Global COVID Cases Top 30 Million; Trump Announces 'Patriotic Education' Commission; Why James {NAME}’s Fire Still Burns

Plus, Black Sabbath’s iconic heavy metal album, ‘Paranoid,’ turns 50. by Jill Hudson and Suzette Lohmeyer First Up [A man holds a sign that says "VOTE" outside Mankato Regional Airport as President Trump makes a campaign stop on Aug. 17 in Mankato, Minn. Both Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden visit the state Friday.]( Stephen Maturen/Getty Images Here's what we're following today. President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden both travel to northern Minnesota on Friday to mark the beginning of early voting. The Trump campaign has its eyes on [flipping the state]( which Hillary Clinton won in 2016 by just under 45,000 votes. In austere, starkly divisive remarks, President Trump on Thursday said he would create a commission to promote "patriotic education" and announced the creation of a grant to develop a "pro-American curriculum." In the speech, the president decried what he said was a "twisted web of lies" being taught in U.S. classrooms about systemic racism in America, calling it "[a form of child abuse]( The worldwide count of known COVID-19 infections climbed past 30 million on Thursday, with more than half of them from just [three countries]( the U.S., India and Brazil, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. And the World Health Organization says [coronavirus cases are rising in Europe]( at a higher rate than during the pandemic's peak in March. On Thursday, Republican Voters Against Trump featured Olivia Troye — a former aide to Vice President Pence as a special adviser for homeland security — in a new online attack ad. Troye said the president’s biggest concern about the coronavirus had been how it would affect his re-election. Trump responded by telling reporters Troye was "[some kind of a lower-level person]( and said he doesn't remember meeting her or talking to her. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Elections 2020 [Ballot envelopes sit in a bin at the Voter Registration office. ]( Hannah Yoon for NPR Election workers around the country are preparing for what could be one of the most chaotic elections in history. There's not only a pandemic, but [dozens of ongoing legal fights]( over voting rules. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy sought to reassure a group of the nation's top election officials during a tense phone call on Thursday that [election mail]( is his agency's highest priority. FBI Director Christopher Wray on Thursday warned that Russia is interfering in the 2020 U.S. presidential elections with a steady stream of misinformation aimed at Democrat Joe Biden as well as sapping Americans’ confidence in the election process. ([Reuters]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listens [James {NAME} poses while at home in Saint Paul de Vence, France, September 1985.]( Ulf Andersen/Getty Images In a moment when America is undertaking an uncomfortable reckoning with its racial inequality and violence, we wanted to look back at someone who concentrated on race in America his entire life. Considered to be one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, James {NAME} wrote incessantly about the societal issues that still exist today. The Throughline podcast looks at the meaning and purpose of {NAME}'s work and how his words can help us navigate the current moment. [Listen here](. [Black Sabbath circa 1970.]( Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Fifty years ago, the rock group Black Sabbath released an album that defined the sound of what became heavy metal. Paranoid came together rapidly and delivered bleak but unforgettable songs about war, corruption and trauma. [Listen here]( or [read the story](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [Sarah Paulson plays Mildred Ratched in the Netflix series Ratched.]( Saeed Adyani/Netflix - Pop Culture Happy Hour co-host Linda Holmes says the new series Ratched is [beautiful to look at]( packed with creator Ryan Murphy’s signature excess — and really bad. - Less than a week after winning the US Open, tennis star Naomi Osaka announced that she will not play in the French Open in Paris. ([CNN International]( - NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans tells us who he thinks should win the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards with his own prize he calls [The Deggys](. - Museums are facing mounting pressure to diversify their collections. At the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, one artist created [a fund to acquire other pieces]( by under-represented artists. --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow [The New Normal]( on Instagram! 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. 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