Jun 2, 2017

Republican senator says health care deal "unlikely"

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) offered a cynical view Thursday of the Senate's outlook on the GOP's health care bill, stating that he doesn't think they'll reach a deal on the House-passed plan when the Senate returns from a recess next week, per the WSJ.

"It's unlikely that we will get a health-care deal," Burr told North Carolina news station WXII 12 News. He added that that the bill was "dead on arrival," and said "I don't see a comprehensive health-care plan this year."

Why it matters: It's just an opinion from one senator, but Burr is no stranger to health care. He and Sen. Orrin Hatch wrote one of the early Republican plans to replace the Affordable Care Act. So it's a pretty good sign of pessimism within the ranks.

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Axios

South Korea on red alert as coronavirus cases soar past 600

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.

The novel coronavirus has spread to more nations as South Korea and Italy step up emergency measures in their countries.

The big picture: COVID-19 has killed at least 2,446 people and infected almost 79,000 others, mostly in mainland China. South Korean President Moon Jae-said country would increase its infectious disease alert to red, the highest level possible, the New York Times reports, as the number of cases in the country jumped to 602 and the death toll to five. Italy's government announced emergency measures Sunday after infections rose to 79.

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Axios

Bernie Sanders wins Nevada caucus

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders waves to supporters at a campaign rally on Friday in Las Vegas. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Sen. Bernie Sanders is projected to handily win the Nevada Democratic primary caucus, becoming the clear frontrunner among 2020 Democratic presidential primary election candidates.

Why it matters: Nevada is the first state with a diverse population to hold a nominating contest, highlighting candidates' abilities to connect with voters of color — particularly Latino voters.

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Rebecca Falconer

Heat wave melts 20% of snow cover from Antarctic island in days

The effects of February's record heat wave on Eagle Island in Antarctica. Photo: NASA

Antarctica's Eagle Island now has a side that's almost ice-free following this month's searing heat wave in the region, images released by NASA show.

Why it maters: "The warm spell caused widespread melting on nearby glaciers," NASA said in its report. It's the third major melt event of the 2019-2020 Southern Hemisphere summer, following warm spells in January and last November, according to the United Nation's World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

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