Good Morning, it’s Tuesday, January 4th. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Let’s start off by looking at Covid-19 updates. The Washington Post updates us that the South East of the United States is readying itself for a storm of Omicron cases. However, there is fear that the outbreak will be deadlier here than within the North as this area has fewer safeguards like mask mandates in place. Within Australia, Forbes tells us that the country is experiencing its highest number of Covid-19 cases and total hospitalizations. Despite this, The Australian prime minister has refused to make rapid antigen tests freely available to all Australians, because he doesn’t want the government to “undercut” pharmacies.

Moving on, Elizabeth Holmes, Theranos founder, is once again reaching headlines. Fox News reports that the California jury has found Holmes guilty on four of eleven charges within the criminal fraud case against her.

As the anniversary of the January 6th Capitol riot comes closer, The Hill states that Democrats are conflicted in how they feel Biden should handle the occasion. We will watch how the president juggles not over politicizing the event but also taking on Trump, when he delivers his speech, on Thursday.

The New York Times has reported on possible actions from the EU towards Hungary. The news source stated that after years of complacency and wishful thinking, Brussels may finally hold the nation accountable for its threat to human rights and the rule of law.

Finally, The Guardian has noted that Apple has become the first US company to reach a $3trillion valuation. The company has managed to triple its value in under four years through continuing its phenomenal share price growth.

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Afternoon. It's Tuesday, December 28th, and you're listening to Ausum's Afternoon News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about. Here are today headlines from the top publications:

Apple on Monday became the first publicly-traded company to be worth $3 trillion, reports the Financial Times. This valuation, according to Forbes, is greater than the UK GDP.

The wall street journal reports that the jury in the trial of Theranos founder - Elizabeth Holmes is deadlocked on three of the 11 fraud counts. The Guardian adds that Jurors had been deliberating for seven days after the 15-week trial in which the Theranos founder faced up to 20 years in prison.

On another trial, Business Insider reports that Ghislaine Maxwell's husband told her in a prison phone call that he had moved on with another woman, ending their secretive marriage. Maxwell was convicted of five of six sex-trafficking charges last Wednesday. She faces a sentence of up to 65 years in prison.

On another topic - Covid, The New York Times states that the U.S. Struggles to Avoid Widespread Disruptions as Omicron Spreads. Nevertheless, officials across the U.S., including President Biden, have insisted that they will not order shutdowns to contain the latest surge in cases. CNN reports that although Govorner Kathy Hochul said data confirmed Omicron caused less severe illness, the state trend in hospitalizations is still shooting up

In the weather, Sneak attack storms bring heavy snow and severe weather to Eastern U.S, reports the Washington Post. In the D.C. area, snow triggers power outages and shuts down the Metrobus service.

In the stock market, U.S. stocks rose in the first session of 2022. The S&P 500 gained 0.6% as of 4 p.m. ET, closing at a new record after a year where it rose 27%. The Nasdaq rose 1.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6%, closing at Dow's close at 36585.06 - a new high. Reports the Wall Street Journal.

That's all for today. Be sure to download the Ausum app to get the full Ausum experience. Catch you next time for the Ausum News Briefing every weekday, morning, and afternoon.

Good Morning, it’s Monday, January 3rd. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Let’s kick off with Axios. Axios tells us that Marjorie Taylor Greene's Twitter account has been permanently deleted. The Georgia Republican representative was banned for "repeated violations" of the platform's COVID misinformation policy.

Another story hitting headlines is the 21 people trapped in an Albuquerque, New Mexico aerial tram car. Forbes reports that rescue workers managed to evacuate those on the gondola.

The Washington Post updates on the Russia-US tensions. President Biden assured the Ukrainian President, Zelensky, that the United States “will respond decisively” if Russia chooses to invade the nation. This contrasts with The Guardian article which states that on Sunday the chair of the US House intelligence committee said that Russia is “very likely” to invade Ukraine and may only be deterred through “enormous sanctions”.

Moving on, let’s look at Covid-19 news. Bloomberg reports that weekly Covid cases have surpassed 10 million. The surge of the Omicron variant has led to almost twice as many people being diagnosed with Coronavirus in the past 7 days. Within the United States, The New York Times notes that an expansion of the existing child tax credit is ending despite the new surge which is preventing many from working. Economists warn that this could lead to severe hardship for many families. This publication also exposes the staggering number of covid-19 cases within Puerto Rico.

Extreme weather is predicted within Washington D.C. The Washington Post states that several inches of snow is predicted, which could make travel difficult within the region.

Following Ghislaine Maxwell’s conviction which we mentioned last week, Newsweek reports that the disgraced British socialite’s brother says Maxwell will not reveal the names of other people involved in Jeffrey Epstein's child sex trafficking network.

Finally, Bloomberg reports that a third pro-democracy news source has been shut down within Hong Kong. This illustrates Beijing’s success at vetting competition.

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Morning, it’s Thursday, December 30th. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Ghislaine Maxwell has been found guilty of sex trafficking young girls for Jeffrey Epstein. Forbes described to us that the disgraced British socialite could face up to six decades in prison. Maxwell was accused of hiring a 14-year-old to engage in sexualized massages with Epstein for $300 a session, which occurred several times a week until Carolyn turned 18.

Moving on, let's look at updates on the Covid-19 Omicron variant. The New York Times reports that with the spread of Omicron US officials are discussing what it means to be “fully vaccinated”. New York State has stated that it plans to stop considering residents fully vaccinated unless they’ve gotten the shots. Within China, The Guardian tells us that four people are named and shamed – a banned practice – in the city of Jingxi. On Tuesday they were led through the streets wearing hazmat suits and bearing placards showing their name and photos. The four men were accused of smuggling people across China’s closed borders.

American police practices have once again been called into question. The Washington Post explains that following the police shooting of a 14-year-old bystander in an LA shopping mall, the decision from police to open fire into a crowded area while pursuing a suspect who was without a gun is being challenged.

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Morning, it’s Wednesday, December 29th. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Let’s start with updates on the Coronavirus variant Omicron! The Washington Post notifies us that leaders and public health experts across the United States are urging Americans to cancel their New Year’s Eve plans and stay at home. This is the second year in a row this has been advised, and it reminds us that the pandemic is far from over. Furthermore, The New York Times slightly put us at ease regarding the rise in children being hospitalized. This publication stated, despite initial fears, Omicron is not more severe for children. The N.F.L. and the N.F.L. Players Association has amended the season’s Covid-19 protocols to reflect new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The New York Times notes that this comes after over 90 players tested positive for the virus.

Moving on, Axios announced that Hong Kong has experienced another blow to free speech. Hong Kong police have arrested six people at Stand News for "conspiracy to publish seditious publications" following more than 200 national security officers raiding the online pro-democracy news outlet.

Axios also reported that Harry Reid, Former Senate Majority Leader, died yesterday at the age of 82. The influential figure served in Congress for over three decades and was Senate majority leader from 2007 to 2015. Both President Biden and former President Obama described Reid as a "great" Senate leader.

Climate change has been linked to the 24 states under extreme weather alerts. Forbes notes that heavy snow caused power shortages across the Northwest and blizzards left feet of snow in the Midwest. The New York Times announced that Chile has elected 155 Chileans to write a new constitution amid what they declare to be a “climate and ecological emergency.”

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Afternoon. It's Tuesday, December 28th, and you're listening to Ausum's Afternoon News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about. Here are today headlines from the top publications:

The Wall Street Journal states that SpaceX's Future Depends on a Gigantic Rocket and 42,000 Internet Satellites. According to Elon Musk - Starship and Starlink projects create steep burdens for his space company, which aims to reduce launch costs and build a big internet business.

Forbes in its top headline list Six Numbers That Defined Crypto's Record Year. Here are some of those numbers:

11% - that's the market cap reached by Bitcoin earlier this year.

123.02 terawatt-hours - that's the estimated yearly energy consumption of Bitcoin miners.

27B dollars - that's the amount of funding raised by crypto companies during 2021.

And, $12 billion dollars - that's the Approximate level capital raised in 2021 to build the metaverse, a virtual reality layer to the internet.

Speaking of capital raise, the Financial Times reports that companies raise a record $12.1 trillion dollars in 2021 by selling stock, issuing debt, and inking new loans, as a torrent of central bank stimulus and the rapid recovery from the pandemic propelled many global markets higher.

Switching to the inavoidable Omicron variant. The Washington Post reports that the U.S. sets record high for infections. According to Axios, Over 85 cruise ships are under CDC investigation following COVID outbreaks. CNN states that the Omicron variant is responsible for filling up children's hospitals, with a five-fold increase in pediatric admissions in New York City this month.

Meanwhile, AP News reports that the US move to shorten COVID-19 isolation stirs confusion and draws criticism from some medical experts. The New York Times reports that New York City schools will reopen next week with more testing. And, as countries like Israel experimenting with a fourth dose of vaccine, The Daily Wire reports that some experts are Concerned that a fourth COVID shot may weaken the body's ability To fight illness

Lastly, U.S. stock futures edged higher today - Tuesday, a day after a record close for the S&P 500. Futures tied to the S&P 500 added 0.3% after the broad-market index rallied 1.4% on Monday. Nasdaq-100 futures rose 0.5%, pointing to gains in technology stocks after the opening bell. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures ticked up 0.2%. Reports the Wall Street Journal.

That's all for today. Be sure to download the Ausum app to get the full Ausum experience. Catch you next time for the Ausum News Briefing every weekday, morning, and afternoon.

Good Morning, it’s Tuesday, December 28th. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

We will be kicking off by discussing updates regarding the Covid-19 pandemic! The Hill reports that The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is cutting down it’s recommended isolation time for people asymptomatically infected with COVID-19 from 10 to five days. This centre declared that this change applies to everyone whether or not they are vaccinated. Despite this announcement, The Washington Post told us that US hospitals are still reeling from the record numbers of Covid-19 cases created by the Omicron variant. The already worn down health care workers are bracing themselves for more misery in the weeks ahead.

New footage of Thursday’s Los Angeles police shooting, from surveillance and police body cameras, has been released. The New York Times states that after an attacker threatened holiday shoppers the police opened fire killing both the attacker and a young bystander. It has been made clear that it was police bullets that fatally shot the 14 year old girl, this follows the LA police department already this year fatally shooting 18 people.

Rising tensions over Ukraine are being confronted as the US and Russia agree to meet for talks in early January. The Guardian explains that the US administration has warned Russia of swift and brutal sanctions if it invades it’s neighbor Ukraine. However, Russia denies such intentions.

Yesterday, Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act which approves $768 billion spent on defence. Forbes notes that this increases military spending by about 5% from the previous year.

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Afternoon. It's Monday, December 27th, and you're listening to Ausum's Afternoon News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about. Here are today headlines from the top publications:

The New York Times The Washington Post report that Doctor Anthony Fauci now suggests vaccination requirements for air travel. He also encourages the cancelation of New Year's Eve parties as the battle against Omicron continues, or according to CNN's top headline - "the Omicron surge is just getting started."

Meanwhile, while countries around the world are setting more restrictions to try and fight Omicron, in the UK, according to the BBC, no new Covid rules are planned before the new year.

The Washington Post, Business Insider, and The Hill report that Biden acknowledges shortages of at-home COVID-19 tests, saying supply now is - "clearly not enough," and tells governors next steps to fight pandemic are at the state level.

According to Guardian, the Capitol panel will open an inquiry into Donald Trump's phone call to the Willard hotel seeking to stop Joe Biden's certification from taking place on January 6th, hours before the insurrection.

According to Axios, significant snowfall hit West Coast mountain ranges and the Intermountain West, with record cold weather in some West Coast areas leaving thousands of customers without electricity. Meanwhile, Southern states experience unusually warm temperatures.

Forbes reports that Elon Musk Faces backlash In China after a 'Close Encounters' between two of Space-X's satellites and China's space station.

Lastly, Tech Shares Finish Higher in Broad Stock Rally, reports the Wall Street Journal. The S&P 500 rose 1.4%, setting its 69th record close of 2021. Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 1.4%, and the Dow Jones gained 1%.

That's all for today. Be sure to download the Ausum app to get the full Ausum experience. Catch you next time for the Ausum News Briefing every weekday, morning, and afternoon.

Good Morning, it’s Monday, December 27th. And You’re listening to Ausum’s Morning News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about.

Following the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, AP News reports that within Cape Town, South Africa bells are tolling in honour. The activist worked against South Africa’s apartheid regime that oppressed the country’s Black majority. Furthermore, after the country’s aparthied ended in 1994 Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which documented atrocities and sought to promote national reconciliation.

Meta and Google faced a fine from Russian courts last Friday. Forbes explains that the ruling behind the fines claimed that the companies failed to remove banned content. Putin said earlier last week that he would “continue insisting” that global platforms “be in line with Russian laws”.

Moving on, Covid-19’s impact on the holidays was largely discussed among news sources. Reuters told us that, for the third day, American holiday plans are being limited by the pandemic. U.S. airlines canceled over 1,300 flights on Sunday as COVID-19 reduced the number of available crews. Moreover, regarding pandemic air travel, The Daily Wire notes that Chief Medical Advisor to the President Dr. Anthony Fauci stated that the idea of removing masks on planes should ‘not something we should even be considering’. Forbes further describes Fauci sounding the alarm on the “extraordinarily contagious” Omicron variant. This news source went on to explain how U.S. scientists discovered that Coronavirus can remain within an individual’s body for 8 months. This new variant is announced by the New York Times to be leading some US nursing homes to struggle to give residents the booster shot.

After the devastating tornado in Mayfield, Kentucky, The Guardian reports on the aftermath. 76 people died in that state alone and the destruction of the buildings has meant that they are unlivable for many.

Finally, The Guardian also noted that Sarah Weddington, attorney who won Roe v Wade abortion case in 1973, has died at the age of 76. Many have paid tribute to Weddington and reflected on her impact on women’s reproductive rights.

That’s all for today. For the full Ausum experience, make sure to download the Ausum app. Catch us, every weekday, morning and afternoon.

Good Afternoon. It's Wednesday, December 23rd, and you're listening to Ausum's Afternoon News Briefing, where we round up the top latest articles that everyone is talking about. Today we bring you the top headlines from the top publications.

The New York Times reports that Omicron Drives U.S. Virus Cases and more than Past Delta's Peak. Yet, according to the BBC, while Omicron is more contingent, it is almost 70% less likely to need hospital care.

The Washington Post covers the topic as well and reports that Israel is now betting on a fourth booster shot after it saw the success of the third dose with dealing with the delta variant. That decision, though, is not based on new scientific data about the drug's effectiveness.

On a different subject, the Former police officer Kim Potter will go to jail after jury convicts her on ALL charges in shooting death Daunte Wright, according to Fox News.

The Guardian reports that Vladimir Putin has accused the west of “coming with its missiles to our doorstep” as he reiterated demands for no further NATO expansion in Europe.

The Wall Street Journal's top headline reports that Amazon Reaches Federal Settlement Allowing Workers More Leeway to Organize, according to an email sent by the company to more than a million of its employees.

Lastly, Business Insider states that China isn't the only nation nixing crypto currencies. In fact, 50 other countries have placed bans on digital currencies to date. That's more than twice as many as three years ago when the last report was published.

That's all for today. Be sure to download the Ausum app to get the full Ausum experience. Catch you next time for the Ausum News Briefing every weekday, morning, and afternoon.