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| Good morning, Daily Briefing readers. |
| As the country gears up for Fourth of July amid protests and a pandemic, it's kind of a difficult time to celebrate America. Debate is raging about what it means to be an American and several localities are closing areas such as beaches and parks where people may be tempted to gather in large crowds for the holiday weekend. I hope you all will take some time to reflect and celebrate safely (if you need tips on how to do that, here's our guide). |
| It's N'dea and here's the news you need to know as you start your holiday weekend. |
Dueling jobs reports likely to paint good news-bad news picture |
| A pair of jobs reports out Thursday is expected to show that the economy is recouping millions of lost jobs even as hundreds of thousands of Americans continue to be laid off amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Labor Department's employment survey is expected to show that a record 3.1 million jobs were added in June as the unemployment rate fell to 12.3% from 13.3%, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg. A separate Labor report is projected to reveal that an additional 1.3 million Americans filed initial claims for unemployment benefits — a rough measure of layoffs. Bottom line: The rebound from the coronavirus-induced recession — the steepest but shortest on record — is likely to be a drawn-out saga. |
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US daily coronavirus cases top 50,000 for first time |
| The U.S. death toll from the pandemic may be 35% higher than reported and the total number of U.S. cases surpassed 50,000 for the first time Wednesday. Here are the latest headlines on COVID-19: |
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States hit rewind on reopening as new coronavirus infections spike |
| As new coronavirus infections spike in Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert is requiring the use of masks in all state facilities beginning Thursday . A sudden increase in cases prompted Utah to pause reopening in June. On Wednesday, state health officials reported the most coronavirus cases in one week since the pandemic began. Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said bars must close and indoor operations will need to stop in certain business sectors, effective immediately, in order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus ahead of Fourth of July weekend. New Jersey and Delaware have also postponed their reopening plans due Thursday in the face of skyrocketing case counts. |
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Gang of Eight to get Russia intelligence briefing on Capitol Hill |
| Intelligence officials, including CIA Director Gina Haspel and NSA Director Gen. Paul Nakasone, will brief the Gang of Eight — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the top Republicans and Democrats on the two intelligence committees — in a classified meeting on Capitol Hill on Thursday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed Wednesday. Lawmakers had pressed the Trump administration for more details after the New York Times reported last week that President Donald Trump was informed months ago that a Russian intelligence unit offered secret cash payments to Taliban-linked militants to kill coalition troops, including Americans. Democrats who were briefed suggested he was bowing to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the risk of U.S. soldiers' lives. Senate Republicans appeared split, with some defending the president. Trump has called the intelligence assessments a "hoax." |
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The latest on our national conversation about race |
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John Bolton's controversial book is a No. 1 best-seller 📖 |
| The memoir by John Bolton, President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, sold more than 780,000 copies in its first week and landed the top spot on USA TODAY's Best-Selling books list , out Thursday. Trump's Justice Department went to court to block publication of the book, which portrays the president as incompetent, uninformed, and driven solely by self-interest. In an interview, Bolton called working in the Trump White House "like living inside a pinball machine" and said he probably would have voted for a conviction in Trump's impeachment trial. |
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More news everyone is talking about |
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Pack a mask in your carry-on...😷 |
| Airline carrier Allegiant will require all passengers to wear face coverings on board starting Thursday, according to a statement released last week. Other airlines, including Southwest, American, Alaska Airlines and Delta, have already implemented mandatory face covering rules for passengers and customer-facing employees.American and Delta say that the airlines may deny future travel for customers who decline to wear a facial covering. |
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In better news: It's wine o'clock somewhere 🍷 |
| The global pandemic is keeping oenophiles from gathering in bars or visiting vineyards. But vintners aren't letting the wine tasting experience fall by the wayside. Instead, many wineries are offering virtual tastings. |
| Some ship wine to your door, then schedule a video call to walk you through a tasting, much the same as you'd find at a vineyard. Others are creating video series that wine drinkers can watch on demand. All are trying to adapt to the challenges of living and doing business amid the coronavirus crisis. |
| So how does a virtual wine experience work? Here's a guide from my colleague Morgan Hines. |
| If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, nothing seems to have risen to the cultural occasion quite like boxed wine, which has been around for decades but hasn't been considered even borderline cool until recently. |
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