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Biden's Earth Day summit, Daunte Wright's funeral, COVID vaccine: 5 things to know Thursday

Editors
·5 min read

Biden to honor Earth Day with virtual climate summit

People across the globe are celebrating our planet's very own holiday Thursday. Overall, more than 1 billion people in 192 countries participate in each Earth Day "to build environmental democracy and advocate for sustainability," according to EarthDay.org. The Biden administration is observing the 51st Earth Day with a global virtual climate summit Thursday and Friday with 40 world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi King Salman. The summit is meant to signal a renewed U.S. commitment to leading the global fight against climate change after four years in which the Donald Trump administration played down the threat. Biden will pledge to cut U.S. greenhouse gas pollution by at least 50% by 2030, an administration official said Wednesday, outlining an aggressive target that would require sweeping changes to America's energy and transportation sectors. EarthDay.org will be hosting events virtually and will run parallel to the Biden event.

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Daunte Wright will be laid to rest, days after the end of the Derek Chauvin trial

The Black community in Minneapolis celebrated with a rally outside the courthouse after a jury convicted former police officer Derek Chauvin of murder charges in the death of George Floyd. On Wednesday, they renewed their mourning for 20-year-old Daunte Wright, who will be laid to rest Thursday. Wright, a Black man, was killed by police during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, on April 11. Rev. Al Sharpton, who will give the eulogy at the funeral, addressed mourners Wednesday at a public viewing for Wright and promised he and other national civil rights leaders would seek justice for Wright's family, including his 2-year-old son. The officer accused of killing Wright, Kim Potter, said she accidentally drew her handgun instead of a Taser. She has been charged with second-degree manslaughter.

More protests expected after another Black person shot by law enforcement

As anger grows over the deadly police shooting of 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant in Ohio – 20 minutes before the announcement of Derek Chauvin's guilty verdict Tuesday for murdering George Floyd – the death of yet another Black man at the hands of law enforcement has sparked more outrage. Andrew Brown Jr. was fatally shot in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, by a sheriff's deputy while executing a search warrant Wednesday. District Attorney Andrew Womble has promised "accurate answers and not fast answers." He did not offer a timetable. Protesters took to the streets in Elizabeth City after the shooting and they have vowed to return while staying peaceful Thursday. "When is it going to stop?" said Keith Rivers, president of the Pasquotank County chapter of the NAACP.

Biden works to combat vaccine hesitancy as India reports global record

As public health officials work to overcome COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among millions of Americans concerned about the safety and effectiveness of the shots, a scathing inspection report from the FDA cited multiple concerning observations at a drug manufacturing plant blamed for ruining 15 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine. The report said the Emergent BioSolutions plant was dirty, too small and poorly designed, and that employees – who were not adequately trained – did not handle ingredients correctly. Production at the facility was halted last week. President Joe Biden is working to convince those who are vaccine-hesitant that the shots are safe and effective. The president is also urging employers to give workers paid time off to get vaccinated and, if necessary, to recover from side effects. On Thursday, India reported a global record of more than 314,000 new COVID-19 infections added in the past 24 hours, raising its total past 15.9 million cases since the pandemic began, second to the United States. India has nearly 1.4 billion people.

Did the Lyrid meteor shower come to a sky near you?

If you directed your gaze skyward in the predawn hours of Thursday, you could catch a glimpse of an otherworldly sight as the Earth passed through the debris left behind by a comet, causing a yearly phenomenon of shooting stars known as the Lyrid meteor shower. The best time to watch was early Thursday morning, as the frequency of meteors slowly increased, AccuWeather said. The Lyrids are known for their fast and bright meteors, producing about 10-15 per hour at its peak, expected after the moon set around 4 a.m. local time. Weather-wise, much of the nation should have been clear, making for excellent viewing of the Lyrids.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Earth Day summit, Daunte Wright's funeral: 5 things to know Thursday