Monday Sunrise Briefing: A global helping hand for India
The U.S., Germany, France, the U.K, China, Russia and other nations announced efforts to help as India grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases. “Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need,” President Joe Biden tweeted Sunday.
Officials said Sunday the U.S. will send raw materials for vaccines, test kits, ventilators, and promised to boost financing for vaccine production. France and the U.K. offered oxygen and respirators. But the Biden administration has not agreed to send surplus vaccines, yet. Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that sending stockpiled vaccines to India was “under active consideration.”
For the fourth straight day, India on Sunday set a global daily record of new cases, undermining the government’s premature claims of victory over the pandemic.
2. Accountability for atrocities. President Biden became the first U.S. president to formally call the 1915 atrocities against the Armenian people a genocide. In doing so, Mr. Biden fulfilled a human rights campaign promise. An estimated 2 million Armenians were deported and 1.5 million were killed in the events Armenians call Metz Yeghern (“Great Evil Crime”). “The American people honor all those Armenians who perished in the genocide that began 106 years ago today,” Mr. Biden said in a statement Saturday. “We affirm the history. We do this not to cast blame but to ensure that what happened is never repeated.” Previous U.S. administrations avoided the term to prevent from undermining relations with Turkey, a NATO ally and key Middle Eastern power.
3. Hollywood's best. Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” won best picture Sunday at the 93rd Academy Awards. The China-born Ms. Zhao also became the first woman of color to win best director. A plain-spoken meditation on solitude, grief, and grit, “Nomadland” struck a chord in a pandemic year. “I have always found goodness in the people I’ve met everywhere I went in the world,” said Ms. Zhao in her acceptance speech. “This is for anyone who has the faith and the courage to hold on to the goodness in themselves and to hold on the goodness in others no matter how difficult it is to do that.” The biggest surprise of Sunday’s Oscar ceremony: best actor went to Anthony Hopkins for his performance in the dementia drama “The Father." The award had been widely expected to go to Chadwick Boseman for his final performance in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”
Look Ahead
MONDAY, April 26
Climate solutions. A three-day online summit of Nobel Prize laureates and other experts hosted by the Nobel Foundation is scheduled to explore what needs to be done within the next decade about climate change, biodiversity, technological innovation, and inequality.
TUESDAY, April 27
Censorship and free speech. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube execs are scheduled to testify at a U.S. Senate judiciary hearing looking at what gets amplified by social media algorithms.
WEDNESDAY, April 28
Progress check. President Joe Biden is scheduled to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress, nearly 100 days after he took office. Mr. Biden is expected to continue to push for a $2 trillion infrastructure bill.
Denim Day. A day to wear denim to support awareness - and healing - of survivors of sexual assault.
U.S. economic outlook. After a two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting, Fed Chair Jerome Powell is scheduled to give a media briefing on the economy and interest rates.
THURSDAY, April 29
NFL rejuvenation. The three-day National Football League draft starts today, with the top selections coming from teams in search of the next Patrick Mahomes.
SATURDAY, May 1
Equine excellence. The first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, this year's 147th Kentucky Derby returns to its traditional first Saturday in May with up to 60% capacity seating at Churchill Downs.
Generosity Watch
Anthony Mock watches out for his nine employees - and his community.
During the December holidays, he identified 25 single mothers and anonymously paid their utility bills - ranging from $100 to $500.
The father of four owns a custom jewelry store in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Business slowed during pandemic. But Mr. Mock dipped into his own savings to make sure his employees received their regular paychecks - plus a Christmas bonus.
For his generosity, he recently won the SaverLife’s Tax Time Story Contest. SaverLife is a U.S. nonprofit that helps people become better savers. The contest asked members to nominate someone they would give their tax refund to and explain why.
“He didn’t want any recognition,” said Terri Hogan-Williams, who nominated Mr. Mock. “The people who know Anthony know he does it from his heart,” she told TribLive.com.
Hidden Gem
Start your week with a recent story that inspired Monitor readers:
She’s seen peacekeeping fail. Here’s her advice on getting it right.
Sneak preview
In tonight’s Daily Edition, watch for our story about a California town that banned gas stations.
Finally, check out the Monitor’s selected stories from Friday's subscription-only Daily Edition:
- CSI Houston: How a Texas lab has remade the science of forensics
- Vaccine passports: Pandemic spurs rise of portable health records
- Domestic abuse surged in pandemic. Britain pushing back with legal reform.
- Super League smashup: US business crashes into English soccer values
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