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What to watch for today
The IOC reconsiders the Olympics. Organizers are meeting via teleconference to discuss arrangements for qualifying events and the torch-lighting ceremony. European soccer chiefs are also discussing the Euro 2020 tournament, Champions League, and Europa League.
Europe decides on a travel ban. EU member states vote on a 30-day ban on non-essential travel into the Schengen Area, as France’s lockdown begins and the UK announces further economic support. Meanwhile, Canada shut its borders to everyone but US citizens.
The Democratic primaries continue, mostly. Arizona, Florida, and Illinois—but not Ohio—go the polls amid concerns the coronavirus pandemic could lower turnout. Meanwhile, Joe Biden has been declared the winner of last week’s Washington primary.
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The White House issued new coronavirus guidelines. All Americans were urged to stay at home, skip bars and restaurants, and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. The Dow also posted its worst drop ever as president Trump delivered an unusually somber briefing.
Wuhan had just one new coronavirus case. China reported 21 new cases on Tuesday, with 20 of those imported from abroad. Meanwhile, the US and China’s relationship deteriorated, with Donald Trump calling Covid-19 the “Chinese Virus” in a tweet.
More than 20 countries have asked the IMF about loans. Managing director Kristalina Georgieva said the global Fund was prepared to use its $1 trillion arsenal to help member states deal with the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were released from hospital. The Hollywood couple announced their Covid-19 diagnoses last week, and had been receiving medical care in Australia. Separately, British actor Idris Elba – Stringer Bell from The Wire – contracted the virus.
The North American box office hit a low. Ticket sales had their worst weekend in two decades, plummeting to less than a third of its $39 million haul a week ago. The global box office is also way down, and Hollywood could lose $10 billion over the next few months.
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Fertility is a booming business… Parents are slightly older and often more financially stable than they were 40 years ago—a biological tradeoff that’s given birth to a multibillion-dollar enterprise.
…and those well-off couples have cash to burn. When high-income people marry each other, it reinforces already stratified societies.
Quartz daily obsession
APGAR is a baby’s first test. The score, developed by Dr. Virginia Apgar in 1953, gives physicians a quick way to measure a newborn baby’s wellbeing. Today, an updated version is used in nearly every hospital in the world, and has been credited with saving millions of babies’ lives. Hear its birth story from the Quartz Daily Obsession.
Matters of debate
Behave like you have coronavirus. Two-thirds of Covid-19 infections could be spread by people who show no symptoms.
Wall Street is scared. The Cboe Volatility Index, known as the “fear gauge,” is almost back to 2008 levels.
It could be time to roll out Universal Basic Income. The measure would help keep the US economy running amid the outbreak.
Surprising discoveries
Norway’s leader held a press conference just for kids. Erna Solberg took questions about coronavirus from children to reassure them.
Coronavirus is a boon for scientific collaboration. A new Covid-19 open dataset has made 24,000 papers available in one place.
French restaurants are giving away cheese and paté. They don’t want food to go to waste as the shutdown continues indefinitely.
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is not dying. A new study argues that contrary to speculation, the planet’s famous storm is holding steady.
College students can study social media influencing. The University of Southern California aims to prepare students for a career in the multibillion-dollar industry.
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