Your Monday Evening Briefing

August 10, 2020

Your Monday Evening Briefing

By Victoria Shannon and Hiroko Masuike

Good evening. Here’s the latest.

Anna Moneymaker for The New York Times

1. Fresh relief for Americans hit hard by the coronavirus recession remained distant, and new presidential directives caused confusion and criticism.

Under the measures that President Trump announced Saturday, those eligible for unemployment aid would receive an extra $400 weekly, with the federal government covering only $300 of that amount and states making up the difference. Above, Mr. Trump with his executive orders.

A number of governors expressed alarm about having to make up the $100 difference, as many states have seen tax revenue plummet during the pandemic. And because Congress controls the federal budget, the president’s directives will almost certainly be challenged in court.

It was unclear when negotiations would resume over how to close the gap between a $3.4 trillion measure the House approved in May and a roughly $1 trillion package that Republicans unveiled last month. Lawmakers have largely left the capital to return to their home districts.

Continue reading the main story

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

2. A proposed rule would block Americans that could have the coronavirus from entering the U.S.

The regulation would allow border officials to temporarily block American citizens and legal permanent residents from returning from abroad if authorities believe they may be infected with the coronavirus.

Continue reading the main story

Federal agencies have been asked to submit feedback to the White House by Tuesday, though it was unclear when President Trump might approve or announce the rule. Above, the border between Mexicali, Mexico, and Calexico, Calif.

A draft memo, parts of which were obtained by The Times, said the prohibition would apply “only in the rarest of circumstances,” but if Mr. Trump approved the change, it would be an escalation of his government’s longstanding attempts to seal the border against what he considers to be threats.

Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

3. The Clintons and the Obamas will be among the speakers at the mostly virtual Democratic National Convention next week.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, a Republican who is a harsh critic of President Trump, will deliver addresses Monday night. Hillary Clinton, above, will deliver a prime-time speech next Wednesday, as will Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts if she is not selected as Joe Biden’s running mate, officials said.

Mr. Biden, the former vice president and presumptive presidential nominee, will speak from Delaware on Thursday, the final night of the convention. Former President Barack Obama’s time slot has not been announced, and neither has Michelle Obama’s.

Mr. Biden is expected to announce his running mate this week. His advisers say he has spoken in recent days with several of the leading candidates, as well as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.

And President Trump tweeted that he may make his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination in Gettysburg, Pa., or at the White House.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

4. McDonald’s sued its former C.E.O., claiming that he lied about sexual relationships with three employees in the year before his ouster.

Steve Easterbrook, above, was fired and replaced eight months ago for sexting with a subordinate. For the most part, corporate executives under a similar cloud have departed quietly, and companies haven’t aired the ugly details.

But a new allegation from an anonymous tip about Mr. Easterbrook has ignited a public war, with McDonald’s seeking to recoup stock options and other compensation that it allowed Mr. Easterbrook to keep — a package worth more than $40 million, by one estimate.

Mr. Easterbrook’s lawyer didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times

5. Lebanon’s prime minister and cabinet resigned.

In a televised address, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said he was acting after widespread anger over last week’s explosion, which killed more than 150 people, wounded 6,000 and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

The blast added to existing frustration with the country’s political elite for what many in Lebanon consider decades of corruption and mismanagement. Above, protesters near the Parliament today.

Mr. Diab, in office since January, said his government had sought to put in place changes called for by the Lebanese people but was blocked by political foes he declined to name. It is unclear who will now take charge of the recovery from the blast.

Vernon Yuen/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

6. The Hong Kong police arrested Jimmy Lai, a prominent pro-democracy publisher, and several of his associates under the territory’s new national security law.

The sweep, unusual in its scale and target, stoked concerns that the law imposed by Beijing would be used to curb the city’s press. Mr. Lai, above, and his newspaper, Apple Daily, have long irritated the Chinese Communist Party with their support of democracy in Hong Kong.

The campaign against the pro-democracy movement has drawn a global outcry. On Friday, the Trump administration placed sanctions on Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, and 10 other officials over their roles in suppressing dissent. China retaliated by placing sanctions on 11 American nonprofit leaders and lawmakers, including Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

7. Chicago police officers arrested more than 100 people on charges of looting, battery against the police and disorderly conduct. A curfew was imposed on downtown starting tonight.

Hundreds of people converged early Monday on the city’s upscale shopping district, breaking windows and ransacking stores. The chaotic scene prompted officials to briefly raise bridges downtown and halt nearby public transit. Thirteen police officers, a civilian and a security guard were injured. Above, Yogi Dalal with his daughters Jigisha, right, and Kajal at the family food and liquor store after it was vandalized.

The police said the looting had apparently grown out of a shooting between the police and a man with a gun that took place on the South Side. Like many other cities across the country, Chicago has seen a spike in gun crimes this summer.

“What occurred downtown and in surrounding communities was abject criminal behavior, pure and simple,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said this morning.

Benjamin Rasmussen for The New York Times

8. This could be the largest public gathering in the U.S. since the first coronavirus cases emerged here in the spring.

Officials expected about 250,000 motorcycle enthusiasts, about half the attendance of last year, in Sturgis, S.D., for the town’s annual biker rally.

We spoke with a few of those attending about why they came. Many said they were not concerned about the virus, as they walked around without masks, took helicopter rides and attended outdoor concerts and motorcycle shows.

Peter Komka/MTI, via Associated Press

9. Amazon has plans to launch 3,236 satellites. SpaceX’s goal is 12,000. And OneWeb has already put hundreds into orbit.

They all aim to extend high-speed internet service around the world, including to remote or underserved communities. But astronomers are worried.

With only about 2,600 satellites aloft right now, skywatchers are increasingly alarmed because of the orbs’ propensity to photobomb astronomical images with bright streaks. Above, a long-exposure image of a satellite’s track near Salgotarjan, Hungary.

Scientists are also worried about the lack of regulation as more entrants join the action. “It feels like putting a bunch of planes up and then not having air traffic control,” a planetary astronomer in New Zealand said.

Bertrand Guay/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

10. And finally, if you drink Fresca or Squirt, you’re now also swallowing the latest mosquito repellent.

Nootkatone, an oil found in cedar trees and grapefruits, won approval today from the Environmental Protection Agency as an insect repellent. It is so safe that it is used as a flavor and fragrance by the food and perfume industries.

The chemical is not oily, lasts for hours and has a grapefruit-like scent. And it repels mosquitoes, ticks (like the one above), bedbugs and fleas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bonus: It may also be effective against lice, sandflies, midges and other pests.

Have an all-natural evening. And don’t let the bedbugs bite.

Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern.

Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here.

What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com.

Continue reading the main story