Monday, March 9th, 2020
CDC’s Take on Travel, Royal Farewell & Needle-Free Vaccines
All the news you need in less than 10 min:
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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 perusing the latest happenings...
Coronavirus Fears
New travel warnings and restrictions are in place in the U.S. and around the world. The CDC now suggests sick people and senior citizens avoid non-essential travel and crowded places. The latest numbers show 22 Americans have died from COVID-19, while more than 500 people have been infected in 34 states. Numbers could go up due to new testing kits. In Northern Italy, about 16 million people were placed on lockdown over the weekend. Also of note: oil prices plummeted around 30 percent, with U.S. oil heading for its biggest loss on record.
Travel Restrictions: WaPo, CDC, USA Today, BBC
U.S. Death Toll: CNN, NYT
Economy: NBC News, Business Insider, Reuters
New Chief of Staff
For the fourth time in three years, President Trump hired a new chief of staff. Republican Congressman Mark Meadows is taking over for Mick Mulvaney, who was reassigned as a special envoy for Northern Ireland. Meadows has long been a supporter of the president, adopting the mantra, “Let Trump be Trump.”
Read More: NYT, AP, CBS News
Presidential Race Update
The top Democrats hoping to take on President Trump this November got key endorsements over the weekend. Sen. Kamala Harris endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden. Civil rights icon Jesse Jackson decided to endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Read more: Reuters, AP
Nashville Tornado Cleanup
Thousands of people, including celebrities, are working to help Tennessee rebuild after several tornadoes hit the state last week. Volunteers came together over the weekend to sift through damage, and even the state's NFL team got involved and donated. Taylor Swift donated $1 million to the cleanup. Other country stars contributed or encouraged their fans to get involved.
Read more: USA Today, CNN, People
Royal Farewell
Prince Harry and Megan Markle are making their last appearances as senior royals. Today, they are attending the annual commonwealth service as Westminster Abbey in London. That is their final official commitment, but they'll officially stay royals until the end of the month.
Read more: Forbes, AP News
Needle-Free Vaccines
Researchers at the University of Texas in Austin have come up with a vaccine that can be ingested by eating a dissolving film. Scientists say it won’t need refrigeration, and will last longer than traditional vaccines. They hope it helps more people, especially children, get vaccinated every year.
Read more: Newsweek, Fast Company
Coronavirus Impact to Tech, Business, Sports
Tech companies, grocery storms and sports teams are taking extra precautions because of COVID-19. First, the city of Austin cancelled SXSW. No one will get refunds, but they may receive credit for future events. Grocery stores, like Costco, will no longer offer food samples. Food delivery app, Postmates, is adding a “no contact” drop-off option. And some baseball players are being told not to shake hands with fans.
Read more: USA Today, Engadget, NBC News, FOX Business
Weekend Box Office
A new Pixar movie topped the box office this weekend. Onward brought in $40 million from theaters in North America. The Invisible Man and The Way Back rounded out the top three.
Read more: Variety, Deadline
Two Holidays
Two holidays begin at sundown tonight and continue through tomorrow.
The Jewish holiday, Purim, celebrates the story of Queen Esther. People celebrate by giving gifts to the needy, dressing up, and eating a festive meal.
Hindus will celebrate Holi, the festival of color. It marks the start of spring. In India, people will come together to sing, dance and splash each other with colorful powder and water.
Purim: Chabad.org, CNN
Holi: TimesNowNews, Indian Express
Money Monday - Millennial Savings
A new survey found millennials aren’t able to save much money- despite their best efforts. Business Insider and Morning Consult asked people aged 22 to 37 whether they had a savings account: 70% said yes. That said, less than half of them were able to save more than $5,000. Still, another report found about 75% of millennials are sticking to their budget, more so than older generations.
Read more: Business Insider