Newsletter Apr 13, 2021

Minneapolis was already in the social justice spotlight during the George Floyd murder trial, but another tragic incident is reopening fresh wounds.

3 Things

Fatal error: Only a few miles from where the George Floyd murder trial is being held in Minneapolis, another officer-involved shooting of a Black man is setting off more protests against police brutality.
In this case, an accidental shooting by an officer who fired their handgun instead of their taser resulted in the death of 20-year-old Daunte Wright. He was being arrested for an outstanding warrant before attempting to flea from police during a traffic stop Sunday.
Body cam footage shows the officer shouting "Taser!" three times while the suspect was trying to drive away. She fired one shot into Wright, who crashed his car close by and was pronounced dead. The police officer can be heard saying with surprise," I shot him."
The incident ignited a community already on edge from the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin, who faces murder charges in the death of Floyd last summer that fueled worldwide protests. The latest case sparked similar outrage Sunday as crowds surrounded the police department. Mayor Mike Elliott called for peace and a curfew Monday, but the city was already seeing signs of violence.
GET THE LATEST ON THE TURBULENT TIMES IN MINNEAPOLIS

Close encounter: Almost a thousand miles away from the Twin Cities in Knoxville, Tenn., another deadly incident highlighted the challenges law enforcement officials face in handling gun violence.
A school shooting at Austin East Magnet High School resulted in one officer being wounded and the suspect being killed in what could have been a larger tragedy. Police officers exchanged fire with the suspect, killing him before his fellow students were harmed.
Initial reports claimed that multiple students and faculty had been wounded, but only the school's resource officer was transported to the hospital. He was being treated for non-life threatening injuries and was being credited for helping prevent further casualties.
It's the latest in a series of mass shootings in the U.S. as renewed calls for gun control are growing louder by the incident. However, some lawmakers are dead set against any gun regulation, including a group that is suing over the use of metal detectors in the Capitol.
SEE WHY CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS REFUSE TO PAY FINES

Big picture: With a record-setting 4.6 million Americans receiving vaccinations on Saturday and the country getting closer to herd immunity by the day, world health leaders say the U.S. may be developing a false sense of security about the state of the virus.
The World Health Organization said Monday that the end is still far away as the number of global COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to climb. There were 4.4 million new cases were recorded last week -- a 9% increase over the past week. Deaths worldwide rose 5%
â€œThis is not the situation we want to be in 16 months into a pandemic where we have proven control measures,â€ one WHO official said. â€œIt is the time right now where everyone has to take stock and have a reality check of what we need to be doing. ... vaccinations are coming online, but they arenâ€™t here yet in every part of the world.â€
The U.S. is looking to assist other countries in acquiring vaccines but not until the majority of Americans have received their shots. The spread of new variants also slows the race to achieve herd immunity by summer, but a global crisis will always be a threat to the U.S.
FIND OUT WHAT THE COVID CRISIS LOOKS LIKE WORLDWIDE

Markets

DJIA	33,745.40	-0.16%
S&P 500	4,127.99	-0.02%
Nasdaq Composite	13,850.00	-0.36%
Japan: Nikkei 225	29,751.61	0.72%
UK: FTSE 100	6,884.58	-0.07%
Crude Oil Futures	60.03	0.55%
Gold Futures	1,724.40	-0.48%
Yen	109.55	0.15%
Euro	1.19	-0.14%
* As of market close

Full of hot air?

The battle over climate change between environmentalists and the energy industry could have some relatively simple answers to the complex problem if the oil and gas industry can deliver on new technologies.

The leading contributors to emitting carbon into the Earth's atmosphere are looking within for solutions. A plan to lower the impact of their products on the environment is gaining steam in the scientific community.

Companies are working to cut the emissions produced by their oil and gas operations, including the reduction of the amount of natural gas they flare, utilizing solar energy to power oil fields and infrastructure, and installing technology to capture methane emissions with the goal of going net-zero.

It's still too early to tell if the strategy will work given the preference toward emissions-free energy sources like wind and solar and emerging options like green hydrogen. However, it might be too early to completely write off the oil and gas industries as they look for ways to work in the 21st century.

SEE HOW OIL AND GAS COMPANIES ARE LISTENING TO SCIENCE

Major problems

It's another trip from the White House to the dog house for embattled "First Dog" Major Biden. The penalized pooch is going away for a few weeks of remedial obedience training following a pair of biting incidents.

Unlike his more mellow 12-year-old sibling Champ, who has made himself at home in the familiar surroundings of the White House, 3-year-old rescue Major has had a tougher time getting used to all the strangers coming and going the premises and non-stop activity of his masters.

Major bit a Secret Service agent for attempting to take away his job of protecting the president, earning him a timeout back in Delaware for some basic training. But a snapping incident at a National Parks Service employee has resulted in more training away from the White House.

In hindsight, it's probably a good thing Trump didn't have a dog in the White House. It might have called the biting incidents "fake news" and tweeted out that the victims were part of a pro-cat conspiracy group.

FIND OUT THE FATE AWAITING MAJOR, THE PRESIDENTIAL PUP

Pork withdrawals

Americans successfully survived the great toilet paper and hand sanitizer shortages of 2020. They've even stocked up to deal with the ketchup and coffee shortfalls of 2021. But the next pandemic-induced shortage could involve biting off more than Americans can chew -- bacon and hot dogs.

Pork products appear to be the next items on the hard-to-find list after the industry is experiencing lagging production due to the pandemic. Coupled with the increased demand caused by the reopening of restaurants, the Fourth of July cookout when we're all supposed to reunite with family and friends could be missing the traditional holiday hot dogs and sausages.

"The whole supply chain has really been squeezed, and unfortunately it does not look like this is going to be something that improves between here and early summer,â€ one industry analyst said of the pork shortage.

For all the pandemic-related inconveniences we have suffered so far, the pork shortage could be the big one for Americans, many of whom believe bacon, hot dogs, ham and sausages are the four major food groups.

FIND OUT HOW LONG YOU MAY HAVE TO GO WITHOUT A HOT DOG