Face mask bans and mandates continue across the country, the Smithsonian releases (and then retracts) a controversial infographic on race, prison populations drop during the pandemic and the Reagan Revolution celebrates its 40th anniversary.
Here are the stories we’re following today:
1. Russia is trying to hack and steal coronavirus vaccine data, U.S., Canadian and UK officials claim
From CNBC:
Hackers linked to Russian intelligence services are trying to steal information about coronavirus vaccine research in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., security officials said Thursday.
Officials said a group known as APT29 — also known as “Cozy Bear” — was likely to blame for the attack. They said the group, which is believed to be associated with Russian intelligence, used spear phishing and custom malware to target vaccine researchers.
The U.S. Department for Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, the National Security Agency, Canada’s Communications Security Establishment and the U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre joined forces in accusing Russia of the hacking campaign.
“It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic,” U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement. “While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour, the U.K. and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health.”
2. Georgia governor sues Atlanta mayor and City Council over mask mandate as state's coronavirus cases increase
From CBS News:
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on Thursday sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and City Council members amid their efforts to mandate masks and enforce social distancing measures during the coronavirus pandemic. The lawsuit comes as Atlanta has seen a surge of COVID-19 cases.
There were 3,441 new cases of coronavirus reported in Georgia on Thursday, according to the state's health department, as well as 13 deaths and 244 hospitalizations.
The governor said the city's recent executive orders "were more restrictive than his" and Bottoms "exceeded her authority." Kemp tweeted that the lawsuit "is on behalf of the Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees who are struggling to survive during these difficult times."
3. U.S. targets all Chinese Communist Party members for possible travel ban: source
From Reuters:
The Trump administration is considering banning travel to the United States by all members of the Chinese Communist Party and their families, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday, a move that would worsen already tense U.S.-China relations.
Senior officials discussing the matter have begun circulating a draft of a possible presidential order, but deliberations are at an early stage and the issue has not yet been brought to President Donald Trump, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The discussions, first reported by the New York Times, center on whether to deny visas to tens of millions of Chinese in what would be one of Washington’s toughest actions yet in a widening feud with Beijing that some have likened to a new Cold War.
Such a ban, if implemented, could hit the ruling Communist Party from the highest levels down to its rank-and-file and would be certain to draw retaliation against Americans who travel to China. This could include not only diplomats but also business executives, potentially harming U.S. interests in China.
4. Smithsonian Deems ‘Nuclear Family,’ ‘Christian Tradition,’ ‘Scientific Method’ as ‘White Culture’
From The Daily Citizen:
The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), part of the Smithsonian Institution, has released a shocking new infographic that deems “self-reliance,” “the nuclear family,” “the scientific method,” “the Judeo-Christian Tradition,” “hard work,” “rigid time schedules” and “holidays” as a part of whiteness and white culture.
The infographic is titled “Aspects & Assumptions of Whiteness & White Culture in the United States” and was created as a part of its “Talking About Race” initiative.
The infographic makes the claim that “since white people still hold most of the institutional power in America, we have all internalized some aspects of white culture – including people of color.”
What are these internalized aspects of white culture?
The document breaks down the supposed areas that whiteness has institutionalized and infected into 14 categories. These include “rugged individualism,” “family structure,” “emphasis on scientific method,” “history,” “protestant work ethic,” “religion,” “status, power and authority,” “future orientation,” “time,” “aesthetics,” “holidays,” “justice,” “competition,” and “communication.”
5. Twitter Hack Under Investigation By FBI And New York State
From NPR:
Twitter is now under scrutiny from the FBI, Congress and New York's financial services regulator. Officials are demanding details about a breach that targeted some of the social network's most high-profile users.
The FBI said on Thursday that it had opened an investigation into the hack of Twitter accounts, including those of former President Barack Obama, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and rapper Kanye West. Hackers took over those accounts in a matter of minutes on Wednesday afternoon and posted messages asking followers to send Bitcoin to a specific address.
"At this time, the accounts appear to have been compromised in order to perpetuate cryptocurrency fraud," the bureau's San Francisco division said in a statement. "We advise the public not to fall victim to this scam by sending cryptocurrency or money in relation to this incident."
The attack, which appears to be the largest and most coordinated in Twitter's history, is raising questions about the vulnerability of a platform that serves as a major communications channel for companies, news outlets and politicians — including President Trump, who frequently uses Twitter to announce public policy.
6. Washington's NFL team hires attorney to probe 'allegations of workplace misconduct'
From Fox Business:
Washington's NFL team has hired attorney Beth Wilkinson to conduct a probe of the team’s internal culture amid allegations of workplace misconduct, D.C. law firm Wilkinson Walsh said Thursday.
Beth Wilkinson’s hiring was confirmed amid rumblings the Washington Post is preparing expose on team's culture.
“We can confirm that our firm was retained by the team to do an independent review of the team’s culture, policies and allegations of workplace misconduct,” Wilkinson said in a statement.
Further details on the review were not immediately available. The team has yet to publicly comment on the situation.
7. US prison populations down 8% amid coronavirus outbreak
From the Associated Press:
Stephanie Parris was finishing a two-year prison sentence for a probation violation when she heard she’d be going home three weeks early because of COVID-19.
It made her feel bad to leave when she had so few days left at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women. She said she wasn’t sick and there were no cases at the facility. But there were others still inside who could have used the reprieve.
“I would have helped someone who had nine or 10 months, someone who absolutely needed it,” she said recently. “There was a lady in there who was very elderly, and she has very bad health problems. I would have given my place to her.”
There has been a major drop in the number of people behind bars in the U.S. Between March and June, more than 100,000 people were released from state and federal prisons, a decrease of 8%, according to a nationwide analysis by The Marshall Project and The Associated Press. The drops range from 2% in Virginia to 32% in Rhode Island. By comparison, the state and federal prison population decreased by 2.2% in all of 2019, according to a report on prison populations by the Vera Institute of Justice.
8. North Carolina City Approves Reparations for Slavery
From The Daily Citizen:
Asheville, North Carolina, a city of 92,000 located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the western half of the state, is home to the University of North Carolina/Asheville. Known for its microbreweries, outdoor activities and its location along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville is a magnet for tourists.
The city was founded in 1784, and by the time the Civil War rolled around some of its then-2500 residents served in the Confederate Army, while a smaller number joined the Union ranks. There was even a brief “Battle of Asheville” fought there in April 1865, before Union troops withdrew.
The city’s ties to the Confederacy and the system of slavery it supported has bubbled up in the wake of the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that followed.
On July 14 the city council of Asheville voted unanimously to approve a resolution apologizing for the city’s historic role regarding slavery and systemic racism, and authorized reparations for its African American residents.
9. GOP Scales Back Convention Plans, Relenting On Virus Restrictions
From NPR:
The Republican Party announced Thursday morning that it is scaling back its upcoming nominating convention and will hold what party chair Ronna McDaniel is calling a "convention celebration" next month in Jacksonville, Fla.
Bowing to the realities of holding a mass gathering in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in Florida, which has seen a spike in new cases, attendance at the convention during its first few days, Aug. 24-26, will be limited to delegates only, which is a little more than 2,500 people.
On the final day of the Republican National Convention, Aug. 27, when President Trump will give his acceptance speech, each of those delegates will be able to have a guest, and alternate delegates will be able to attend. This will bring a total of around 7,000 people, an expected attendance in line with Trump's one post-pandemic rally in Tulsa, Okla., last month.
10. On Reagan Revolution’s 40th anniversary, here are 5 lessons Trump should embrace
From Fox News:
Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena was demolished earlier this spring, but exactly 40 years ago – July 17, 1980 – its then sparkling new rafters were reverberating with the triumphant cheers of Republican delegates as Ronald Reagan accepted his party’s nomination for president.
With a sunny disposition, a wide smile and a stiff upper lip, Mr. Reagan’s optimistic speech began with soaring prose – and ended in silent prayer.
President Trump should take note.
In re-reading Mr. Reagan’s acceptance speech, I think there are five lessons we can learn from his wisdom that would serve us well in this summer of discontent.
- Remember that most Americans want the same things.
- The best way to solve a problem is to tackle it head-on.
- Do not demonize our past – but learn from it.
- American greatness is about vision, values – and getting the job done.
- Don’t be afraid to publicly pray. We answer to a higher power than the liberal elites.
Four decades later, America remains in desperate need of prayer, along with the values and principles that President Ronald Reagan so heartily championed during his two terms in office.
11. "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek says his cancer treatments are "paying off"
From CBS News:
Alex Trebek gave viewers a health update for the first time in months on Thursday. The legendary "Jeopardy!" host told fans he's "doing well" and that his treatments for pancreatic cancer are "paying off."
"I'm doing well," the 79-year-old host said in a video recorded at his home. "I've been continuing my treatment and it is paying off, though it does fatigue me a great deal. My numbers are good. I'm feeling great. In fact, during the break from the studio, I even wrote a book that will be coming out July 21."
The book is titled "The Answer Is …Reflections on My Life."
Trebek announced he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in March 2019. He has faced several rounds of chemotherapy and has kept fans of the show updated throughout his journey.
12. 30-Year Mortgage Rate Reaches Lowest Level Ever: 2.98%
From the WSJ:
In a year of financial firsts, this one stands out: Mortgage rates have fallen below the 3% mark.
The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 2.98%, mortgage-finance giant Freddie Mac FMCC -0.93% said Thursday, its lowest level in almost 50 years of record keeping. It is the third consecutive week and the seventh time this year that rates on America’s most popular home loan have hit a fresh low.
The coronavirus pandemic has upended markets around the world—sending stocks on a wild ride and yields on U.S. government debt to record lows—but its effect on the 30-year mortgage is especially significant. Consider its history: In the early 1980s, it peaked above 18% after the Federal Reserve raised rates to fight runaway inflation.
Below 3% is a “tremendous benchmark,” said Jeff Tucker, an economist at Zillow Group Inc. “It’s also an indication that we remain in a crisis here.”
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