President Trump told reporters on Thursday that while a second wave of the novel coronavirus is "a very distinct possibility," the U.S. should not issue widespread lockdowns or stay-at-home orders to fight the next outbreak.
The University of California regents voted unanimously on Thursday to suspend SAT and ACT testing requirements for admission through 2024, and to move to full elimination or implementation of a replacement test by 2025.
Why it matters: ACT and SAT testing requirements have come under scrutiny in recent years, and Thursday's decision could broadly alter the college admissions process. Advocates argue that university admission based on standardized test scores unjustly favors affluent students who can afford to take the tests multiple times or seek tutoring.
The Georgia man who recorded Ahmaud Arbery's death, William Bryan Jr., was arrested Thursday on a felony murder charge and attempt to commit false imprisonment, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations.
Why it matters: Two men, Gregory and Travis McMichael, were arrested earlier this month for murder and aggravated assault in the February 23 death of Arbery. Video of the event, filmed on Bryan's cellphone, sparked a national outcry.
Arbery, a 25-year-old black man, was out for his daily jog when he was killed, according to his mother. The McMichaels pursued Arbery, after reporting to police that they suspected him of burglary.
President Trump on Thursday said he removed his face mask during a tour of a Ford plant in Michigan because he "didn’t want to give the press the pleasure” of seeing him wearing the protective covering.
The state of play: Trump said he kept a mask on during a private portion of the tour, but took it off once in-view of the press. An open letter from Michigan’s attorney general warned that it was “the law of this state" to wear a mask.
President Trump said on Thursday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would issue guidance "today or tomorrow" to guide churches on reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Why it matters: Early versions of detailed CDC guidelines for reopening the country included guidance for religious institutions to hold in-person services, which the White House requested to be taken out, according to AP.
During a meeting at the White House on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stressed to President Trump that the next coronavirus relief package cannot exceed $1 trillion, and should be narrowly focused on getting money in people's hands immediately, sources familiar with the meeting tell Axios.
The big picture: Senate Republicans' backlash against House Democrats' $3 trillion bill has been so severe that it has eased pressure on McConnell to act instantly on a "phase 4" bill, and McConnell is focused on ensuring that the next bill is much smaller.
The Senate confirmed Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) as the director of national intelligence in a 49-44 party-linevote on Thursday.
Why it matters: Ratcliffe, a vocal ally of President Trump, now heads an intelligence community that has faced consistent criticism from the president and is in the midst of political firestorms surrounding the prosecution of Michael Flynn and the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Legal battles between cities and states are expected to intensify in the coming months with dust-ups over municipal broadband networks, paid sick leave and affordable housing policies at the forefront.
Why it matters: After some high-profile disputes with governors over pandemic-related restrictions, some mayors are emboldened in pushing back on state laws prohibiting city-level policies that, they say, will be important to recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.
Actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, designer Mossimo Giannulli, have both agreed to plead guilty for their roles in the college admissions bribery scandal, federal prosecutors announced on Thursday.
The state of play: Loughlin will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, agreeing to two months in prison and a $150,000 fine among other terms. Giannulli, who will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and a charge of honest services wire and mail fraud, faces five months in prison and a $250,000 fine. They both previously pleaded not guilty to the charges last year.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has raised $2 million for 2020 candidate Joe Biden's joint fundraising committee with the Democratic National Committee at a virtual event, Politico reported Wednesday night.
Why it matters: Per Politico, it's a record haul for a Biden surrogate at a single event with the former vice president not in attendance. President Trump's campaign has raised much more than Biden's. But the Democrat has made significant fundraising gains in the past two months, and the new DNC pact is another boost.
Essential data to track the spread of the novel coronavirus in the U.S. is regularly delayed and incomplete when sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC Director Robert Redfield told the Financial Timeson Wednesday.
The big picture: Most states still aren't doing enough coronavirus testing, especially those that have suffered from larger outbreaks, Axios' Caitlin Owens and Naema Ahmed reported this week.
Details: The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Texas' Republican attorney general on Wednesday to block a federal judge's ruling a day earlier that all registered voters in the state should have the option of mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
