Wednesday morning news - June 2, 2021

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington.

More states and cities drop coronavirus restrictions » More states and cities are ditching coronavirus restrictions as new cases continue to fall. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared on Tuesday...

DE BLASIO: It’s going to be the summer of New York City. You're going to experience things this summer that are absolutely amazing. The energy coming back, the events, the life in the streets, the outdoor dining...

The mayor said the COVID-19 infection rate in the city is now less than one-tenth of one percent.

Pandemic-related curfews ended this week across the state of New York. Bars and restaurants no longer have to close at midnight.

The states of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Massachusetts recently lifted nearly all restrictions.

And in Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp has signed an executive order blocking local restrictions on restaurants and bars, childcare facilities, performance venues, and other locations.

Moderna applies for full FDA approval of coronavirus vaccine » Coronavirus cases continue to fall as more Americans get vaccinated. And Moderna is now seeking full approval of its vaccine from the FDA.

Moderna has been distributing doses under an emergency use authorization since late last year. Dr. Dyan Hes of Gramercy Pediatrics explained to CBS News that full approval could give consumers more confidence in the vaccine.

HES: People have been saying we’re not going to take a vaccine because it’s not FDA approved. Now this vaccine will be FDA approved. It will give it much more credibility.

Full approval could also enable some schools and organizations to mandate use of the vaccine for students or employees.

Emergency use authorizations grant conditional approval based on two months of safety data. Full approval requires a safety track record of at least six months.

Pfizer asked the FDA for full approval of its vaccine last month.

Biden blueprint aims to expand immigration » The White House has drawn up a blueprint to expand immigration in America over the next several years. WORLD’s Anna Johansen Brown reports.

ANNA JOHANSEN BROWN, REPORTER: President Biden hopes to make it easier for people to immigrate to the United States. He’ll push for shorter, simpler forms and fewer security hurdles for those applying for U.S. visas.

That according to a 46-page draft blueprint of the president’s immigration plans obtained by The New York Times.

The White House plans would reverse President Trump’s efforts to enact a more selective merit-based immigration system.

The Times reports that the document outlines policy proposals to slash application fees “or even secure a waiver in an attempt to ‘reduce barriers’ to immigration. And regulations would be overhauled to ‘encourage full participation by immigrants in our civic life.’

Many of the changes proposed in the immigration blueprint would not require new legislation.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Anna Johansen Brown.

DeSantis signs bill barring males from participating in girls’ sports » Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law Tuesday that blocks male athletes who identify as female from participating in girls sports at public schools.

DESANTIS: Athletic teams or sports that are designated for females are open to females. And we’re going to go off biology, not based off ideology, when we’re doing sports.

The measure approved by the GOP-led Legislature is effective immediately.

State Sen. Kelli Stargel championed the bill. She said it’s “very simply about making sure that women can safely compete, have opportunities and physically be able to excel in a sport that they trained for, prepared for and work for.”

Opponents of the law have vowed legal challenges.

Plague of mice tormenting Australians » Many residents in Australia's largest state are dealing with a nightmarish, “unprecedented” plague of rodents. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has that story.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: At night, the floors of sheds vanish beneath carpets of scampering mice and ceilings come alive with the sounds of scratching. Millions of mice are invading homes, cars, and businesses in New South Wales with no end in sight.

And Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall said the rodents could cause an “economic and social crisis” in the area. If the mice maintain their numbers through the winter, they could devour crops before they can be harvested.

Officials predict the plague will wipe more than 1 billion Australian dollars from the value of the winter crop.

The state government has ordered more than a thousand gallons of a banned poison from India. The federal government regulator has yet to approve emergency use of the poison on the perimeters of crops. Critics fear the poison will kill not only mice but other animals that feed on them.

The plague is a cruel blow to farmers in New South Wales, who have been battered by wildfires, floods, and pandemic disruptions in recent years.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

I’m Kent Covington, and for more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org.

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