What A Day

It's been over two months since the military first seized control of Myanmar. The coup was met with a massive protest movement in the streets, in workplaces, and on the internet. As a response, the military has become increasingly violent in its crackdown, killing over 500 people and jailing thousands more.

We spoke to Aye Min Thant, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who has been reporting on the coup since February about the country's past, present, and future. 

And in headlines: An executive order on "ghost guns," relief money for undocumented essential workers in New York state, and conflict at Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant.

Show Notes:

Journalist Aye Min Thant – https://twitter.com/the_ayeminthant

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday.

The CDC is continuing to warn about new, more infectious variants of the coronavirus in the US, and is tracking potential spread in daycare centers and youth sports. Meanwhile, Brazil is grappling with its own new variant that has caused infections and deaths to reach new highs this week.

Republicans in Kentucky joined together with the Democratic Governor to expand voting rights in the state — bucking the trend of Republicans elsewhere in the country. We explain what’s behind the move, along with a new executive order from the mayor of Atlanta to protect her residents against Georgia’s restrictive voting law.

And in headlines: Arkansas moves forward with extreme anti-trans law, the physics of muons, and House Republicans con their own donors.

Show Notes:

Washington Post: "Brazil has become South America’s superspreader event" – https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/04/05/brazil-variant-coronavirus-south-america/

Follow What A Day on Instagram at instagram.com/whataday

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday.

Senate Democrats got the green light to pass more bills with a simple majority vote. On Monday, the Senate’s parliamentarian ruled that the Dems can pass more budget reconciliation bills this year — the same process they used for the relief bill. We explain what this means.

President Biden wants states to make all adults eligible for vaccines by April 19th. The new date is two weeks sooner than his previous goal.

And in headlines: St. Louis jail uprising, Iran and the US take steps to resume nuclear deal, and Kim Kardashian West becomes a billionaire.

Follow What A Day on Instagram at instagram.com/whataday

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday.

The Biden administration is trying to get corporations to pay their fair share of taxes in order to fund a new jobs and infrastructure package. Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called for a global minimum corporate tax rate. We explain.

Clinical trials of a low-cost COVID vaccine are beginning in Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam. The vaccine is produced in a less expensive, more traditional way than the vaccines we have now, and it could be majorly important to ending the pandemic around the world.

And in headlines: Arkansas governor vetoes anti-trans bill, SAG awards actors of color, and Vladimir Putin passes law to extend his power into the future.

Show notes:

NYT: "Researchers Are Hatching a Low-Cost Coronavirus Vaccine" – https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/health/hexapro-mclellan-vaccine.html

Follow What A Day on Instagram at instagram.com/whataday

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday.

The MLB is officially moving the All-Star Game out of Georgia after Republicans in the state passed a restrictive voting law. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp insinuated the move amounts to so-called “cancel culture.” And in Texas, big businesses are starting to speak out against a similar voter suppression law there before it’s on the books.

The CDC released new guidance for vaccinated Americans on how to safely travel. Plus, “vaccine passports” are emerging as a major flashpoint for both politics and privacy. We explain.

And in headlines: Chicago Police will release video of an officer fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy, major wastewater leak in Florida, and VP Harris moves into the VP residence.

Follow What A Day on Instagram at instagram.com/whataday

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday.

As Biden works to sell his infrastructure plan, we take a look at the money he’s proposing for high-speed internet and what it could do to address equity issues in education.

15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had to be tossed out after a factory mix-up in Baltimore. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball is back and the Texas Rangers have announced no plans to cap attendance … even though we’re still in a pandemic.

And in headlines: Republicans try to stay silent on Gaetz-gate, Ivanka Trump’s women’s initiative was a flop, and 15,000 bees in a car in New Mexico.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday.

Journalists got a tour this week of a detention facility in Texas housing migrants — the first time the media have gotten access to one since Biden took office. They reported that 4,000 people, including children, were packed into a space designed for only 250.

Companies like Coca-Cola and Delta finally spoke out about Georgia’s new voter suppression law. We discuss the statements, whether they came too late, and what businesses can do now to step up from here.

And in headlines: Witnesses in the Derek Chauvin trial express guilt and helplessness, France imposes a third national lockdown, and New York State legalizes recreational weed.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday.

President Biden is in Pittsburgh, today, to unveil a new infrastructure plan that would invest trillions in the country’s roads, bridges, affordable housing, broadband, and manufacturing industry. We explain how Biden might fund the bill and how earmarks might come into play. 

Today is the Trans Day of Visibility, and it comes at a moment when the human rights of trans kids and adults are under attack in states across the country. On Monday, Republican state lawmakers in Arkansas passed a bill to ban gender-affirming health care for trans youth. 

And in headlines: Biden aims to diversify the federal bench, Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz responds to a sex trafficking investigation, and Major Biden bites again.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday.

Florida is following Georgia’s lead by moving forward on a bill that makes it harder to vote. It’s part of a broader and coordinated effort to roll back voting rights in states across the country, backed by groups like The Heritage Foundation. We explain that, and listen to leaked audio that reveals how Republican donors are trying to message against federal voting rights legislation.

Yesterday brought back-to-back federal warnings about the pandemic. Biden called on states to reimpose mask mandates, and the director of the CDC warned of “impending doom” if Americans don’t take precautions. 

And in headlines: The final day of Amazon’s unionization vote, the first day of the Derek Chauvin trial, and a new poll shows Americans are the least religious they’ve been in decades. 

Show Links: 

“Inside the Koch-Backed Effort to Block the Largest Election-Reform Bill in Half a Century”

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/inside-the-koch-backed-effort-to-block-the-largest-election-reform-bill-in-half-a-century

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday.

The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is set to begin today with opening statements. We explain what to expect and highlight new police reform efforts in cities across the country, including a pandemic decriminalization program in Baltimore that could become permanent.

Covid-19 cases are starting to rise again driven by increasing infection rates in places like New York, New Jersey, and Michigan. And although vaccinations continue to rise, experts still caution the public to wear masks in large settings. 

And in headlines: Myanmar’s deadliest day since the February coup, a new bill in Arkansas targets health care for trans youth, and Suez boat gets freed.

Show Links: 

NYPD officers are no longer protected from civil lawsuits after city council passes police reform legislation

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/25/us/nyc-police-reform-nypd/index.html

Marilyn Mosby declares war on drugs over, formalizes policy to dismiss all possession charges in Baltimore

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-ci-cr-mosby-stops-drug-prosecutions-20210326-7ra6pn2a4zcexnj6hmfv4wj6li-story.html

Covid-19 Variant Rages in Brazil, Posing Global Risk

https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-variant-rages-in-brazil-posing-global-risk-11616845889

For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/whataday.