It’s the first of the month, which means rent is due for millions of Americans, workers are going on strike, and more states are reopening. We bring you the latest on strikes from renters and workers. Plus, what’s up with Trump pushing intel agencies for dirt on China. And we’re joined by comedian Whitmer Thomas for headlines: Elon Musk hates fascism, ventilator grifters make out, and Switzerland tells grandparents to hug their grandchildren.
New GDP data show the economy shrank at a 4.8% annual rate in January, February and March. That’s the worst quarterly decline since the 2008 recession, and unfortunately, the current quarter is probably going to be worse. There’s an experimental drug called Remdesivir that the FDA is reportedly planning to approve for emergency use in treating symptoms of Covid-19. It’s not a cure, but some early trial data show that it reduces the length of the disease for some patients. And in headlines: a 1-m...
Trump signed an executive order aimed at keeping meat-processing plants open by designating them as “critical infrastructure.” The union representing workers at these plants is concerned about being compelled to stay open without proper safety equipment, worker protections, and enforcement. We interview Ed Yong, science writer at The Atlantic, about what we know about the virus so far, and what we're still learning. And in headlines: YouTube to ramp up fact-checking, Kentucky governor Andy Beshe...
Scientists at Oxford University have developed at Covid-19 vaccine that’s safe and effective in monkeys. Now, they’re moving into wide-scale human trials, and are hoping to test thousands of people by the end of May. In the US, the small business loan program had an imperfect relaunch. Plus, we’re joined by Crooked’s own Jon Favreau for a politics update. We talk about the next relief bill, what Trump’s daily press conferences are doing for his re-election prospects, and more. And in headlines: ...
President Trump might be doing away with his hour-plus daily coronavirus briefings, which is a relief for so-called “privately concerned Republicans” who think they might scare away voters in November. The White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Birx hit the Sunday shows this weekend in Trump’s absence. In states like Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Indiana, Tennessee, and Minnesota, a mix of Republican and Democratic governors are preparing to ease some restrictions on businesses starting th...
Senator Mitch McConnell thinks states should declare bankruptcy rather than get bailed out by the federal government. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp gives the green-light to reopen some essential businesses today, including bowling alleys. Some northern regions of China are being subjected to new limitations on movement in response to Covid-19 outbreaks. China is also giving the World Health Organization a much-needed 30 million dollars now that the US has withdrawn funding. And in headlines: torna...
The doctor in charge of US government’s effort to develop a coronavirus vaccine was dismissed this week. He says it has to do with his opposition to untested treatments for Covid-19 pushed by President Trump. School closures nationwide have created a massive disruption for students, parents, and teachers. We talk to Monise Seward, a 6th grade special education teacher in Georgia, about the difficulties of taking the classroom online. And in headlines: Trump pops off about boats in Iran, Netflix ...
Trump is preparing an executive order that will suspend the issuing of green cards for 60 days. We speak to Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, who says following through on Trump’s order would amount to turning our backs on the same people who are fighting Covid-19 on the front-lines. The Senate passed the interim relief deal yesterday. It funds small businesses, hospitals and testing, but doesn’t address hazard pay or vote-by-mail -- issues that Dems have been pu...
As Congress continues to negotiate their next relief bill, Democrats are pushing for a requirement that the administration develop a national testing strategy. Meanwhile, the National Restaurant Association is pushing for an industry bailout. Then, an update on case numbers around the country and the world. Plus, why Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina think it’s a good idea to reopen right now. And in headlines: the Supreme Court knocks down split jury convictions, John Stamos has a Dumbo, a...
Congress is nearing a deal on a new round of funding for small businesses, hospitals and to ramp up testing — which experts say is still in too short supply. Plus, the latest on antibody tests and why they are so unreliable. Around the world, Norway debuts a new voluntary tracking app and 100,000 people go to a funeral in Bangladesh, in defiance of social distancing rules. And in headlines: a mass shooting in Nova Scotia, Kim Jong-un denies “nice note,” and San Clemente sands its skatepark....
The Trump administration is now saying what everyone else knew all along: it’s up to the states to determine how and when they begin easing out of lockdowns. The CDC is going to hire hundreds of people to ramp up efforts at contact tracing. And the White House is hoping to get 5 million people tested for coronavirus by the end of the month. Around the world, fears around COVID-19 have exacerbated bigotry. We discuss how this is manifesting in China, where the government is suggesting that foreig...
Over 80 million Americans should have seen their coronavirus stimulus payments deposited in their bank accounts yesterday. For the rest of us, we'll have to wait for the mail version. Small businesses are seeing their loan program, which has been overloaded and clunky, run out money. Conservative activists gathered in Ohio and Michigan yesterday to protest the pandemic lockdown status in those states. But polls show they are in the minority. And in headlines: universities are dropping standardiz...
After suggesting that he had “total authority” to determine when states reopen their economies, Trump now says the states can decide. Governors are making their own plans, with California, Oregon, and Washington forming a west coast group that will coordinate together. Countries around the world are at different stages of their fight against coronavirus. Some like India are extending their lockdowns, while others like Austria are beginning to loosen restrictions. And in headlines: Obama endorses...
We interview Congresswoman Ilhan Omar about what progressives want from presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and what steps Congress should take next to address the pandemic. Neighboring states are forming coalitions to make plans to lift restrictions. Coronavirus will delay the result of the census by an estimated four months. And in headlines: Amazon to resume normal sales of non-essential items, the Supreme Court plans to argue on the phone, and Yosemite is for the bears....
States are trying different approaches to address coronavirus racial disparities, from forming a task force in Louisiana to opening new testing centers in New York City. We speak to Dr. Abdul El-Sayed about what he’s seen in Detroit, and how structural racism leaves minority communities vulnerable. A new investigation in The New York Times says Trump was told about what this pandemic might look like in January and February and that he didn’t heed the warning. And in headlines: OPEC countries rea...
Another 6.6 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week, meaning that more than 16 million jobs have been lost in the last three weeks. That puts more pressure on Congress to sort out more economic relief. The White House is reportedly going to announce a coronavirus-economic task force to look into when the economy can be re-opened. Then, we're joined by comedian and writer Jamie Loftus for headlines: new jack Bob Dylan tops the Billboard charts for the first time, Biden makes conc...
Senator Bernie Sanders has dropped out of the 2020 presidential race, but his ideas may live on. Vice President Joe Biden is now the presumptive democratic presidential nominee. We look at how we got here. Then, we talked to Clare Malone, senior political writer at Five Thirty Eight, about the Defense Production Act - and why the administration may not fully understand it. And in headlines: Nicaragua's missing president, detainees released, and why President Trump thinks now is a good time to mi...
Lawmakers are considering a second relief package to provide assistance to people who were left out of the last bill. Some also want to add a rent moratorium, Medicare and Medicaid expansion, and more. We talk to Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) to learn about those efforts. And in headlines: a naval secretary steps down after comments about commander Brett Cozier, the UFC moves its octagon to a private island, and historians uncover one of the earliest uses of the F-bomb....
Wisconsin will be moving forward with in-person voting today, despite efforts to postpone the election for the sake of public health. We check in on what’s happening there and in other states set to vote soon. Plus, we interview Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes about the election and what this means for November. And in headlines: the ACLU sues to block parts of Puerto Rico’s coronavirus curfew, chaste pandas mate in Hong Kong, and the Mississippi governor makes time to honor fallen ...
We interview Keri Blakinger, a reporter at The Marshall Project who covers prisons, on how jails and detention centers are managing release of inmates to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and how the urgent push to get people out is affecting former inmates. Government officials say the coming two weeks could be the most difficult yet as some states approach their potential peaks for COVID-19. Other states have begun to ramp down. We discuss that as well as new demographic data that paints an e...
We interview Dr. Shaoli Chaudhuri, a resident at Columbia Medical Center in Manhattan, about what she’s seeing in the Covid-19 epicenter as doctors treat a growing number of patients with the virus - and healthcare workers themselves are getting sick. An astonishing 6.6 million people filed for unemployment benefits in the US last week, and there’s a growing concern that coronavirus tests aren’t as accurate as many thought. And in headlines: four major storms predicted for the 2020 Atlantic Hurr...
We talk to acting President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Alexis McGill Johnson about the state of reproductive rights during the pandemic, and the efforts several Republican-governed states have taken to restrict abortion access as part of their coronavirus response. Congress is looking at a Phase 4 deal, which could include infrastructure projects. And the Trump administration will not reopen the ACA marketplace, which would’ve allowed uninsured people and people who recently lost their jobs t...
We interview New York Times reporter Caitlin Dickerson about the far-reaching effects the pandemic is having on people in our immigration system: asylum seekers, DACA recipients, undocumented workers, ICE detainees and more. The Trump administration has finally spoken up about their projections for the loss of life that America might experience as a result of Covid-19. Plus, we discuss the current recommendations on face-masks as protection against the virus. And in headlines: Hungarian PM Vikto...
Efforts to bring unhoused people inside have been growing as the coronavirus outbreak takes hold, but advocates say there’s more to be done. We talk to Chris Ko, of the United Way in Los Angeles, to learn more about the situation in that city. Workers across the country are feeling the impact of the pandemic. Employees at Macy’s, The Gap, and Kohl’s have been furloughed, while employees at Amazon, Instacart, and Whole Foods are going on strike. And in headlines: the DOJ investigates Senator Rich...
Mutual-aid networks, which allow neighbors and community members to pool resources, have blossomed during the coronavirus crisis. We interview Christine Gatson-Michalak, co-founder of the Claremont Mutual Aid Project, about the biggest needs right now. Trump held a press conference yesterday, where he said among other things that social distancing measures will continue until April 30. So our promised Easter Egg hunts will be taking place in our apartment living rooms. And in headlines: Shaq mis...
The United States now has the most known COVID-19 cases in the world. We discuss the areas that have been hit hardest and how they’re handling the outbreak Epidemiologist and host of “America Dissected” Dr. Abdul El-Sayed answers more of your most pressing COVID-19 questions. And in headlines: the US indicts Maduro, a half-billion dollar legal win for Maryland HBCUs, and Meghan Markle’s first post-Royal gig.
The senate approved a nearly $2 trillion relief package to respond to the coronavirus pandemic yesterday, after a day of delays and a lot of debate. We discuss what made it into the bill and what didn’t with Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown. And in headlines: three states restrict abortion access during Covid-19, everyone’s getting a pandemic pet, and Dr. Dre and Mister Rogers get recognized by the Library of Congress.
Equipment shortages, exposure, and empathy: we hear from healthcare workers who are fighting Covid-19 on the front lines. Plus, what Democrats are fighting for in the government coronavirus relief package and what Republicans are willing to concede. And how authorities are handling things in New York now that it’s become the epicenter of the US coronavirus outbreak. And in headlines: Liberty University re-opens its doors, Colorado abolishes the death penalty, and YouTube goes low rez....
Is America’s internet prepared for all of us to be online all of the time? We interview FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel to get her answer. And we discuss how to close digital divide to make sure all students can continue their education online through the pandemic. Trump is suggesting that the economic slowdown resulting from social distancing could be “worse” than the pandemic, and more in the latest Covid-19 news. And in headlines: Bloomberg sued, New Jersey releases inmates, and alcohol ...
We interview Alexis Madrigal, staff writer at the Atlantic and founder of The COVID Tracking project, about the current state of coronavirus testing and why it took so long to get started. Congress still hasn’t reached a deal on the coronavirus relief bill. We discuss where things stand, with five Republican senators in self-isolation and one recently diagnosed with Covid-19. And in headlines: Kentucky does voter suppression while no one is looking, less traffic and pollution, and streaming serv...
