“Cancel the Rent,” explained

Thousands of Americans pledge to stage a rent strike; protests erupt in Lebanon amid increasing hunger and poverty. Tonight's Sentences was written by Catherine Kim. TOP NEWS Thousands of tenants refuse to pay May rent Scott Olson/Getty Images - As unemployment rates continue to spike amid the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of Americans plan to strike Friday against paying their May rent –– the largest coordinated rent strike since the 1930s. [[The Intercept / Natasha Lennard](] - In New York, more than 12,000 people have declared they won't pay their rent. The Los Angeles Tenants Union's 8,000 members have also pledged to withhold their rent payments starting May 1. Similar movements are being organized in cities like Philadelphia and Chicago. [[Guardian / Adam Gabbatt](] - Several cities, including New York and San Francisco, have implemented a temporary eviction moratorium, but activists say that's simply postponing the problem. The government needs to take drastic measures if they want to provide relief to renters, according to organizers, an opinion supported by progressive lawmakers like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. [[WSJ / Nicole Friedman and Will Parker](] - The nationwide nonpayment rate in April was only 3 percent less than what it was a year ago, perhaps aided by stimulus and unemployment checks. [[NYT / Matthew Haag and Conor Dougherty](] - However, economic hardship has only grown since last month: 3.8 million people filed new unemployment claims last week, raising the unemployment total to more than 30 million. Realistically, many are simply not able to pay their rents. [[The Hill / Joseph Guzman](] - Landlords warn that a widespread rent strike could have dire impacts on small property owners, who depend on rent payments month to month to pay their expenses. It's why lawmakers are also beginning to propose legislation to provide financial relief to landlords alongside support for rent forgiveness. [[NBC News / Dartunorro Clark](] - It's unlikely that the government will fully cancel rent –– but that isn't really the goal. Ultimately, activists hope the movement will pressure federal and state lawmakers to provide more financial aid for renters during a historic pandemic. [[NYT / Matthew Haag and Conor Dougherty](] Covid-19 protests in Lebanon take a violent turn - Lebanon is roiling with protests as the country sees a rise in poverty and hunger due to Covid-19, a critical hit to a nation already grappling with a long-running financial crisis. [[Washington Post / Sarah Dadouch](] - So far, Lebanon has over 700 cases and more than 20 deaths. In response, the government has implemented strict restrictions such as imposing a curfew and closing all borders, airports, and businesses. As a result, however, food prices are soaring as the value of the country's currency continues to drop. [[Associated Press / Hassan Ammar](] - For the past week, people have been disobeying the coronavirus curfew and social distancing measures to take to the streets. Hungry citizens have been clashing with the military and setting banks on fire to protest the worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. [[Independent / Bel Trew](] - The situation escalated after Monday, when a protester was fatally shot by a soldier. Following the protester's funeral, angry demonstrators open-fired in the air, blocked major roads, and set banks on fire on Tuesday. [[France 24](] - Even before the pandemic, the World Bank had made the grim projection that 45 percent of the people in Lebanon would be below the poverty line in 2020. The government now thinks that up to 75 percent of the population is in need of aid. [[CNN / Tamara Qiblawi](] - The pandemic is a brutal hit to the people of Lebanon, who had overthrown their government through several protests last year for a better life. The new prime minister has yet to deliver the economic relief they had hoped for as he battles both a national health crisis and a financial crisis early in his term. [[AP / Bassam Hatoum and Bilal Hussein](] MISCELLANEOUS "This never happened": Democratic candidate Joe Biden publicly addressed the sexual assault allegations against him for the first time Friday. [[NYT / Katie Glueck](] - For the first time in more than a year, the White House held a formal briefing for reporters –– once a staple for the press –– with the arrival of new press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. [[Bloomberg / John Harney and Josh Wingrove](] - The US hoped a deal with the Taliban last month would lead to peace. A new report, however, shows that attacks by the group have increased since. [[CNN / Ryan Browne](] - Sudan has criminalized female genital mutilation, a major win for women's rights in the country. [[Al Jazeera](] - Covid-19 is particularly lethal to older populations. It explains why one in six US nursing homes have seen infections among either staff or residents. [[Washington Post / Joel Jacobs, Shawn Mulcahy, Sidnee King, and Debbie Cenziper](] CROSSWORD OF THE DAY [Can you solve today's crossword?]( What’s a three-letter word for something that might help you clean your sole? [Solve today's new Vox crossword puzzle](, and stay tuned for more puzzles coming out Monday through Saturday. VERBATIM "The rent strike is a cry for dignity: We are all deserving of a home, no matter the color of our skin, financial status, or culture." [[Donnette Letford, an unauthorized immigrant from Jamaica and a member of the group New York Communities for Change, on the rent strike](] WATCH THIS The pandemic is affecting every aspect of our lives, and kids experience the same fears, doubts, and feelings of powerlessness we do. On this special edition of Today, Explained, we answer two big questions from kids about the coronavirus. [[Spotify / Noam Hassenfeld and Byrd Pinkerton](] [Read more from Vox](#) [A bioethicist on why reopening states will kill more black people]( [America’s Covid-19 hot spots shed a light on our moral failures]( [Native tribes still haven’t received the stimulus relief money they were promised]( [Why America’s coronavirus testing barely improved in April]( [The Parks and Rec reunion special was pretty good. Please don’t let it be the future of TV.]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences](, or [unsubscribe]( to stop receiving all emails from Vox. 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