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USA TODAY: Hacks on hacks

Tuesday, July 21

What to know about antiviral drug remdesivir and COVID-19

Chinese hackers are allegedly targeting COVID-19 research. Climate change is pushing polar bears toward extinction. It's Tuesday's news.

Chinese computer hacking. Russian election interference. A $60 million bribery case. No, this isn't another James Bond sequel. It's just 2020.

It's Ashley, and today's news is full of alleged espionage.

But first, we're on the same page: President Donald Trump is urging Americans to wear a mask, saying coronavirus may "get worse."

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Chinese hackers allegedly target COVID-19 research

Another day, another hacker allegedly trying to steal COVID-19 research. Two Chinese hackers have been accused of probing for coronavirus vaccine research and stealing trade secrets from hundreds of global targets, according to the Justice Department. Though the hackers' activities caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses, the Feds say there's no evidence that they got their coder hands on virus-related research. The indictment alleges a far-reaching computer intrusion campaign that spanned more than 10 years, leaving a trail of victims in nearly a dozen countries.

There's more hacking news where that came from: Britain published a long-delayed report on Russian interference into British politics Tuesday. It confirmed what British politicians long suspected: The Kremlin has used espionage, cyberattacks and state-sponsored assassinations to undermine the British democratic processes.

One of the largest public corruption cases in Ohio in years

Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four others were arrested Tuesday in connection with a $60 million bribery case. Among those arrested after a nearly two-year FBI investigation was the former chair of the Ohio Republican Party and an adviser to Householder. The scope of the federal investigation, the dollars involved and the arrests make this one of the largest public corruption cases in Ohio in years. Householder's one of the biggest names in Ohio politics and has been a major player for years in the state's Republican Party.

Speaker Larry Householder listens during an Ohio House session last month at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio on May 6, 2020.

Kyle Robertson/Dispatch

What everyone's talking about

•	"The timing is right for reparations": Cities propose reparations amid nationwide unrest.
•	This could be the week we learn about a second coronavirus relief package.
•	A frightening video captures a tourist trip and fall while fleeing from a charging bison in Yellowstone.
•	Greta Thunberg won a $1.15M humanitarian prize. In typical Greta fashion, she's donating it all to environmental groups.
•	Holiday shopping's changing: Walmart says it will keep stores closed this Thanksgiving.

Who's it going to be for VP, JB?

If all goes according to plan, we should be pretty close to finding out who Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden chooses as his … Joe Biden. The former vice president said he hopes to name his running mate around Aug. 1, and we have no idea who he plans to add to his presidential ticket. One thing we do know: The running mate will be a woman. At the final Democratic primary debate between Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders in March, Biden committed to having a woman on the presidential ticket, and he reportedly had roughly a dozen women the campaign was considering. Here's what else we know about Biden's vice presidential search.

•	If you're not registered to vote, stop what you're doing and head on over to vote.usatoday.com.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden promises he'll team with a woman as his running mate.

Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Polar bears could be lost by 2100

Climate change may push polar bears to the brink of extinction within 100 years, a new study says. Unless measures are taken to reduce global warming, it says, all but a few polar bears in the Arctic will probably be gone by the end of the century. The bears rely on sea ice to hunt, but the ice is predicted to decline to such an extent that the animals will be forced onto land where they cannot find food. What's causing the warming? Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, which are produced from the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal.

As Arctic sea ice declines in response to warming temperatures, polar bears must fast for longer periods.

dagsjo, Getty Images

Real quick

•	President Trump signed a memorandum claiming that undocumented migrants should not be counted in the census.
•	An "anti-feminist lawyer" is suspected of fatally shooting a federal judge's son.
•	Olympic gold medalist Simone Manuel wants to do more than talk about racism.
•	Chicago won't see "Portland-style deployment" of federal agents, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says.
•	Opinion: Sweden hoped herd immunity would curb COVID-19. Don't do what we did. It's not working.

Antibody tests show virus rates 10x higher, CDC says

The true rate of COVID-19 infections was more than 10 times higher than the number of cases reported across the country from late March to early May, according to a new federal study relying on antibody testing. The CDC study underscores how underrepresented the actual number of COVID-19 cases in the USA is.

Give it to me straight: The USA has more than 3.8 million cases and more than 141,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Globally, there have been 14.7 million cases and more than 611,000 deaths.

A break from the news

•	🍷 Would you like some Cheez-Its with that wine? This box of wine pairs rosé with white cheddar crackers.
•	💰 Yes, there's a national coin shortage. Here's why.
•	🎥 "Clueless" turns 25! What have the film's teens been up to since high school?

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for The Short List newsletter here.