Thursday, July 15, 2021

Wake-Up Call: COVID-19 Deaths, Cases Again Rising

The World Health Organization reported Wednesday that Covid-19 deaths and cases are again rising globally, with deaths increasing by three percent last week after falling for nine straight weeks. Cases also rose last week, up by 10 percent, with the highest numbers in Brazil, India, Indonesia and Britain. Driving the increases are low vaccination rates in many countries, the relaxations of mask rules and other Covid precautions, and the spread of the highly-contagious delta variant. However, deaths are at around 7,900 daily, which is less than half of what they were at their height in January of 18,000 a day, after vaccinations have been going on for seven months. Cases are also down by half since their peak, which was in late April.
 
 ➤FBI FOUND TO HAVE MISHANDLED USA GYMNASTICS DOCTOR NASSAR'S SEX ABUSE CASE: The Justice Department's inspector general said yesterday that the FBI had mishandled the investigation of sexual abuse allegations against former USA Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar, saying it made "fundamental" errors and didn't treat the case with the, quote, "utmost seriousness and urgency." The watchdog's report highlights FBI missteps between when the allegations were first reported in 2015 and Nassar's arrest the following year. It took months before the FBI opened a formal investigation, and at least 40 girls and women alleged abuse by Nassar under the guise of medical treatment over a 14-month period during that time. When the FBI did respond, the report found it made, quote, "numerous and fundamental errors," and when the Indianapolis field office's handling of the case came under investigation, they made it look like they'd diligently pursued the case. The FBI acknowledged the conduct was, quote, "inexcusable and a discredit" to the law enforcement agency. Nasser is now serving decades in prison.

➤U-S TO START EVACUATING AFGHAN TRANSLATORS: The White House said Wednesday that the U.S. will start evacuating Afghan translators who worked for the U.S. military during the 20-year war in Afghanistan starting the last week of July. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said people who have already applied for special immigrant visas will be put on flights out of the country. Some 18,000 Afghans are eligible for the special visas, and about half have started the process. The U.S. wants to evacuate them because many have been getting death threats from the Taliban, and the concern is they could be hurt or killed after U.S. forces leave. Psaki said the administration's, quote, "objective" is to get them out before the withdrawal of U.S. troops at the end of August. The Pentagon's press secretary said no final decision has been made yet on where the evacuated Afghans will be taken to stay as they wait for their visas to be approved.

➤CUBA'S PRESIDENT SAYS GOVERNMENT PARTLY TO BLAME FOR PROTESTS: In the wake of rare anti-government protests in Cuba over the weekend, President Miguel Diaz-Canel blamed Cuban-Americans in the U.S., saying they stirred up the protests on social media, and the U.S. government, but for the first time yesterday, he said the Cuban government was partly to blame. Speaking in a televised address last night, Diaz-Canel the government's shortcoming in dealing with shortages and other problems in the country played a role. He said, "We have to gain experience from the disturbances. We also have to carry out a critical analysis of our problems in order to act and overcome, and avoid their repetition." Thousands of Cubans were protesting shortages of food and medicine as well as repeated electricity outages, while some also were calling for a faster rate of Covid-19 vaccinations. However, there were also calls for political change in the communist nation.
 

➤CONDO COLLAPSE DEATH TOLL AT 97, SMALL NUMBER STILL MISSING: The number of confirmed victims of the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, is now up to 97, with two new victims identified Wednesday (July 14th). Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said eight people remain potentially unaccounted for. Also yesterday, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman approved the sale of the oceanfront property, with proceeds intended to benefit the victims. He ordered that the process begin to sell the site, which could bring $100 million to $110 million.


➤POLL..1.8M JOBLESS AMERICANS TURNED DOWN JOBS: A new poll out yesterday found that an estimated 1.8 million unemployed Americans turned down job offers during the pandemic because they were getting enough money from their unemployment benefits. In the Morning Consult poll of 5,000 U.S. adults, 29 percent of those getting unemployment benefits said they'd turned down job offers during the pandemic, and of that group, 45 percent it was because their unemployment benefits were sufficient. Morning Consult extrapolated that data to the 14.1 million adults getting the benefits as of June 19th to conclude that 1.8 million people turned down job offers due to the them. This refers to all unemployment benefits, including the standard 26 weeks as well as the extra emergency ones put in place due to the pandemic. This reason actually came in third in the poll in reasons for turning down jobs offers during the pandemic, behind child care obligations and Covid-19 or reasons associated with the pandemic. The results come as some business have been having a hard time finding people to hire, and some critics have blamed the extra emergency unemployment benefits, saying they're too generous and are incentivizing people not to work. Because of that belief, 26 states cut the emergency benefits early. They are due to expire by September.

➤RECORD 93,000 OVERDOSE DEATHS DURING PANDEMIC LAST YEAR: A federal government report out yesterday showed that overdose deaths surged to a reached 93,000 last year amid the pandemic, way above the high of some 72,000 overdose deaths the year before in 2019, a 29 percent increase. According to experts, the lockdowns and other pandemic restrictions isolated those with drug addictions and made treatment harder to get. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the powerful opioid fentanyl was involved in more than 60 percent of last year's overdose deaths.

➤POPE FRANCIS DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL: Pope Francis was discharged from the hospital yesterday, 10 days after having surgery for severe narrowing of his large intestine in which half his colon was removed. Before returning to the Vatican, the 84-year-old pontiff stopped at St. Mary Major Basilica to give thanks for the success of the operation and pray for others. After Francis was back in the Vatican, his official Twitter account @Pontifex tweeted, "I thank all those who have been close to me with prayer and affection during my hospital stay. Let us not forget to pray for the sick and for those who assist them."

➤BEZOS DONATES $200 MILLION TO SMITHSONIAN AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM: Just days before Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is set to blast into space in his space company Blue Origin's first flight with a crew, it was announced yesterday (July 14th) that he's donating $200 million to the Smithsonian Institution for its National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. It's the largest gift received by the institution since its founding in 1846. The Smithsonian said $70 million of it would go toward museum renovations, and the other $130 million would be used to build a new education center at the museum called the Bezos Learning Center. Its goal will be to inspire students to promote innovation and explore careers in science, math and engineering.

➤THE COST OF EATING OUT JUST JUMPED MORE THAN IT HAS IN 4 DECADES:  Life just got more expensive. A report about inflation released earlier this week shows that prices are rising in the U.S. at the fastest pace in 13 years. And when you specifically look at the price of eating out, the increase is even more dramatic, increasing 0.7 percent last month alone, a pace last seen four decades ago. As prices of food jump up for consumers, they do for restaurants as well. Plus, some short-staffed restaurants are trying to entice workers by offering higher pay, and in both cases, it seems the costs are being passed on to the patrons. CBS News reports that some analysts are predicting the higher prices are here to stay, at least for a while. You’ll also notice the prices of items in vending machines are also at a record high.


➤AMERICANS ARE TURNING TO DATING APPS TO FIND FRIENDS:  If you’re looking for a new friend you might want to try a dating app. A new survey commissioned by The Wall Street Journal found that 35 percent of Gen Z respondents (ages 16 to 24) said they used dating apps to find friends in the last year, and that includes 27 percent who said they used the apps for friends because they were lonely during the pandemic. Similarly, Bumble president Tariq Shaukat said the Bumble BFF platform has seen an increase in interest over the last year. In a statement to Fox News, he said, “During the first three months of 2021, the average time spent on Bumble BFF has grown 44% for women and 83% for men—which indicates that as cities are beginning to reopen, people are ready to meet new people and revive their social lives after a year of increased isolation for many. Additionally, over 90% of women who initiated contact on BFF in March 2021 found at least one match.”


🏀BUCKS TOP SUNS 109-103, NBA FINALS NOW TIED 2-2: The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns 109-103 last night (July 14th) at home, evening up the NBA Finals at two games each. Khris Middleton scored 40 points for Milwaukee and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 points, as well as a big block with less than a minute and a half to play. Devin Booker scored 42 points for the losing Suns, but he had to sit out parts of the third and fourth quarters due to foul trouble. Game 5 is Saturday night in Phoenix.


🏈NFL'S SHERMAN ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO BREAK INTO IN-LAWS' HOME: NFL free agent Richard Sherman, formerly a star cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers, was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly tried to break into his in-laws' house in Redmond, Washington, early in the morning, and also crashed his SUV in a construction zone and then fought with police officers as they tried to take him into custody. The 33-year-old was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest, malicious mischief and residential burglary with a domestic violence component because it was in relatives' home. However, officials said he didn't actually enter the home, or try to hit family members. Sherman's wife, Ashley Moss, told The Seattle Times, "At this time, we’re going to make no statements, except he didn’t harm anybody. My kids were not harmed in the incident. He’s a good person and this is not his character." Results of a blood test are pending, but the state patrol was recommending driving under the influence and hit-and-run charges. Sherman is jailed until an initial court hearing expected for today.

🏀WNBA ALL-STARS BEAT U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM 93-85: The WNBA All-Star team beat the U.S. women's Olympic basketball team 98-85 in the league's All-Star Game last night. The Dallas Wings' Arike Ogunbowale scored 26 points for the All-Star team, winning the game's MVP. Breanna Stewart led the Olympic team with 15 points. The Olympic team is a heavy favorite to win a seventh straight gold medal at the Tokyo Games. The WNBA is now breaking until August 15th for the Olympics, which begin July 23rd.

🏀NBA'S BEAL IN COVID PROTOCOLS, MAY MISS OLYMPICS: The Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal has entered the coronavirus health and safety protocols, according to reports yesterday, meaning he could potentially miss the Tokyo Olympics, which start next week. AP cited a source as saying Beal will be tested multiple times in the coming days, and the results will likely determine whether he remains on the Olympics roster.

⚾BAUER'S LEAVE EXTENDED THROUGH JULY 27TH: MLB and the players' association have extended L.A. Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer’s paid administrative leave through July 27th, as league investigators and Pasadena, California, police continue to look into a woman's allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Bauer was initially put on seven days’ leave on July 2nd, and that was first extended through July 15th. The woman claims Bauer assaulted her during two sexual encounters, including choking her to the point of unconsciousness, punching her repeatedly in the face, and punching her in her genitals. Bauer's agents have denied the accusations.

🏇JUDGE NULLIFIES HORSE TRAINER BAFFERT'S N.Y. SUSPENSION: A federal judge yesterday nullified the suspension of horse trainer Bob Baffert in the state, ruling the New York Racing Association acted unconstitutionally by not letting him adequately respond to the claims against him after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit failed a post-race drug test. The NYRA, which has said it suspended Baffert to protect the integrity of the sport, said they are reviewing the judge's decision to determine its next steps.

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