Good morning. It's Thursday, May 28. We're covering locust swarms in India, protests in Minneapolis, and listening to narwhals talk to each other. Have feedback? Let us know at hello@join1440.com.

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NEED TO KNOW

100,000 Deaths 

The US passed 100,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths yesterday afternoon, according to researchers compiling data from local, state, and federal health agencies at Johns Hopkins University. The current total stands at 100,442 deaths, with 1.7 million total cases, as of this morning (see data). Deaths rose 1.5% since yesterday morning.

Despite yesterday's surge, deaths and cases in the US have been trending downward, with daily deaths falling under 700 for three of the past four days; see a moving three-day average here. Public health officials warn the virus may accelerate if activity returns to normal levels too quickly. This infographic provides a comparison of each state's cases and current reopening status.

Washington, DC became one of the final spots in the country to lift its initial stay-at-home order. The city will enter a phase one reopening tomorrow. 

Overseas, European leaders proposed a $2T recovery package, with more than $800B available now and the remainder spread over the next six fiscal years. The package is comparable in size to the US stimulus package (which wasn't spread out over future years); the European Union has the second-largest economy in the world behind the US.

Separately, 80% of Americans surveyed in a new AP-NORC poll believe a vaccine against the coronavirus will be available by the end of 2021, but only about half said they would take it once available. Another 30% said they were unsure. 

Have more questions? Check out our expert-curated coronavirus resource page.

Hong Kong Status in Jeopardy

The US no longer considers Hong Kong to be an autonomous region independent of China, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced yesterday. Spurred by a congressionally mandated annual review, the move sets the stage for the removal of Hong Kong's special trade status with the US. The decision comes in response to a broad national security bill being considered by Beijing outlawing seditious activity in Hong Kong. Critics say the bill is meant to silence dissent.

The region—the world's 35th largest economy, despite being smaller than Rhode Island—has had a fraught relationship with mainland China since being returned by the British in 1997 (see history). Its independent relations with the West have been challenged by Chinese President Xi Jinping, seeking to reign in the territory.

Meanwhile, pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong continued yesterday as legislators debated a provision outlawing ridicule of the Chinese national anthem. At least 360 people were arrested.

Locust Swarms Hit India

India has become the latest country to deal with suffocating swarms of locusts, with billions of the bugs descending into western parts of the country over the past week. East African nations have been ravaged by the current outbreak, which began in October 2018 after a tropical storm in the Red Sea created favorable breeding conditions.

The migratory bugs are voracious eaters, consuming their own body weight in food each day. Individual swarms may contain more than 300 million insects per square mile; scenes from some cities appeared biblical at times. Reports indicate almost 125,000 acres of crops in India have been destroyed already.

The invasion—India's worst in 25 years—follows a deadly cyclone last week and comes as coronavirus cases continue to increase across the country. The capital of Delhi is also under a blistering heat wave, with temperatures nearing 120 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday. 

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom to reopen July 11; all Disney parks have been closed since March 15 due to the coronavirus (More)

> Jamie Foxx defends late-night host Jimmy Fallon following Fallon's apology for performing in blackface during a Saturday Night Live skit in 2000 (More)

> Larry Kramer, Tony and Emmy Award-winning playwright, author, and AIDS activist dies at 84 (More)

Science & Technology

> Historic NASA-SpaceX launch delayed due to bad weather; rescheduled for Saturday at 3:22pm ET, with a backup of Sunday at 3pm ET (More)

> Genetic analysis suggests sustained transmission of the coronavirus in the US was initiated by a single person in mid-February, a month after the first identified case (More)

> Researchers capture rarely heard vocalizations of narwhals, recorded during seasonal migration near Greenland; sounds include clicks, songs, and buzzes (More, w/video)

Business & Markets

Brought to you by The Ascent

> US stock markets up (S&P 500 +1.5%, Dow +2.2%, Nasdaq +0.8%) on continued economic revival hopes; S&P 500 passes 3,000 for first time since March (More)

> Boeing to slash 12,000 jobs amid pandemic market conditions; restarts limited production of 737 MAX, despite planes still being grounded following two fatal crashes (More)

> General Electric to sell 129-year-old lighting division founded by Thomas Edison to smart home provider Savant Systems (More)

Plan now, travel later with a credit card offering insane travel bonuses. Multiply your points with dining and grocery stores, then redeem for your dream vacation when we're ready to travel again (More) #Ad

Politics & World Affairs

> At least one person dies as protests continue in Minneapolis following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, killed while being taken into police custody (More) | Trump directs Justice Department to investigate civil rights violations in case (More)

> University of Connecticut student believed to have killed two people caught in Maryland after multistate, weeklong manhunt (More)

> Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reauthorization in jeopardy after President Trump, Republicans, and progressive Democrats rallying against it (More) | Trump will reportedly sign executive order on social media companies; follows Twitter applying a fact check label to two Trump tweets (More)

IN-DEPTH

The Remaking of Steve Buscemi

GQ | Gabriella Paiella. One of the film industry's most accomplished actors, Steve Buscemi is in a position to pick his next project. But following the untimely death of his wife last year, the Hollywood misfit opens up about anxiety, loss, and hard work. (Read) 

The Great Koala Rescue Operation

Smithsonian | Ceridwen Dovey. In the aftermath of Australia's devastating brush fires, and with much of the world consumed by the pandemic, a group of dedicated conservationists is focused on saving the country's Kangaroo Island—one Koala at a time. (Read)

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ETCETERA

The coronavirus reconnects a nurse with a firefighter who saved her life.

Dr. Beach ranks America's best beaches for 2020. 

All of the world's money and markets in a single visualization.

The US Navy can now shoot down drones with lasers. (w/video)

Anxious, travel-hungry Americans are buying up COVID campers. (Bloomberg, $$)

Lickable screen recreates any flavor you may desire.

NASA engineer builds a Ninja Warrior course for squirrels.

Stunning aerial photos capture precise farmland designs.

Clickbait: Bigfoot puts his California home up for sale.

Historybook: Native American athlete Jim Thorpe born (1887); Volkswagen founded in Germany (1937); HBD singer Gladys Knight (1944); PLO, the Palestine Liberation Organization, is founded in Jerusalem (1964); RIP poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou (2014).

"You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."

- Maya Angelou

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