Friday, December 17th, 2021
J&J Vaccine Limited, TikTok Threats & Driverless Delivery
All the news you need in around 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 reading the latest happenings...
CDC Recommends Other Vaccines Over J&J
The rate of Covid-19 vaccinations has been going up in recent weeks. But with that, there’s a new warning about the Johnson & Johnson shot. The CDC now says Americans should be given the J&J vaccine only if the Moderna or Pfizer options aren’t an option. The concern is a rare but serious blood clotting condition. J&J said while the blood clots are rare, “unfortunately, cases of Covid-19 are not.” The shots are still available in case someone wants it or has a severe allergy to the ingredients in the other options.
Read More: Reuters, WSJ, Axios, AP, NBC News, CDC, J&J
FDA Abortion Pill Ruling
The FDA loosened the rules around pills taken to end early-stage pregnancies. The FDA now says those pills can be prescribed through telehealth appointments and mailed to patients in states where they’re allowed. However, 19 states in the U.S. have laws that still don’t allow the medication to be mailed. Women in those states would have to travel to other states to pick them up. The FDA did leave some restrictions in place. The pills are still only allowed in the first ten weeks of pregnancy, and people need to use certified doctors and pharmacies to get them.
Read More: Politico, WaPo, Reuters, NPR, ACLU
Missionaries Released in Haiti
The American missionaries who were taken hostage in Haiti months ago have now all been released. Remember, on an October mission trip, 16 Americans and one Canadian belonging to an Ohio-based group, Christian Aid Ministries, were kidnapped by a Haitian gang. The gang was demanding a ransom of $1 million per person. Now, the missionary group says they’re finally all free. It didn’t say if anyone paid the ransom, though. Locals found the hostages yesterday, and the U.S. State Department says they’ll soon be reunited with their families.
Read More: ABC News, WSJ, CNN, Christian Aid Ministries, State Dept.
Congress Passes Xinjiang Import Ban
The U.S. is cracking down on China over alleged human rights abuses. Congress overwhelmingly passed a bill that bans imports made by Uighur Muslims in Chinese internment camps. China denies it has an issue with forced labor and says the camps are just job-training centers needed to fight extremism. But, now, any business in China’s Xinjiang region will have to prove their products aren’t made with forced labor to be able to sell them in the U.S. Members of both parties supported the bill. It now goes to President Biden, who is expected to sign it.
Read More: NY Times, AP, NPR, Axios
Biden Admin Adds to Blacklists
The Biden administration added dozens of Chinese companies and research institutes to blacklists. This means Americans won’t be able to invest in them, and the companies and organizations won’t have access to American exports. The businesses include developers of facial-recognition technology, the world’s largest commercial drone maker, and more. This is in response to mass surveillance and other abuses against mainly ethnic minorities, along with emerging weapons technology that U.S. officials say threaten national security.
Read More: WaPo, Axios, WSJ, CNN, CNBC, U.S. Treasury, Commerce Dept.
Soldiers Get Medal of Honor
President Biden gave the highest military award to three extremely brave soldiers this week. One of them died after rescuing other soldiers from a car fire in Iraq. Another soldier died while evacuating wounded people out of Afghanistan. The third soldier was able to go to the White House this week to receive the Medal of Honor from President Biden. When his military post came under attack in Afghanistan, he went directly into enemy fire. Despite being badly outnumbered, he stopped the attack. Biden thanked the families of all three service members for their strength and sacrifice.
Read More: AP, NY Times, BBC, US Army, White House
Judge Rejects Purdue Settlement
A federal judge made an unexpected ruling about a $4.5 billion settlement: not to let it go through. Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy settlement was with thousands of state, local, and tribal governments that sued Purdue for its alleged role in America's opioid crisis. In the agreement, the Sackler family, which owns Purdue, was released from liability in civil cases. The Sackler family made that a requirement in exchange for the promise to give billions of dollars to help fight the opioid crisis. The judge says the law doesn’t allow that type of exchange since the family isn’t declaring bankruptcy themselves. Purdue Pharma is already planning to appeal.
Read More: WSJ, AP, NY Times, Bloomberg, Purdue
TikTok Threats Cancel Classes
School districts across the U.S. have canceled classes today because of threats on TikTok. Word is going around about a trend on the app referencing school shootings or bombings on December 17th. Reports say the threats on the popular video-sharing app are not very specific, and local authorities don’t think they’re very credible. TikTok says it hasn’t identified any videos with these types of threats, but it is working with law enforcement to investigate the rumors. Either way, states like California, Texas, Minnesota, and Missouri decided to cancel classes as a precaution. Other schools say they’ll have a heightened police presence today.
Read More: The Verge, ABC7 News, People, Bloomberg
TikTok Adjusting Algorithm
TikTok has announced plans to update its algorithm in hopes of protecting young users and their mental health. It says it’ll avoid showing users too much of the same type of content and viewpoints. It’ll also give users more control over videos they do or don’t want to see. TikTok’s recommendations algorithm is credited as a big reason the app has become so popular. But, the promise to adjust it comes after reports the algorithm could drive users into rabbit holes of content that are tough to escape and can be harmful when seen repeatedly.
Read More: Fast Company, WSJ, Axios, 9to5Mac, TikTok
H&R Block Sues Block
The tax prep company H&R Block is suing the digital payments company Block, formerly known as Square, for trademark infringement. H&R Block argues the names are too similar, so it could be confusing to customers. It also says the new Block could try to capitalize on the trust and goodwill H&R Block has built over decades. This is significant because the company that was Square now owns Credit Karma Tax, a direct competitor with H&R Block. So far, Block and its CEO, Jack Dorsey, have not commented.
Read More: CNBC, Reuters, Engadget, WSJ, H&R Block
Uber Driverless Food Delivery
Starting next year, Uber plans to start making food deliveries without a driver. The rideshare company announced a partnership with driverless technology company Motional. First, they’re teaming up for a pilot program around the Santa Monica area of Los Angeles. Customers will be able to order meal kits that will come in a robotaxi next year. For now, at least, there will be a human safety operator on board during the rides.
Read More: Bloomberg, TechCrunch, Business Insider, Motional
Feel Good Friday: Hope Walks for the Homeless
For 44 years, a man in the Bronx, New York has been feeding people who don’t have a place to call home. It started as an annual Thanksgiving dinner through his church. But, a few years ago, Marty Rogers was inspired to do even more. He came up with what he calls “Hope Walks.” Three times a week, he gets together with a group of volunteers to hit the streets. They pass out handmade sandwiches, snacks, and water to people in their neighborhood. All the food is paid for through donations. Sometimes, they give out more, like hats and gloves in the colder months.
Read More: CBS News, Today, NY1