Monday, May 4th, 2020
Weapons Against Virus, “Murder Hornets” Invade & Star Wars Day
All the news you need in less than 10 min:
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Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want to review the latest happenings...
Guidance to Lift Restrictions
During a Fox News virtual town hall, President Trump answered questions from the Lincoln Memorial, where he pressed more states to begin reopening. More than half of America’s governors have already started lifting stay-at-home restrictions. Ohio, Missouri, and Florida are relaxing some rules today. Many health experts believe the U.S. can’t safely reopen without a vaccine. President Trump says he thinks one will be available by the end of the year, but many medical professionals say it will likely be a year or 18 months. So far, nearly 68,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. President Trump predicts the death toll could get up to 100,000 before the end of summer.
Trump Virtual Town Hall: FOX News, The Week
More States Reopen: WaPo, LA Times, WSJ
Case Count/Death Toll: Johns Hopkins
Senate Returns Monday
The U.S. Senate is back in session and all 100 senators have been called back to Capitol Hill. That’s despite congressional physicians advising remote work as much as possible. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is keeping all 435 members at home. They’re scheduled to return in 2 weeks or sooner if an emergency vote is needed.
Read More: Politico, WaPo, AP, Guidelines
New Tools to Fight Virus
The FDA has authorized the first treatment for COVID-19: the antiviral drug remdesivir. Drugmaker Gilead is now working to get more than 140,000 treatment courses to patients by the end of the month and more than a million by the end of the year. Over the weekend, the FDA also used its emergency powers to approve an antibody test made by Roche. It’s meant to help better understand how mild and asymptomatic cases have spread. The test is already in more than 100 labs around the U.S. and by the end of the year, Roche said it can turn out more than 100 million tests a month.
FDA Approves Antibody Test: WSJ, Reuters
Remdesivir Becoming Available: CNN, CNBC
DHS: China Misrepresented Virus
A new government report shows why Chinese leaders may have covered up details about the COVID-19 outbreak. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reportedly found China wanted to hoard medical supplies. The DHS found China imported more masks, gowns, and other supplies while exporting less. All the while, for most of January, the country didn’t tell the World Health Organization how contagious the virus was.
Read More: AP, CNN
SCOTUS Hearings Resume
The U.S. Supreme Court resumes hearings today. For the first time, Justices will be hearing oral arguments over a telephone conference call. Today’s case is the first of 10 that will be heard over the next two weeks. It is about trademarking. C-SPAN will offer live coverage of the arguments.
Read More: NBC News, NYT
Murder Hornets Discovered in the U.S.
Scientists say so-called “murder hornets” have popped up in the U.S. for the first time. They’re native to Asia but have somehow made their way to Washington state and British Columbia in Canada. The species are reportedly up to 2 inches long and have yellow-orange faces. Usually, they don’t go after humans, but their stings have reportedly killed up to 50 people a year in Japan. Scientists are now tracking them and setting up traps so they don’t expand further in the U.S.
Read More: CBS News, Vox, USA Today, NYT
Uber Will Require Face Masks
Uber will soon require drivers and riders to wear face masks. The rideshare company hasn’t officially introduced the new policy yet but says it plans to in the coming weeks. To make sure people are following the rules, it’s reportedly working on technology to detect whether people are wearing face coverings.
Read More: The Verge, Engadget, CNN Business
Dolls Honor Frontline Workers
Toymaker Mattel is rolling out a new line of superhero dolls made to look like doctors, nurses, EMTs, and delivery drivers. The company says it launched the new figurines to honor frontline workers during this pandemic. They’re $20 each. Of that, $15 will go to a special fund providing supplies and resources to healthcare workers.
Read More: CBS News, Press Release
Star Wars Day
Today is May the 4th, often known as “Star Wars Day.” Just in time, the latest Star Wars movie, The Rise of Skywalker, was released today on Disney+ (two months early). That means all nine parts of the Star Wars saga are now available for binging.
Read More: Variety, USA Today, Star Wars Workout, Star Wars Food
World’s Most Popular Dog Breed
For the 29th year in a row, Labrador Retrievers were named America’s most popular dog breed. America’s Kennel Club released its 2019 rankings, based on registration statistics. One surprise standout: Corgis edged their way into the AKC’s top 10 for the first time. The least popular breed was the English Foxhound, coming in at number 193.
Read More: CNN, AKC
Monday Monday: Mortgage and Rent Defaults
It’s the start of another month, which means a lot of mortgage and rent payments are due. We know it's a struggle for a lot of people right now during the economic downturn.
If you have a mortgage and can't pay it, experts suggest trying to get a 90-day delay on payments. Also, based on the relief measure passed in March, homeowners affected by the coronavirus who have federally-backed loans can delay or reduce payments for up to a year. The bill also prohibits foreclosures on federally-backed mortgages for 60 days.
Experts suggest renters reach out to their landlords, who might be willing to reduce rent or offer payment plans. Also, some states have banned evictions for now, but most have not. Check your area for the policy.
Read More: CNN, CNBC, Washington Post