Top Stories this PM: Merck requests authorization for anti-COVID pill; Facebook Oversight Board to meet with whistleblower

Good afternoon. Here are the top stories so far today.

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What happened today:

• Merck requests authorization for anti-COVID pill. Merck submitted an application for emergency use authorization to the FDA for its COVID-19 antiviral pill, the company said Monday. If authorized, the drug, called molnupiravir, would become the first oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19. Molnupiravir, jointly developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, "significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization or death," the companies said in a statement on October 1.
• Facebook Oversight Board to meet with whistleblower. Facebook's independent "Supreme Court" will meet with company whistleblower Frances Haugen after she made a series of bombshell claims about the tech giant. "Board members appreciate the chance to discuss Ms. Haugen's experiences and gather information that can help push for greater transparency and accountability from Facebook through our case decisions and recommendations," the Board said in a post on Monday.
• DC's new Superman comes out. The new Superman will soon be in a romantic relationship with a same-sex partner, DC Comics announced Monday. Jonathan Kent, the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, will be involved with a male friend in his new series "Superman: Son of Kal-El," The New York Times reported.
• We're suing. Insider filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration Monday to obtain the names of staffers who have this year earned taxpayer-funded paychecks while working for former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence. The lawsuit seeks to compel the General Services Administration to provide the names of nine staffers who worked for Trump and Pence in the months after they left office and received federal paychecks for as many as six months after the conclusion of the Trump administration.
• Bitcoin surges to 5-month high. Bitcoin surged to a five-month high on Monday, climbing back above $57,000 to outperform the broader cryptocurrency sector. The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization hit a record high of $65,000 in April. But it could be headed for another short-term dip.

That's all for now. See you tomorrow.