The Rundown: Florida Reports ICUs Filled to Capacity

TEXAS BECOMES THIRD STATE TO HAVE 10K CORONAVIRUS CASES IN ONE DAY; 56 FLORIDA ICUs FULL: Texas reported more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the highest daily total for the state since the pandemic began, becoming just the third state to report more than 10,000 cases in a single day, which New York did in April at the height of its outbreak, and Florida did last week. That was just one indicator of the virus surging in many states.

Among others: Florida officials said yesterday that at least 56 intensive care units in the state's hospitals were at capacity, and another 35 hospitals only had 10 percent or less of ICU bed availability; the number of coronavirus hospitalizations in California reached its highest number yet, and the state also had a record number of patients in ICUs; and Georgia passed 100,000 coronavirus cases, the ninth state to do so. There have been more than 131,400 deaths in the U.S. as of last night, according to Johns Hopkins University's count, and more than 2,993,000 confirmed cases.

As cases have been surging for, the death rate has continued to go down, but Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said yesterday, "It's a false narrative to take comfort in a lower rate of death." Speaking during a livestream with Senator Doug Jones of Alabama, he said, "There's so many other things that are very dangerous and bad about this virus, don't get yourself into false complacency."

Newsday 7/8/20

Trump Presses for Schools to Reopen: President Trump said yesterday that he wants schools to reopen this fall and will push state and local officials to do so. Speaking at a White House roundtable attended by health and education leaders who said schools and colleges can reopen safely, Trump said, "We’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools." Trump also accused without basis that Democrats want to keep schools closed because, quote, "They think it's going to be good for them politically." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention head Dr. Robert Redfield said they're encouraging all schools to reopen and have provided guidelines that include students and teachers wearing masks, spreading out desks, staggering schedules, eating meals in classrooms instead of the cafeteria, and adding physical barriers between bathroom sinks. Meanwhile, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said plans announced some schools to have students physically in school for just some days of the week isn't acceptable, saying they must fully reopen, stating, "Anything short of that robs students, not to mention taxpayers, of their future."

➤U.S. NOTIFIES U.N. OF WITHDRAWAL FROM WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: The State Department said Tuesday that it had formally notified the United Nations that the U.S. is withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO), following through on President Trump's announcement in May. Trump has criticized the WHO for its response to the coronavirus pandemic, and charged it had given in to China. However, the withdrawal won't take effect until next July, and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said yesterday that he will reverse the decision on his first day in office if he's elected. Under the terms of the withdrawal, the U.S., which is the WHO's largest donor, must meet its financial obligations before it can be finalized.

➤TOP U.S. GENERAL: RUSSIAN BOUNTY INTELLIGENCE NOT PROVEN, BUT 'PROVED ENOUGH TO WORRY' HIM: General Frank McKenzie, the top U.S. general overseeing operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan, told reporters Tuesday that the intelligence about Russia offering Taliban militants bounties to kill U.S. troops wasn't proven, but was, quote, "very worrisome." He said, "It was proved enough to worry me. It wasn't proved enough that I'd take it to a court of law," adding, "That's often true in battlefield intelligence." McKenzie's comments were the first time a Pentagon official has answered questions about the U.S. intelligence assessment that Russia had offered the cash bounties. He stated, "I sent the intelligence guys back to continue to dig on it. And I believe they're continuing to dig right now." The New York Times first reported on June 26th about the intelligence assessment, saying President Trump had been briefed months ago, which Trump has denied. Trump has since continued to downplay the intelligence, recently calling it a hoax. 

➤FBI PROBING REPORTED ASSAULT ON BLACK INDIANA MAN IN WHICH 'GET A NOOSE' SAID THREATENED: The FBI said yesterday that it's investigating the reported assault of a Black civil rights activist in Indiana by a group of white men, in which the man, Vauhxx Booker, said he was pinned against a tree, had racial slurs shouted at him, and heard one of the men threaten to, quote, "get a noose." Some of the assault on Booker, who is also a member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, was caught on cellphone video by his friends. The incident took place over the Fourth of July weekend at Monroe Lake near Bloomington.

➤EAGLES' JACKSON APOLOGIZES FOR SHARING ANTI-SEMITIC POSTS: Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson apologized twice yesterday after he shared anti-Semitic posts over the weekend. One was a screenshot of a quote he attributed to Adolf Hitler that says, in part, "Jews will blackmail America. [They] will extort America, their plan for world domination won't work if the Negroes know who they were," and another showed support for Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has used anti-Semitic rhetoric. 

Jackson said in a video he posted on Instagram yesterday, "My post was definitely not intended for anybody of any race to feel any type of way, especially the Jewish community. I . . . just probably never should have posted anything Hitler did, because Hitler was a bad person, and I know that." In a later apology, Jackson said, "I want to apologize to the Jewish community . . . for the insensitive and ill-informed posts that I shared on my social media. My intention was to uplift, unite and encourage our culture with positivity and light. Unfortunately, that did not happen. I unintentionally hurt the Jewish community in the process and for that I am sorry! . . . This apology is more than just words -- it is a promise to do better." 

The Eagles said in a statement, "Regardless of his intentions, the messages he shared were offensive, harmful, and absolutely appalling." The NFL also issued a statement, in which they called the comments, quote, "highly inappropriate, offensive and divisive and stand in stark contrast to the NFL’s values of respect, equality and inclusion."

➤HAMILTON BOOSTS DISNEY: When the Tony Award-winning hit Broadway musical Hamilton debuted on Disney of the 4th of July weekend, the app was downloaded 752,451 times globally, including 458,796 times in the U.S., from Friday to Sunday, 74% more times than the four previous weekends in June.

Meanwhile, Disney said Tuesday that it still plans to reopen Disney World from its coronavirus shutdown this coming Saturday to a limited number of guests, despite the surge in cases of the virus in Florida. Some Disney World workers have signed a petition asking that the reopening be delayed because of what's happening in Florida, where coronavirus cases have soared in the last month. Disney's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Pamela Hymel, said in a statement yesterday that new policies that have been put in place for Disney World, including temperature checks, required face masks, and extra cleaning, will allow guests to visit the theme park "responsibly." Disney closed down in theme parks in March because of the pandemic.