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1. Roe v. Wade
In a stunning breach of Supreme Court confidentiality and secrecy, Politico has obtained what it calls a draft of a majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito that would strike down Roe v. Wade – the law that affirms a woman’s right to have an abortion. The draft was circulated in early February, according to Politico. The final opinion has not been released and votes and language can change before opinions are formally released. The opinion in this case is not expected to be published until late June. CNN has not independently confirmed the document’s authenticity. Politico says it has authenticated the draft. The opinion would be the most consequential abortion decision in decades and transform the landscape of women’s reproductive health in America.
2. Ukraine
3. Coronavirus
A major recession is coming, Deutsche Bank economists warned in a report yesterday. This comes after Deutsche Bank raised eyebrows earlier this month by becoming the first major bank to forecast a US recession, albeit a “mild” one. The problem, according to the bank, is that while inflation may be peaking, it will take a “long time” before it gets back down to the Federal Reserve’s goal of 2%. That suggests the central bank will raise interest rates so aggressively that it hurts the economy. The good news is that Deutsche Bank predicts the economy will eventually rebound by mid-2024 as the Fed reverses course in its inflation fight.
The US is likely to record its 1 millionth reported Covid-19 death in the next few weeks, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. This comes as public health officials are urging people to get booster shots months after vaccination to slow the spread of the virus. While more than three-quarters of the country has received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, less than one-third has received a booster. A detailed look at the CDC’s latest data shows that 77.6% of Americans – or nearly 258 million people – have received at least one dose of the vaccine. However, only about 30% of the total population has received a booster. For this reason, officials have moved away from that term “fully vaccinated” and instead encourage people to stay “up to date,” which means getting a booster when eligible.
4. Capital riot
Bitcoin may be a new investment option in your 401(k) plan by the middle of this year. Fidelity Investments – the largest 401(k) plan provider in the US with more than 20 million participants – will become the first major 401(k) provider to offer cryptocurrency as an investment for retirement savers. But if you’re interested, you’ll have to check with your employer first, because the bitcoin option will only be offered to participants whose employers have elected to include it in their plans. Fidelity did not specify how many employers have already signed on, but it confirmed a number of clients have committed and others are undergoing the evaluation process. The Department of Labor, on the other hand, has publicly indicated it is very concerned about the prospect of 401(k) participants being exposed to the extreme volatility of crypto trading.
Ivanka Trump cooperated with the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, according to the committee’s chairman. In a recent exclusive interview with CNN, Rep. Bennie Thompson said Ivanka Trump provided the most extensive account yet of the state of play inside the White House, as well as then-President Donald Trump’s state of mind that day. A person close to the Trump family told CNN the former President’s children never saw a reason not to cooperate with the committee because none of them felt appearing before the panel put them at any risk. Some of Trump’s former advisers, however, have been less willing to testify. Yesterday, three additional GOP lawmakers received letters asking that they voluntarily cooperate with the ongoing probe. But two of them, Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona and Ronny Jackson of Texas, made it clear they will not cooperate with the investigation.
5. India heatwave
Extreme heat in India is “testing the limits of human survivability,” according to a climate expert. Last month, New Delhi saw seven consecutive days over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). In some states, the heat has damaged crops and put pressure on energy supplies as officials warned residents to remain indoors and keep hydrated. The heatwave has also been felt by India’s neighbor Pakistan, where the cities of Jacobabad and Sibi in the country’s southeastern Sindh province recorded highs of 47 degrees Celsius (116.6 Fahrenheit) on Friday. Experts say India is among the countries expected to be affected the hardest by the impacts of the climate crisis, and will likely endure more frequent and longer heatwaves in the future.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Airbnb says staffers can work remotely forever, if they want
Meet the 118-year-old French nun living in a nursing home who was recently named the world’s oldest living person.
Harry Styles graces the cover of Better Homes & Gardens, obviously
His new album is titled “Harry’s House” so it makes perfect sense. Plus, who doesn’t love that contagious smile!
Brooklyn Public Library offers teens free library cards and access to banned books
Book bans are sweeping the nation, but some libraries are telling teens and young adults to read on.
SpaceX to launch another historic astronaut mission today
On board will be four professional astronauts, including the first Black woman to join the International Space Station crew.
Kevin Hart is launching a new media company called HARTBEAT
The company has a clever name, a funny boss, and just received a $100 million private equity investment. Sounds like a great start, Hart.
TODAY’S NUMBER
4,000
That’s how much Harvard University is dedicating to create a fund to research and redress its “extensive entanglements with slavery,” university President Lawrence Bacow announced yesterday. This comes after a new university report detailed how slavery and racism played a significant part in Harvard’s institutional history. For nearly 150 years – from the founding of the university in 1636 until Massachusetts abolished slavery in 1783 – Harvard presidents and others enslaved more than 70 people, the report says.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“We weren’t elected by the people of this state to shy away from doing what some may call controversial.”
– Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, president of the American Heart Association, on scientists seeing little benefit of taking daily aspirin for most healthy people to prevent heart attack and stroke. The US Preventive Service Task Force finalized its latest recommendations on low-dose aspirin regimens and now says people over 60 should not start taking a daily aspirin for primary prevention of heart problems, in most cases, because it may contribute to a risk of bleeding in the stomach or brain.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY
If cute babies competed in the Olympic Games
Mornings are always better with warm donuts paired with freshly brewed coffee. Check out this video to learn where the donut got its signature shape. (Click here to view)