Tensions Mount In Minneapolis; Census Bureau Needs More Time; ‘Friends’ Is Back!

Plus, bad weather forces NASA and SpaceX to postpone their historic rocket launch. by Jill Hudson and Suzette Lohmeyer First Up [Willie Johnson, right, a resident of senior housing, gets tested for COVID-19 in Paterson, N.J., Friday, May 8.]( Seth Wenig / AP Here's what we're following today. A year before most of us had ever imagined living through a pandemic, the city of Paterson, N.J., started a communicable disease investigation team that has mounted an aggressive contact tracing campaign. So far, they have identified about 90% of the more than 6,000 positive coronavirus cases in Paterson. ([Listen here]( or [read the transcript]( More than 1 in 4 American workers have lost their jobs since the coronavirus crisis shut down much of the economy in March. Just last week, [another 2.1 million people filed for unemployment benefits](. That brings the total for the past 10 weeks to 40.8 million. Industries hit the hardest include retail, leisure and hospitality, according to a Federal Reserve survey. Anger continues to boil over in Minneapolis over the police treatment of a black man who died after an officer kneeled on his neck and ignored his pleas that he couldn't breathe while being arrested. The mayor of Minneapolis is among those [calling for criminal charges to be filed]( against four now-former city police officers involved in 46-year-old George Floyd’s death. President Trump is warning of possible sanctions this week against China over its treatment of Hong Kong. It's [the latest source of friction]( in what's become an increasingly tense relationship between China and the U.S. The tension really began to rise following a preliminary trade pact the two countries signed four months ago. Census Bureau officials say they can no longer meet the current legal deadlines for delivering the 2020 census results. Some House Democrats have introduced a new bill to grant [four-month extensions](. Aircraft maker Boeing has restarted production of its troubled 737 Max commercial jet, even though the plane remains grounded by aviation authorities because of two crashes that killed 346 people. Boeing made the announcement the same day the company said it was cutting nearly 7,000 jobs due to falling demand for new planes amid the pandemic. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listens [Breathing slowly and deeply through the nose is associated with a relaxation response, says James Nestor, author of Breath. As the diaphragm lowers, you're allowing more air into your lungs and your body switches to a more relaxed state.]( Sebastian Laulitzki/ Science Photo Library Humans typically take about 25,000 breaths per day — often without a second thought. But the COVID-19 pandemic has put a new spotlight on respiratory illnesses and the breaths we so often take for granted. While researching his book, Breath, journalist James Nestor participated in a study in which his nose was completely plugged for 10 days, forcing him to breathe solely through his mouth. "I felt awful," he says. ([Listen here]( or [read the story]( Friends fans, rejoice. All episodes of this classic sitcom are now available for streaming again after they were yanked from Netflix in December. They're back thanks to the debut of streaming service HBO Max. But there's a lot more to HBO Max than a Ross and Rachel rewatch. ([Listen here]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In Memoriam [Writer and activist Larry Kramer, here in 1989, was an unapologetically loud and irrepressible voice in the fight against AIDS.]( Sara Krulwich/Getty Images Larry Kramer was one of the first AIDS activists, back when the disease didn't even have a name. In the early 1980s, Kramer witnessed hundreds, then thousands of gay men die before the government took action to stop the spread of HIV. He became a high-profile, high-volume, one-man crusade against the disease. Kramer died Wednesday morning of pneumonia in Manhattan. [He was 84](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [Six Flags is preparing to reopen its Frontier City theme park in Oklahoma City on June 5, requiring visitors and staff to wear face masks.]( Malaka Gharib/ NPR - Have you ever wondered how to make your own magazine about life during the pandemic? No? Well, [maybe you should consider it]( — and we’re here to show you how. All you need is a sheet of paper and a pen. Read the comic for directions on how to fold and what to write in your zine. Then share it with the Life Kit team on social media. We'd love to see it! - NASA and SpaceX will try again on Saturday to launch two astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. [Bad weather from Tropical Storm Bertha]( forced Wednesday’s launch to be postponed. - Watch [Americana star Rhiannon Giddens]( and her partner, Francesco Turrisi, perform four songs from Ireland for NPR Music's Tiny Desk Home concert series. - During a boyhood in the Philippines, Meredith Talusan received positive reactions to the white skin and blond hair accompanying albinism. Talusan’s new memoir, [Fairest]( uncovers how she found a different response as a trans woman in the U.S. --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow [The New Normal]( on Instagram! What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [dailynewsletter@npr.org](mailto:dailynewsletter@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! 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