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Friday, March 19, 2021

Wake-Up Call: Biden To Meet With Asian-American Leaders

ajc.com photo


President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will be meeting with Asian American state legislators and other community leaders in Atlanta today after the massage parlors attack in the area earlier this week in which a 21-year-old man is accused of killing eight people, six of them Asian women. The deadly attacks came amid a national increase in anti-Asian violence. Biden and Harris had been planning to go to Atlanta today before the attacks took place as part of the administration's national effort to tout the benefits of the $1.9 trillion Covid relief legislation that Biden signed. Their original political event has been canceled. Meanwhile, Biden directed yesterday that flags be flown at half-staff through sunset Monday in honor of those killed in the attacks.

➤BIDEN: U.S. TO MEET 100 MILLION COVID VACCINATIONS GOAL TODAY: President Biden said Thursday that the U.S. will meet his goal of 100 million Covid vaccinations today, in his 58th day in office, ahead of his original target date of doing it within his first 100 days. Biden said he'd announce a new vaccination target next week. The White House also said yesterday that the U.S. will be sending some Covid vaccines to Canada and Mexico. The U.S. will be sending a combined four million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the two countries, 2.5 million to Mexico and 1.5 million to Canada, describing it as a "loan." The AstraZeneca vaccine hasn't yet been approved for use in the U.S., but has been okayed by the World Health Organization. Tens of millions of doses have been stockpiled in the U.S. waiting for emergency use authorization.


➤PUTIN FIRES BACK AFTER BIDEN SAYS HE'S A 'KILLER': Russian President Vladimir Putin fired back Thursday after President Biden described him as a "killer." When asked during an ABC News interview aired Wednesday if he thought Putin was a, quote, "killer," Biden answered, "I do." Putin recalled his ambassador to the U.S. later that day in response, and on Thursday when asked about Biden's comment during a video call marking Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, Putin said a remark along the lines of, "it takes one to know one." 


He cited America's history of slavery, the killing of Native Americans, and the atomic bombing of Japan during World War Two. The White House responded that while Biden would continue to be ready to work with Putin on areas of mutual concern, he was, quote, "not going to hold back" when he has concerns about Putin’s actions.



➤FBI RELEASES VIDEO OF 'MOST EGREGIOUS' ATTACKS ON OFFICERS DURING U.S. CAPITOL ATTACK: The FBI yesterday released 10 videos of what it called "most egregious" attacks on law enforcement officers during the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, and asked for the public's help in identifying them. Even though more than 300 people have been arrested since the attack, the FBI is still struggling to identify some of the most violent people seen on video assaulting law enforcement agents. Nearly 140 officers from the Capitol Police force and D.C. Metropolitan Police were injured during the Capitol assault, the chairman of the Capitol Police Labor Committee said afterward.

➤12 JURORS NOW SEATED IN TRIAL OF OFFICER CHARGED IN GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH: Twelve jurors have now been seated in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer facing murder and manslaughter charges in the death of George Floyd, after another day of jury selection yesterday. Just two alternates remain to be chosen. Judge Peter Cahill will rule today on the defense's request to delay or move the trial after the city's $27 million settlement with Floyd's family was announced last week. The defense has argued the news could taint the jurors. Opening statements are set for March 29th if the jury is complete by then.

➤AMC TO RE-OPEN 98% OF ITS THEATERS TODAY: The worst days of the pandemic look like they're finally over for the movie theater industry, with AMC Theatres, the nation's largest chain, announcing that 98 percent of its U.S. movie theaters will be open today, as more than 40 locations in California are reopening. AMC is expected to have even more of its remaining theaters open by next weekend, up to 99 percent. Movie theaters have slowly been reopening over the past few months as allowed under state and local guidelines, with required limited capacity and safely protocols, like mandatory mask wearing. As AMC Entertainment President and CEO Adam Aron looked ahead last week from what he called the "most challenging" situation in the company's 100-year history, he called Covid vaccinations "the real salvation."

➤BOX OFFICE PLUMMETED 80% IN 2020:  The Motion Picture Association released its analysis of box office receipts for 2020, and the news was even worse than many feared. For the first time, online subscribers crossed 1 billion to hit 1.1 billion, a 26% spike year over year. In the U.S., there were 306.8 million subscriptions, an increase of 32%. All together, mobile and home entertainment brought in $68.8 billion last year, an increase of 23% over 2019.

The box office, meanwhile, dropped to $2.2 billion in the U.S., a drop of 80%. Globally, the B.O. brought in $12 billion, a decrease of 72%. For the first time, China surpassed North America, with $3 billion worth of receipts.

"The past year was challenging for the global economy, and for virtually every aspect of our daily lives: the staggering loss of life, the toll on our frontline workers, the devastating and widespread loss of jobs and businesses, and the almost complete shutdown of many industries," MPA chairman-CEO Charles Rivkin said in his letter introducing the 60 page-plus report.

"Our workforce was not immune: Jobs were lost, productions were either curtailed or shut down, and movie theaters shuttered around the globe," Rivkin continued. "But, during an otherwise punishing year for theatrical exhibition and our industry at large, home and curated entertainment boomed. The good news wasn’t just confined to homes, laptops, and other personal devices. As recent stories have shown, audiences never lost their appetite to enjoy the theatrical experience, and drive-in theaters enjoyed their highest returns in decades."


➤WOMEN IN CITIES LESS LIKELY TO HAVE CHILDREN:  It turns out women in some cities are less-likely to have children compared to those that don’t live in cities. Researchers from several universities found that women are less likely to procreate in urban areas that have a higher percentage of females than males in the population. The researchers found when women lived in rural environments where there were more women than men, they were more likely to reproduce for the first time, compared to women who faced the same female to male ratios in urban areas. Researchers theorize that women in these urban areas experienced a more competitive market for finding a spouse and thus were less likely to have children than women who lived outside of urban areas. Overall, women were 15 percent less likely to reproduce in urban areas compared to rural areas.

🏀DRAKE GETS FIRST NCAA WIN IN 50 YEARS AS 'FIRST FOUR' KICKS OFF TOURNAMENT: The "First Four" games kicked off the NCAA men's basketball tournament yesterday, with Drake getting its first tournament win in 50 years as it defeated Wichita State 53-52. Drake’s last tournament victory had been 50 years to the day earlier, on March 18th, 1971, against Notre Dame. In the day's other three games: UCLA beat Michigan State 86-80 in overtime; Norfolk State defeated Appalachian State 54-53; and Texas Southern downed Mount St. Mary 60-52. The first round begins today.


🏈NFL INVESTIGATING SEX ASSAULT CLAIMS AGAINST TEXANS QB WATSON: The NFL said yesterday (March 18th) that it's investigating sexual assault allegations against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. The league's action comes after three female massage therapists filed lawsuits against Watson this week, alleging he assaulted them while they were giving him massages. In the most serious of the claims, one of the women charges he forced her to perform oral sex. Watson has denied acting inappropriately, saying in a Twitter statement Tuesday, "I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect."

🏈NFL'S NEW MEDIA DEALS GIVE AMAZON THURSDAY NIGHT GAME STREAMING RIGHTS: The NFL announced new media rights agreements yesterday, including a deal with Amazon Prime Video that gives the streaming service exclusive rights to Thursday night football beginning in 2022. Commissioner Roger Goodell said yesterday, "This provides our fans with greater access. We want to provide our games on more platforms than ever before." Amazon has streamed 11 Thursday night games since 2017, but it will take over the entire package from Fox, which has had it since 2018. The new contracts also mean the NFL will nearly double its media revenue to more than $10 billion a season.

🏌JONES TIES COURSE RECORD IN HONDA CLASSIC'S OPENING ROUND: Australian Matt Jones tied the course record in the opening round of the Honda Classic yesterday with a 9-under 61 at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. That gave him a three-shot lead over Americans Aaron Wise and Russell Henley. His 61 tied the previous record held by Brian Harman, who shot it in the second round in 2012.

🏈DALTON SAYS BEARS TOLD HIM HE'LL BE STARTING QB: Andy Dalton, who agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with the Chicago Bears earlier this week, said Thursday (March 18th) that he'd been told by the Bears that he will be the starting quarterback. That means the former Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys QB won't be competing with veteran Nick Foles for the starter job. Dalton said yesterday, "They told me I was the starter. That was one of the reasons why I wanted to come here. So every conversation I've had has been that, so that's the assurance that I've gotten."

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