Ep. 82: News Roundup Week of 5/2/21

Heart & Home

Violence rocked two countries overseas this week. According to CNN, at least 25 people were killed and 52 others wounded in an explosion near a high school for girls in the Afghan capital, Kabul. In Jerusalem, NPR reports after weeks of sporadic violence between Israelis and Palestinians intensified last night when Israeli police in riot gear confronted crowds of Muslim worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites. More than 200 Palestinians were injured. Israel said six police officers were injured. Yesterday’s violence threatens to spill into tonight’s "Night of Destiny," the holiest night in the Islamic calendar, as the holy month of Ramadan winds down when worshippers will congregate at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It's also the beginning of Jerusalem Day, a national holiday for Israelis. The Associated Press reports hundreds of angry protesters gathered in Mexico City last night demanding justice for those killed and held a vigil at the site of the metro accident. The death toll stands at 26 people from Monday’s metro collapse near Olivos Station. In a rare move, the U.S. federal government indicted Derek Chauvin and three other former Minneapolis police officers with violating George Floyd’s constitutional right to be free from unreasonable seizure and excessive force by a police officer during the May 2020 encounter that killed Floyd. Bill and Melinda Gates made huge shockwaves when they announced in a joint statement on both their verified Twitter accounts that they’re ending their marriage after 27 years. On Wednesday, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s ban from Facebook was justified after the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot by Trump supporters, according to the social media’s Oversight Board. On Wednesday of this week, The U.S. said it would support the temporary waiver of IP rights to allow developing nations to produce Covid-19 shots created by pharmaceutical companies. The surprise move by the Biden administration came as the flare-up of the pandemic in India underscores the risks that the virus and emerging variants pose for the world. In India today Reuters reported 4,187 fatalities over the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll close to 240,000 — its highest ever single-day COVID-19 death toll. Pfizer and BioNTech have asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to grant full approval for their Covid-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, Canada authorized the Pfizer Vaccine for Children 12 to 15 years old — moving ahead of the U.S. and making it the first Western nation to permit the vaccine’s use in individuals under 16 years of age. The FDA could authorize Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for 12-to-15-year-olds in the U.S. by early next week. I.S. President Joe Biden set a new vaccination goal to deliver at least one shot to 70% of adult Americans by the Fourth of July, as demand for vaccines has dropped off.