Your Tuesday Evening Briefing

April 21, 2020

Your Tuesday Evening Briefing

By Melina Delkic and Hiroko Masuike

Good evening. Here’s the latest.

Mike Siegel/The Seattle Times, via Associated Press

1. President Trump announced a pause in issuing green cards.

The 60-day temporary halt — for anyone who is not a spouse or a child of an American citizen — will have widespread implications for hundreds of thousands of people hoping to enter the U.S. or to solidify their status here through permanent residency.

Mr. Trump’s initial Twitter announcement that he would “temporarily suspend immigration” prompted a fierce reaction from immigration-rights advocates, who said the administration was using a crisis to further hard-line policies, as well as business leaders who rely on foreign laborers to stay afloat.

Mr. Trump did, however, back off plans to also stop guest worker programs that bring farm laborers, high-tech employees and others to the United States using special visas. Last year, about one million people were granted green cards.

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Desiree Rios for The New York Times

2. The Senate quickly passed a nearly $500 billion relief package after congressional leaders reached a deal with the administration.

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The bill adds $60 billion to the depleted loan program for distressed small businesses and provide additional money for hospitals and coronavirus testing. Above, a closed business in Queens, N.Y. The House was planning to take up the agreement shortly, clearing it for President Trump’s signature.

Elsewhere in Washington, the Trump International Hotel asked the federal government for a break on its leasing payments, our reporters learned.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

3. The oil meltdown is getting worse, with prices continuing their record slide.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, was down about 21 percent, and the U.S. benchmark slid 43 percent to $11.69 a barrel.

The mayhem pulled the S&P 500 down 3 percent, its biggest decline in three weeks and another shift in sentiment as investors search for a way out of the crisis.

What does the bizarre action in oil prices mean for consumers? The national average price of gasoline was already down by $1.03 from a year ago to $1.81 as of Monday. But the cost of crude is not the only factor in gas prices.

Erik S Lesser/EPA, via Shutterstock

4. States in the South are reopening. Is it a sign of progress, or a major risk?

Georgians can go to the gym, the salon and the movies within the next week. Businesses in Tennessee, Ohio and South Carolina will be allowed to reopen, too, in the near future.

Some of Georgia’s mayors, including Atlanta’s, however, urged residents to ignore the reopenings and to stay at home. Jay Timmons, the head of the National Association of Manufacturers, sharply criticized those who have defied social distancing protocols.

Karsten Moran for The New York Times

5. Department stores have been dealt blow after blow in the past decade — and the coronavirus pandemic could be the last one for many.

The Neiman Marcus Group is expected to declare bankruptcy, and others are not far behind. The effects of shuttered flagships, empty malls and depressed sales could lead to permanent changes in the way we shop.

In other retail news, Apple’s iPad is the gadget of the pandemic, our Tech Fix columnist writes: It’s good for making video calls, watching TV shows and working at home, and it has a longer battery life than a laptop and a lower price point than the new iPhone coming out this week.

From left, Justin Lubin/NBC; ABC Kids; Claire Folger/Lionsgate

6. A lot of us are turning to Netflix in a tough time.

The streaming giant gained 15.7 million new subscribers in the first quarter, most of them from overseas.

If that has you wondering what to watch tonight, we’ve compiled several lists of the best movies, shows and documentaries on Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu and other streaming services. And some are free, at least until the end of the month.

We’ll even tell you what to watch if you’re stressed out, or if you’re looking for vicarious travel thrills.

Matthew Abbott for The New York Times

7. Australia’s devastating fire season is finally over.

Now, scientists and officials are turning their attention to the next one, with new fire-prediction technology to help firefighters work faster and safer when the blazes return in a few months. Above, a February fire on the outskirts of Bredbo in New South Wales.

Some experts say that such efforts are not enough and that the country must tackle climate change. “It’s a bit like going to a gas fire and putting out all the houses and burning cars around it but not turning off the gas,” said a former New South Wales fire commissioner.

Our Climate desk put together a seven-day crash course in climate change, in which our reporters address the big questions about global warming.

Anna Liminowicz for The New York Times

8. Poland’s Communist-era milk bars were made for this moment.

These simple cafes offer classics like pierogi and barszcz for pickup and delivery — along with Communist-era prices, thanks to government subsidies. Even the most eager customer will struggle to run up a bill of more than $5.

Once associated with an oppressive era that had few food options, milk bars now remind people of a simpler time, one that was egalitarian and distinctly Polish. Above, Bar Prasowy, one of the most popular milk bars in Warsaw.

For food ideas at home, take a look 11 new cookbooks recommended by our Food editors.

Courtesy of Ronald J. Stephens

9. Being stuck inside doesn’t have to stifle creativity.

Our Travel desk asked four contributors to write about trips that changed them and continue to inspire them in these housebound days. They looked back on childhood road trips, summers on Lake Idlewild’s shores and a solo trip to the Great Barrier Reef.

We also talked to artists and architects looking for muses from home. Despite their fears, they said lockdowns were proving to be fertile ground for new work. Here’s what they’re painting, sketching and writing about.

If that’s not enough inspiration, join the many celebrations for Earth Day’s 50th anniversary, all from your computer.

Margaret Riegel

10. And finally, the Joy of Letting Go.

By Week 3 of self-seclusion, our Styles writer Ruth La Ferla and other women she spoke to found themselves banishing schedules, spandex, high heels and makeup.

“Suddenly, painting on all those colors seems insane,” one woman said. It could be a good time to let up on some of your own routines.

We hope you find some time to loosen up this evening.

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What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com.

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