| THE BIG STORY
The deal of the century
There were trucks, disguised as food service vehicles to avoid detection by authorities. There was a secret meeting between buyers and sellers in a warehouse, complete with a cameo by FBI agents. Money was transferred by wire, the goods were handed over, and then at the last minute, the feds almost ended up snatching the entire supply.
We’re talking, of course, about how a doctor in Massachusetts managed to secure a supply of face masks and N95 respirators for his hospital system. "It felt a little bit like something out of a movie, but it is our reality and it would be funny if it weren't so serious," Dr. Andrew Artenstein, chief physician executive at Baystate Health in Massachusetts, told BuzzFeed News.
Artenstein described the steps taken to avoid having the protective gear seized by the federal government, which has been intercepting shipments around the country and redirecting them. Even when the trucks were loaded with the supplies, they headed home on two different routes to reduce the chances of being intercepted.
"The concern was that at some point somewhere some authority — whether it be the federal government, the state government or some other authority — might take a closer look," he said. "Everyone needs it so badly, and, to be honest with you, we were desperate to make sure our people were protected.
Boxes of masks awaiting to be shipped during the great Massachusetts mask caper (Courtesy Baystate Health) IT'S NEWS O'CLOCK Our new podcast launches today
You might have tuned in to Impeachment Today, our daily podcast covering the impeachment of Donald Trump, hosted by the incredible Hayes Brown. Today, Hayes is back with a new podcast, and a new co-host, Casey Rackham! News O'Clock will cover the day's big news and entertainment stories, with each episode coming out just in time for what once upon a time would have been your evening commute. The first episode drops later today, and you can subscribe and listen here.
STAYING ON TOP OF THIS Brazil’s president is a coronavirus doubter
Brazil is home to some of the largest and most densely populated cities in Latin America, and health experts worry about the potential of the coronavirus to spread fast among the country’s 209 million people. But one person who is not so worried about it is the country’s president, Jair Bolsonaro.
He’s said the virus causes an illness that’s little more than a common cold, and urged the public to get back to work and not “run away from the virus like cowards.” The people who could end up paying the highest price for his relaxed approach to the outbreak are the people living in the country’s overcrowded favelas — working class Brazilians who cannot shelter in place and need to keep on working, cleaning the country’s homes and streets and doing the heavy lifting to keep things operating.
“This pandemic has shown that the emperor has no clothes,” said Margareth Dalcolmo, a doctor who is advising the Rio de Janeiro state government, “exposing, in a very cruel way, the obscene concentration of income in Brazil.”
Jair Bolsonaro at a rally last week. (Sergio Lima / Getty Images) SNAPSHOTS A federal judge has ruled against a ban on church gatherings in Kansas. Churches must be allowed to open provided they maintain adequate social distancing measures, the judge ordered.
Facebook and Google will be required to pay media organizations for news in Australia. The Australian government will establish rules that guarantee “appropriate compensation for the production of original news content,” it said today.
A federal regulator is looking into claims that Amazon has retaliated against employees who protested over safety and working conditions at its warehouses. The National Labor Relations Board inquiry follows the firing of a number of warehouse workers involved in protests in recent weeks.
Florida’s governor has allowed local authorities across the state to reopen their beaches. Other statewide social distancing measures will remain in place. HELP US KEEP QUALITY NEWS FREE FOR ALL
BuzzFeed News is throwing everything we’ve got at covering the coronavirus pandemic, and more than ever before, we need your help to keep all this going. You can support our global newsroom by becoming a BuzzFeed News member. Our members help us keep our quality news free and available to everyone in the world, and you can join for just $5 a month (or whatever you can afford). If you’ve enjoyed our work and want to support it, please sign up.
HOW TO PLAGUE Advice for the coronavirus era
Is it ethical to keep trying to get pregnant right now? Is it possible to play tennis *and* maintain social distancing? How much effort do you really need to put into maintaining an internet-only dating regime right now? All these questions, and more, are answered in this week's edition of How to Plague, BuzzFeed News' new advice column for these incredibly confusing times, written by the one and only Katie Notopoulos.
She’ll answer all your coronavirus etiquette questions and ethical dilemmas, and when she doesn’t have a good answer, she’ll ask the experts. Do you have a question you want answered? Let it rip.
BuzzFeed News; Getty Images A ROYAL LOCKOUT
Harry and Meghan shun the tabloids
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sent a letter to the UK’s four major tabloids this weekend, telling the outlets there will be “zero engagement” from the couple and their staff on any stories the papers are working on.
The couple said that while they will continue to deal with other news outlets around the world, they will no longer "offer themselves up as currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion." Sensationalized and often straight-up false coverage of the couple in tabloids like the Sun and the Daily Mail played a central role in the couple choosing to exit public life in the UK and relocate to North America.
"This policy is not about avoiding criticism,” the letter from Harry and Meghan said. “It’s not about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting. Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can’t be based on a lie." A BUNCH OF HOT PEOPLE IN A HOUSE
But they’re not allowed to make out
That’s it, that’s the show. A group of very attractive, very straight people are locked in a house — a format we all know and sometimes love — but in Netflix’s Too Hot To Handle, the twist is they’re not allowed to kiss, or have sex, or both.
Netflix It sounds...fine? Terrible? Both? All three are true, writes Pier Dominguez after watching all eight episodes, but it’s mostly just meh, even if the core concept of sexually frustrated people stuck in a house is particularly resonant right now.
“Unfortunately, the rules of the game get in the way of any real fun, and the show never reaches the heights of petty drama or outrageousness — or, for that matter, the emotional depth — of truly good-bad reality television.”
Stuck at home? Haven't had sex in months? You’re basically a Netflix star,
Tom P.S. If you like this newsletter, help keep our reporting free for all. Support BuzzFeed News by becoming a member here. (monthly memberships are available worldwide) 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Tom Gara and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.
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