Thursday, December 3rd, 2020
New CDC Guidelines, ‘War on Nature’ & First Bitcoin Rewards
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Ritual.com/NEWSWORTHY and CastleGrade (listen for how to get a discount)
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 peruse the latest happenings...
CDC Shortens Quarantine Time
The CDC now says people exposed to COVID-19 who aren’t showing any symptoms only need to quarantine for 10 days, not the full two weeks anymore. If they test negative, the quarantine can be even shorter, just seven days. The CDC says the full 14 days is still the safest option, but researchers hope this new recommendation will make it easier for people to quarantine, so they’ll be less likely to ignore the guidance. It should hopefully get people, like essential workers, back to work faster.
Read More: AP, Politico, USA Today, CDC
CDC: Stay Home for More Holidays
The CDC is recommending Americans stay home for the winter holidays. Since millions of Americans ignored that guidance ahead of Thanksgiving, the CDC now has advice for those who are going to travel no matter what. The agency says get tested for COVID-19 about three days before, then again about three to five days after your trip. The CDC says this doesn’t totally take away the risks of traveling, but it can make travel safer, especially if you combine that with isolating as much as possible before and after the trip.
Read More: FOX News, NBC News, NY Times, CDC
New COVID-19 Daily Records
The U.S. just broke three new coronavirus records we hoped to never reach. For the first time, more than 200,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported in a single day. Also, the number of coronavirus patients in U.S. hospitals topped 100,000, and more than 2,700 new COVID-19 deaths were reported. Sadly, it’s expected to get worse. CDC Director Robert Redfield warned that December, January, and February will be “the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation.”
Read More: WaPo, CNN, The Hill, Johns Hopkins, COVID Tracking
Trump Voter Fraud Video
President Trump spoke for more than 45 minutes at the White House yesterday about what he called a “rigged” presidential election. It was captured on video with the look of an official presidential address and it was posted to his Facebook page. In it, the president again insisted he won the election. He then pointed to a few examples of fraud. However, state election officials, the justice department, and the cybersecurity division of the department of homeland security all say there’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
Read More: WSJ, AP, NY Times, USA Today, Trump Post
U.S. Diplomats Leaving Baghdad Embassy
The Trump administration is reportedly pulling dozens of diplomats out of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. Politico cited two officials in the Trump administration who say the withdrawal is only temporary. No official pointed to a specific threat, but one source pointed to the upcoming one-year mark of the U.S. assassinating top Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani. He was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad on January 3rd, 2020, so it’s possible January 3rd, 2021 could be especially tense in the area.
Read More: WaPo, CNN, Politico
UN: World Failing on Climate Goals
The United Nations is urging world leaders to make curbing climate change a priority in 2021. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres blamed climate change for making what he called “apocalyptic fires and floods, cyclones and hurricanes” the new normal. He says a big part of the problem is countries aren’t living up to the promises they made in the 2015 Paris agreement. Countries were supposed to pump out less fossil fuels, like oil, gas, and coal. However, a new UN report says instead, countries are on track to produce 2% more by 2030.
Read More: AP, USA Today, BBC, Axios, UN
DOT Emotional Support Animals Rules
The U.S. is cracking down on emotional support animals on flights. The Department of Transportation unveiled new rules yesterday. They say only dogs will be allowed as service animals. Others, like cats, pigs, snakes, peacocks, and more will not. Also, only dogs that have been trained to do a specific task for someone with a disability are allowed and they need the paperwork to prove it. The new rules will go into effect sometime next year.
Read More: NBC News, Business Insider, FOX News, DOT
New Bitcoin Rewards Visa
It’s the first-ever credit card in the U.S. to offer Bitcoin rewards, instead of the usual cash or airline miles. Visa partnered with the cryptocurrency financial tech company BlockFi to offer this new card. Cardholders will earn 1.5% back on all purchases. It will automatically convert to Bitcoin and go into a BlockFi account each month. Then, you can withdraw it, earn interest on it, or use it as collateral towards a loan. The new Bitcoin Rewards credit card will have a $200 annual fee and it will be available early next year.
Read More: Business Insider, CNBC, Bloomberg, Bitcoin Rewards Card
UPS Shipping Limits
UPS is reportedly cracking down on some large stores. The Wall Street Journal reports UPS drivers were told on Cyber Monday to stop picking up packages from top retailers. They include Macy’s, Gap, and Nike. This is significant since, in a pandemic-era holiday season, more shoppers are placing online orders, instead of buying in-store. UPS and FedEx have raised prices and they’re promising to hold retailers to some new temporary limits. They’ve also rented out extra equipment and they’re hiring tens of thousands of seasonal workers.
Read More: WSJ, USPS, FedEx, UPS
Lebron James Contract Extension
Basketball superstar Lebron James agreed to an $85 million, two-year contract extension. Before this, he was set to be an unrestricted free agent next summer, so any other team could have picked him up. However, the Lakers wanted him since he’s one of the best players in the NBA and he helped the team win the championship this year. Now, he’s locked in through 2023. The next NBA games are right around the corner. Training camp started this week and the season starts December 20th.
Read More: WaPo, AP, ESPN
National Christmas Tree Lighting
The National Christmas Tree, the evergreen tree near the White House, will be lit tonight. In a normal year, thousands of people turn out for the tree lighting ceremony. However, this year, there won’t be a live audience because of the pandemic. The ceremony will be live-streamed online instead. There will also be a handful of performers this year, including singer Kellie Pickler and the United States Marine Band.
Read More: WaPo, Nationaltree.org, NPS.gov
Thing to Know Thursday: Replacing Top Lawmakers
Two top U.S. lawmakers are getting replaced in Congress. First, a runoff election for the late Congressman John Lewis’ successor was held this week. Former Atlanta Council Member Kwanza Hall won. However, he’ll only fill in for the one month Lewis had left in his term. Lewis’ long-term replacement will be Nikema Williams, a Democrat who spent the last three years as a state senator. She was picked in the general election last month. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris’ seat is up for grabs, since she was elected Vice President. California Gov. Gavin Newsom will pick her replacement. That term will run through the end of 2022.
Read More: AP, NY Times, CNN, Vox