(NEW YORK) — Here are today’s In Crisis headlines:
Impeachment managers end opening arguments; Trump defense begins today
House impeachment managers on Thursday wrapped up their opening arguments in the Senate trial charging former President Donald Trump with “incitement of insurrection.” House managers worked to directly link Trump’s rhetoric at a rally shortly before the January 6 attack on the Capitol to the attack itself, saying that he “lit the fuse” and directed the enraged crowd toward the Capitol. They further argued that the attack was the culmination of the defeated president’s pattern of spreading false and violent rhetoric, which they asserted also contributed to the attack on the Capitol. The managers’ opening argument ended with a plea to the Senate to hold Trump “accountable,” and insisting that he could do further damage if given another chance at power.
Beginning today at noon, Trump’s legal defense team will present their case. They’re expected to argue that the former president’s speech is protected by the First Amendment and that there’s no evidence that he incited the mob. Trump attorney David Schoen said Thursday that he found the House managers’ presentation “offensive” and that they “haven’t tied it in any way to Trump.” A vote on the proceedings could take place as early as this weekend.
The Senate trial comes a month after the House impeached Trump for a second time, on January 13, on a single article of “incitement of insurrection” pertaining to the storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on January 6, which resulted in the deaths of five people, including an officer of the Capitol Police. The attack occurred the same day Congress was formally certifying President Joe Biden’s presidential election victory, an election that Trump, his supporters and many congressional Republicans continue to declare was fraudulent, despite a lack of evidence and over 60 failed court challenges.
COVID-19 numbers
Here’s the latest data on COVID-19 coronavirus infections, deaths and vaccinations.
Latest reported COVID-19 numbers globally per Johns Hopkins University
Global diagnosed cases: 107,875,463
Global deaths: 2,370,607. The United States has the most deaths of any single country, with 475,457.
Number of countries/regions: at least 192
Total patients recovered globally: 60,393,060
Latest reported COVID-19 numbers in the United States per Johns Hopkins University
There are at least 27,393,896 reported cases in 50 states + the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. This is more than in any other country.
U.S. deaths: at least 475,457. California has the greatest number of reported deaths in the U.S., with 46,022.
U.S. total people tested: 326,574,590
The greatest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is in California, with 3,461,753 confirmed cases out of a total state population of 39.51 million. This ranks second in the world after England, which has 3,503,699 cases. Texas is third, with 2,543,687 confirmed cases out of a total state population of 29 million.
Latest reported COVID-19 vaccination numbers in the United States
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a total of 68,285,575 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. Of those, 46,390,270 doses have been administered, with 34,723,964 people receiving one or more doses, and 11,188,782 people receiving two doses. The Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, which are the two most prevalent in the U.S., each require two doses to be effective.
COVID-19 vaccines available at pharmacies beginning today; 300 million doses by July?
After weeks of vaccine distribution being largely limited to hospitals, health systems and local health departments, COVID-19 vaccines are poised to roll out today at major pharmacies throughout the country, including the nation’s two largest chains, CVS and Walgreens. Eligibility requirements to be vaccinated, which generally include certain older Americans and essential workers, will still apply and will continue to be determined by state health officials. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that the federal government has so far partnered with some 21 national pharmacy chains to increase vaccine availability.
Speaking at the National Institutes of Health on Thursday, President Biden offered a new timeline on when the U.S. will have enough vaccine for 300 million Americans, saying it would likely be by mid-summer – sooner than the administration expected. Biden said the administration has been able to expedite delivery of 100 million doses from the end of June to the end of May, and that the 200 million additional doses he announced on January 26th will be delivered by the end of July. Those 300 million total doses would be enough to vaccinate every adult in America. President Biden also urged Americans to continue wearing masks and doing their part to prevent more COVID-19 infections and deaths, calling wearing a mask “a pain in the neck,” but adding that “it’s a patriotic responsibility.”
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