Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, June 23, 2021:
VOTING RIGHTS DEAD
A sweeping voting rights bill that would have impacted virtually all aspects of how elections are run was blocked by Republicans in the Senate, who used the filibuster to stop it from advancing. The GOP put up a united front opposing the bill, known as the For the People Act, saying it was ultimately meant to benefit Democrats and infringed on states being able to conduct their own elections without interference. Democrats say the bill was necessary to counter the various state laws being enacted by Republicans to make it harder to vote. The defeat is the most significant setback yet for President Biden’s legislative agenda. AP
COVID-19 LATEST
Covid hospitalizations are starting to rebound in a handful of states with poor vaccination levels, and the trend is especially notable among 18-29 year olds. The hospitalization rate in Missouri, Utah and Arkansas is up 30% in two weeks with younger patients driving the increase. All the states seeing rising hospitalizations trail the national vaccination rate. Because testing has fallen off a cliff nationwide, health officials say the number of patients in the hospital with Covid is now the most reliable indicator of where the virus is being transmitted. BLOOMBERG
NYC MAYOR
Andrew Yang conceded the NYC mayor’s race after coming in a distant fourth place on primary night, a remarkably poor finish for the candidate who was leading the polls until recently. Eric Adams has a formidable lead with about 30% of the first-choice votes. But if he doesn’t hit 50% when the absentee ballots are counted, the city’s ranked-choice voting system will come into play and it could be weeks before a winner is declared. NEWS12
SAUDI KILLERS TRAINED IN U.S.
The Saudi operatives who killed and dismembered the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 reportedly had received paramilitary training in the U.S. on a contract approved by the State Dept. The training was done in 2017 by an Arkansas private security firm and happened at the same time Saudi Arabia was starting a kidnapping and torture campaign against dissidents on the orders of the crown prince. There’s no evidence anyone involved in training the secret Saudi unit knew that at the time. NY TIMES
LUMBER BUBBLE
Lumber prices have been falling fast since hitting all-time highs a few weeks ago as demand for DIY home renovations during the pandemic outstripped supply. Prices are still much higher than they were pre-Covid, but lumber futures are trading below $1,000 for the first time in months. It all comes down to Econ 101: saw mills are running on overdrive, cranking out the plywood and 2x4s that is helping to meet demand, which in turn has fallen as buyers got spooked by the high prices. FORTUNE
CRYPTO CRASH
The price of bitcoin dropped below $30,000 for the first time since January and briefly turned negative on the year before rebounding. Cryptocurrencies have been taking a bath lately; ethereum is down 15% just this week, while dogecoin is down 75% since peaking around the time Elon Musk hyped it on SNL. Coinbase, the crypto trading platform, is down close to 40% since it went public two months ago just as Bitcoin was hitting all-time highs. CNET
STICKY SITUATION
The MLB just started enforcing a new rule against pitchers using sticky substances to manipulate the ball, and it’s already creating havoc. When Oakland reliever Sergio Romo was approached by an umpire for a “sticky stuff” check, he sarcastically pulled his pants down. Earlier in the night, Nationals ace Max Scherzer threw his hat on the field and theatrically undid his belt after the Phillies manager asked the umps to inspect him a third time. The new policy is meant to generate more offense in the game, but there’s concern that it’s already being exploited by opposing teams. NY POST
#FREEBRITNEY
Britney Spears is expected to speak at a court hearing regarding her conservatorship today. The singer had requested the hearing on an expedited basis, and some Britney-watchers expect this will be the day she officially asks for the arrangement with her father, Jamie, to be dissolved. A new report suggests Spears quietly tried to end her conservatorship much earlier than previously known, though she has never petitioned the court to do so. NY TIMES
STAR IS BORN
If you don’t know the name Rachel Zegler yet, you will. The 20-year-old singer, actress and YouTuber from New Jersey got her big break as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story reboot that was supposed to come out last year. It’s now scheduled for Christmas, but Zegler’s already got her next gig lined up: she’s been cast as Snow White in a live-action remake of the classic that put Disney on the map when it first came out in 1938. DEADLINE
LEFTOVERS: COWS ON THE RUN
A herd of more than 30 cows broke free from a slaughterhouse in the L.A. neighborhood of Pico Rivera, stampeding through residential streets before police were able to corral them on a cul-de-sac. One cow was shot by cops in the process. Because it’s Los Angeles, the entire drama was captured by news choppers flying above: SEE IT
Listen to the N2K Podcast! Looking for more context and analysis on the big stories of the day? Check out our podcast! Hosts Jill and Carlo break down the headlines, every weekday morning Listen on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!
