General Motors workers are voting on a potential deal that could end the national strike.
A new drug could change the lives of Alzheimer’s patients by slowing down the effects of the disease.
And fans are buzzing about Selena Gomez’s new song and the message she may have been sending to her ex, Justin Bieber.
Here’s what you need to know in the daily roundup.
TOP STORY: A Tentative Deal to End the GM Strike Has Received Mixed Results So Far
GettyUAW members picket outside of the Flint, MI plant as they strike on September 16, 2019.
Nearly 50,000 General Motors workers, who have been on strike for about five weeks, are voting this week on a potential deal that could put an end to the discord. The agreement between GM and union leaders would include an $11,000 signing bonus for workers, raise hourly pay 6 percent, and provide a pathway for temporary workers to become full-time employees with benefits.
But the tentative agreement does not include one of the major demands of the workers. They wanted to keep plants in Lordstown, Warren, and Baltimore open for business. But GM has stood by its decision to close the three plants. The closures prompted some union workers to relocate to different cities while many others are still without a job.
Local union affiliates are voting on the proposed deal this week and the overall results will be announced Friday. But early results show mixed reactions. According to CNN, engineers in Warren, Michigan have overwhelmingly approved the deal. But workers at an assembly plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee narrowly denied the measure.
The strike will continue until all of the plants have voted. UAW Vice President and Director of the General Motors Department Terry Dittes said in a statement, “We thank the public for their support during the strike and their continued support as UAW GM members review the tentative agreement. Ultimately, UAW members will make the decision to ratify the agreement. Their unity and solidarity brought us to this moment.”
OFF-BEAT: New Drug Could Slow the Effects of Alzheimer’s
Today Biogen is proud to announce an update on aducanumab, our investigational drug for early Alzheimer’s disease t.co/0e72xnWuJk #Alzheimers
Researchers are talking about a new drug that could potentially slow down the degenerative effects of Alzheimer’s. The company Biogen is asking the FDA to approve its experimental drug called “aducanumab.” It is not a cure for Alzheimer’s and cannot prevent the disease.
The drug was designed as a tool to rid the brain of the protein buildup caused by Alzheimer’s disease. “Aducanumab” was initially determined to be a failure and was sidelined earlier this year.
But Biogen now says that a second study indicated that patients who received larger doses of the drug experienced slower cognitive decline. The company said in a news release, “If approved, aducanumab would become the first therapy to reduce the clinical decline of Alzheimer’s disease and would also be the first therapy to demonstrate that removing amyloid beta resulted in better clinical outcomes.”
The FDA will now analyze the evidence and decide whether the drug can be greenlighted for future use. Medical researchers told the New York Times that at this stage, it’s too soon to tell if the drug has the potential to improve the lives of patients. Dr. Michael Weiner of the University of California in San Francisco told the newspaper, “This is not a cure. It is a slowing of decline. The practical impact on patients remains to be seen.”
WHAT’S BUZZING THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING: Selena Gomez Releases New Single ‘Lose You to Love Me’
Selena Gomez has released a new single called “Lose You to Love Me.” The simple music video was shot in black and white and features Gomez singing directly into the camera. The powerful ballad is emotional and the lyrics have fans buzzing that the song is a message to her ex-boyfriend, Justin Bieber.
Gomez and Bieber were off-and-on since their teenage years and broke up for the last time in March of 2018. Bieber proposed to now-wife Hailey Baldwin in July of 2018. Gomez appeared to address this quick timeline with the lyrics, “I gave my all and they all know it / You turned me down, and now it’s showing / In two months you replaced us / Like it was easy / Made me think I deserved it.”
Gomez said in a statement before the song was released, “This song was inspired by many things that have happened in my life since releasing my last album. I thought it was important to share the music, as I know many can relate to the fact that the road to self-discovery generally comes through the scars in one’s life.”
“Lose You to Love Me” dropped at midnight. Shortly after, fans noticed that Hailey Baldwin had posted a screengrab of the Summer Walker song “I’ll Kill You” to her Instagram story– further enflaming speculation that the song is about Bieber. See more fan reactions and lyrics here.
DAILY NEWS ROUNDUP
GettyPolice forensic investigation officers stand in front of the site where 39 bodies were discovered in the back of a lorry on October 23, 2019 in Thurrock, England.
- A driver was arrested on suspicion of murder after 39 bodies were found in a truck container in Essex County, England.
- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is testifying before Congress today about the company’s proposed Libra cryptocurrency. Watch the live stream here.
- PG&E has planned new widespread power outages to prevent wildfires. Checkout blackout maps and times here.
- Kade Kurita was identified as the West Point cadet who went missing on October 18. He was found dead four days later.
- Dennis Quaid is engaged to Laura Savoie, a 26-year-old Ph.D. student at the University of Texas.
- Burger King is selling a “Ghost Whopper” beginning Thursday to celebrate Halloween.
CHECK THIS OUT
A newly engaged couple thought it would be fun to stage a romantic photoshoot that included the groom-to-be pouring champagne in the bride’s mouth. They were trying to replicate a photo from Pinterest. But the execution of the trick wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be.
First, Collin Hewett made the mistake of uncorking the champagne bottle while facing fiancee Alyssa Snodsmith and sprayed her in the face. Then when it came time to try the pour, he misjudged things and the champagne was dumped down the front of her.
Hewett shared the photos on Twitter and wrote, “So me and Alyssa took our engagement pictures yesterday. She found a Pinterest picture that she wanted to try and recreate… I botched it.” The post has since gone viral.
Hewett told TIME that luckily, they had different clothes readily available and were still able to get usable engagement pictures. “Relationships are meant to be fun and if you can’t laugh through the hard stuff and mistakes it might not be worth it.”
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