Current Events in November 2020

If an iPhone 12 happens to be on your holiday gift list, it might be a good idea to order it as soon as possible. Apple may be facing a shortage of a key chip for the device, according to published reports.

Bloomberg News quotes insiders who say the tech giant is having trouble getting access to enough computer chips that manage the iPhone’s power usage. That shortage, they say, could make it harder for Apple to meet the demand for the recently released device.

Apple introduced the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini last month, both offering 5G speed and an array of technology upgrades. Both devices are available for pre-ordering on Friday. The phones feature the A14 Bionic chip -- “the fastest chip in a smartphone” -- an advanced dual-camera system, and a Super Retina XDR display with the Ceramic Shield front cover that the company claims will increase drop performance by four times. 

iPhone 12 models also introduced MagSafe, which the company says offers high-powered wireless charging and an “all-new ecosystem” of Apple-made and third-party accessories that attach to the new iPhones.

Priority delivery

Bloomberg’s sources tell the news agency that Apple has been told it will get priority delivery of the power-managing chips from its suppliers. Unfortunately, the entire industry has faced a periodic shortage of all types of microchips because the pandemic has slowed production and snarled supply chains.

When Apple reported quarterly earnings in October, CEO Tim Cook warned investors that Apple, along with the rest of the industry, was running up against supply constraints that were posing challenges to production. 

At the time, he did not mention a type of computer chip that is in short supply. He said the issue was also providing headwinds for the production of other Apple devices. Cook said it is hard to estimate how long the supply problems might last.

According to Bloomberg, Apple secures most of its iPhone chips from Texas Instruments and Qualcomm. It says Apple designed the power-management chip in-house.

In the early days of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, doctors and hospitals faced a shortage of N-95 masks because consumers were buying them up as fast as they could be made. They were also in short supply when the pandemic hit.

With this fall’s surge in new cases of the virus, hospitals are suffering shortages of the masks once again, according to The Wall Street Journal. The sudden rise in hospitalizations has greatly increased the need for masks and, once again, the nation appears to have been caught flatfooted.

Unlike most of the masks Americans are now required to wear when they appear in public, N95 masks protect the wearer against breathing in tiny droplets containing the virus. The name “N95” comes from the fact that these masks filter out up to 95 percent of harmful material.

Second wave is making the shortage worse

The Journal reports that the shortage of N95 masks, gloves, and other protective equipment was not as severe over the summer as during the first months of the pandemic, but supplies remained below regulators’ recommended levels. It wasn’t a big problem since hospitalizations were declining.

But the second wave has made the problem worse. Among cases cited by the Journal are health care facilities in Michigan, where nearly two-thirds have less than a three-week supply of masks on hand. The recommended level is a 90-day supply.

New Mexico is reusing N95 masks at 90 percent of its hospitals. Wyoming is poised to take similar steps if the rate of hospitalizations continues to increase.

“We expect the need to increase and supplies to tighten again,” Jon Ebelt, spokesman for Montana’s public health department, told the newspaper.

Demand is increasing

Producers have begun working overtime to produce more masks and protective equipment. 3M, the largest U.S. manufacturer of these products, has stepped production up to close to 100 million masks a month, more than four-fold its pre-pandemic production. Honeywell is producing about 20 million N95 masks a month. Manufacturers say demand is only increasing.

Demand from consumers may be draining the mask supply, but most of the face coverings consumers wear in public are not rated N95. These cloth masks protect people around the wearer if the person happens to be infected.

However, they are less effective at protecting the wearer if someone nearby, not wearing any face covering, is sick and sneezes in their direction. Even so, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has asked the public to stick with cloth masks and leave N95 masks to the professionals.

Americans likely face several more months of being required to wear face-coverings in public.

General Motors is recalling 194,105 of the following vehicles:

• Model year 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse,
• Model year 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain,
• Model year 2018 Chevrolet Malibu,
• Model year 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and
• Model year 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles.

The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing or loose bolts.

Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.

Additionally, transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

What to do

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 14, 2020.

Owners may contact GMC customer service at (888) 988-7267, Buick Customer service at (800) 955-9007, Chevrolet customer service at (800) 222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at (800) 458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

Rogue Fitness of Columbus, Ohio, is recalling about 8,900 Rogue Home Timers.

The lithium-ion battery inside the timer can burn due to overheating, posing a fire hazard.

The firm has received seven reports of the battery overheating, with two resulting in the battery burning and melting the battery compartment. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves the Rogue Home Timer, used to time exercise duration and rounds.

The timer is in a black plastic case with "ROGUE" printed in white on the lower left hand corner. and measures about 13 inches long by 4 inches high by 1 ⅝ inches deep.

The timers, manufactured in China, were sold online at Rogue Fitness websites www.roguefitness.com and www.rogueapo.com from June 2019, through June 2020, for about $150.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Rogue Home Timers and contact Rogue Fitness for instructions on how to receive a full refund.

Consumers may contact Rogue Fitness toll-free at (844) 216-3846 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, by email at qc@roguefitness.com, or online at www.roguefitness.com and click on "Recall Information" at the bottom of the page for more information.

Audi is recalling one 2020 Audi Q3 vehicle.

The driver's seat frame may have incorrectly been bolted to the seat rail.

The incorrect bolt connection could fail, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

What to do

Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the bolt connection and -- as necessary -- replace the seat structure free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 18, 2020.

Owners may contact Audi customer service at (800) 253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 72L4.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 9,394,282 (9,309,298)

Total U.S. deaths: 232,742 (231,754)

Total global cases: 47,582,064 (47,370,241)

Total global deaths: 1,217,540 (1,209,172)

Election Day saw record number of COVID-19 cases

Election day was not just a busy day for candidates -- it was also a busy day for the nation’s doctors and nurses. The U.S. reported a record 91,530 coronavirus (COVID-19) cases while Americans were casting ballots.

The total is hardly a surprise. The U.S., along with Europe, is in the midst of a significant surge in new cases of the virus. This has also resulted in an alarming increase in hospitalizations in some states.

As a measure of the current surge, statistics collected by the COVID-19 Tracking Project at Johns Hopkins University show that the five highest days for new coronavirus cases have all been since October 29. Health experts have urged Americans to strictly adhere to mitigation measures while warning that the pandemic is entering a dangerous period.

North Dakota Republican wins election despite dying of COVID-19

Voters in North Dakota, one of the nation’s hardest-hit states in terms of population, elected Republican Dave Andahl to the state legislature on Tuesday. But Andahl died of COVID-19 last month.

He was a victim of an upsurge in cases in the sparsely populated Midwestern state where 50,000 people have tested positive for the virus. The state’s population is around 750,000.

North Dakota’s attorney general issued an opinion last month, determining that if Andahl were elected the vacancy would be filled by someone appointed by the state GOP.

Oxford vaccine test results could come next month

Scientists at Britain’s Oxford University, who are partnering with drugmaker AstraZeneca on a vaccine candidate, say they believe clinical trial results could be available before the end of the year.

Reuters reports that researchers are preparing for the final steps in the process, which involve having government regulators carefully review the data and decide whether the vaccine should be approved and distributed to the public.

The vaccine candidate produced by Oxford and AstraZeneca is expected to be one of the first from major pharmaceutical companies to complete the testing process and be submitted for regulatory approval. Pfizer and BioNTech’s candidate is also reportedly near the end of the process.

Delirium and confusion are common early coronavirus symptoms

Despite the fact that people have been getting infected with the coronavirus for several months, doctors continue to refine procedures leading to diagnosis. Researchers at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) have published a paper stating that delirium accompanied by fever is often an early symptom of COVID-19.

Loss of sense of smell and taste are also early symptoms that occur in many patients who test positive for the virus. The researchers say delirium may occur even earlier.

"Delirium is a state of confusion in which the person feels out of touch with reality, as if they are dreaming," said UOC researcher Javier Correa, who carried out this study at the University of Bordeaux in France. "We need to be on the alert, particularly in an epidemiological situation like this, because an individual presenting certain signs of confusion may be an indication of infection.”

Pandemic takes down Pet Valu, Inc.

Pet Valu, a specialty retailer of pet food and pet supplies, says it is winding down its U.S. operations as it becomes another victim of the coronavirus pandemic. The company said it expects that all of its 358 stores and warehouses in the Northeastern and Midwestern U.S., as well as its corporate office in Wayne, Pa., will close by the end of the wind-down process.

The closing does not affect stores in Canada. The company stressed that all of its U.S. stores are still open and will remain open during the wind-down process. Starting today, U.S. customers will no longer be able to place orders on the Pet Valu U.S. e-commerce site.

"The company's stores have been significantly impacted by the protracted COVID-19-related restrictions,” said Jamie Gould, Pet Valu’s recently appointed chief restructuring officer. “After a thorough review of all available alternatives, we made the difficult but necessary decision to commence this orderly wind down."

Around the nation

• Massachusetts: In an effort to tamp down a spike in coronavirus cases in the state, Gov. Charlie Baker has reinstituted a number of restrictions on personal activity. Among them are curfews for businesses and nighttime stay-at-home orders for citizens.

• Illinois: Cases of the virus have spiked this week. State health officials report another increase in the seven-day rate of positive tests, as well as 6,516 new cases of coronavirus and 68 deaths within the last 24 hours.

• Colorado: State officials have handed local authorities more discretion in setting COVID-19 policies in their jurisdictions, including how children should attend school. "This clarifies that local districts are able to make determinations on how to structure the format of education based on local factors," the state health department said in a release.

The presidential and congressional races might have gotten all the national attention, but voters in several states also pulled the lever for popular ballot initiatives.

In California, voters overwhelmingly backed Proposition 22, which overturned a state law requiring drivers for ride-sharing companies to be employees rather than independent contractors. Uber and Lyft had campaigned heavily in favor of Prop 22, saying California’s gig economy law would radically change their business models and significantly raise costs for riders. 

The race wasn’t even close; the Associated Press called it before 11 p.m. local time, with 58 percent of California voters supporting it. The Los Angeles Times reports that it was a major setback for California’s labor unions, which had lobbied the legislature for passage of the gig economy law.

Unions had better luck on election day in Florida. Voters approved a referendum to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. It’s the eighth state to take that action. The current minimum wage in Florida is $8.56 an hour. The ballot initiative approved by voters raises it to $10 next year, then increases it by $1 an hour every year until 2026.

The measure had strong labor support and was also supported by Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden. It easily passed, despite the fact that President Trump carried the state.

Drug legalization

Voters in New Jersey approved a constitutional amendment that legalizes the recreational use of marijuana, joining a growing number of states that have legalized the use of the drug. Voters overwhelmingly approved the amendment, with 66 percent voting in favor.

Gov. Phil Murphy was in favor of the amendment, having campaigned on legal marijuana three years ago. 

Voters in Oregon went a step farther, voting to decriminalize small amounts of several drugs. The ballot measure legalizes the use of psilocybin — the psychedelic compound in mushrooms — as a treatment for mental health patients. 

The state also decriminalized the possession of small amounts of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, Oxycodone, and methamphetamine. Possession of these substances will now be treated as a civil violation that carries a fine, with the money going towards addiction treatment and other drug rehabilitation measures. 

As expected, there was no clear winner of the presidential race on election night. Because so many early ballots were cast, it will take some time to count them all.

But how long do we have to wait? Is there a time limit?

That is largely up to the individual states, but if you can remember back to the 2000 election, when it was so close in Florida that it took two recounts to finally pick a winner, the process can extend into early December. 

In the 2020 election, there were a record number of early ballots cast, and in Pennsylvania -- a key battleground state -- they don’t start counting the early votes until the polls have closed on election day.

It’s possible that a presidential winner will be declared by the time you read this. Then again, that process could take two or three days, with Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania once again playing major roles in picking a winner.

Different states have different rules

One provision slowing the counting of mailed ballots is the deadline for submitting them. The provision says only that a ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3. Ballots mailed on that day could take a couple of days to be delivered, even though the courts have ordered the Postal Service to expedite mailed ballots.

In Washington state, where it’s not particularly close, ballots received by Nov. 23 will be counted. In North Carolina and Pennsylvania, two states where it is close, ballots received by Nov. 6 will be counted.

Minnesota and Nevada, two other competitive states, will wait a few days longer -- until Nov. 10. In Ohio, ballots received by Nov. 13 with a Nov. 3 postmark will be counted.

A state’s electoral votes are based on its population, and a winning presidential candidate must win at least 270 electoral votes overall. 

In many past elections, a candidate would declare victory based on news media projections about who won particular states, even though all the votes had not been counted. The projections were based on exit polls conducted at key precincts in key states, and they have been reliable.

They couldn’t do that this year because of the huge number of early ballots that were cast. Those voters couldn’t be questioned after casting their ballot -- and because there are so many of them, these ballots hold the potential to swing a close state from one candidate to the other.

It’s got to be over by Dec. 8

This year, Dec. 8 is the absolute cutoff for states to certify a winner. A federal law, the Electoral Count Act, posts a deadline for states to settle disputes, conduct any needed recounts, certify a winner, and send the candidate’s electors to the Electoral College six days later.

Oh yes, the Electoral College. These handpicked electors backing each state’s winning candidate meet in Washington to “elect” the president and vice president. Legally, however, they can vote for anyone.

Since the last election, several states have passed laws requiring electors from their states to vote for the candidate who nationally received the most popular vote, thereby setting the stage for a winning candidate’s electors possibly voting for the other candidate.

Spotify is launching the ability for users to stream music directly from their Apple Watch. 

In a Spotify support document, the company said the new streaming feature is now rolling out to Spotify Premium users who have an Apple Watch Series 3 or later. Users must also have the latest version of the Spotify app and a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. 

To listen to Spotify music or podcasts, users simply connect Bluetooth headphones to their Apple Watch. Users can navigate through their music by swiping left and right on their watch and adjust the volume via the digital crown. 

Spotify customers have been asking for support for standalone streaming via the Apple Watch for nearly two years. The company said the introduction of the feature follows a September trial among a small subset of users. 

“We’re focused on developing experiences that enable users to listen to Spotify wherever and whenever they want – regardless of the device or platform,” a Spotify spokesperson told TechCrunch. “After an initial testing period, we are now rolling out streaming capabilities for Spotify on the Apple Watch.” 

Allergies affect consumers young and old. To better understand where they originate, a new study is now exploring how allergies are passed from mother to child during pregnancy. 

According to findings from a new study, the main antibody that is linked with allergic reactions -- immunoglobulin E (IgE) -- can be passed from mother to infant through the placenta. This exposure to allergies in the womb is often enough for infants to begin developing the same allergies as their mothers.

“Allergies begin very early in life,” said researcher Ashley St. John. “Infants experience allergic responses closely linked with the mother’s allergic response in ways that cannot only be explained by genetics. This work emphasizes one way that allergic responses can pass from the mother to the developing fetus, and shows how allergies can then persist after birth.” 

Transferring allergies

The researchers conducted their study on mice to understand how allergies are passed from mothers to their infants during pregnancy. The mice were exposed to pollen prior to pregnancy, and the researchers then assessed which of the newborn mice were sensitive to this common allergen. 

The study revealed that allergies were passed down to the infant mice, as the maternal mice that were allergic to the pollen had infants that were also sensitive to it. The infant mice showed no other allergy sensitivities outside of the pollen, which suggests that the reaction came directly from their mothers. 

The researchers explained that the IgE antibodies are primarily responsible for this transfer of allergies. Once the antibodies make it through the placenta, they immediately attract the fetus’ mast cells, which are responsible for producing allergic reactions. 

“There is currently a significant lack of knowledge on mast cells that are present early on in the developing fetus,” said researcher Dr. Florent Ginhoux. “Here, we discovered that fetal mast cells phenotypically mature through the course of pregnancy, and can be sensitized by IgE of maternal origin that crosses the placental barrier. The study suggests that a highly allergic pregnant mother may potentially transfer her IgE to her baby that consequently develop allergic reactions when exposed for the first time to the allergen.” 

The researchers hope that these findings lead to interventions during pregnancy that would help reduce the frequency with which allergies are passed on.

“From a clinical point of view, developing a further understanding in placental transfer of IgE, and the mechanism of fetal mast cell activation would be key to developing strategies to reduce the chance of eczema or other allergies from being transferred from mother to baby,” said researcher Jerry Chan. 

​The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently issued an order to pause evictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is cautioning that the order includes several caveats. 

The FTC says the order only protects renters who meet certain criteria and who sign a form and give it to their landlord. But doing so doesn’t rule out the possibility of late fees. 

“Landlords can still charge late fees during the temporary relief period,” the agency said. 

Additionally, renters who have broken certain terms of their lease still risk being evicted. The temporary order also “doesn’t apply to homeowners facing foreclosure, so contact your lender or servicer for options,” the FTC said. 

Finally, the protections don’t apply in cases where the renter lives in an area that already has the same or better eviction protections. The FTC recommends checking local housing policies before counting on being granted protection. 

What happens next

The FTC stressed that the relief is only temporary and is set to expire December 31. When that date arrives, consumers should be aware of what comes next if they still can’t pay rent. 

After the temporary relief has ended, renters who can’t pay January’s rent should prepare for the possibility of legal repercussions. 

“Your landlord can take you to court if you don’t pay,” the agency said. “Even if you don’t have the money to pay the past-due rent, your landlord can ask a judge to force you to pay or have the right to evict you.”

But consumers facing eviction “still have rights,” the FTC said.

“The first step in most evictions is a written notice. Check with your local court system for more details about the eviction process. You also may qualify for free legal services and be able to speak to a lawyer to learn about your rights.” 

Hurricane Eta has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it moves toward the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast. The storm is still ravaging Central America, where its inland flooding is expected to continue for a while before turning toward Florida with rain, high surf, and wind by the weekend.

There’s some uncertainty about what will happen after Eta hits Florida and other spots in the Southeast U.S., but there is a possibility that the storm could still make a final landfall somewhere along the eastern Gulf Coast next week. The National Weather Service tightened that possible target a bit, tweeting that people in both South Florida and the Florida Keys should monitor Eta’s progress closely.

How strong will the storm be?

CNN meteorologist Michael Guy says that Eta is expected to restrengthen when it hits water once again, but the magnitude of intensity it will reach is anyone’s guess. Meteorologists working with Weather.com angled their forecast based on how Eta interacts with an upper-level low. 

“Eta is expected to interact or even combine with the upper low by this weekend. That could allow Eta to be pulled northward to just south of or even over the southern Florida Peninsula as a tropical or subtropical storm as soon as this weekend,” the meteorologists wrote.

At that point, things could change dramatically. If Eta hits southern Florida and there’s a contingent upper-level high-pressure over the Southeastern U.S. states, that system could take over as Eta's “steering wheel.” If that happens, one strong possibility is that the clockwise flow around that high pressure system could turn Eta in a westerly direction toward the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

It’s been a nasty year for hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean. Eta makes the 28th storm of the 2020 season, putting it in a first-place tie with the 2005 season for the most storms on record. 

Vitamin D is a powerful supplement for pregnant women. Experts have found that higher levels of the vitamin can lead to better blood pressure outcomes for infants, while a lack of the vitamin can increase the likelihood of children developing ADHD. 

Now, researchers from Seattle Children’s Hospital have found that it can also affect kids’ cognitive development. According to their findings, higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy were linked with higher IQ scores during childhood. 

“Vitamin D deficiency is quite prevalent,” said researcher Melissa Melough. “The good news is there is a relatively easy solution. It can be difficult to get adequate vitamin D through diet, and not everyone can make up for this gap through sun exposure, so a good solution is to take a supplement.” 

Benefits of vitamin D

To understand how vitamin D levels during pregnancy could affect children’s intelligence, the researchers analyzed results from the Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood (CANDLE) study. The researchers looked at the mothers’ vitamin D levels during pregnancy and then assessed their children’s IQ scores between the ages of four and six years old. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that higher vitamin D levels were linked with higher childhood IQ levels. The researchers believe that vitamin D likely aids in brain development, which can contribute to better cognitive functioning and academic performance. 

Melough noted that 600 international units (IU) is the recommended daily dose of vitamin D. While diet and sunlight are helpful, a supplement is usually a good way for consumers to up their intake and reach these levels. 

Vitamin D deficiency  

Despite the positive associations that were linked with higher levels of vitamin D, the researchers explained that more than 45 percent of the women involved in the study were vitamin D deficient during pregnancy, and this risk was even higher for Black women. 

“Melanin pigment protects the skin against sun damage, but by blocking UV rays, melanin also reduces vitamin D production in the skin,” Melough said. “Because of this, we weren’t surprised to see high rates of vitamin D deficiency among Black pregnant women in our study. Even though many pregnant women take a prenatal vitamin, this may not correct an existing vitamin D deficiency.” 

The researchers hope that these findings highlight the importance of vitamin D during pregnancy and encourage more women to ask for prenatal screenings for vitamin levels to determine who is a prime candidate for a supplement. 

“I hope our work brings greater awareness to this problem, shows the long-lasting implications of prenatal vitamin D for the child and their neurocognitive development, and highlights that there are certain groups providers should be paying closer attention to,” said Melough. “Widespread testing of vitamin D levels is not generally recommended, but I think health care providers should be looking out for those who are at higher risk, including Black women.” 

In a new report, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says the number of new child COVID-19 cases has climbed to a new high. 

The AAP said the number of pediatric cases of the virus reported this week was over 61,000, the highest since the pandemic began. As of Oct. 29, there have been 853,635 COVID-19 cases reported in children, according to the report. So far during the pandemic, 11 percent of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have been among children.

Although the numbers are alarmingly high, the group said severe illness among children infected with COVID-19 appears to be less common than it is in older demographics. 

“At this time, it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is rare among children,” the AAP said. “However, there is an urgent need to collect more data on longer-term impacts on children, including ways the virus may harm the long-term physical health of infected children, as well as its emotional and mental health effects.” 

The AAP didn’t name specific reasons for the uptick in cases among children, but experts say the increase in cases among adults has likely translated to a similar increase in cases among children. 

“Levels are much higher [in children] since overall cases are going up,” Bessey Geevarghese, a pediatric infectious disease physician for Lurie Children’s at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, told Yahoo Life. “Children are most likely to get COVID-19 from household contacts.”

Keeping kids safe

Given the concerning trend, health officials recommend that adults handle COVID-19 prevention the same way with kids as they do themselves. 

When age-appropriate, kids should wear a mask in public. Encouraging good hand hygiene and promoting social distancing is also recommended. Kids don’t have to refrain from all activities, but experts recommend keeping gatherings of kids small. 

“Identify one or two safe families to pod together to do playdates. If you keep it small and stick to just a few families, that’s safer,” Dr. Danelle Fisher, a pediatrician and vice chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., told Yahoo Life. 

Audi is recalling 94,144 model year 2018-2020 Q7s.

The padding on the vehicle's C-pillar may not absorb enough impact in a crash.

An unbelted occupant's head may hit the vehicle's C-pillar padding in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the deformation element on the C-pillars free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 23, 2020.

Owners may contact Audi customer service at (800) 253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 70H8.

Serena & Lily of Sausalito, Calif., is recalling about 260 Nash Convertible Cribs.

The leg can become partially detached from the crib’s headboard and footboard, posing an injury hazard.

The firm has received five reports of the leg partially detaching from the headboard/footboard. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves Serena & Lily Nash Convertible cribs.

The crib has a white finish with oak trim, can convert to a toddler bed, and is sold as part of a kit that includes the crib and toddler bed rails. The kit was sold under SKU CRIB10-NC1, which was printed on the order and confirmation.

The crib itself, which is a component of the kit, bears a label with one of the following PO numbers and manufacturing date:

• PO: 10320091, Date: 06-2018
• PO: 10327234, Date: 08-2018
• PO: 10361800, Date: 07-2019
• PO: 10365097, Date: 08-2019

The cribs, manufactured in Vietnam, were sold at Serena & Lily stores nationwide, through the Serena & Lily Catalog and online at SerenaandLily.com from September 2018, through April 2020, for about $900.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs and contact Serena & Lily for a repair, replacement or refund.

Consumers can choose a replacement headboard and footboard to repair the crib, plus a coupon for $250 good for one year from date of issue; replace the Nash Convertible Crib; exchange for another Serena & Lily crib of equivalent value; or a full refund.

Serena & Lily is contacting all purchasers of recalled cribs directly.

Consumers may contact Serena & Lily toll-free at (866) 597-2742 from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (PT), Monday through Friday or from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (PT) on Saturday.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 698 model year 2021 Jeep Cherokee Latitudes and Cherokee Limiteds.

One or both of the front lower control arms may fracture while the vehicle is being driven.

A front lower control arm fracture while the vehicle is being driven may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Owners are advised to not drive their vehicles until they have been inspected and repaired if needed.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front lower control arms and replace them -- as necessary -- free of charge.

The recall began October 30, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W81.

Trinity Bakeshop is recalling various house brand bakery products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

A list of the recalled products, sold in Canada's Newfoundland and Labrador province, may be found here.

What to do

Customers who purchased the the recalled products should not consume them, but discard or return them to the store where purchased.

Consumers may contact the company at (709) 464-3777.