The Economist updates Covid-19 rates spiking around the world, McDonald’s fast food profits plunge and other top international business and economic news.
Tag Archives: Coronavirus
Morning News Podcast: Stimulus Bill Advances, Covid-19 Issues In Baseball
The Republicans have reached a deal on coronavirus relief, but it could mean much less unemployment money for Americans. Can they convince Democrats? Major League Baseball is already postponing games due to COVID-19 infections. And do we need another lockdown to beat COVID-19?
Morning News Podcast: New Stimulus Bill, Covid-19 Vaccine & Civil Rights
This week, lawmakers in Capitol Hill are trying to piece together the next stimulus package as many benefits like unemployment insurance and forgiving evictions expire. Democrats and Republicans both agree that a new bill is necessary but there’s been a lot of back and forth about the specifics. And they’re running out of time.
- Plus, a reality check on the coronavirus vaccine.
- And, the silver lining for civil rights this year.
Guests: Axios’ Alayna Treene, Sam Baker, and Sara Fischer.
Global News Podcast: States File More Lawsuits, Spain’s New Lockdown
NPR News Now discusses continued criticism of federal agents in states, Spain’s new lockdown measures and other international news.
Coronavirus: “What It Will Take To Reach Herd Immunity” (WSJ Video)
Scientists are working at breakneck speed to develop an effective vaccine for the coronavirus. Their ultimate goal: to immunize enough of the world’s population to reach herd immunity. WSJ explains.
Illustration: Jacob Reynolds
Health: “Mechanical Ventilation And Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome” (Infographic)

World News Podcast: Unemployment In America Rises, China Tensions And South Korean Recession
The Economist reports on the rise of American unemployment, tensions with China and South Korea falls into recession.
Health: How 60-Year Old “Dexamethasone” Became World’s Best Hope For Covid-19 Patients (Video)
Dexamethasone, a steroid that appears promising for COVID-19 patients, has a long and storied history in medicine. We talk with experts about its many uses, and explore how it might save lives in this pandemic. Writer, Reporter, Editor, Narrator: Sara Reardon Animator: Donald Pearsall
Morning News Podcast: Federal Agents, Herd Immunity & Public Lands
NPR News reports on Federal Agents being sent to states to stem violent crime, Covid-19 and the possibilities for ‘natural herd immunity, federal funding for public lands and more.
Top New Science Podcasts: First Humans In Americas, Covid-19 And Green Frogs
When did people arrive in the Americas? New evidence stokes debate. New evidence may push back the date on human arrival to the Americas, and an examination of science’s flaws.
In this episode:
00:59 Ancient Americans
Two papers suggest that humans were present in the Americas thousands of years before many people have thought. We examine the evidence. Research Article: Ardelean et al.; Research Article: Becerra-Valdivia and Higham; News and Views: Evidence grows that peopling of the Americas began more than 20,000 years ago
10:44 Coronapod
We discuss the latest results from vaccine trials around the world, and controversy in the US as COVID-19 data collection moves out of the CDC. News: Coronavirus vaccines leap through safety trials — but which will work is anybody’s guess
24:38 Research Highlights
How being green makes things easy for some frogs, and how waves will be affected by climate change. Research Highlight: How frogs became green — again, and again, and again; Research Highlight: Extreme Arctic waves set to hit new heights
27:11 How can science improve?
A new book highlights some of the flaws of how science is done. We caught up with the author to find out his thoughts on how science can be cleaned up. Books and Arts: Fraud, bias, negligence and hype in the lab — a rogues’ gallery
35:54 Briefing Chat
We take a look at some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time we discuss a puzzling new insight into the expansion of the Universe, and an update to Plan S that will allow open-access research to be published in any journal. Nature News: Mystery over Universe’s expansion deepens with fresh data; Nature News: Open-access Plan S to allow publishing in any journal