Wednesday 07.01.20

It was an unusually quiet tornado season in Tornado Alley, the area of central US states usually hit hardest by storms. In fact, total tornado numbers across the country hit a 50-year low this May. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.

By AJ Willingham

Coronavirus

Dr. Anthony Fauci has warned that new Covid-19 cases in the US could soar to 100,000 a day if the country can’t get a handle on the virus’ resurgent spread. At least some people are getting the message. More and more Republican leaders are publicly pushing for face mask use, which medical experts agree is one of the best lines of daily defense. Among them is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said there should be no stigma about covering up in public. Other GOP lawmakers have connected mask use to reducing the risk of another round of economic shutdowns. However, President Trump remains notably silent -- and unmasked -- on the issue. Meanwhile, in Beijing, the Chinese government has approved the use of an experimental Covid-19 vaccine called Ad5-nCoV among the country’s military. It’s a hopeful step forward in a global race to end the pandemic threat.

Hong Kong

The passage of China’s new national security law in Hong Kong has already sparked protests and led to the first arrests under the brand new legislation. Demonstrators turned out by the hundreds in Hong Kong city centers, and at least 70 were arrested. Two of those people -- a man holding a black independence flag and a woman with a sign reading, “Hong Kong Independence” -- were apprehended on suspicion of violating the new law. It’s also important to note that today is the 23rd anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong from British rule to China. The date is traditionally a day of protests in the city, but for the first time since the handover, police did not let protesters hold peaceful demonstrations.

School choice

The Supreme Court handed down a ruling that could open the door for more public funding for religious education. The case concerned a group of parents in Montana who wanted to use a state scholarship program to send their children to religious schools. The court sided in favor of the parents, 5-4. In his ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that if a state chooses to fund private education, like the Montana tax credit program in question did, it could not exclude religious schools. The decision is a huge win for supporters of school choice programs, a hallmark of the Trump administration, and one that will likely encourage other states to push for similar programs.

NAFTA

NAFTA is no more. Starting today, the North American Free Trade Agreement will be eclipsed by the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a new deal signed by President Trump and his Mexican and Canadian counterparts in 2018. Much of USMCA simply updates the 25-year-old agreement it’s replacing. It also adds incentives to build cars and trucks in North America, strengthens labor laws in Mexico, provides sweeping new benefits for the technology sector, and includes $600 million to address environmental problems in the region. It also provides a certain measure of comfort to businesses that worried Trump would bow out of NAFTA, which he’s called “the worst trade deal ever made,” without another deal in place.

Economy

The Senate eked out an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program mere hours before the small business lifeline was set to expire. The program will now run until August 8, giving businesses a chance to apply for the remaining $130 billion in emergency relief loans it offers. However, some businesses say they need loans with more flexible terms, since it’s not clear what the full economic consequences of the pandemic will be. As cases continue to rise, many such businesses fear another round of shutdowns could be irrevocably destructive. In the meantime, the PPP’s extension date lines up with the end of the next Senate work period -- the same time line Senate Republicans have set to complete the next round of stimulus.

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The 2020 Minor League Baseball season has been canceled
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Delta is bringing back beer and wine on its flights
Good luck sucking it down through a face mask.

Tokyo Disneyland is reopening after a 4-month closure
It's the third Disney park to reopen after the Shanghai and Hong Kong locations.

The MTV Video Music Awards will happen as planned in New York City
The night will feature several (socially distanced) performances from iconic locations.

Snakes can glide through the air. Here's how

On second thought, maybe we don't want to know how.

Russia could hit the reset button for Putin
Today, voters across Russia are deciding whether to approve a slew of constitutional amendments that would allow President Vladimir Putin to run for two more terms in office, potentially extending his tenure until 2036.

$19 million

That's about how much women who experienced sexual abuse and harassment by imprisoned former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein will receive as part of a settlement announced by the New York attorney general's office.

If we didn't force Black Americans into white America's box, think of how much we could thrive.

MLB star Ian Desmond, who opted out of the 2020 MLB season in a widely shared Instagram post that also discussed race inequity in the US and in the baseball world

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