new harmony. Then, users can stitch all the videos together and play them simultaneously. Like TikTok, the videos are 15 seconds maximum and they play in a loop. The app is now available to all iOS users in the U.S.
Read More: TechCrunch, Engadget, Facebook, Collab
Last Day to Get ACA Coverage
Today is the deadline to sign up for insurance through the Affordable Care Act on Healthcare.Gov. The ACA, also known as Obamacare, offers options to people who aren’t already getting coverage through an employer. Already, the average number of people signing up daily is about 14% ahead of last year. The coverage you select during open enrollment is for next year, so plans people select today will start on January 1st.
Read More: AP, CNN, WaPo, Healthcare.Gov
First Xmas Shipping Deadline
If you want packages to arrive at their destinations by Christmas, you’ll have to get them in the mail today. The U.S. Postal Service, UPS, and FedEx all say today is their deadline for ground shipping which is the cheapest option. If the gifts are not postmarked by today, they run the risk of not getting to their destinations in time. After today, you can still get priority or overnight shipping, but they will cost more.
Read More: Newsweek, Cnet, USPS, UPS, FedEx
Trivia Tuesday
Q: What is the loudest animal on Earth?
Play along on today’s Instagram Stories Quiz. We’ll also have the answer right here next week.
Last Week’s Trivia Tuesday Answer
Q: What is the world’s largest island?
A: Greenland
Read More: Britannica, Universe Today, UCSB