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Welcome to Wednesday and happy first day of July, Daily Briefing readers. |
July typically brings massive Independence Day celebrations and busy summer travel, but all of that will likely look different this year due to the pandemic. We're officially halfway through 2020, but we're only one-third of the way to a widely available coronavirus vaccine, experts say. |
Before we get into the news of the day, I'd like to take a minute to remember Carl Reiner, the veteran comedian, actor and director known for starring in "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and the "Ocean's" films who died at 98 Monday. Here are his best quotes on show business, eulogies, and his friend Mel Brooks, and here are some moving celebrity tributes in his honor. |
It's N'dea and here's what you need to know as you start July. |
P.S. Happy Canada Day to our neighbors to the north! π |
California governor says he will implement additional restrictions |
With coronavirus cases surging, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday he plans to "tighten things up" when it comes to the state's stay-at-home order ahead of a busy Fourth of July weekend. The governor did not detail what the plans would be, but he said he will issue new restrictions Wednesday. California has confirmed close to 223,000 infections, a nearly 50% increase over two weeks ago that's been driven in part by the state's increased testing. But more concerning is the growth in COVID-19 hospitalizations — a 43% increase in the past two weeks. Officials in Los Angeles County, the nation's most populous county, on Monday announced they will close beaches and ban firework displays for the holiday weekend. |
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New coronavirus cases could reach 100,000 per day |
πToday's stats: The number of confirmed cases globally has surpassed 10.4 million, and the death toll was more than 511,500. There are more than 2.6 million cases in the U.S. and over 127,400 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. |
Here are the latest headlines on COVID-19: |
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EU bloc to open to international travelers, but Americans banned ✈️ |
Americans will not be allowed to travel to European Union countries when the bloc opens up to international visitors on Wednesday, the European Council announced Tuesday. Travelers from 14 countries will be welcomed to the EU, including Canada, South Korea and Australia. But those from the U.S. and many other nations will be barred as too risky because of spiking coronavirus cases. Adalbert Jahnz, a spokesman for the European Commission, the EU's executive branch, told USA TODAY that lists would likely be reviewed every two weeks. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Trump administration is working with the EU "to determine how it is we can best safely reopen international travel" since it's important for the sake of both economies. |
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Minimum wage hikes help hard-hit workers π° |
While the financial assistance that helped millions of Americans during the coronavirus pandemic is soon going away, three states and several localities are partly offsetting the pain with minimum wage hikes that take effect Wednesday. Illinois, Nevada and Oregon are set to raise their pay floors along with 21 localities, including 13 in California. The increases, which had been scheduled before the pandemic, will help restaurant, retail and other low-paid workers hit hardest by state shutdowns of nonessential businesses. |
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More news everyone is talking about |
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New cellphone driving laws go into effect in three states π΅ |
Idaho, Indiana and South Dakota will prohibit the use of hand-held cellphones while driving, beginning Wednesday. Those three states will join 22 others that already require phones be in hands-free mode, according to the Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts . Distracted driving resulted in 2,841 fatalities in 2018, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission. |
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Here's where we're at in the national conversation about race |
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Delaware, the last state to abolish whippings, to remove public whipping post |
Forty-eight years after formally ridding whipping from its laws as a criminal punishment, the state of Delaware will be removing a public whipping post on Wednesday . State officials said the post in Georgetown, Delaware, will be removed "in recognition of the violence and racial discrimination that its display signified to many Delawareans." The post was initially used to bind people – disproportionately Black people – for public beatings for crimes ranging from petty theft to rape. It was put on display in 1993 and was referenced as an attraction in articles and advertisements about the town's history. Some see it as a monument to brutality carried out under the law. It's believed to be the last such post on display in the state besides those in museums and educational facilities. |
In better news: π¨ Free drink alert π¨ |
The annual 7-Eleven Day, aka Free Slurpee Day, has been canceled but free frozen drinks are still up for grabs. |
While the coronavirus pandemic led the nation's largest convenience store chain to cancel its in-store birthday celebration and one-day freebie giveaway, members of the 7Rewards loyalty program will get a coupon for a free medium Slurpee added to their accounts Wednesday, July 1, redeemable anytime during the month of July. |
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