6 Minutes or Less: 1918 Pandemic & Today’s
This newsletter-only feature will be available only to paid subscribers: I ask a thought leader or expert to educate/enlighten/explain an issue via audio in 6 Minutes or Less.
Issue: All 50 states reopened. U.S. coronavirus deaths approach 100,000. The virus swells in South America.
Question: What lessons should we apply today from the 1918 flu pandemic?
Guest: Dr. Howard Markel studies the history of pandemics. He is the Director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan and a New York Times bestselling author.
Housekeeping:
Welcome to the Weekender — a combination of news, profiles, and good reads that you might not see during the week.
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The World
New York Times devotes its entire Sunday front page to coronavirus victims. (New York Times)
China’s Foreign Minister warned the U.S. to stop taking them “to the brink of a new Cold War.” Meanwhile, Hong Kong police fired tear gas and used a water cannon as thousands took to the streets to protest Beijing’s planned national security law. (Washington Post, South China Morning Post)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted a military meeting to discuss new policies to bolster the country's nuclear capabilities amid stalled denuclearisation talks with the U.S. (Nikkei Asian Review)
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to reduce Huawei’s involvement in Britain’s 5G network. Johnson instructed officials to draw up plans that would see China’s involvement in the UK’s infrastructure scaled down to zero by 2023. (The Telegraph)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first sitting prime minister to go on trial for public corruption. Netanyahu says he has been framed. (Jerusalem Post, Reuters)
Global emissions plunged an unprecedented 17 percent during the coronavirus pandemic. But scientists say the drivers of global warming could quickly bounce back as social distancing ends and economies rebound. (Washington Post)
Mexico and Brazil reported record numbers of infections and deaths almost daily this week, fueling criticism of their presidents, who have slow-walked shutdowns in an attempt to limit economic damage. Meanwhile, as Brazil solidifies its status as the world’s new hotspot, the nation’s disjointed response is fueling concern that the worst is yet to come. (Associated Press, Bloomberg)
The University of Michigan won’t have a football season this fall unless all students are able to be back on campus for classes. And, according to President Mark Schlissel — an immunologist by training — that’s not a sure thing. (Wall Street Journal)
Profiles & Reads
The Twilight of the Iranian Revolution: For decades, Ayatollah Khamenei has professed enmity with America. Now his regime is threatened from within the country. (New Yorker)
Economist and Freakonomics co-author Steven Levitt conducted a study that randomized decision-making for people who felt like they were at forks in their respective roads. Those who were told to—and did—make big changes were happier six months down the road. (Quartz)
Venetians are retaking their city, both from the coronavirus and from tourists that have famously overrun it. After three months of near-total lockdown, Venice appears unusually quiet — and clean. Meanwhile, Italy’s leader of the far-right finds himself sidelined. (Associated Press, The Telegraph)
Tempers rise as parents are divided on whether colleges should open this fall. Some schools intend to go online-only, while others say they are opening, leading to major disagreements over what families should do. (Wall Street Journal)
Americans’ confidence in medical scientists has grown since the outbreak began, as have perceptions that medical doctors hold very high ethical standards. But this increase in confidence has come primarily among Democrats, not Republicans. (Pew Research Center)
Bill Simmons just wants to win: Simmons sold The Ringer, his podcast-heavy digital outlet, to Spotify. The deal was finalized in March. Almost overnight, entertainment and sports — The Ringer’s primary coverage areas — ground to a halt. (New York Magazine)
How a Johns Hopkins professor and her Chinese students tracked coronavirus: The story behind the incredible Covid-19 dashboard. (Wall Street Journal)
Good News
Summer reading suggestions, handpicked for your taste: If you know what you’ve liked in the past, these books might work for you now. (New York Times)
Tiger and Peyton vs. Phil and Tom: Two of the best quarterbacks in NFL history face off again, this time on the golf course in a charity match with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. (Golf Digest, Wall Street Journal)
The English towers and landmarks that inspired Tolkien's hobbit sagas. (The Guardian)
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Honoring 100,000