| | | Successful strategic partnerships between the White House and three of the largest U.S. goods carriers will increase working hours to 24/7 to ensure a global supply bottleneck does not cause empty holiday shelves. The White House also makes headway in developing alternative wind energy along the U.S. coastline. International tragedies in Norway and Japan, cause national introspections. | | |
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| IMPORTANT | 1 - All-Nighters for Good Walmart, FedEx, and UPS confront global supply chain bottlenecks The White House announced three of the largest U.S. goods carriers, Walmart, FedEx, and UPS, will step up their round-the-clock operations to speed the shipment of goods across the country. The announcement was a direct response to fears that some products may not make it to the shelves before the holidays. Top administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, have recently warned the bottlenecks could cause higher prices and empty shelves through the rest of the year. (Source: The Hill, NBC News, Reuters) |
| | | 2 - Winds of Change Biden Administration announces plans for Wind Farms along coastline The announcement came months after the Biden administration approved the nation’s first major commercial offshore wind farm off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts and began reviewing a dozen other potential offshore wind projects along the East Coast. On the West Coast, the administration has approved opening up two areas off the shores of Central and Northern California for commercial wind power development. Taken together, the actions represent the most forceful push ever by a federal government to promote offshore wind development. (Source: NYT) |
| 3 - Norwegian Tragedy Bow and arrow attack leave five dead in Norway A Danish man, believed to have acted alone, has been arrested on suspicion of carrying out the attack. Murder is rare in Norway. With a population of a bit more than five million, there were 31 murders in 2020, most involving people who knew one another. But the attack Wednesday came just months after Norwegians marked a somber anniversary: One decade ago, a right-wing extremist detonated a bomb in Oslo and then went on a shooting rampage at a political summer camp for young people on the small island of Utoya. In all, 77 were killed. (Source: BBC, NYT) |
| 4 - Save the Children Suicides among Japanese children reach record high Child suicides in Japan are the highest they have been in more than four decades, according to the country's education ministry. As the COVID-19 pandemic prompted school closings and disrupted classrooms last year, 415 children from elementary to high school age were recorded as having taken their own lives. The number is up by nearly 100 from last year, the highest since record-keeping began in 1974. Amid the pandemic, suicides increased in 2020 after a decade of declines, with the number of women committing suicide surging amid the emotional and financial stress caused by the coronavirus pandemic, although fewer men took their own lives. (Source: Reuters) |
| 5 - Battling Blackouts The effects of China’s immense power needs Reacting to a slowed economy and a national electrical shortage, Chinese authorities announced on Wednesday a national rush to mine and burn more coal, despite their previous pledges to curb emissions that cause climate change. China faces a tough choice as they balance economic growth and climate concerns. For now, mines that were closed without authorization have been ordered to reopen. Coal mines and coal-fired power plants that were shut for repairs are also to be reopened. Tax incentives are being drafted for coal-fired power plants. Regulators have ordered Chinese banks to provide plenty of loans to the coal sector. (Source: NYT) |
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| INTRIGUING | 1 - Honorable Legacy WHO recognizes Henrietta Lacks’ legacy and life The late Henrietta Lacks was honored with the WHO Director-General’s award, recognizing the Black American woman’s groundbreaking contributions to medical science. In 1951, Lacks sought treatment at a Detroit hospital where researchers took biopsies of her body without her knowledge or consent. The stolen cells led to world-changing scientific discoveries including the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, drugs for HIV and cancers, and even COVID-19 research. For years, the global scientific community hid Henrietta Lacks’ race and her real story, a historic wrong that the WHO hopes today’s recognition seeks to heal. (Source: NYTimes, WaPo) |
| 2 - Board No More Gymnastics stars call on Congress to dissolve the Olympic board After former doctor for the U.S. women's gymnastics team, Larry Nassar was convicted of sexually assaulting girls and women when he was supposed to be providing them with treatment, Olympic gymnasts stars have said that “it’s not enough”. Olympic gold-medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, and Maggie Nichols in a letter to Congress asked to dissolve the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Board (USOPC) for its mishandling of the allegations of abuse. Last month, the women testified to Congress that the FBI and the Olympic Board had “failed to handle the most basic duties” of their investigation. (Source: WSJ, TheHill) |
| | | 3 - Powerful Protests Protests erupt on the University of Delaware campus Students poured into the streets in protest following the arrest of a 20-year-old student for the kidnapping, strangulation, and assault of an unnamed female student last Friday in an incident that took place at an off-campus apartment. The university has been accused by students of silence and inaction in the days following the incident. It wasn’t until student protests on campus went viral on the social media giant, TikTok, that the university issued a statement disavowing the student and his actions. According to Rolling Stone, a university spokesperson says they didn’t issue a public response until four days afterward because, as it was considered an act of domestic violence, it wasn’t considered an “imminent threat”. (Source: RollingStone, CBSNews) |
| 4 - The Great Resignation Continues US workers are leaving their jobs in droves The government reported Tuesday that over the last month, the number of people quitting rose to 4.3 million, dwarfing the number of layoffs from employers, who cut 1.3 million jobs the same month. The coronavirus pandemic has forced Americans to reassess their relationships with work with many employees looking for more meaningful work or lasting flexibility in their schedule. Women lead the demographic exiting the workforce. (Source: WaPo) |
| | | 5 - Take Us Out Shanter's new record as the oldest person to fly to space 90-year-old William Shatner took the title of oldest human in space, less than three months after 82-year-old aviation pioneer Wally Funk set that record on Blue Origin’s first-ever crewed flight. The Star Trek star was a guest of the billionaire, Jeff Bezos, a lifelong Star Trek fan. (Source: CNN) |
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