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More and more people are undergoing coronavirus screening in the US, and that is putting pressure on diagnostic labs and creating significant delays for test results. The labs are working to expand their capacity and hope to be able to perform around 150,000 tests each day by the end of the month. Meanwhile, the results of trials with three different coronavirus vaccines have now been published, and all of them show positive results and appear to produce adequate immune responses. And, just as important, they seem to be safe. Another treatment for the virus, from Synairgen, has also shown promising results after the company that makes the drug reported positive early results from a Phase 2 trial in the UK. Also, President Donald Trump is finally aboard the mask train: He tweeted a photo of himself wearing a face mask and said wearing one is patriotic. He also announced that he would soon resume regular public meetings after suspending them in April.
2. Encouragement
Republican leaders and the Trump administration are divided on what to focus on in the next economic recovery package. The president wants to pursue a payroll tax cut and tie the money to reopening schools, two things that Senate Republicans are trying to discourage. Republican lawmakers have also said that funding for the tests is essential, while the White House does not want to give more money to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While Congress is debating, some local officials are struggling to spend what they already have. Congress disbursed $ 150 billion in state and local aid in March to help smaller cities and municipalities. However, leaders in these areas say strict federal rules limiting how funds are supposed to be spent have withheld much of that money, even as budget deficits and financial problems continue.
3. Europe
European Union leaders agreed on a historic stimulus plan to boost Europe’s recovery from the coronavirus crisis. The € 750 billion (nearly $ 858 billion) deal will create reforms to help companies recover from the pandemic, implement new measures to reshape economies in the long term, and create investments to help protect themselves from “future crises” . It will also allocate hundreds of billions of dollars in grants and loans to member states. EU bosses shook the stimulus deal after five days of tense negotiations. But now that it is in place, leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes have praised the European body and expressed hope for the future.
4. Election 2020
Top Democrats are asking the FBI to investigate claims of Russian interference in the upcoming 2020 elections. A letter signed by House and Senate leaders expresses concern about a “concerted campaign of foreign interference seeking to launder and amplify disinformation to influence the activity of Congress, public debate, and the November presidential elections. ” The letter does not specifically mention Russia: Intelligence officials have warned that several foreign adversaries, including Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, have increased their ability to carry out cyber programs. However, Democrats in Congress have already voiced concerns that Russia may repeat its 2016 election tactics in 2020. Meanwhile, Republican leaders have promised to fill a possible Supreme Court vacancy with another Trump candidate, even if the vacancy occurs after elections.
5. Russia
Speaking of Russia, the United States is working to shore up Ukraine’s navy, a force that was decimated by Russia’s takeover of Crimea in 2014. Recent efforts include a military exercise that began yesterday, not long after Russia launched their own military exercises in the region. The shows of force are the latest in several tense exchanges between the United States and Russia. The United States recently accused Russia of deploying cyber attacks against organizations involved in the development of coronavirus vaccines and trying to destabilize Libya. Then, of course, there are reports that Russian operatives paid Taliban forces to attack US and British troops in Afghanistan. The United States also recently announced sanctions against a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
NAVIGATION BREAKFAST
Anthony Fauci will launch the first pitch in the opening game of the Washington Nationals
Sixty feet away is a good measure of social distancing, right?
Disney World is adjusting its mask rules
You can’t wander around while eating anymore, so take time to enjoy those churros.
Nicki Minaj is pregnant
She is expecting her first child with husband Kenneth Petty.
Keanu Reeves is writing comics
What a delicious combination!
TODAY’S NUMBER
4.7 million
That’s the number of people the Transportation Security Administration said it examined last week, compared to 4.8 million the week before. It is the first drop in air travelers since April, and overall, the number is only about a quarter of the number of travelers screened on equivalent days in 2019.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“No one could fill Congressman Lewis’s shoes. His leadership and fighting spirit are needed now more than ever in this country.”
State Senator Nikema Williams, who was chosen to replace the late Representative John Lewis on the ballot for her Atlanta-area congressional district in November.
TODAY’S TIME
Check your local forecast here >>>
AND FINALLY
Well this is not the proper symphony tag …
Oh, being a lovable cat who steals the show, gets loving pets from the members of the orchestra, and generally lives life.
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