promoearn: Your weekend must reads 📰

Saturday, July 23

Good morning, friends of The Short List! It's John Riley, rested and ready after a short break. Thanks to Nicole Fallert for ably filling in last week.

Remember when we breathed a sigh of relief thinking we might be turning the corner on COVID-19? That was a good time ... and then President Joe Biden tested positive. So now seems like a good time for a checkup on the state of the pandemic.

•	What about Biden's age? Doctors say the 79-year-old Biden, who is vaccinated and twice boosted, will likely recover well, even though his age puts him at higher risk.
•	It's all about BA.5: The BA.5 subvariant of omicron is dominating the summer wave of COVID-19 in the U.S., making up nearly 80% of new cases.
•	Tough legacy of COVID: Some people who were released from prison because of COVID-19 are now being sent back over minor infractions.
•	How's the economy? Businesses have been pulling their weight in the nation's struggle to recover all 22 million jobs wiped out in the spring of 2020. But state and local governments are struggling to attract workers.

A few more reads

•	How did an upstart, inexperienced Utah company and three partners from Salt Lake City's emerging tech hub become key players during the COVID-19 crisis? A USA TODAY investigation illuminates the web of business relationships, money and political connections that tipped the scales in favor of Nomi Health and its partners.
•	Some abortion-rights activists believe the Supreme Court is improperly favoring conservative Christian beliefs given that other religions permit abortion. They plan to file lawsuits looking to reinstate their abortion rights on religious grounds.
•	Can narcissists change? Not usually, experts say. Those diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder rarely seek help due to their inability to take accountability. But we interviewed two who say they are working on getting better.