ZWF: The four-day workweek tests continue to prosper
Zander's Weekend Facts #111: Sunday, March 24, 2024
Inside this week’s edition of Zander’s Weekend Facts, a look at what Zander’s been reading this past week. Plus, a compilation of the top headlines you need to know about from the last seven days.
Also, go listen to the latest episode of the Zander’s Facts Podcast! Episode 136 features an exclusive real of Zander’s March Madness bracket, which was sadly busted in the second game of the tournament. Download the Zander’s Facts podcast wherever you get your podcasts!
Here are Zander’s Weekend Facts for Sunday, March 24, 2024:
What Zander’s been reading
The four-day workweek continues to gain steam around the world. There have been several studies conducted over the last several years to see their effects on workers and productivity, with the latest coming out of the U.K. In a 61 company study that was conducted in 2022, at least half of the companies have declared the four-day workweek permanent and 54 are still using the policy. Other studies, including in the U.S., continue to show its benefits. Read more about how the policies work for some companies and may not for others.
Check out this week’s featured article at NPR - These companies tried a 4-day workweek. More than a year in, they still love it - (Apple News link)
Rapid-fire Facts
These are top news headlines from the past week in rapid-fire fashion:
Government Funding: The federal government entered a partial shutdown at midnight on Saturday morning, but it was quickly remedied after the Senate passed a $1.2 trillion spending bill in the wee hours of the morning. The bill, which President Joe Biden signed on Saturday, fully funds three-quarters of the federal government through October, while also raising military pay, eliminating U.S. funding for the controversial U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, and improving security at the U.S.-Mexico border. The House of Representatives had passed the bill on Friday. Because the vote in the Senate to avert a shutdown was imminent, the White House budget office never formally declared a shutdown.
Trump Bond: Former President Donald Trump’s lawyers wrote in a court filing last Monday that Trump and his business, The Trump Corporation, have been unable to get a bond in the New York case where a judge found Trump and his company had committed fraud. Trump’s lawyers wrote that they have been unsuccessful negotiating with 30 companies to obtain the bond needed in the $464 million judgment. If the bond is not posted by Monday, New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James could begin seizing Trump’s bank accounts and properties in the state, unless an Appeals Court intervenes. However, Trump himself claimed on Friday that he has almost $500 million in cash, undercutting his lawyers’ claims.
Apple Lawsuit: The U.S. Department of Justice launched a historic lawsuit against Apple, the second largest company in the world by market capitalization, on Thursday. The Justice Department accuses Apple of violating antitrust laws by using practices that make customers more reliant on their iPhones, making it less likely they’ll switch to a competing brand. The lawsuit also alleges that the company hurts consumers and smaller companies by preventing other companies from offering services that compete with Apple products. 16 states, along with the District of Columbia, joined the federal government in the suit. Apple has previously argued that these practices make the iPhone more secure than its competitors’ devices.
Israel-Hamas War: U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visted Israel last week, his sixth visit to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began in October. Blinken met with Israeli leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to warn Israel’s planned ground assault on the Gazan city of Rafah would be a “mistake” and “unneccesary.” Also on Friday, a U.S.-sponsered United Nations resolution that would have supported a “immediate and sustained cease-fire” was vetoed by China and Russia. Chinese and Russian officials both criticized the U.S. for making the resolution “ambiguous” and not a straightforward call for a ceasefire.
Russia Mass Shooting: At least 133 people are dead in the Russian capital of Moscow after a terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, a shopping and entertainment complex. The Islamic State in Khorasan, or ISIS-K, took responsiblity for Friday’s attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was reelected to a fourth term late Sunday with 87% of the vote, vowed to hold those behind the attack accountable. In his first remarks after the attack, Putin accused individuals in Ukraine of preparing a border crossing for the four people who undertook the attack. Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack.
Zander’s Facts Sporting Club
Here are the top headlines from the sports world in the Sporting Club:
Men’s March Madness: The 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament is currently midway through the Second Round, with at least one double-digit seed on their way to the Sweet 16. #2 Arizona, #5 Gonzaga, #1 North Carolina, #2 Iowa State, #11 NC State, #2 Tennessee, #3 Illinois, and #3 Creighton all won on Saturday, solidifying their spots in the next round. The second half of Second Round games take place today, beginning with #10 Colorado vs #2 Marquette at 12:10 pm ET and #8 Utah State vs #1 Purdue at 2:40 pm ET on CBS. Top seeds Houston and UConn are also in action, along with double-digit seeded underdogs Grand Canyon, James Madison, and Yale.
Women’s March Madness: The First Round is completed and the Second Round of the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament is set to begin today. All the top seeds in the tournament advanced and scored over 80 points, with Iowa and South Carolina each dropping 91. The only upset that took place in the First Round was #11 Middle Tennessee’s 71-69 win over #5 Louisville. The Second Round begins today with #7 Duke vs #2 Ohio State at 12:00 pm ET on ESPN and #1 South Carolina vs #8 North Carolina at 1:00 pm et on ABC. Other matchups on tap today include #5 Colorado-#4 Kansas State, #11 Middle Tennessee-#3 LSU, #1 Texas-#8 Alabama, and #5 Baylor-#4 Virginia Tech.
Shohei Ohtani: The Los Angeles Dodgers fired the interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani last week after $4.5 million was transferred from Ohtani’s bank account to a bookmaking operation. ESPN has reported that the interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, incurred the gambling debts to a Southern California bookmaking operation that is now under federal investigation. Sports betting is currently illegal in California. On Friday, Major League Baseball announced it was opening an investigation into Mizuhara and Ohtani, who had been longtime friends. Ohtani joined the Dodgers from the Los Angeles Angels in free agency this winter.
Concacaf Nations League: The United States Men’s National Team will face Mexico in the final of the Concacaf Nations League tonight. The match will kick off at 9:15 pm ET from Arlington, Texas and air on Paramount+ and Univision. The USMNT have won the two previous versions of this competition, taking down Mexico in 2021 and Canada in last year’s final. The U.S. needed extra time to beat Jamaica in Thursday’s semifinal match, finishing with a 3-1 victory. An own goal was scored in the final minute of regular time to send the match to 30 extra minutes. Mexico easily took down Panama 3-0 in their semifinal. This will be the final competitive match for both sides before this summer’s Copa America tournament, which is being hosted in the U.S.
Sports Illustrated: Legendary sports magazine Sports Illustrated, which has dealt with AI allegations and mass layoffs over the past few months, has found a new publisher. Authentic Brands Group, which owns SI’s intellectual property rights, struck a deal with Minute Media to continue publishing the magazine. Authentic’s previous partner, Arena Group, had missed a payment to Authentic, resulting in layoffs and threatened to end SI’s print publication. The 10-year-deal with Minute Media, which can be extended up to another two decades, will continue the magazine’s print publication. Minute Media is a digital media publisher whose holdings include sports websites Fansided and The Player’s Tribune.
Wrapping up the Facts
Before this edition of Zander’s Weekend Facts wraps up, here’s another reminder to check out the latest episodes of the Zander’s Facts podcast. Download and listen to the latest episode of the podcast, along with every episode of Zander’s Facts, wherever you get your podcasts.
You can also listen to every episode of the podcast on this very website. All Zander’s Facts podcast episodes are now available on zandersfacts.com under the “Zander’s Facts” tab for your enjoyment! That includes the next episode of the Zander’s Facts Podcast, which comes out this Wednesday!
That’s a wrap on this week’s edition of Zander’s Weekend Facts. The facts in print return next Sunday, March 31, 2024.
