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COVID May Literally Keep You Up At Night

Your unbiased daily news brief

Author

James Kratch
February 06, 2024

Good morning and happy Tuesday. Police in Bellevue, Washington, responded to a once-in-a-career call last week: A local man had a nuclear weapon in his garage. Well, not really. The item was a Cold War-era air-to-air missile without a warhead or fuel. In other words, it is a spiffy gas tank that belongs in a museum. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

  • FAA: Almost all Boeing jets cleared

  • WHO: Jarring global cancer numbers

  • Haley: Secret Service protection ask

  • Powell: More rate cut brake-pumping

  • College hoops: Watershed legal ruling

… and more

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Top Tips

1) Bed bug

A new medical study found three-quarters of participating people with mild COVID-19 cases developed insomnia.

  • The research: The survey, published in Frontiers in Public Health, examined just over 1K Vietnamese patients with moderate infections within six months of participation. No patients were hospitalized and none reported past insomnia or psychological conditions.

  • The results: Just over 76% of patients said they had insomnia after their COVID-19 bout -- much higher than the general population rate between 10-20%. Almost 23% of participants reported severe insomnia. There was no correlation between symptom severity and/or illness duration and insomnia found, but patients who battled anxiety or depression after infection were more likely to battle insomnia.

  • Big picture: It is just one study that has to be corroborated. But it speaks to the vast lack of precise knowledge about how COVID-19 can impact people after infection, even as we approach the four-year anniversary of the pandemic.

2) A new royal crisis

King Charles has an undisclosed form of cancer.

  • The diagnosis: The cancer was detected during Charles' recent procedure for an enlarged prostate, but he does not have prostate cancer. Buckingham Palace said he has begun "regular treatments" and will postpone public duties. The palace said the king will continue his constitutional duties as head of state.

  • The response: President Joe Biden said he is concerned and hopes to speak to Charles soon. Prince Harry will reportedly travel to the United Kingdom soon to see his estranged father. The palace said Charles is optimistic about his treatment plan.

  • Big picture: Charles can direct his counselors of state, including Queen Camilla and Prince William, to handle duties if he is incapable. William, next in line to the throne, is expected to resume public duties soon after Princess Kate's recent abdominal surgery.

3) Nevada's nutty setup

Nikki Haley will likely win her first Republican presidential nominating contest tonight, but the victory may not mean much.

  • Two-stepping: Nevada traditionally held caucuses for its presidential primaries. A 2021 state law mandated a traditional primary election if there are two or more candidates in a race. Democrats accepted the change, but Republicans will also have a party-run caucus through which all nominating delegates are awarded. The caucus is Thursday.

  • Pick one: Voters can participate in both contests, but candidates must choose either the caucus or primary -- a state party decision many allege was designed to benefit former President Donald Trump's candidacy. Trump filed for the caucus; Haley, the former South Carolina governor opted for the primary.

  • Big picture: The dueling contests are controversial; Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardi, a Republican, has criticized the caucus plan. Both sides of the state party are unsure how the results will play out. But Haley should be able to claim her first win.

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Quick Tips

U.S. News

  • Alaska and United Airlines have inspected and returned 94% of Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets to their fleets, according to the FAA. The aircrafts were grounded after a door blew off an Alaska flight mid-air (More)

  • Three people died and over 600K are without power as severe storms pummeled California. Heavy rains have caused flooding and mudslides and are expected to continue today; it is one of the strongest weather systems to hit the state in years (More)

  • Bob Beckwith, the New York City firefighter who posed with former President George W. Bush days after the Sept. 11 attacks, died at 91. Beckwith left retirement to search for survivors at the World Trade Center (More)

World News

  • Worldwide cancer cases will skyrocket to 35M by 2050, according to a World Health Organization projection. That would be an almost 80% increase from the 20M recorded in 2022 (More)

  • Over 120 people died as wildfires tore through central Chile. Hundreds more are missing, approximately 3K homes were destroyed by the blazes (More)

  • The United Nations will create an independent panel to investigate its Palestinian aid agency. Israel has alleged UNRWA employees were involved in the Oct. 7 attack that sparked its war with Hamas in Gaza (More)

Campaign News

  • Nikki Haley has requested Secret Service protection. The GOP presidential candidate said she has had increased threats made against her; President Biden would need to sign off (More)

  • The judge presiding over former President Trump's federal election interference case conceded the trial may extend late into this year. There is currently no scheduled start date (More)

  • Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz has reversed course and will seek re-election. Spartz, a Republican, said she planned to retire last year; she re-joins a crowded field in the reliably GOP district (More)

Business & Markets

  • Major indexes closed lower yesterday. The dips came after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell reiterated the central bank will be cautious with interest rate cuts (Dow -0.71%, Nasdaq -0.20%, S&P 500 -0.32%).

  • Novo Nordisk's parent company will reinforce Wegovy production with a $16.5B acquisition. Novo Holdings will buy manufacturer Catalent to address shortages of the anti-obesity drug (More)

  • Snap expects to cut about 10% of its global workforce. The layoffs will impact around 500 staffers at the Snapchat-operating social media company (More)

Entertainment & Sports

  • Dartmouth men’s basketball players are university employees and can vote to unionize, according to a NRLB ruling. The decision will likely have a massive impact on the NCAA and all college sports (More)

  • CNN has shaken up its ratings-challenged morning programming schedule. Current hosts Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly are out; anchors Jim Acosta and Kasie Hunt will have bigger roles (More)

  • Saltburn star Jacob Elordi is under police investigation in Australia. The actor allegedly assaulted a radio producer at a hotel in Sydney after a disagreement (More)

Quick Hitters

  • Feel Good: The U.S. Coast Guard made an incredible save during a routine inspection at the Port of Houston. A dog that miraculously survived eight days in a shipping container without food or water was rescued last week and is on the road to recovery and a new home.

  • Be Safe: Lovevery has recalled 52K baby toys after dozens of reports indicating a serious choking hazard. The Slide & Seek Ball Run is the impacted product.

  • Go Deep: If you have a dehumidifier at home, you know water can be pulled out of the air. Researchers are now trying to use similar techniques to produce drinking water, power solar panels and more.

  • Chow Down: Here is another game day staple -- albeit a spicy one -- as we fast approach Super Bowl Sunday: Check out this recipe to make Nashville hot chicken no matter where you live.

  • Life Hack: The secret to cleaning your shoes? Bananas, black tea bags and potatoes. Well, that is at least what one popular TikToker says. Here are his tips.

  • Get Healthy: Pop quiz: What’s the body’s most abundant protein? The answer: Collagen. NativePath's Certified Grass-Fed Collagen Powder is made from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows and contains 18 grams of protein per suggested serving. Start incorporating it daily to support skin elasticity, joint health, bone strength, and muscle growth and maintenance.*

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The NBA will use an LED court for its All-Star weekend events on Feb. 16 and 17 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Looking Ahead …

It has been over 20 years since the Concorde’s last flight. Will there ever be commercial supersonic jet travel again? The answer is still not clear, even as technology evolves and return plans are sketched out.

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