POLITICS 🏛️

'9/11-type commission' to investigate Capitol attack

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced plans to create a “9/11-type commission” to look into the Jan 6th attack on the US Capitol
• This type of commission will require a statute passed by both chambers and signed into law by the President. The commission leaders would not be elected individuals, but rather from outside the government
• The attack led to House Democrats impeaching Trump for the second time. The trial ended with Trump’s acquittal in the Senate

WORLD 🌎

New Zealand imposes first lockdown in 6 months

• Health officials in Auckland, New Zealand have placed the city into a 3 day lockdown after 3 Covid-19 cases were found
• This is the country’s first lockdown in six months and marks a setback in its success in controlling the spread of the virus
• Prime Minister Jacinda Arden confirmed that the three cases were infected by the more contagious variant first discovered in Britain

TECH 📱

Bitcoin hits record high

• Bitcoin jumped by more than 5% to an all-time high of $49,716 on Sunday afternoon
• The surge was driven by large firms like Tesla, Mastercard, and BNY Mellon being more open to bitcoin adoption

BUSINESS 💰

Bristol-Myers, Sanofi to pay Hawaii $834 million  

• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co and Sanofi SA have been ordered by a US judge to pay more than $834 million to the state of Hawaii for not properly warning non-white patients regarding the health risks from its blood thinner Plavix
• The companies did not change the drug’s label to warn doctors and patients despite knowing about the risks for more than a decade
• Bristol-Myers and Sanofi issued a joint statement stating that the decision was not supported by scientific evidence and will be appealed

US 🦅

Frozen wind turbines cause blackouts across Texas

• Rolling power blackouts took place in Texas on Monday as a result of the winter storm and frigid temperatures
• The rotating outages could continue until the weather emergency ends according to ERCOT, a major grid operator in Texas
• Frozen wind turbines and limited gas supplies have impacted the ability to generate sufficient power

CORONAVIRUS 😷

Fauci wins $1 million Israeli prize

• Dr. Anthony Fauci has been awarded the $1 million Dan David prize for “defending science” and promoting the administration of vaccines worldwide to fight the pandemic
• The Israel-based Dan David Foundation name Fauci as the winner of one of three prizes
• The foundation stated that Fauci has earned his recognition from a lifetime of leadership in HIV research and AIDS relief in addition to his efforts in combating the Covid-19 pandemic

EXTRA BLING ✨

• Government 🏛️. North Carolina republicans censure Richard Burr due to impeachment vote
• Environment 🌍. Nearly 200 Florida manatees filmed basking with dolphins
• Space 🌠. 'Planet Nine' claim at Solar System's edge reevaluated
• Uplifting 😊. People are volunteering to escort elderly Asian Americans to help keep them safe
• Interesting 🔎. Wildlife trafficking causing 'severe declines' in traded species, finds study

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