US Covid-19 cases are on the rise

Plus, Israeli police clash with Palestinians in Jerusalem.

US Covid-19 cases are rising after two months of decline; Israeli police clash with Palestinians at one of Jerusalem's holiest sites.   Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin. TOP NEWS Is another Covid-19 surge coming? Spencer Platt/Getty Images US Covid-19 cases are on the rise again after a couple of months of decline. What's unknown is how long this surge will last or how bad it will be.  [Associated Press / Laura Ungar] Nationwide, Covid-19 cases are up at least 14 percent compared to two weeks ago; daily averages vary, but there are more than 30,000 confirmed cases per day, mostly in the Northeast. Some southern states are seeing falling numbers. [Axios / Tina Reed and Kavya Beheraj] According to the CDC, the more contagious omicron subvariant BA.2 accounted for 86 percent of cases last week. Case counts are still far lower than at the height of the first omicron wave, and hospitalizations are at record lows. [Guardian / Melody Schreiber] Two new BA.2 variants are circulating in New York City, which experts say could be pushing up case numbers in the Northeast. While more contagious, BA.2 hasn't yet resulted in more severe disease. [New York Times / Apoorva Mandavilli] In response to rising cases, the Biden administration on Wednesday extended masking requirements on public transportation and air travel until May 3. [Al Jazeera] Israeli police clash with Palestinian worshippers in Jerusalem Friday, Israeli police fought Palestinian worshippers at the Al-Aqsa mosque, one of Jerusalem's holiest sites. More than 150 Palestinians and three Israeli officers were injured, prompting concerns about escalation of violence in the region. [AP / Joseph Krauss] There are conflicting accounts about what prompted the clash at the site, which is where last year's 11-day war between Israel and Hamas began. Israeli police say Palestinians hurled stones at them, while Palestinians say the police fired first. [NYT / Patrick Kingsley and Raja Abdulrahim] In response to the stone-throwing, Israeli forces made the rare move — usually avoided for fear of escalation — of entering the mosque as Palestinian worshippers prayed and began arresting people. [BBC] Friday's clashes are the latest in weeks of violence that have included the killings of Palestinians and Israelis. The day before, Israeli police killed six Palestinians in West Bank raids. Some locals and experts are concerned the tensions could lead to even worse violence. [Washington Post] MISCELLANEOUS The California state legislature is considering a bill that would cut the workweek to 32 hours. [Wall Street Journal / Katherine Bindley] After two years of cancellation due to Covid-19, the Easter Egg Roll returns to the White House on Monday. [AP / Darlene Superville] Text messages between Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Rep. Chip Roy of Texas to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows reveal the two men tried to lobby the White House to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. [CNN] According to US officials, a Russian flagship sank in the Black Sea after being hit by Ukrainian missiles on Thursday. [National Public Radio / Rachel Treisman] CROSSWORD OF THE DAY What's a three-letter word for a feathery fashion accessory? Solve today's new Vox crossword puzzle, and stay tuned for more puzzles coming out Monday through Saturday. VERBATIM "If we take decisive action to reduce the transmission, then we will reduce case growth … and if we don't, then we're really leaving it to the virus to decide what's next." [Julia Raifman, assistant professor at the Boston University School of Public Health / Guardian] LISTEN TO THIS When reality broke In the 1920s, the scientist Werner Heisenberg came up with a wild idea that broke reality as Western science knew it. Benjamin Labatut's recent book, When We Cease to Understand the World, makes readers feel the aftershocks of the revelation, asking, "What's real?"   Listen now   ▶ Read more from Vox It's time to think outside the mask mandate The debate dividing the January 6 committee There are good reasons why Elon wants Twitter In Her Body and Other Parties, Carmen Maria Machado knows where the bodies are buried One Good Thing: 32 years after its debut, Microsoft Solitaire is still a blissful time-waster This email was sent to vox@quicklydone.com. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe. If you value Vox's unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring contribution.   View our Privacy Notice and our Terms of Service.   Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved.