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hat’s up? It's been a long week, and you probably didn't have time to dive into all the headlines that scrolled past you. It's OK though, because you have me to walk you through what you missed — a Senate vote on mass surveillance, why you might want to buy a bike, an impending global food shortage and more. I'd love to hear what you think of Notes on the News, so you can reply to this email and let me know. If you enjoy it, tell a friend and opt-in to get it every Saturday. |
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| What Everyone Wants to Know |
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| Expect bike ridership to surge as coronavirus lockdowns are lifted. PHOTO: ZUMA PRESS |
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Will we really have a vaccine in 18 months? Right now, more than 70 potential Covid-19 vaccines are in development, with billions of dollars being poured into research. And several studies, like one at the University of Oxford that took an early lead, have already started human trials. When the pandemic began, the development timeline projected by U.S. officials was 12 to 18 months. But an increasing number of vaccine experts, including Rick Bright, a virologist who was removed last month as head of a key federal research authority, are throwing cold water on that estimate. In testimony before Congress this week, Dr. Bright said he worried that a vaccine developed that quickly could be unsafe or ineffective, considering that vaccines usually take a decade, or longer, to receive FDA approval. A potentially faster solution, he said, would be to find an effective way to treat Covid-19, rather than prevent it. “A lot of optimism is swirling around a 12-to-18-month time frame if everything goes perfectly,” Dr. Bright said to Congress on Thursday. “We’ve never seen everything go perfectly.” |
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The developing world is facing a massive food shortage. Globally, there’s more than enough food. Even so, plenty of countries were facing food shortages well before the pandemic. Now, the pandemic is exacerbating the problem, and could create dozens of full-blown famines as the global food supply chain becomes further dislocated. In a deep dive into the impending food crisis this week, the Journal found that export restrictions, trade disruptions and lockdowns have contributed to a rise in the price of staples like wheat and rice. Russia, the world’s biggest wheat exporter, for example, has halted exports until July, which has driven up the price of Black Sea wheat by 7%. In India, the biggest exporter of rice, some companies have only been able to ship out 15% of their normal volume due to logistical issues; this has created potential food supply problems for countries like the Philippines, the world’s largest importer of rice. The biggest danger, though, isn’t how the pandemic will affect existing food stocks. Instead, economists say, it is that many farmers might be unable to plant or harvest their crops in the coming months. “Now, we don’t even have money to buy food from the market,” said Minati Swain, a farmer in India. “And if there’s no money, how can we plant for next season?” |
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You should dust off your old bike. It’s unlikely people will feel safe on public transportation once restrictions are lifted, making bikes and electric scooters the best alternative if you don’t have access to a car. In the U.K., the government is investing $2 billion to improve bike and pedestrian paths nationwide, including creating cycle-and-bus-only streets, wider sidewalks and pop-up bike lanes. In Britain, just 2% of trips were made by bike as of 2016. But since the start of lockdowns, Brompton, the U.K.’s largest bike manufacturer, has seen sales increase fivefold, and VanMoof, a Dutch electric bike maker, has seen U.K. sales spike 184%. In the U.S., Oakland has closed 74 miles of streets to traffic, and cities including New York, Boston, Minneapolis and San Francisco are closing roads to create more room for pedestrians and cyclists. Biking isn’t a viable option for everyone. But expect it to be an important aspect of society’s slow return to normalcy. |
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27,000,000 — The number of people in the U.S. who are estimated to have lost their employer-based health insurance since the pandemic began, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. 12% — The percentage of students who have already made a college enrollment deposit who said they no longer plan to attend a four-year college full time. 20,000,000 — The number of masks that Uber says it has purchased for its drivers worldwide. 48% — The percentage of positive Covid-19 cases a testing device made by Abbott Laboratories failed to detect according to a study from NYU Langone Health in New York City. $548,000,000 — The amount in personal loans Elon Musk has taken out from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America, as of February. A "cash poor" billionaire, Mr. Musk uses his billions in Tesla stock as collateral for personal loans that fund his lifestyle. $310,000,000 — The amount in fabricated sales that Chinese coffee chain Luckin Coffee added to its books in part of 2019. $200,000 — The size of a donation from Tekashi 6ix9ine that the No Kid Hungry foundation rejected this week, with the organization saying the controversial rapper's actions "do not align with our mission and values." |
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| PHOTO: MANDEL NGAN/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES |
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Congress just voted against protecting your internet history from warrantless government surveillance. There was much public outcry after Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency subcontractor, revealed that the U.S. government, under the Patriot Act, had been collecting millions of phone records from its citizens without their knowledge. When the Act was up for renewal in 2015, Congress reformed several provisions, including limiting the scope of phone records requests and forbidding bulk collections. Some provisions of both the Patriot Act and the subsequent USA Freedom Act expired earlier this year. And, in the negotiations over reauthorization, some senators introduced an amendment that would have prevented the government from collecting internet search data and browsing history without a warrant. No such provision stopping the government from tracking our online behavior currently exists. Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, argued on the Senate floor that because the pandemic has increased many people’s internet usage, Americans “are more vulnerable to abusive surveillance than ever before.” The amendment needed 60 votes to pass, but only received 59. Four senators, including Bernie Sanders, were absent and didn’t cast a vote. |
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“Getting access to somebody’s web browsing history is almost like spying on their thoughts.” — Sen. Ron Wyden |
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| You can get Grand Theft Auto V for free this week through Epic Games. PHOTO: NICK UT/ASSOCIATED PRESS |
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Go listen to: "Perdida," a 2018 track from Biig Piig, an Irish artist with a buttery voice. Oh, and she also sings in Spanish. Go watch: "Workweek," a week-long virtual arts festival presented by New York City rapper Marlon Craft. Go stream: This episode of news analysis podcast "On The Media," which breaks down the fairness of our newly virtual criminal justice system. Go play: "Grand Theft Auto V," the legendary (and quite violent) open world adventure game. It's available for free until May 21. What I've got on repeat: "The Difference," a collaboration between pioneering electronic music stars Flume and Toro y Moi. (If you like it, there's also an extended mix.) |
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| ILLUSTRATION BY TAMMY LIAN / PHOTOS FROM THE SUBJECTS |
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The pandemic has upended the lives of young adults all across the world. My colleagues at WSJ Noted have profiled dozens of them to hear how they've been forced to adjust. Read their stories here. And follow us on Instagram @wsjnoted. |
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I'd love to hear your feedback on this new newsletter. Hit reply and let me know. You can also reach me on Twitter @tylergabriel_ |
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