Good morning. It's Tuesday, May 25, and we're covering India's surge in COVID-19 deaths, the anniversary of the killing of George Floyd, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

India Passes 300,000 Deaths

The number of COVID-19 deaths reported in India surpassed 300,000 yesterday, the third-highest pandemic death toll worldwide behind the US and Brazil. The figure follows an unprecedented surge of infections in the country—one which many experts say was underreported—which saw cases peak at more than 400,000 per day in early May.

Deaths typically lag a rise in new cases by two to three weeks, and while cases in the country have dropped by more than 30% over the past two weeks, the average death toll remains above 4,000 per day.

Separately, the Biden administration yesterday called for an independent probe into the origins of the pandemic, following US intelligence reports three researchers at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology were hospitalized with COVID-19-like symptoms in November 2019. Beijing maintains the first confirmed case was identified more than a month later.

The number of reported cases in the US continues to decline, averaging less than 25,000 per day (see data). The country is averaging roughly 500 new deaths per day, down 75% since the beginning of March, with almost 62% of US adults having received at least one vaccine shot. 

George Floyd Anniversary

A number of communities around the country will gather today to mark the one-year anniversary of the killing of George Floyd, who died while being taken into custody by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin—who pinned Floyd in a prone position for almost nine minutes—was convicted of murdering Floyd by a jury in April.

Floyd's death sparked waves of protests across the country and globe. The demonstrations pushed a number of cities to reexamine their budgets for policing while considering a range of other reforms. Critics have argued the efforts have led to a spike in violent crime ($$, WSJ)—the homicide rate in Minneapolis, where 200 officers have resigned or gone on leave, doubled year-over-year. 

A police reform bill, which the Biden administration had aimed to pass by the anniversary of Floyd's death, has stalled in Congress, with lawmakers gridlocked on the issue of qualified immunity for police officers.

Belarus Sanctions

European Union officials agreed to level sanctions against Belarus yesterday over the government-led diversion of a commercial airliner to arrest a political dissident. Most notably, Belarus will be banned from using the airspace or airports of the 27-member bloc of countries. 

The spat ignited Sunday after a Belarusian fighter jet intercepted a Ryanair passenger jet, forcing it to land in the capital city of Minsk. Ryanair is an Irish-based airline, and the flight was en route from Greece to Lithuania—all of which are EU member countries. Reports allege President Alexander Lukashenko called for the diversion to arrest opposition journalist Roman Protasevich (see background). State media said the plane was rerouted due to a bomb scare, though no explosives were found. 

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary referred to the incident as "state-sponsored hijacking."

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> US Department of State and health officials warn against travel to Japan due to COVID-19 ahead of Tokyo Summer Olympic games set to begin July 23 (More)

> Twenty-one ultra-marathon runners die in China from extreme cold weather (More) | University of Cincinnati soccer player Ally Sidloski dies of drowning at Ohio state park (More)

> NBA’s social justice coalition calls for police reform on anniversary of George Floyd killing (More) | Utah Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson wins NBA Sixth Man of the Year award (More)

Science & Technology

> Florida passes law fining social media companies for restricting the speech of politicians; critics call the measure unconstitutional, court challenge likely (More)

> Gene from light-sensing algae helps blind patient regain partial vision; study is the first to demonstrate the successful treatment of disease using optogenetics (More)

> Combined blood and memory test predicts the onset of Alzheimer's disease in patients with 90% accuracy within four years (More)

Business & Markets

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> Tech companies lead surge in US stock markets (S&P 500 +1.0%, Dow +0.6%, Nasdaq +1.4%); Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies rebound Monday (More)

> Sources say Amazon is closing in on acquisition of MGM Studios for a reported $9B (More)

> Shares of electric automaker Lordstown Motors fall near 10% after company announces 2021 production will be half of expectations and the need to raise additional capital (More)

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Politics & World Affairs

> New York City says schools will return to all in-person learning in the fall, ending remote learning options (More) | Health officials investigate rare cases of temporary heart inflammation in teens potentially linked to two-shot COVID-19 vaccines (More)

> Death toll from Mount Nyiragongo eruption, Africa's most active volcano, rises to at least 20 (More) | See drone footage of the destruction (More)

> Gordon Sondland, the former US ambassador to the European Union, sues former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for legal fees incurred while testifying during former President Donald Trump's first impeachment inquiry (More) | Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) receives death threat; FBI examining suspicious package sent to Paul's house (More)

IN-DEPTH

History's Greatest Wine Fraud

The Hustle | Zachary Crockett. Rudy Kurniawan burst on the vintage wine scene in the early 2000s as an enigmatic—but deep-pocketed—aficionado. It took the FBI and billionaire Bill Koch to expose Kurniawan as a serial fraudster. (Read)

'Who Is This Monster?'

ProPublica | Catherine Rentz. Two decades after she went undercover in an attempt to catch Baltimore's notorious Sunglass Rapist, Rose Brady finally captured her suspect. (Read)

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ETCETERA

How perception saves lives. (via YouTube)

Proof the brain can control a third thumb.

Three decades of box-office blockbusters.

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The popemobile has gone all-electric.

Karma points: Massachusetts family returns discarded $1M lotto ticket.

Florence, Italy, is rehearing the case against the poet Dante.

This state park charges $10 for you to search for gems.

When magpies take over your life. (via YouTube)

Clickbait: Spanish man perishes trying to retrieve phone from a stegosaurus. 

Historybook: Constitutional Convention convenes in Philadelphia (1787); Author Ralph Waldo Emerson born (1803); RIP businesswoman Madam C.J. Walker (1919); "Star Wars" premieres in theaters (1977).

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