Friday Morning: A breath of fresh air

And what else you need to know today.

View in browser|nytimes.com July 31, 2020 By David Leonhardt Good morning. Children may transmit the virus after all. The economy contracts sharply. But first a breath of fresh air: innovative ways that people have moved activities outdoors. Outdoors innovation A family performing in a neighborhood of Grand Rapids, Mich., in early July.Dave Kagan If you’re looking for a pick-me-up — to be inspired by human ingenuity in the midst of a whole lot of bad news — today’s newsletter is for you. I recently asked readers to tell us about innovative ways that people were moving activities outdoors, where the coronavirus spreads less easily than it does indoors. Hundreds of you responded. My colleagues and I were energized by the ideas. They made us want to move more of our own activities outdoors — and made us hope that more companies, government agencies and other organizations take similar steps. One of our favorites will resonate with many parents, children and teachers: It’s an attempt to hold school in a way that’s both safe and in person. Aspire Scholar Academy is a once-a-week school in Provo, Utah, for students ages 12 to 18 who are otherwise home-schooled. It usually operates out of a church, but the school’s leaders were not persuaded that indoor classes would be safe this fall, even if everybody were wearing masks. So a school vice president traveled to local Costcos and bought 33 canopies. Students will attend classes under them, on the church grounds. Teachers will use a public-address system. “The kids don’t want Zoom,” Vanessa Stanfill, a member of the school’s board, says. “They want to be together.” The school has told parents that students will need sunblock and (eventually) snow pants, and it plans to incorporate the surrounding nature into lessons. A small, once-a-week school obviously has an easier task moving classes outside than a large public school. But before you dismiss Aspire as irrelevant, remember that many New York City schools moved classes outdoors during the tuberculosis outbreak of the early 1900s. (A recent column, by The Times’s Ginia Bellafante, has some wonderful old photos.) Among the other innovative ideas we heard from readers: A ceremony for new American citizens held outside a federal courthouse in Boise, Idaho. A cabaret troupe in Grand Rapids, Mich., that drives to people’s homes and puts on performances in driveways and yards. A California psychotherapist seeing clients in a forest, with chairs eight feet apart. A Pennsylvania company that sells gazebos and that now holds staff meetings outdoors in — where else? — a gazebo. We’ve posted a longer list, with photos, here. THREE MORE BIG STORIES 1. Kids and the coronavirus A new study suggests that children can carry at least as much of the coronavirus in their noses and throats as adults — suggesting they are likely to spread the virus, as well. “Kids don’t get visibly sick very often, and even when they do, only rarely go on to have complications or to die,” my colleague Apoorva Mandavilli explains. “But many people have — wrongly — extrapolated this to mean that kids don’t get infected.” They do, she added, and they may also pass the virus to others, which is only logical: “Kids are adept at spreading other kinds of viruses, including the flu, so why not this one?” As usual, it will be important to see if more research confirms these findings. But the study offers one more reason that reopening schools will be complicated. (This Times map of the U.S. shows where reopenings would create the greatest risks.) In other virus developments: Because of pandemic shutdowns, the U.S. economy shrank in the second quarter at the fastest rate since at least the 1940s. And today’s looming expiration of expanded jobless benefits has created a new risk for the economy. (These charts show how far apart the Republican and Democratic unemployment proposals are.) Cases in both New Jersey and Greenwich, Conn., have jumped recently, evidently because of parties. Herman Cain, the former pizza executive and Republican presidential candidate, died of complications from the virus, at age 74. Cain had posted a photograph of himself, without a mask, attending President Trump’s indoor rally in Tulsa, Okla., last month; it is unclear when he contracted the virus. Herman Cain attended President Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Okla., last month without a mask.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images 2. Trump’s empty threat Trailing in the polls and facing bad news on the economy and the virus, President Trump on Thursday suggested delaying the Nov. 3 election. Nothing in the Constitution gives presidents that power, and other Republicans shot down the idea. I asked Jonathan Martin, a Times political reporter, how to make sense of the threat. His answer: “We should not dismiss, or even minimize, a sitting president who suggests delaying the election. But it’s important to view Mr. Trump’s remark in the context of his longstanding refusal to acknowledge failure, a pattern that predates his entering politics. Should he lose, he will likely seek a rationale. Any uncertainty about the balloting affords him an opening to raise questions about the election’s legitimacy, regardless of whether he challenges the results.” In a Times Op-Ed, Steven Calabresi, a conservative law professor who opposed Trump’s impeachment last year, called the tweet “fascistic.” 3. Climate change victims A flooded road in Jamalpur, Bangladesh, this month.Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters In the latest disaster to hit Bangladesh, torrential rains have flooded at least a quarter of the country, inundating nearly a million homes. Two months ago, a cyclone slammed Bangladesh’s southwest, while a rising sea has submerged villages along the coast. Scientists project that severe flooding will intensify as climate change increases rainfall in Bangladesh. It’s a story that reflects the unequal burden of climate change’s effects: The average American is responsible for 33 times more planet-warming carbon dioxide than the average Bangladeshi. “Those who are least responsible for polluting Earth’s atmosphere are among those most hurt by its consequences,” Somini Sengupta and Julfikar Ali Manik write. Here’s what else is happening The Lakers and Clippers, the two N.B.A. heavyweights from Los Angeles, during the national anthem on Thursday.Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images The N.B.A. resumed last night with two thrilling games after suspending its season more than four months ago. “You want to honor John?” Barack Obama said in a eulogy for the civil rights icon John Lewis. “Let’s honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for.” Six years after a white police officer killed Michael Brown, a Black teenager, in Ferguson, Mo., another investigation has come to the same conclusion as the first: The officer should not be charged. Lives Lived: Martha Nierenberg was a multilingual biochemist, an entrepreneur (co-founder of Dansk housewares) and a lead plaintiff in an art-restitution case that reaches back to a wealthy family of Budapest Jews. She died at 96. The case goes on. IDEA OF THE DAY: BIG TECH Members of Congress grilled the chief executives of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google on Wednesday. Will the hearing lead to new laws that limit the companies’ power? Yes: The tough, specific questions were a break from the deference that Congress showed Big Tech even a few years ago, Margaret O’Mara argues in The Times. “The mood recalled the traffic safety debates of the mid-1960s that helped catalyze significantly more regulation for the auto industry.” Members of both parties aired damning evidence of anticompetitive behavior that hurts consumers, Gilad Edelman of Wired says. And the executives’ responses were unconvincing, The Times’s Kevin Roose writes. No: By focusing on unproven claims that tech platforms censor conservatives, Republicans undermined the antitrust case, Recode’s Shirin Ghaffary argues. They turned what could have been “an area of relative bipartisan agreement” into “a display of partisan divides.” And even if Big Tech’s problems are clear, the solutions are less so. Small fines would be fruitless. Dramatic fixes — like breaking up the companies — are unlikely. And Amazon and Google are well-liked by the public, even if Facebook is not, New York magazine’s Josh Barro points out. And the latest: Despite the economic downturn, the four companies all reported healthy financial results yesterday. Subscribers help make Times journalism possible. To support our efforts, please consider subscribing today. PLAY, WATCH, EAT, DANCE A pizza (and salad) treat Via Carota’s insalata verde, adapted by Samin Nosrat.Bobby Doherty for The New York Times Lunches during the pandemic have a repetitive quality. By now, you may have eaten your go-to sandwich or salad a few dozen times. As a change of pace, my family looks forward to occasional orders of flash-frozen pizzas shipped all the way from Naples, Italy. Made by Talia di Napoli, they have a delicious, chewy crust and are available in several flavors. A typical pizza costs about $14, shipping included. To accompany it, try what some people consider the world’s greatest salad: the insalata verde from Via Carota, in New York’s West Village, as modified by the food writer Samin Nosrat. Watch something … moody Our weekly suggestion from Gilbert Cruz, The Times’s Culture editor: In a small New Mexico town in the 1950s, two young people hear a mysterious noise one night. It might be coming from the sky. There are some movies that succeed on pure mood, and it’s that somewhat ineffable thing that overshadows everything else. “The Vast of Night,” an Amazon original film, is a low-budget debut feature that is ostensibly a sci-fi story. But it would be very easy, if you went in expecting fireworks or action or special effects — all staples of sci-fi today — to end this movie feeling dissatisfied. It’s very dialogue-heavy. Not much happens. But I’ve seen “The Vast of Night” twice and very well might watch it again. Because of that mood. It’s intimate and hushed and hypnotizing. It has a feel, as Manohla Dargis wrote, “for the spookiness of long nights.” A new Beyoncé visual album Beyoncé, center, in a scene from her visual album “Black Is King.”Travis Matthews/Disney+, via Associated Press Today brings the release of “Black Is King,” a new visual album by Beyoncé. Streaming on Disney+, the album has a cast that includes the actress Lupita Nyong’o, the musician Pharrell Williams and the supermodel Naomi Campbell. The goal was to shift “the global perception of the word ‘Black,’” Beyoncé said on “Good Morning America.” “‘Black Is King’ means Black is regal and rich in history, in purpose and in lineage.” Diversions Here are 13 new books to check out in August. The late-night hosts discussed the president’s suggestion to delay the election. Games Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Descriptor for potato chips and autumn air (five letters). Or try this week’s news quiz. You can find all of our puzzles here. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David P.S. A programming note: I will be taking a break from writing this newsletter until Monday, Aug. 24. In the meantime, you’ll be hearing every weekday morning from my Times colleagues. I’ll see you in a few weeks. You can see today’s print front page here. Today’s episode of “The Daily” is about the killing of a female soldier that has prompted a #MeToo moment in the military. We’d like your feedback! Please fill out this short form. Ian Prasad Philbrick and Sanam Yar contributed to The Morning. You can reach the team at themorning@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. The Morning Briefing newsletter is now The Morning newsletter. You received this email because you signed up for the newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018

Thursday Morning: Europe's big problem

And what else you need to know today.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story July 30, 2020 Continue reading the main story SUPPORTED BY By David Leonhardt Good morning. Congress questions Big Tech. Teachers’ unions push back on school reopenings. And Europe struggles to contain autocracy. The autocrat problem Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary has used the coronavirus crisis as an excuse to further centralize authority.Pool photo by Francois Lenoir The European Union seems to be functioning better than the United States in some big ways right now. Europe has been far more successful in subduing the coronavirus. It has also passed a recent economic stimulus bill, while the U.S. Congress has not. But Europe has a major problem. It has a rising autocratic movement that the continent’s leaders have no clear strategy for confronting. If anything, the pandemic has strengthened the most autocratic E.U. governments, in Hungary and Poland. Other countries have put a higher priority on fighting the virus and helping the economy than trying to stop the erosion of democracy. As my colleague Matina Stevis-Gridneff, who covers the European Union from Brussels, told me, “The leading E.U. member states have been willing to partly turn a blind eye to achieve realpolitik gains right now.” The background: Hungary’s governing party, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has undermined democracy by changing election rules, packing the courts with allies and insisting on uncritical media coverage. Orban has used the virus as an excuse to centralize authority even further. Poland’s governing party, led by Jarosław Kaczynski, has taken a similar approach, mostly by neutralizing the judicial system. When the E.U. expanded to include Hungary, Poland and six other countries in 2004, the bloc’s leaders made the mistake of assuming that Eastern and Central Europe were on a one-way path to democracy and the rule of law. (The naïveté bears some resemblance to American assumptions about how China would democratize after joining global trade treaties.) As a result, the E.U. did not create an easy process for punishing countries that move away from democracy. Doing so can require either a unanimous vote or a supermajority, and Hungary and Poland have defeated either. Some European officials pushed for a tougher approach in the recent stimulus bill, but in the end, the E.U. leaders chose to avoid a big fight during a crisis. Afterward, Orban gloated about winning “a very important battle.” (This Times analysis does a nice job of explaining the debate.) There are no easy answers here. Allowing autocracy to flourish may encourage its rise in other countries. But confronting it risks pulling the E.U. apart. “In the long run, it seems to me, rule of law issues will undermine the E.U.,” Steven Erlanger, The Times’s chief diplomatic correspondent in Europe, says. FOUR MORE BIG STORIES 1. Big Tech under the microscope Mark Zuckerberg and the other executives testified via videoconference because of the coronavirus pandemic.Pool photo by Graeme Jennings The chief executives of Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook fielded more than five hours of tough questions from members of Congress. Unlike most congressional hearing these days, Democrats and Republicans acted as if they had a common foe, though for different reasons. Republicans questioned whether the platforms censored conservative viewpoints, while Democrats accused the companies of stifling competitors. In Europe: Officials are pursuing at least half a dozen new laws and regulations that target tech companies. 2. Coronavirus in the House Representative Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican who has frequently refused to wear a mask, has tested positive for the coronavirus. Gohmert has been actively participating in hearings this week. In a video recorded in his office after the diagnosis, Gohmert said he had probably gotten the “Wuhan virus” because he had occasionally worn a mask. Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded by requiring lawmakers and staff members to wear masks on the House floor, on penalty of removal. In other virus developments: A $600-a-week federal unemployment benefit that has helped keep tens of millions of Americans afloat is likely to expire on Friday, without agreement among the White House and Congress about whether to extend it. Vietnam is battling a small but growing outbreak after going months without a single confirmed case of local transmission. More than 150,000 Americans have now died from the coronavirus. The U.S. recorded 1,420 deaths yesterday, the highest one-day total since May 27. 3. Teachers are wary The first day of school at Corinth Elementary in Corinth, Miss., on Monday.Adam Robison/Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, via Associated Press Teachers and their unions are pushing back against plans to reopen schools, causing tensions with some parents and lawmakers. Many teachers say it’s unfair to ask them to return to crowded indoor spaces while a pandemic is raging, especially after they went beyond their normal duties in the spring. Unions are calling for longer school closures and stronger safety measures — as well as limits on what teachers must do in virtual classrooms. Without adequate safety provisions, some unions have threatened to strike. Critics say the unions are being inflexible and trying to have it both ways: reluctant to return to school, but also resistant to teaching online. “You can’t just keep saying you’re scared. We’re all scared,” said one parent, an essential worker in the Bronx with an autistic son. “Our kids need in-person learning.” How it could work: The Times has created an illustrated guide to how schools will try to control the coronavirus. A new podcast: “Nice White Parents” from Serial — a podcast company The New York Times recently acquired — investigates what happened when a group of white families arrived at a predominately Black school in Brooklyn. 4. Obama lets loose on Trump In private fund-raisers for Joe Biden, Barack Obama has unloaded on President Trump, bringing up accusations of sexual assault and warning about Trump’s efforts to push “nativist, racist, sexist” fears and resentments. At an event this week with the actor George Clooney, an attendee asked Obama what kept him up at night these days. His answer: fears of voter suppression and a potential effort by Trump to question the election’s legitimacy. Today: Obama is expected to deliver a eulogy for John Lewis, the civil rights leader and congressman, at his Atlanta funeral. In The Times: Two days before his death, Lewis submitted an Opinion piece that he hoped would be published on the day of his funeral. “Though I am gone, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart,” he wrote. Here’s what else is happening Federal agents in Portland, Ore., on Sunday.Spencer Platt/Getty Images Federal agents are set to begin withdrawing from Portland, Ore., today after Gov. Kate Brown and the Trump administration agreed on a plan to protect federal property. President Trump said that he did not bring up intelligence that Russia had offered bounties to kill American troops when he spoke with Vladimir Putin last week. Critics said it was Trump’s latest sign of softness on Russia. In Hong Kong, officials barred 12 candidates from running for office and arrested four people over pro-democacy messages posted online — further signs that Hong Kong’s special status is ending. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized in New York for a nonsurgical procedure to repair a bile duct stent. Lives Lived: The Danish pianist and composer Bent Fabric (real name Bent Fabricius-Bjerre) wrote music for movies, television, theater and ballet, but was perhaps best known for “Alley Cat,” a piano tune that took the world by storm in 1962 and became an earworm for the ages. Fabric died at 95. Continue reading the main story PAID POST: A MESSAGE FROM MOEN Demand Congress suspend water shutoffs during a global pandemic. Right now, millions of Americans are experiencing water shutoffs during a global pandemic, making handwashing impossible. Add your name at FoodAndWaterAction.org to demand Congress place a national moratorium on water shutoffs for the nearly 40 percent of Americans still at risk. Congress is expected to vote in the next week, and right now you have the chance to make your voice heard and #UnlockWaterForAll. ACT NOW IDEA OF THE DAY: ANXIOUS ADOLESCENTS The pandemic has isolated many children from their friends and extended families — and appears to be leading to a rise in mental health problems. In one recent survey, almost 80 percent of adolescent girls reported feeling more lonely since the pandemic began. “It’s not just the fear of missing out, it’s the actual missing out,” one expert told The Wall Street Journal. What can parents do to help? Show empathy. Parents should “recognize the very real losses that young people are feeling right now,” Ann Murphy of Rutgers University told The Los Angeles Times. Many adults can recreate parts of their pre-pandemic lives more easily than kids can. Create structure. A daily schedule can give children a needed sense of control, writes the psychologist Ann Kearney-Cooke. “Action is the antidote for anxiety and depression.” Limit screen time. Many girls are spending more time talking to friends on social media, while boys are turning to video games. Both can deepen loneliness. Vivek Murthy, the former U.S. surgeon general, suggests phone or video calls instead. Seek help. The pandemic has made it harder for many adolescents to receive mental health treatment. Online services can fill the gap. A listening recommendation: On the “Teenager Therapy” podcast, five California high schoolers talk mental health, family and regaining a semblance of normalcy during lockdown. Subscribers help make Times journalism possible. To support our efforts, please consider subscribing today. PLAY, WATCH, EAT, READ Food for a celebration Linda Xiao for The New York Times The Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha, also known as Eid el-Kabir, begins tonight in the United States. To celebrate — or just to enjoy a great meal — try Nargisse Benkabbou’s recipe for mrouzia, a Moroccan tagine of lamb shanks in a rich sauce infused with honey and raisins. The centuries-old dish, often served to commemorate special occasions, is delicious with couscous or bread. Find more recipes for the holiday here. Comic-Con goes online In normal times, more than 130,000 fans descend upon San Diego around this time of year for Comic-Con International, a pop-culture convention full of elaborate costumes and winding lines for merchandise and autographs. In 2020, of course, there was none of that. Instead, the event broadcast prerecorded panels (with guests like the cast of “Star Trek”) and online movie screenings (of crowd-pleasers like “Spaceballs”). The critic Maya Phillips, a longtime fan of the event, tuned in with high hopes but explains all the ways it went wrong. Fresh reads for August Akwaeke Emezi.Frances F. Denny for The New York Times In a small Nigerian town, the body of a young man turns up on his mother’s doorstep. That’s the setup for “The Death of Vivek Oji,” the third novel by Akwaeke Emezi, which is both a mystery and a coming-of-age story. Elisabeth Egan goes into more detail in her latest “Group Text” column — a monthly feature for book-club members and other readers. Diversions Here’s the ultimate summer checklist for gardeners. The author Helen Macdonald wrote a beautiful essay about swifts, graceful birds that may be “the closest things to aliens on Earth.” The late-night hosts took on the clash in Congress between lawmakers and tech executives. Games Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Only mammal that can fly (3 letters). You can find all of our puzzles here. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David P.S. Yesterday, we sent out a broken link regarding one of the internet’s favorite mysteries: Where are Bob Ross’s landscape paintings now? Here’s that video. You can see today’s print front page here. Today’s episode of “The Daily” is about the tech executives’ clash with lawmakers. On “The Argument,” Anne Applebaum explains how the right embraced authoritarianism. We’d like your feedback! Please fill out this short form. Ian Prasad Philbrick and Sanam Yar contributed to The Morning. You can reach the team at themorning@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. The Morning Briefing newsletter is now The Morning newsletter. You received this email because you signed up for the newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018