Dire Daily COVID Record; Rethinking America’s Monuments; Backyard Birding 101

Plus, the history of white supremacy in America’s Christian churches. by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson First Up [A business in San Antonio posts a reminder about face masks. ]( Eric Gay/AP Here's what we're following today. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University on Wednesday reported a new pandemic record: nearly 50,000 new coronavirus cases in the U.S. in a single day. That number brings the total to [almost 2.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases]( in the U.S. — more than double the number in Brazil, which ranks second. Dr. Anthony Fauci told NPR that the dire threat of 100,000 COVID-19 cases a day, which he mentioned earlier this week in Senate testimony, [doesn’t have to happen]( if guidelines are followed for curbing the spread of the virus. Employers added 4.8 million jobs last month, as the U.S. economy continued to slowly bounce back from a deep and painful coronavirus recession. The unemployment rate dipped to 11.1%, though there are [indications that the job growth has slowed]( recently amid a surge of new coronavirus infections. California was one of the first states to shut down because of the pandemic, and it is currently experiencing one of the country's worst surges. On Wednesday, [Governor Gavin Newsom]( ordered 19 counties to close many businesses if they can’t operate outdoors. New York City also said no more indoor restaurant dining. The orders come as service-industry businesses were preparing for the Fourth of July weekend – seen by many as a potential bright spot in an otherwise dismal economic year. Congressional leaders, known as the “Gang of Eight,” are expected to meet with intelligence officials on Thursday. The closed door briefing follows reports that Taliban-linked fighters were paid to kill U.S. troops and coalition forces in Afghanistan. The Trump administration has been facing [bipartisan calls for a full briefing]( on the matter. Russian voters passed a referendum allowing President Vladimir Putin to remain in office until 2036. In addition to a reset of presidential terms allowing Putin to run twice more, the referendum includes [some 200 other amendments]( including guaranteed minimum pensions, a ban on same-sex marriage and an affirmation of the Russian people's belief in God. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listens Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images If you pay attention to what's going on in your own backyard, ornithologist Viviana Ruiz Gutierrez says the birds you see will likely put on a great show. In this episode of the Short Wave podcast, Gutierrez provides a primer on migration, mating dances, nesting, and tips on how to be hospitable to the birds in your neighborhood. ([Listen here]( A typical Fourth of July usually has lots of flags, fireworks and parades. But 2020 has not been a typical year. In Montgomery, Ohio — a small suburban Cincinnati community of about 10,000 — the annual Fourth of July parade is a long tradition. So when the pandemic threatened to cancel the annual parade, they decided to retool it. Each of the 50 or so parade entrants will have their own space safely apart from each other, kind of like a big flea market. Spectators, however, will stay in their cars and weave up and down the aisles. ([Listen here]( or [read the story]( For months, Joe Biden has been facing growing demands to choose a Black woman as his running mate. But many progressives are loudly calling for the former vice president to pick Elizabeth Warren. They insist the liberal senator, who's long been a darling of the left, would help the presumptive Democratic nominee win over skeptical young voters. ([Listen here]( or [read the story]( --------------------------------------------------------------- History Lesson [Two blood-splattered Freedom Riders, John Lewis and James Zwerg, stand together after segregationists attacked them in the early 1960s in Montgomery, Ala. Lewis, then a young civil rights activist, would later become a member of Congress from Georgia.]( Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Some white Americans these days are struggling to understand how racism is rooted in their country. They may find answers in some surprising places, like their own churches. While many Christian pastors have been active in the struggle for racial justice, churches at times have also supported the notion of white supremacy. ([Listen here]( or [read the story]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [Thomas Ball's sculpture Emancipation Memorial in Boston. ]( Jesse Costa/WBUR - Boston officials say they will remove the sculpture Emancipation Monument which has stood in Park Square since 1879. It depicts a formerly enslaved man [kneeling before Abraham Lincoln](. And in Virginia, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney ordered [the emergency removal of multiple Confederate statues]( including one of Stonewall Jackson. - Reviewer Jessica Wick says she shouldn't have read Silvia Moreno-Garcia's new novel before bed — Mexican Gothic is [a creepy confection of Gothic tropes]( set in 1950s Mexico that will leave you unsettled long after you turn the last page. - Fox News has fired one of its leading news anchors, [Ed Henry]( following an outside investigation of "willful sexual misconduct in the workplace." — Suzette Lohmeyer contributed to this report. The Daily News will not publish on Friday, July 3rd. Enjoy your holiday weekend! --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [dailynewsletter@npr.org](mailto:dailynewsletter@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](