The Daily Dive

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An FDA advisory committee has recommended authorization of the Pfizer vaccine and it will soon start making its way through the U.S., but some of the biggest hurdles still to overcome are mistrust in both the government and vaccines themselves. Polls are showing that many still do not want to take the vaccine as soon as it is available. This is especially evident in communities of color who are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. We need about 70-75% of people to get vaccinated so that we can get on the road back to normal. Ian Duncan, reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for why many are taking the wait-and-see approach with the Covid vaccine.

Next, a story about a Chinese spy targeting California politicians. Between 2011 and 2015 a Chinese intelligence operative named Christina Fang, developed extensive ties with local and national politicians including CA Congressman Eric Swalwell. It is not believed that Fang passed along any classified information to the Chinese government, but she did get very close to political power through campaign fundraising, extensive networking, and romantic or sexual relationships with at least two Midwestern mayors. Zach Dorfman, senior staff writer at the Aspen Institute and author of the Axios Codebook Newsletter, joins us for how this Chinese spy operated and was rooted out.

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As we wait for the emergency use authorization here in the U.S. for the Pfizer vaccine, all eyes are on the U.K. with their program and many were alarmed when two British people had allergic reactions to the vaccine. It prompted British officials to advise those with serious allergies to avoid getting vaccinated for now. Karen Weintraub, health reporter at USA Today, joins us for the latest as the Pfizer vaccine continues its rollout.

Next, masks have been a point of contention since the beginning of the pandemic and recent headlines about the benefits of mask wearing have not helped either. A recent study out of Denmark says that there is no benefit to mask wearing, but the devil is in the details… The study was centered around the public messaging of mask wearing, not the actual benefit in blocking the virus. Noah Haber, contributor to Wired, joins us for why studies about mask wearing are so difficult to conduct.

Finally, we’ll tell you about Molly, the record holder for the longest frozen embryo known to have come to birth. Molly Gibson was frozen as an embryo 27 years ago, and thanks to the National Embryo Donation Center and embryo adoption, Molly was brought into the world, healthy and thriving. Marisa Iati, reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for more on this record holding baby.

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The U.K. has begun the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine and all eyes will be on them for things they do right and things they get wrong. It has been less than a week that Britain has granted emergency use authorization and because of limited supplies and how difficult the Pfizer vaccine is to ship and store, only about 50 hospital hubs will be able to administer the vaccine for now. Joanna Sugden, assistant editor at the WSJ based in London, joins us for how vaccine distribution is going in the U.K.

Next, President Trump continues his fight to overturn the election but his time is running out. He will have to leave the White House come January, but his protracted fight is causing rifts in the Republican Party with many party leaders supporting the president's claim of a stolen election and Republican governors that have certified his loss. David Siders, national political correspondent at Politico, joins us for how the president's influence impacts the party in the Georgia Senate runoff election, the midterms, and 2024.

Finally, businesses across the country have been hit hard by lockdowns and restrictions, but in Los Angeles, there is a revolt when it comes to a ban on outdoor dining. Restaurants feel like they are scapegoats for the lockdowns with elected officials failure to provide the science behind their reasons to close outdoor dining. Some restaurants owners are filing lawsuits and even planning on defying lockdown rules to keep their businesses afloat. Anh Do, reporter at the LA Times, joins us for more.

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Reports are saying that Attorney General Bill Barr is considering leaving his post before the end of President Trump's term. Trump continues to dispute the outcome of the election even as the Department of Justice has said that there was no widespread fraud, which has put Barr at odds with the president. Devlin Barrett, national security reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for what might be prompting the Attorney General to leave early.

Next, the 737 Max is on its way back and American Airlines will be the first to offer flights starting December 29. In advance of the first commercial flights after its grounding for 20 months, American Airlines has offered a few demos of the plane, flying around executives, staff, and some members of the media. We'll speak to Leslie Josephs, aviation reporter at CNBC, who was on one of these preview flights and tells us how the experience went and what changes Boeing has made to make the plane safer.

Finally, we have two vaccine candidates that are on their way very soon to be approved by the FDA for distribution, but while those may begin being administered shortly, the long haul of vaccine results is just beginning. We have another candidate from AstraZeneca that has released preliminary findings with some promising and confusing results, as well as other trials underway. Sarah Zhang, staff writer at the Atlantic, joins us for more.

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President Trump continued to dispute the outcome of the election at a rally in Georgia over the weekend while he also encouraged his followers to vote in the Senate runoff election there. Some experts say that while Trump's claims of fraud won't work in court, it could lay the groundwork for new voting restrictions. Joe Biden in the meantime, continues the transition and will meet with Operation Warp Speed leaders this week. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for more.

Next, space is increasingly becoming an integral part of militaries around the world as they are conducting anti-satellite tests and establishing military branches. The U.S. Space Force is now one year old and France and Japan have also created their own space divisions. More countries are expanding into space with ways that will benefit their societies and are increasing their defensive and offensive capabilities there. Miriam Kramer, space reporter at Axios, joins us for the rise of military space powers.

Finally, because of the pandemic and dealing with isolation and the need for social interaction, it has forced some men to realize that they need deeper friendships. Many male friendships are rooted in "shoulder-to-shoulder" interactions such as watching sports or playing video games and with most of that gone right now, they are feeling the need more than ever to make deeper connections. Samantha Schmidt, reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for how some men are looking for more out of their friendships.

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are seeing coronavirus continue to spread across the country, hospitalizations and deaths are also on the uptick and doctors and nurses are caught in the middle with treating the sick and people who still think the virus isn’t as bad as some make it seem. Some health-care workers call it “Covid denial,” and on top of the physical and mental demands of the job, they say this makes it harder for them to provide care. Sarah Krouse, health reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more on this extra challenge health care workers are facing.

Next, we are in the holiday shopping season and since the pandemic has changed the way everything is done right now, most people are shopping online and it’s making it extra difficult to get those hot items right now. Looking for a PS5 or a new Xbox? Good luck with that… Grinch bots are grabbing them all up. Automated programs are beating you to the punch for the top sneakers, toys, and electronics that are sold online. Many experts say that retailers need to do more to slow this activity down, but the bots are always improving. Teresa Carr, columnist at Undark.org, joins us for how Grinch bots are ruining everything.

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