Virus Variants, Capitol Hill, N.C.A.A.: Your Weekend Briefing
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Here are the week’s top stories, and a look ahead.
1. The next few months may be a painful chapter in America’s fight against the pandemic.
Declining infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths from the coronavirus have masked an increase in more contagious forms of the coronavirus, scientists say. As of March 13, the B.1.1.7 variant, which walloped Britain and is wreaking havoc on Europe, accounted for about 27 percent of new cases nationwide, up from just 1 percent in early February.
“The best way to think about B.1.1.7 and other variants is to treat them as separate epidemics,” one expert said.
At the moment, most vaccines appear to be effective against the variants. But public health officials are deeply worried that future iterations may require Americans to get regular rounds of booster shots or even new vaccines. Above, a vaccination site in Los Angeles.
2. We’re still learning more about the driver who rammed his car into two Capitol Police officers on Friday, leaving one dead and the other injured. He was fatally shot after emerging from the vehicle with a knife.
3. Supporters of Donald Trump who thought they were sending a single donation were charged over and over by his campaign operation.
A Times investigation found that the charges were part of an intentional scheme to boost revenue to Mr. Trump’s struggling presidential campaign. Recurring online donations were set up by default, and a fine-print disclaimer and opt-out language became increasingly hard to find.
Demands for refunds spiked, and complaints to banks and credit card companies soared. The magnitude of the money involved is staggering for politics: All told, the Trump campaign and the Republican Party raised $1.2 billion with WinRed, a for-profit donation processing service, and refunded roughly 10 percent of it.
In effect, the overcharges were an interest-free loan — eventually paid off with some of the tens of millions of dollars Mr. Trump raised after the election under the guise of pursuing his unfounded claims of election fraud.
5. Ten bystanders who witnessed George Floyd’s death, ranging in age from 9 to 61, took the stand this week in Derek Chauvin’s trial, united by their anger, sadness and guilt.
“The more that the knee was on his neck and shimmies were going on, the more you saw Floyd fade away,” Donald Williams, a 33-year-old mixed martial arts fighter who works as a security guard, testified.
The trial will resume on Monday. Catch up on key takeaways so far.
6. Religious life in Jerusalem is edging back to normal thanks to Israel’s world-leading vaccine rollout.
Elsewhere, Easter still looks very different. In New York, churches are hoping increased attendance for services will bring back the donations whose absence has led to financial hardship during the pandemic.
And in Europe, Brexit has ruined Easter for Britain’s fine chocolate makers, turning exports to Europe into a logistical nightmare.
7. We have all hit a wall.
Do you often ask yourself, what time is it? What day is it? Why am I standing in front of the refrigerator staring at an old clove of garlic? You’re not alone. A year of uncertainty and loss has left many people in kind of a fog.
One expert said that state could lead to anhedonia, or the loss of the ability to take pleasure in activities. Another said the pandemic’s longevity had contributed to the sense that time is moving differently and had dulled our ability to form meaningful new memories. Resilience seems in short supply.
Nearly 700 people responded to a Times question about work burnout. Maybe some of your fellow readers’ feelings will ring true for you.
8. Gonzaga, the undefeated top seed in the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament, will face Baylor for the championship on Monday night.
But first, the women’s championship game. Arizona, the disruptive and defensive-minded newcomer, ousted Connecticut, the most decorated program in women’s college basketball, on Friday night to advance to the finals. The Wildcats will play Stanford, the tournament’s top seed over all. Tipoff is tonight at 6 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
9. Big Bird is going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Alex Da Corte, known for provocative, brightly colored installations, will showcase the beloved “Sesame Street” character on top of the New York museum this spring. But his version of the 8-foot-2 model of empathy and earnestness comes with a twist: The metal and fiberglass bird, now blue instead of yellow, will appear perched on a crescent moon and suspended on a mobile that sways in response to air currents.
Also at the Met: A miniature portrait commissioned by the 17th-century Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal. Our critic Jason Farago explains how the stunning details of the eight-inch painting reveal “a master class in the political uses of cultural hybridity” and “dumbfounding, superhuman beauty.”