5 things to know for June 8: Covid-19, immigration, SCOTUS, Giuliani, Alzheimer’s
US investigators have recovered millions in cryptocurrency ransom they say was paid to hackers whose attack prompted last month’s Colonial Pipeline shutdown.
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1. Coronavirus
Here’s another reason to encourage everyone you know to get the shot: On the off chance a fully vaccinated person does get infected with Covid-19, they experience milder illness and are less likely to spread the virus to others, according to a CDC study. Despite that benefit — and many others — the US still isn’t on track to hit President Biden’s goal of getting 70% of adults at least one shot by July 4. Misinformation and vaccine hesitancy remain challenges, and experts say states will need to redouble their efforts to reach the target. Meanwhile, vaccines for younger age groups are on the horizon: Moderna says 5-year-olds could get the shot by fall.
2. Immigration
Vice President Kamala Harris is in Guatemala and Mexico this week to better understand the root causes that drive Central American migrants to the US. It’s her first foreign trip as vice president after Biden tasked her with leading efforts to stem the flow of migrants to the southern border. The Biden administration is under increasing pressure to address the situation at the border, and Harris’ visit comes as a record number of unaccompanied children crossed into the US this spring. In the region, Harris plans to meet with not just political leaders but also community leaders and entrepreneurs.
3. SCOTUS
In other immigration news, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled yesterday that the government can block immigrants with temporary protected status from applying for green cards if they entered the country unlawfully. The decision could also have implications for Dreamers unless Congress paves a permanent lawful status for those undocumented immigrants brought to the US as kids, one expert said. The high court also agreed to take up a case next term brought by three Muslim men who seek to challenge the FBI over its surveillance of their mosque. Additionally, the justices declined for now to take up a challenge to the male-only registration requirement for the military draft — meaning that even though the draft is not implemented, only men will still be required to register for the selective service.
4. Rudy Giuliani
Newly obtained audio shows how former President Trump’s longtime adviser Rudy Giuliani relentlessly pressured and coaxed the Ukrainian government in 2019 to investigate baseless conspiracies about then-candidate Joe Biden. During a roughly 40-minute call, Giuliani repeatedly told a senior adviser to the Ukrainian President that the country’s leader should publicly announce investigations into possible corruption by Biden in Ukraine and into claims that Ukraine meddled in the 2016 election to hurt Trump (neither assertion is true). The conversation was a precursor to Trump’s infamous call with the Ukrainian President, and both conversations became a central part of Trump’s first impeachment.
5. Alzheimer’s
For the first time in nearly 20 years, the FDA has approved a new experimental drug for Alzheimer’s disease. The drug — aducanumab, also known as Aduhelm — is unique in that it’s intended to slow the progression of the disease in early phases and not just ease symptoms, as medications available now do. But the agency’s approval of the drug was also controversial: Study results have been mixed, and an advisory committee concluded last year that there was not enough evidence to support the treatment’s effectiveness. The drug’s hefty price tag has prompted concerns, too. Still, for those with mild cognitive impairment and their families, the drug offers some hope.
THIS JUST IN …
Major internet outage fixed
The cloud services provider Fastly says an outage that took down websites around the world this morning has been fixed, though some sites are still unavailable. Fastly supports news sites and apps like CNN, the Guardian and the New York Times and provides content delivery for Twitch, Pinterest, HBO Max, Hulu, Reddit, Spotify and other services. Other major internet platforms and sites including Amazon, Target and Gov.uk were affected.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Some good or bad news, depending on whether you’re a morning person or a night owl
One of those lifestyles is more likely to be associated with depression and anxiety, a new study says.
Ellie Kemper is apologizing for participating years ago in a pageant with a dark past
At 19, the actress was crowned queen of the Veiled Prophet Ball, a Missouri-based organization founded in the 1800s by ex-Confederate officers.
A tiny animal survived 24,000 years frozen in the Siberian permafrost
If only we too could slumber for thousands and thousands of years …
Scientists are learning more about a dinosaur species found in Australia
It was one of the biggest in the world, measuring as long as a basketball court and as tall as a two-story building.
Hilton had plans for a space hotel even before man set foot on the moon
Designs for the Lunar Hilton even included a cocktail lounge.
TODAY’S NUMBER
419
That’s about how much carbon dioxide — in parts per million — was recorded in the air at a NOAA weather station in Hawaii last month — the highest level in modern history. Carbon dioxide is a key driver of the climate crisis.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“We occupy different worlds. And it becomes that much more difficult for us to hear each other, see each other.”
Former US President Barack Obama, speaking about the nation’s deep divisions to CNN’s Anderson Cooper. He attributed those rifts to economic and racial segregation, as well as the media landscape.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY
Radical acts of gardening
Activists in the ’60s and ’70s transformed New York City through community gardening — and many of the green spaces they built can still be seen today. (Click here to view.)
