Nov 22, 2018

How Americans who've suffered this year are giving thanks today

Marisa Fernandez

The town of Paradise, California charred over 150,000 acres. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

From mass shootings to hurricanes and fires, The Associated Press reminds that "2018 was a year of loss unlike any other."

The big picture: In the past year, the U.S. has experienced two major hurricanes, several mass shootings, hate crimes and destructive fires. Amid the tragedy, people are focusing on unity this Thanksgiving season, sometimes without the traditional meal attached.

Looking back
  • A parent in the Parkland, Fla. school shooting will spend his morning at the cemetery. Fred Guttenberg's 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was one of 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
  • First Baptist Church in Mexico Beach, Fla., will welcome 300 people for Thanksgiving dinner in the parking lot of this storm-damaged church.
  • Some of the victims of fires in California didn't realize it was Thanksgiving "amid the chaotic and emotionally draining rush of the past two weeks." Volunteers there are opening their houses to strangers.
  • In Pittsburgh, Rabbi Jeffrey Myers of the Tree of Life synagogue, asked people to donate money based on the number friends and relatives gathered around their tables at Thanksgiving.

Go deeper

Axios

Situational awareness

Photo: BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images

Catch up on today's biggest news:

  1. CDC warns it's anticipating spread of the coronavirus in the U.S.
  2. SCOTUS rules that family of Mexican teen killed by border agent cannot sue
  3. Tokyo Olympics "looking at a cancellation" if coronavirus not contained by late May
  4. Mike Bloomberg's partner brushes off NDA concerns
  5. Trump acknowledges lists of disloyal government officials to oust
Keep ReadingArrowUpdated 46 mins ago - Politics & Policy
Axios

Coronavirus spreads to new countries, while U.S. confirms 57 cases

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins, the CDC, and China's Health Ministry. Note: China numbers are for the mainland only and U.S. numbers include repatriated citizens.

Public health officials confirmed Tuesday the U.S. has 57 people with the novel coronavirus, mostly those repatriated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship — an increase they had expected after the passengers were allowed to return home from Japan against their initial advice.

The big picture: COVID-19 has killed more than 2,700 people and infected more than 80,000 others, mostly in mainland China. There's only been two cases of person-to-person infections in the U.S. so far, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now warning that Americans should prepare for a much broader outbreak here.

Go deeperArrowUpdated 1 hour ago - Health
Miriam Kramer

Space tourism gets ready for launch

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Multiple space tourism companies are aiming to send their first customers to the edge of space before the end of this year.

Why it matters: Right now, most revenue in the space industry is tied up in government contracts, but experts say the maturing industry will need tourism to grow into the $1 trillion economy some predict it could be.

Go deeperArrow2 hours ago - Science