Important | 1 | | Tests of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a remedy for COVID-19 — touted by President Donald Trump, who said he was taking it to ward off the virus and that it had “rave reviews” — have been temporarily suspended around the world for safety reasons. The World Health Organization stopped the trials after a recent study of 96,000 coronavirus patients found the death rate for those taking hydroxychloroquine was double that of a control group. The WHO also warned against countries lifting lockdowns too quickly, as it could lead to a second peak of infections. Read all OZY’s coronavirus coverage right here. | |
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| 2 | | To curb the demonstrations that have become common in the self-governing city over the last several years, China’s proposed new security laws that curtail special freedoms enjoyed by Hongkongers, such as the right to protest. While they’re not law yet, they could be put in place as early as next month. For some, it’s a sign that Chinese President Xi Jinping is cracking down in an unprecedented way, striving for control of the press, courts and educational system. Still, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the law will only target terrorists and leave the city’s values intact. | |
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| 3 | | Dominic Cummings — a senior aide to U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a key Brexit architect— gave a press conference Monday to explain why he broke lockdown rules to take a 264-mile trip while displaying symptoms of COVID-19. He said he’d acted “reasonably and legally,” excusing a family outing to a nearby castle as a way to test his eyesight. His appearance, meant to tamp down public fury, has done the opposite, drawing fire from across the political spectrum. Meanwhile, it was revealed that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, following lockdown rules, wasn’t able to visit his dying mother. | |
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| 4 | | Barbecue season has begun — but the U.S. meat industry is likely to experience further shortages as COVID-19 spreads at processing plants despite protective measures. Cases at Tyson Foods ballooned from 1,600 to 7,000 in less than a month, and with meat companies not required to disclose how many workers are sick, numbers across the industry may be far worse than reported. That’ll likely translate to higher prices for consumers — but it’s also a sign that reopening some industries will be much more complicated than simply instituting safety guidelines. Read OZY’s dossier on how the virus is affecting the food supply. | |
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| 5 | | Virgin Orbit attempted to launch its first rocket over the Pacific Ocean, but a malfunction aborted the mission. At least two people in the Netherlands are thought to have caught the coronavirus from mink. And in a bid to battle China’s media influence over the region, Australia will start broadcasting Neighbours and other shows to nearby countries like Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Coronavirus update: Irish leader Leo Varadkar says the picnic he had with his friends didn’t break the rule against picnics during lockdown. Speak up! Will you try meat alternatives this summer due to COVID-19 shortages or other concerns? Why or why not? Let us know by replying to this email — and we’ll feature the most interesting answer right here next week. |
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| Intriguing | 1 | | They’re rodent warriors. While rats normally depend on scraps from restaurants to stay nourished, many are now starving — and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns they may become aggressive in their fight for survival. In cities across America, rodent experts have reported rat swarms, brutal fights and even cannibalism. Such behavior is common during natural disasters, they say, but the CDC’s advice is to seal your homes and business carefully, put out traps and be extra vigilant. Read OZY’s story on the fanciest rat-catcher of the Victorian age. | |
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| 2 | | Like millennials, they enjoy watching stuff. But baby boomers have a lot more money. That’s why virtual reality and artificial intelligence pioneers are aiming innovations at the over-65 set, OZY reports. Even the venerable senior advocacy group, AARP, is getting in on the action with Alcove, an Oculus platform featuring a virtual couch, windows and a porch. Exciting, right? But the view from the windows might be crashing waves, a cityscape or the rings of Saturn. Silicon Valley generally targets tech-savvy young folks, but with the senior population growing, some are embracing “older” tech. | |
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| 3 | | A viral video Monday showed white New Yorker Amy Cooper refusing to leash her dog in a protected nature reserve — and then attempting to intimidate the birdwatcher who asked her to leash it, saying she’d call 911 and say “there’s an African American man threatening my life.” She proceeded to do just that, using a distraught tone and holding her dog in the air by the collar, making it yip frantically. Cooper’s now apologized after the backlash caused her to be placed on administrative leave at her job and surrender her dog to a rescue group. “I’m not a racist,” she told CNN. | |
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| 4 | | Always leave them wanting Moore. The documentarian famous for Bowling for Columbine executive produced a new film, Planet of the Humans, that’s racked up 8.3 million views since being posted on YouTube April 21. But now writer-director Joe Gibbs’ film, which blasts “green capitalism” as an inefficient way to deal with climate change, has been taken down over four seconds of footage flagged as a copyright violation. Gibbs called it “blatant censorship,” saying the footage is covered under fair use rules for documentaries. They’re disputing the copyright complaint and are streaming the film on Vimeo instead. | |
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| 5 | | That’s a red card. Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haiti Football Federation, has been suspended by FIFA over allegations that he coerced several young female players into having sex with him under threats of professional repercussions. The 73-year-old Jean-Bart, known as “Dadou,” has led Haitian soccer for 20 years — and strongly denies the claims. His 90-day suspension begins immediately as both FIFA and the police launch investigations into the matter. Read all about Haiti’s role in the American Revolution. | |
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