5 things to know for April 9: Election 2020, coronavirus, WHO, Syria

With Passover underway and Easter around the corner, the Department of Homeland Security has warned faith communities that they could see an uptick in online hate speech. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

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1. Election 2020

Bernie Sanders has bowed out of the 2020 presidential race, clearing the path for Joe Biden to become the Democratic nominee and face off with Donald Trump in November. Sanders told his staff it was a matter of numbers: After some early primary wins, the Vermont senator fell behind a surging Biden and never quite regained traction. Now that Biden is the last candidate standing, some have urged his party to call off this summer’s Democratic convention in light of coronavirus dangers. Now, national focus will shift to how Biden and Trump square up with each other. Easier said than done, in this mercurial coronavirus age, but one thing’s certain: Trump is in danger of entering the election home stretch without the roaring economy that has been a cornerstone of his presidential promise.

2. Coronavirus 

With coronavirus cases ebbing and flowing around the globe, countries are preparing for the future when it comes to social distancing and preventative measures. Spain says they have reached the peak of their outbreak, and UK leaders have met to talk about a possible exit strategy from lockdown restrictions even as Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in intensive care with Covid-19. White House aides are discussing plans to reopen the US economy as early May, but that plan could run afoul of advice from medical experts. Wednesday marked a new deadliest day for the US, with 1,922 coronavirus-related deaths. Meanwhile, Russia and Germany are seeing their coronavirus numbers rise. In India, the government has completely sealed more than 100 “containment zones” until mid-April. In Bangladesh, the world’s largest refugee camp has been locked down to keep the virus from spreading among the camp’s 1 million Rohingya refugees. Follow here for the latest.

3. World Health Organization

The WHO is defending itself after President Trump repeatedly criticized the organization for its response to the coronavirus crisis and threatened to pull federal funding. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus asked Trump to not politicize the virus and instead promote unity in fighting its spread. French President Emmanuel Macron also defended the organization after a call with Ghebreyesus, saying the organization is critical to the global coronavirus response. The WHO has been criticized for their early response to the virus, when it was just beginning to spread in China. However, by the end of January, the organization had designated the virus a “public health emergency of international concern.”

4. Cruise ships 

Another lawsuit has been leveled against a cruise ship company for their response to the coronavirus. A former passenger of the Costa Luminosa is suing the ship’s operator, claiming the company put more than 2,000 people at risk by failing to warn them about potential exposure to the virus. Numerous passengers from two separate journeys tested positive for Covid-19, and at least three have died. Meanwhile, Australian police have boarded the Ruby Princess cruise ship to investigate how thousands of passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney last month. That influx resulted in a spike of coronavirus infections. More than 600 cases and 15 deaths have been linked to the ship.

5. Syria 

A chemical weapons watchdog group has concluded that Syrian government forces were responsible for a series of chemical attacks in the country that shocked the world in March of 2017. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ Investigation and Identification Team said the sarin gas bombings could have only been authorized by members of the Syrian Arab Republic military command. Human rights organizations and US officials agreed the report irrefutably shows the Syrian regime and the country’s president Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against civilians, an act that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said rises to the “level of war crimes.” Chemical warfare is prohibited under the Geneva Protocol.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Linda Tripp, a pivotal player in Bill Clinton’s impeachment scandal, has died 

Tripp was 70, and had battled breast cancer before being diagnosed with late stage pancreatic/lymph node cancer.

Baking can reduce stress and give comfort during these times 

At this rate, our kitchens are going to start looking like the bread aisle at a fully-stocked Costco.

Waffle House started selling its signature waffle mix. It sold out in four hours. 

Speaking of stress baking…

New Jersey is looking for people who know a decades-old programming language to help process unemployment claims 

COBOL users, now is your time to shine.

Wisconsin voter hits a chord with sign in voting line: “This is ridiculous”

Truly a sign of the times. 

TODAY’S NUMBER

34 million

That’s roughly how many unique viewers watched the Netflix docu-series “Tiger King” within the first ten days of its release. (By the way, here’s some insight into why the show’s so popular.)

TODAY’S QUOTE

“I do my best to close their eyes and say a little prayer.”

A hospital worker at Detroit’s Sinai-Grace Hospital, who says Covid-19 patients are dying so quickly they sometimes need to carefully stack bodies in temporary refrigerated storage. CNN spoke with several employees at the hospital who described the harrowing conditions caused by the outbreak.

TODAY’S WEATHER

AND FINALLY

Microwaving taquitos has never been this exciting 

We’re not the only ones getting restless for sports. Who knew listening to announcers narrate dishwasher duty and snack time is just as fun as listening to them call the real thing? (Click here to view)