Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Monday, April 19, 2021:
COVID-19: OPEN ELIGIBILITY
All adults in the U.S. are eligible for vaccination as of today. The last handful of states have now opened up eligibility, meeting President Biden’s deadline. The pace of vaccinations is averaging about 3.2 million doses a day, but there are signs in some states that supply is starting to outstrip demand -- an indication that the country could be close to hitting the “vaccine wall.” That comes as the national caseload is around 67,000 new cases a day, up from 54,000 a month ago. Dr. Fauci said he expects a decision to be made on the J&J vaccine by Friday. AXIOS
GUN VIOLENCE
The gunman who murdered eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis bought two semi-automatic rifles that he used in the rampage weeks after the FBI confiscated a shotgun from him over concerns about his mental health. Four of the victims were from the Sikh community and investigators are still trying to figure out if they were targeted. The gunman’s family apologized for his crime, saying they “tried to get him the help he needed.” Separately, three people were killed in a shooting at a bar in Wisconsin over the weekend, and another three people died in a shooting in Austin, Tex. That shooter is still at large. GUARDIAN
POLICE CONDUCT
The final phase of the Derek Chauvin trial begins today under a national cloud of anxiety over other recent police killings. Since Chauvin’s trial started, at least 64 people have died in encounters with the police, according to The New York Times, or about three a day on average. Blacks and Latinos made up more than half of those killed. Protests continued in cities across the country over the weekend in response to the shootings of Adam Toledo in Chicago and Daunte Wright near Minneapolis, and some cities have already started preparing for the possibility of unrest for the Chauvin verdict. NY TIMES
NAVALNY CRITICAL
Doctors for Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who has been in a penal colony for the last two months, say he is in bad shape and could die within days if not given proper medical treatment. Now prison officials say he will finally be transferred to a hospital. Navalny is now in his third week of a hunger strike to draw attention to his deteriorating condition. The White House has warned Russia that “there will be consequences” if Navalny dies in prison. BLOOMBERG
DROUGHT WATCH
The federal government is preparing to issue its first-ever official water shortage declaration in the U.S. West, where the huge man-made lakes that supply drinking water to millions are extremely low due to the ongoing drought. A shortage declaration would trigger mandatory water cuts for Arizona and Nevada. DENVER POST
TESLA AUTOPILOT
Two men riding in a Tesla, that officials believe was in driverless mode, were killed when the car crashed near Houston. The crash is the latest in a series of accidents involving Tesla’s Autopilot feature, which allows drivers to give control of the vehicle over to the onboard computer. In this instance, one of the two men was in the passenger seat and one was in the back seat, even though Tesla says the driver should always be prepared to take back control. The car drove off the road at a high rate of speed, hit a tree and burst into flames. It took firefighters four hours and 32,000 gallons of water to put the battery fire out. ENGADGET
EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE
Some of the biggest soccer clubs in the world have agreed to join a breakaway league that would compete with the Champions League, one of the most prominent club tournaments in world soccer. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man U, Liverpool, Juventus and A.C. Milan are among the founding members of the Super League, which would create a revenue-sharing model among the clubs that could completely change the financial structure of the sport. The new league is far from a done deal; European soccer officials are trying to block the project and FIFA has warned that any players who join an unsanctioned league would be disqualified from the World Cup. BBC
SPOTTED...ROYAL EDITION...
…Prince Harry and Prince William, chatting at the funeral of their grandfather Prince Philip amid their estrangement: SEE PIC
...Queen Elizabeth, dressed in black and sitting alone during the service at St. George’s Chapel to comply with COVID protocols: SEE PIC
OSCAR COUNTDOWN
The Oscars are finally -- almost -- here. The producers of Sunday’s ceremony say the show is going to look more like a movie than a TV event, with L.A.’s Union Station playing a starring role, a downsized red carpet, “hubs” in Paris and London and nominees mingling inside and out. The director Steven Soderbergh is running the show and says masks are going to play an important and “cryptic” role. AFP
LEFTOVERS: ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT
If Matthew McConaughey were to decide to run for governor of Texas today, he would enter the race as the frontrunner. According to a new survey of registered Texas voters, the actor holds a 12-point lead over Greg Abbott, the Republican incumbent -- 45 percent to 33 percent. First, though, the moderate McConaughey would have to win a primary, which could be more challenging. Texas Republicans broke for Abbott, 56 to 30, while Texas Dems say they want a progressive over a centrist. DALLAS MORNING NEWS
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