(Want to get this briefing by email? Heres the sign-up.)
Good evening. Heres the latest.
1. Another disappointing monthly job report is looming over lawmakers locked in stimulus talks.
The Labor Department will report Friday on how many jobs the economy created in July as America climbs back from the depths of the pandemic recession. New claims for unemployment benefits have exceeded 1 million a week for 20 straight weeks, though the latest figure was not as dire as in some weeks early in the pandemic. Above, a job center in Helena, Ark.
There is a good chance that senators will not reach a deal on an economic rescue package before they leave Washington on Friday for a one-month recess. President Trump threatened to act unilaterally by issuing a series of executive orders, which may have helped lift the S&P 500 near a record high.
Separately, Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio tested positive for the virus as he was screened to greet Mr. Trump in Cleveland. He did not meet with the president.
2. Americas failure to control the virus has set it apart among wealthy nations. We investigated to try to understand why, and two themes emerged.
First, the U.S. faced longstanding challenges in confronting a major pandemic, including the prioritizing of individuals over government restrictions and an unequal health care system. The second is the Trump administrations defiance of expert advice.
Meanwhile, schools continue to open on shaky ground. Photos of a packed school in Dallas, Ga., above, have quickly come to symbolize a chaotic first week back in U.S. classrooms.
And experts are revising their views on the best methods to detect infections, saying quicker but less accurate testing may be the best chance to rein in the sprawling outbreaks.
3. Europe is a facing a viral resurgences.
The scale is nowhere near that in the U.S., but France reported 1,695 new cases on Wednesday, and Germany reported more than 1,000 on Thursday higher numbers than either had seen in months. Other Western European countries, like Spain and Belgium, are also experiencing surges.
Some health experts said Germans were becoming lax about upholding social-distancing and mask-wearing requirements. Above, Berlin this week.
And a French scientific panel warned that a second wave of infections by the fall was highly possible, urging cities to prepare for new lockdowns.
4. International rescue teams arrived in Beirut as Lebanon entered a period of official mourning over the huge explosion that brought the capital to its knees.
Heres what video footage tells us about the blast.
Public anger is growing over evidence that government negligence allowed more than 2,000 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate seized from a ship to be stored in the port for years. The port, a crucial economic hub, has been destroyed, and with it the nations grain supply, raising concerns about food security in a country of 6.8 million people.
President Emmanuel Macron of France visited the area, but no major Lebanese politicians did so.
In an essay in Times Opinion, Lina Mounzer, a Lebanese writer and translator, connects the disaster to the warlords who have warped Lebanon for decades. Yet I couldnt imagine how spectacular and lethal the incompetence of the Lebanese state could be, she says.
5. New Yorks attorney general, Letitia James, filed a civil suit seeking to dissolve the National Rifle Association over claims of corruption. The battle may take years.
Ms. James charged that years of improper action and misspending that enriched officials and their friends, families and allies had irreparably undermined the N.R.A.s ability to operate as a nonprofit and cost the organization $64 million over three years.
Ms. James, who has regulatory authority over the group because it is chartered in New York, also sued four current or former top N.R.A. leaders, seeking tens of millions of dollars in restitution and the ouster of the groups chief executive, Wayne LaPierre.
The lawsuit will leave the 148-year-old N.R.A. long the nations most influential gun-rights lobby fighting for survival. The group has recently been hobbled by financial woes and infighting.
6. This year is shaping up to be one of the most active hurricane seasons on record.
Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said there could be 19 to 25 named storms (those with sustained winds above 38 miles an hour) by the time the season ends on Nov. 30. Seven to 11 could be hurricanes.
Forecasters originally predicted 12 to 19 named storms, but the season has already brought nine the most on record for the first two months of a season including Hurricane Isaias, above, which dealt a powerful blow to the Bahamas and much of the East Coast of the U.S. this week.
7. Aug. 6, 1945.
Setsuko Thurlow was 13 years old and in Hiroshima when the U.S. dropped the first of two atomic bombs on Japan. Ever since, she has been fighting for the abolition of nuclear weapons, sharing a Nobel Peace Prize for the work in 2017.
Our Tokyo bureau chiefs profile of Ms. Thurlow, now 88, comes on the 75th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing and serves as a reminder of the urgency of hearing the stories of a dwindling number of survivors.
A new book documents the human impact of the bombings, which ended World War II, with photographs that the U.S. once banned both at home and in Japan.
8. Professional athletes voicing exasperation in the heat of the moment is nothing new. Doing so without the sound buffer of a live crowd is entirely different.
As Major League Baseball stages an untraditional 60-game campaign amid the pandemic, players and coaches are trying to be more mindful of their colorful language. Theyre doing so with varying levels of success.
The league also tightened its safety protocols in an effort to slow virus outbreaks among teams. Players and staff members must restrict their travel and, in the ballpark, wear face coverings when they arent on the field, such as in the dugout and the bullpen.
9. A slice of summer by the (national) seashore.
From California to Cape Cod, federally protected coastlines offer a different kind of outdoor experience: The primary attraction is water and uncrowded stretches of sand. Today, the National Park Service protects 809,000 acres of shorelines abutting thousands of miles of oceans and lakes. Here are eight of the most scenic ones, like Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia, above.
Public pools have been more subdued than usual. We visited a popular pool complex in the East Bay area of California that lacked the normal flap of flip-flops and splashy entrances. Still, a small group of kids had enough time during family swim hour to pretend to be mermaids.
10. And finally, a different kind of back to school.
Giuseppe Patern graduated with honors last week from the University of Palermo, with a degree in history and philosophy. Mr. Patern is 96.
That he reached his lifelong goal despite an impoverished childhood, World War II and family demands drew attention across Italy, resonating as millions of schoolchildren faced extraordinary uncertainty amid the pandemic.
Dont get lost because you find obstacles because there will always be obstacles, Mr. Patern said after donning the traditional red-ribboned laurel wreath. You have to be strong.
See original here:
Stimulus, Beirut, National Seashores: Your Thursday Evening Briefing - The New York Times
- The Pro-Slavery Lobby: The Abolition of Slavery Project - December 8th, 2016 [December 8th, 2016]
- Campaign for the Abolition of Terrier Work - Badger Baiting - December 10th, 2016 [December 10th, 2016]
- Trump's Big Lie About 3 Million "Alien Voters" Cuts Far Deeper Than You Think - Truth-Out - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- High time for states to invest in alternatives to migrant detention - ReliefWeb - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Industry calls for better cooperation from TWU on safety for truckies - ABC Online - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Indian Govt's Abolition of FIPB Will Help Spur Up Foreign Investments - Entrepreneur - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Donald Trump 'taking steps to abolish Environmental Protection Agency' - The Guardian - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Indian sex worker groups slam global conference on abolition of ... - Reuters - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Mayoral candidate calls for abolition of Cleveland Police - Hartlepool Mail - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Exploiting black labor after the abolition of slavery - Baraboo News Republic - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Justice Ginsburg Backs Abolition Of The Electoral College - Daily Caller - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Mrs. Clinton Is Not the Future - National Review - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Commissioner hits back at Mayoral candidate's call for abolition of ... - The Northern Echo (registration) - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Judicial review is government at work - The Independent Florida Alligator - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Did Darwin's theories on evolution encourage abolition of slavery? - Washington Post - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Italy sets up fast-track asylum courts for migrants - The Local Italy - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Pope Francis on death penalty - Philippine Star - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- The Abolition of Man - Wikipedia - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Justice Ginsburg Expresses Concern About Anti-Immigrant Sentiment - Daily Caller - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Protests as Iowa considers its own 'Scott Walker bill' - Washington Examiner - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- 'What Is My Future After This?' - Human Rights Watch - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Might mandatory retirement come back with 70 as the new 65? - The Globe and Mail - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- A People's Globalism: Notes Toward a New Left Internationalism - The Nation. - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- County To Apply for Grant for I.V. Community Center | The Daily Nexus - Daily Nexus - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Another Body Blow to the Trump White House as Labor Pick Withdraws - Yahoo News - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- The myth of the alpha leader is destroying our relationshipsat work and at home - Quartz - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Equalities Secretary to seek UK assurances over benefits after ... - AOL Money UK - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- My Turn: Make no mistake President Trump is the enemy - Concord Monitor - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- The redeeming chaos of a bull in the government china shop - Charleston Post Courier - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Govt mulls abolition of parallel degree programs in public varsities ... - Capital FM Kenya (press release) (blog) - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Westminster warned against benefits 'claw back' once 'bedroom tax' abolished in Scotland - Scottish Housing News - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Fighting voter ID laws in the courts isn't enough. We need boots on the ground - Los Angeles Times - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Manchester's transformation over the past 25 years: why we need a reset of city region policy - EUROPP - European Politics and Policy (blog) - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- UK's 'lower-ranked' universities take non-EU students hit - Times Higher Education (THE) - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Age Action calls on TDs to back Bill abolishing mandatory retirement ... - BreakingNews.ie - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Labor won't fight any Fair Work Commission decision to cut Sunday penalty rates: Bill Shorten - Great Lakes Advocate - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Molly McGrath: Fight ID laws one voter at a time - Virginian-Pilot - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Jim Goetsch: Abolition of abortions means changing the way we think - The Union of Grass Valley - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- New York dockers' union calls for abolition of crime-busting ... - The Loadstar - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Frederick Douglass Park: We're Fixing Our Typo! - Nashville Scene - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Abolishing provincial championships only way to cure fixture ... - Irish Independent - February 25th, 2017 [February 25th, 2017]
- 'Retirement should be an option' - plan to abolish retirement age welcomed - thejournal.ie - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Labor won't fight any Fair Work Commission decision to cut Sunday penalty rates: Bill Shorten - Western Advocate - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Committee expected to recommend 100m water charges refunds to those who have paid up - Irish Independent - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Sinn Fein attacks schools minister over plan to merge two transfer tests - Belfast Telegraph - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- 'As a lecturer in the 1980s, I kept my sexual orientation to myself' - Times Higher Education (THE) - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Dutch Elections: 'Anti-Racist' Party Will Ban 'Black Pete' Traditional Children's Character - Breitbart News - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Molly J. McGrath: Fight ID laws one voter at a time - Herald & Review - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Coveney says he will not legislate for water charges abolition as it would be illegal - thejournal.ie - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Taoiseach refuses to back down on water - Newstalk 106-108 fm - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Crackdown looms for work-related tax deductions - Whitsunday Times - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- We are sick of being told what to do, says Freddie Forsyth - Express.co.uk - March 4th, 2017 [March 4th, 2017]
- Corruption: Abolish security votes, peg minimum wage at N50,000 Ekweremadu - Vanguard - March 4th, 2017 [March 4th, 2017]
- Religious bodies misguided - Trinidad & Tobago Express - March 6th, 2017 [March 6th, 2017]
- *M*A*S*H star speaks out against death penalty - Seacoastonline.com - March 6th, 2017 [March 6th, 2017]
- Immigration under capitalism: Life and death along the US-Mexico border - World Socialist Web Site - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- 'MARCH 4 TRUMP': About 100 demonstrators gather at Kentucky Capitol - Hopkinsville Kentucky New Era - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- Abolition Of Work | Prometheism.net - Part 7 - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- Marc Lamont Hill's one-sided view of racism in the Middle East - Jerusalem Post Israel News (blog) - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]
- Close-Up: Ava DuVernay - Varsity Online - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]
- OPINION: Grammar knows best - NW Evening Mail - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]
- Women worldwide skip work to protest pay gap, abortion laws and Donald Trump on International Women's Day - Mirror.co.uk - March 9th, 2017 [March 9th, 2017]
- Self-employed hit by national insurance hike in budget - The Guardian - March 9th, 2017 [March 9th, 2017]
- How Republicans Might Fudge the Numbers to Make Their Health Care Bill Seem Less Irresponsible - New York Magazine - March 10th, 2017 [March 10th, 2017]
- Who's who in Dutch politics - SBS - March 10th, 2017 [March 10th, 2017]
- Pauline Hanson still a work in progress after all these years - The Australian Financial Review - March 10th, 2017 [March 10th, 2017]
- Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific - World Socialist Web Site - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- Junior Culture Minister calls Phagwah Festival of Lights - Demerara Waves - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- Tory backbenchers warn over 'death tax' probate fees hike announced in Budget - AOL UK - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- With govt notification, orderly system finally out - Times of India - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- The tax hike for the self-employed isn't actually going to happen - The Independent - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- Globalization Is Just a Contemporary Word for Financial Colonialism - Truth-Out - March 12th, 2017 [March 12th, 2017]
- Gordon Robinson | Taxed up the ass - Jamaica Gleaner - March 12th, 2017 [March 12th, 2017]
- President Trump needs to score some legislative wins - The Desert Sun - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- The Quietus | Features | Craft/Work | Colouring Out: Queer British Art ... - The Quietus - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- European Parliament vote doesn't mean abolition of visas yet - Poroshenko - Interfax - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- Why The Tories Are Not My Cuppa - HuffPost UK - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Why Is Sex Work Not Seen As Work? Part 1 - Feminism in India (blog) - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- NYC college offers Abolition of Whiteness course - My9NJ - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- New York public college offering course called 'Abolition of Whiteness' - Fox News - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]