Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Friday, October 2, 2020:
TRUMP HAS VIRUS
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19 and will isolate inside the White House residence for an unknown period of time. The president announced on Twitter just before 1 am ET that he and the first lady had received positive tests, and the first lady added in her own tweet that they were both “feeling good.” The White House has not said whether either are experiencing symptoms. The stunning revelation came after reports that Hope Hicks, one of Trump’s closest advisers who had just flown with him on Air Force One, had tested positive. Reaction from world leaders is pouring in, with everyone from Boris Johnson to Vladimir Putin wishing the first couple a speedy recovery. AP
WHAT NOW?
Vice President Pence is not known to be infected, and the White House has reportedly started early discussions about the continuity of government should the president fall ill. The campaign has cancelled a rally scheduled for today in Florida, and a trip to Wisconsin tomorrow and Arizona on Monday appear to be scrapped as well. The next presidential debate, on Oct. 15, is up in the air. It’s still not clear how far the infection has spread among senior White House officials, who work in cramped quarters in the West Wing and often travel with the president to his packed rallies, rarely wearing masks. NY TIMES
VACCINE UPDATE
October is likely to be an important month for news related to some of the top coronavirus vaccine candidates in trials. Moderna’s CEO says it’s highly unlikely that their vaccine would be ready for widespread use before the spring. Pfizer’s CEO has reassured employees that the vaccine development is not being politicized, and that it’s “moving at the speed of science” as outside experts have told the pharma giant to slow down its observation period. New polls show the vast majority of the public is worried about a rushed vaccine. YAHOO FINANCE.
BREONNA TAYLOR CASE
The grand jury recording in the Breonna Taylor case will be released this morning in a rare example of grand jury deliberations being made public. A juror in the case has accused Kentucky’s attorney general of using the jury to deflect responsibility over the shooting that sparked nationwide outrage and protests. COURIER JOURNAL
EMPLOYMENT CRISIS
The last monthly jobs report before the election comes out this morning. Economists are expecting somewhere in the neighborhood of 850,000 jobs added in September, a sharp decline from the month before. The unemployment rate is expected to tick down slightly, but will almost certainly be the highest it has ever been headed into a presidential election. CNN
LAPTOP REVOLUTION
As smartphones get all the attention, computer makers have been slowly tinkering with and improving their old workhorse: the laptop. Microsoft just announced the new entry-level Surface Laptop Pro, a mid-tier device with premium finishes. Lenovo is now taking preorders for its ThinkPad X1 Fold, a foldable tablet-like laptop with an attachable keyboard. Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly working on a new 12-inch MacBook. TECHRADAR
NFL PUNTS, AGAIN
The NFL has indefinitely postponed Week 3’s Steelers-Titans game after new positive tests came back from Titans players and staff. The league is now scrambling to figure out how to shoehorn the game in later the season, though fans and analysts have noted that it could unfairly punish the Steelers, whose players, by most accounts, have been taking extreme precautions to avoid an outbreak. NY TIMES
RIRI’S FASHION SHOW
Have you looked at the new releases on iTunes or Google Play lately? It’s bleak. But Rihanna is here to save Friday movie night. The singer-turned-mogul’s annual Savage x Fenty Fashion Show drops today on Amazon Prime. In a recent Vogue interview, Rihanna spoke about the difficulties of pulling off the production amid the pandemic: READ IT
‘BORAT’ TRAILER
When Vice President Mike Pence was delivering his remarks at the CPAC conference earlier this year, he was interrupted by a Trump impersonator who was quickly removed from the audience. No one thought much of it, but turns out the heckler was Sacha Baron Cohen in heavy makeup. A clip of the interaction is part of the new trailer for the upcoming Borat sequel: SEE IT
LEFTOVERS: EAT FRESH!
Ireland’s Supreme Court has ruled that bread made by Subway is filled with so much sugar that it cannot be legally defined as bread. The ruling was part of a tax dispute between the sandwich chain and one of its franchisees, which was arguing that the sandwich bread shouldn’t be taxed because it’s a “staple food.” The court didn’t buy it. THE JOURNAL
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