5 things to know for May 3: Roe v. Wade, Ukraine, Covid, Capitol riot, India heatwave
By Alexandra Meeks, CNN
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Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
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1. Roe v. Wade
In a stunning breach of Supreme Court confidentiality and secrecy, Politico has obtained what it calls a draft of a majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito that would strike down Roe v. Wade — the law that affirms a woman’s right to have an abortion. The draft was circulated in early February, according to Politico. The final opinion has not been released and votes and language can change before opinions are formally released. The opinion in this case is not expected to be published until late June. CNN has not independently confirmed the document’s authenticity. Politico says it has authenticated the draft. The opinion would be the most consequential abortion decision in decades and transform the landscape of women’s reproductive health in America.
2. Ukraine
US and Western officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin could formally declare war on Ukraine as soon as May 9. The declaration would enable the full mobilization of Russia’s reserve forces. Western officials have long believed that Putin would leverage the symbolic significance and propaganda value of May 9 to announce either a military achievement in Ukraine, a major escalation of hostilities — or both — because it would coincide with “Victory Day” inside of Russia, which commemorates the country’s defeat of the Nazis in 1945. Meanwhile, tensions remain heightened at the besieged Azovstal steel plant, where a commander among the Ukrainian soldiers said yesterday that the complex is under “constant fire” as hundreds of civilians try to evacuate.
3. Coronavirus
The US is likely to record its 1 millionth reported Covid-19 death in the next few weeks, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. This comes as public health officials are urging people to get booster shots months after vaccination to slow the spread of the virus. While more than three-quarters of the country has received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, less than one-third has received a booster. A detailed look at the CDC’s latest data shows that 77.6% of Americans — or nearly 258 million people — have received at least one dose of the vaccine. However, only about 30% of the total population has received a booster. For this reason, officials have moved away from that term “fully vaccinated” and instead encourage people to stay “up to date,” which means getting a booster when eligible.
4. Capital riot
Ivanka Trump cooperated with the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, according to the committee’s chairman. In a recent exclusive interview with CNN, Rep. Bennie Thompson said Ivanka Trump provided the most extensive account yet of the state of play inside the White House, as well as then-President Donald Trump’s state of mind that day. A person close to the Trump family told CNN the former President’s children never saw a reason not to cooperate with the committee because none of them felt appearing before the panel put them at any risk. Some of Trump’s former advisers, however, have been less willing to testify. Yesterday, three additional GOP lawmakers received letters asking that they voluntarily cooperate with the ongoing probe. But two of them, Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona and Ronny Jackson of Texas, made it clear they will not cooperate with the investigation.
5. India heatwave
Extreme heat in India is “testing the limits of human survivability,” according to a climate expert. Last month, New Delhi saw seven consecutive days over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). In some states, the heat has damaged crops and put pressure on energy supplies as officials warned residents to remain indoors and keep hydrated. The heatwave has also been felt by India’s neighbor Pakistan, where the cities of Jacobabad and Sibi in the country’s southeastern Sindh province recorded highs of 47 degrees Celsius (116.6 Fahrenheit) on Friday. Experts say India is among the countries expected to be affected the hardest by the impacts of the climate crisis, and will likely endure more frequent and longer heatwaves in the future.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Here’s what stars wore at the Met Gala
Some celebrities embraced the “Gilded Glamour” theme, but others marched to the beat of their own drum — because why not? Fashion has no limits!
Jackie Robinson All-Star Game bat sells for $1.08 million
Legendary! The seven-figure price tag places the bat among the most expensive pieces of sports memorabilia.
Inside the space hotel scheduled to open in 2025
Have you heard the buzz about the space hotel? Yes, it’s happening. And yes, the room rates will likely be astronomical.
Watch this adorable toddler steal the show at his parents’ wedding
If you’re a sucker for cute viral videos, here’s another one to make you smile!
A CNN story helped a former refugee find the mystery woman who gave her $100 on a plane decades ago
Some people enter your life at the right time and right place. This is one of those beautiful instances.
TODAY’S NUMBER
$3 billion
That’s how much the Biden administration is investing in lithium ion battery production. The bipartisan infrastructure package is an effort to fight climate change, but also to make the US more energy independent with electric vehicles, officials said, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted global oil markets.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“To know I have three living survivors that are here with me right now [to] feel this partial victory, it means everything.“
— Attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, celebrating a judge’s ruling yesterday allowing a lawsuit seeking reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre to move forward. The 2021 lawsuit, which names 11 plaintiffs, looks to not only set the record straight on what took place between May 31 and June 1, 1921, but also create a special fund for survivors and descendants of the massacre that left at least 300 Black people dead and the once-booming neighborhood of Greenwood destroyed.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY
It’s Teacher Appreciation Day!
Send a positive message to an educator you know to brighten their day! And if you have a few minutes, watch this impressive classroom prank. This teacher really went the extra mile to fool his students! (Click here to view)
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