This week's news: Chauvin trial, day 7, and an HIV vaccine candidate

This week’s news for Krystal Kyle & Friends: We’ll be talking to Christopher Ryan, an author and researcher on human sexuality. Join us on Friday for the video conversation, which releases on Substack for paid subscribers, and Saturday for the audio, which you can find not only on Substack but also on Spotify, Stitcher, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and other major streaming platforms. We hope you’ll tune in.

A look at the past week: We’ve entered the seventh day of the trial of Derek Chauvin, who brutally murdered George Floyd in May of 2020. Witnesses have included, among others, a police chief who confirmed that Chauvin used force beyond his training; an EMT who was prevented by the police from giving Floyd medical aid; and several teenage witnesses who recorded the murder and expressed the helplessness that they felt at the scene. Chauvin’s defense has made an effort to paint the group of people who witnessed the murder as upset, angry, and dangerous, justifying Chauvin’s actions. But what the witness testimonials show clearly is the deliberate cruelty with which Chauvin took Floyd’s life, as well as the feelings of guilt and helplessness that have remained with them for nearly a year after the murder.

Meanwhile, the phase 1 clinical trial of an HIV vaccine candidate is showing promising results. The Hill reports that “Participants were able to produce the targeted antibodies in response to the vaccine,” meaning that the vaccine seems to be working as it should. An HIV vaccine would revolutionize vaccine technology, and it would also end the devastation of an epidemic that has infected 75.7 million people since its start in the 1980s. In a year with lots of good vaccine news, we’re hoping for even more.