Bloomberg - Evening Briefing - Sedition hunters

Biogen’s controversial new Alzheimer’s drug was approved by U.S. regulators despite skepticism from some scientists about its mixed record in clinical trials. Biogen and other biotechnology stocks soared on the news. The Food and Drug Administration granted the antibody therapy an accelerated approval, which means Biogen must conduct more research to establish the drug’s benefits for it to remain on the market. The agency said the drug reduces amyloid, a harmful protein that clogs the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Though the protein’s role in the disease is a subject of expert debate, numerous other drugs that target it are being developed by pharmaceutical companies. —David E. Rovella

Bloomberg is tracking the progress of coronavirus vaccines while mapping the pandemic worldwide. 

Here are today’s top stories  

They call them sedition hunters. A growing army of internet sleuths have turned the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump followers into the ultimate online manhunt.

Janet Yellen proved her mettle as a dealmaker by leading the world’s richest economies to an agreement on global taxes that had eluded negotiators for almost a decade. But winning over the G7 on a 15% global minimum tax is one thing; getting Congress to support the Biden administration’s huge economic plans is another thing entirely.

The Chinese government’s muted reaction over a U.S. military flight to Taiwan prompted criticism from Chinese nationalists, underscoring the pressures on President Xi Jinping to follow through on Beijing’s “red line” rhetoric. Meanwhile the U.S. said it recovered most of the $4.4 million in cryptocurrency ransom paid to Russia-linked perpetrators of a cyber attack on Colonial Pipeline last month that halted fuel supplies across the U.S. east coast.

Millions of Americans will soon have to start repaying their student loans again. More than 40 million holders of federal loans are due to resume making monthly installments on Oct. 1, when the freeze imposed as part of Covid-19 relief runs out. On the hook will be retirees and recent graduates alike.

As predicted, a year of Covid-related lockdowns had almost no effect on global greenhouse gas emissions. CO₂ levels in the Earth’s atmosphere haven’t been this high in 4 million years.

Joe Manchin is running out of ways to say he won’t help get rid of the filibuster, Ramesh Ponnuru writes in Bloomberg Opinion. Many Democrats contend the U.S. Senate tactic must be eliminated to protect voting rights currently under assault in states run by Republicans. But Ponnuru disagrees, and says Manchin should stand firm.

Qantas Airways has asked Australian law-enforcement agencies for details of an intelligence report that suggests the airline has been infiltrated by organized criminal gangs importing drugs.

What you’ll need to know tomorrow 

• Biden invites Ukraine leader to White House as Putin meeting nears.
• Supreme Court term ends soon, with Obamacare in the balance.
• The economist who declared inflation dead has changed his mind.
• Commercial real estate industry chases Wall Street to Palm Beach.
• Key investor wants heads to roll after $6.2 billion Cyberpunk fiasco.
• Jeff Bezos says he will fly into space on Blue Origin’s first flight.
• NFTs shift power to artists as the music business remakes itself.

How Climate Change Is Threatening Apples

Patrick and Sara McGuire have been growing apples since they were married 25 years ago. Their 150 acres in Ellsworth, Michigan—Royal Farms—are a mix of sweet apples and bitter varieties suited for hard cider. Last spring they put in a new crop of Honeycrisps, one of America’s favorite apples, only to soon discover an unwelcome visitor: A bacterial menace known as fire blight. Bloomberg Digital reports on how it threatens the future of cider apples, and as global warming accelerates, all apples and other fruit crops.

Like getting the Evening Briefing? Subscribe to Bloomberg.com for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and gain expert analysis from exclusive subscriber-only newsletters.

The Bloomberg Deals Summit: Join top CEOs and the biggest dealmakers on June 8 as they share their insights into the historic boom and how long they think it will last. Topics will include how to do a megadeal and choosing between an IPO, direct listing or SPAC. Register for the virtual summit here.