5 Things to Know for November 4th: Twitter, Flu, January 6th, Student Loans, Brittney Griner

CNN
—

The massive rocket at the heart of NASA’s mission to return humans to the moon rolls out of the hangar today. After a series of problems and bad weather derailed the first two launch attempts, the agency spent weeks troubleshooting and is now preparing for another attempt to lift the rocket off the ground.

Here’s what else you need to know Stay tuned and get on with your day.

(You can get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)

Elon Musk will begin laying off Twitter employees this morning, according to a memo sent to employees, as several employees sued the billionaire, claiming the layoffs violate labor laws. An email sent out Thursday evening informed employees that they would receive a notification by 12pm ET tonight with information on the employment status. The memo comes after earlier reports said Musk planned to lay off up to half of the company’s staff after acquiring it last week for $44 billion. Before Musk’s takeover, Twitter had about 7,500 employees. He began his tenure at Twitter by firing its CEO and two other executives, according to two people familiar with the decision. Musk also dissolved Twitter’s former board of directors.

Health officials are stepping up their recommendations for people to get flu shots as this year’s strain gains momentum in the United States. This fall, there have been at least 880,000 cases of the flu, nearly 7,000 hospitalizations and 360 flu-related deaths — including one child death — according to the CDC. The figures also show that since 2009, there have not been so many flu cases this early in the season. After the recent Covid-19 shot and boosters, some people waited until they got the flu vaccine, CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen said. However, since it takes about two weeks to achieve optimal immune protection after getting the flu shot, people who have not yet had it should do so now.

A special House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol uprising has interviewed more Secret Service witnesses, including former Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff. The committee is expected to interview at least a half-dozen more Secret Service witnesses in the coming weeks, including current and former officials and agents, multiple sources told CNN. The panel’s efforts to obtain testimony from a growing list of current and former Secret Service agents in recent months of the investigation show the committee is stepping up its efforts to learn more about what the Secret Service knew about looming threats against Pence and other government officials. attacks.

President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program remains on hold while a federal appeals court hears a challenge filed by six Republican-led states. The Biden administration is still accepting applications for student loan forgiveness, which is worth up to $20,000 per borrower, but is currently not allowed to cancel student loan debt until the moratorium is lifted. The Biden administration has also faced lawsuits from the attorney general and conservative groups that say he does not have the legal authority to broadly cancel student loan debt. As for what happens next, the appeals court will decide whether to grant the preliminary injunction requested by the states. If approved, the student loan forgiveness program could be suspended while the court hears from both sides. If he is not satisfied, the cancellation of the debt can begin during the appeal. A decision can be made at any time.

US Embassy officials visited detained WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner in Russia on Thursday and “saw firsthand her tenacity and perseverance despite her current circumstances,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. They haven’t been able to visit Griner since early August, but spoke to her by phone last month. After months of internal debate, the Biden administration previously offered to trade a convicted Russian arms dealer serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. as part of a potential deal to secure the release of Griner and Paul Whelan, who is being held in a remote prison camp in Russia on charges of espionage with of 2018. U.S. officials say they are continuing to monitor the proposal and stressed that detaining the Americans remains a top priority.

Kyrie Irving apologizes amid Twitter controversy and Brooklyn Nets suspension

The NBA star apologized on Instagram Thursday night, hours after the Nets announced his five-game suspension for his “failure to renounce anti-Semitism.”

Netflix is ​​launching a new ad-supported plan

After a long wait, the platform’s cheaper, ad-supported plan debuted in the US on Thursday. Here’s how it differs from existing plans.

Miller Lite sells a Christmas tree stand that doubles as a beer keg

Beer lovers are taking “holiday fun” to the next level… This product was designed to “seem like the beer is pouring out of a tree,” a company spokesperson said.

Jay-Z and Jeff Bezos are interested in buying the Washington Commanders together

The two billionaire businessmen are already linked by major sports ties. They are now in talks about a possible joint venture to buy an NFL team.

The Iranian artist’s female paintings take on a new meaningcy

These symbol-laden paintings are filled with emotion and allude to the issues that have recently sparked protests across Iran.

What “extremely rare” item is expected to fetch up to $30 million at an upcoming auction?

Journal of A. George Washington

B. Key to the White House

C. First Edition of the US Constitution

D. Original Senate gavel

Take CNN’s weekly quiz here to see if you’re right!

36

That’s the typical age of a first-time home buyer in the U.S. in 2022, up from 33 last year. A new report from the National Association of Realtors shows that first-time home buyers made up just 26% of all home buyers in the year ending in June — the lowest rate in four decades. Financial analysts say many factors are making it difficult for millennials and Generation Z to remain competitive in the market, including rising home prices, rising mortgage rates and younger generations having less money saved for a down payment.

“Violence has no place in politics.»

– White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre, condemning the alleged assassination attempt on former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday. The country’s ex-leader was shot in the leg at a political rally near the city of Gujranwala in the Punjab province, Pakistani authorities said. He was taken to Lahore for treatment and his condition is stable. According to the police, an unnamed man suspected of shooting at the rally has been detained. Khan has repeatedly claimed, without any evidence, that the US was behind his loss of power after he was ousted as prime minister in a no-confidence vote in April.

Check the local forecast here>>>

Indoor ocean simulator

The US Navy tests its equipment in a huge pool that can replicate any wave situation in the world. Take a look inside. (Click here to view)