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| Happy Thursday, Daily Briefing readers! Today, three former presidents are expected to attend the funeral for civil rights icon John Lewis, an unmanned rover that will look for clues of ancient life on Mars is set to launch and after a four-month hiatus, basketball is back. |
| It's N'dea, and here's what else you need to know today. |
Three former presidents to attend John Lewis' funeral in Atlanta |
| Three former presidents are expected to attend the funeral Thursday for civil rights icon John Lewis, a remarkable nod of respect from the highest level of government. Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will attend. So will Barack Obama, who is expected to deliver a eulogy, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. The service for Lewis will take place at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church Horizon Sanctuary, marking the end of a series of events that honored Lewis in Atlanta , Washington, D.C., and Alabama. Lewis, who died July 17 after battling Stage IV pancreatic cancer, left behind a titanic legacy of civil rights and social justice activism. He was one of the organizers of the March on Washington, D.C., in 1963, along with Martin Luther King Jr. |
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The latest on racial justice protests and more on race in America |
| USA TODAY is launching a new newsletter centered on issues of race and identity! But first, we want to hear from you. Please fill out this survey and become a part of helping us shape what this newsletter becomes. |
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Mission to Mars: NASA plans rover launch to look for signs of life 🚀 |
| An unmanned rover will look for clues of ancient life in the dry bed of a vanished lake in NASA's upcoming Mars mission — set to launch Thursday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida . If all goes as planned, the Mars 2020 Perseverance — along with its companion, the Ingenuity helicopter — will embark on a six-month journey to Mars and land on Jezero Crater. The mission will mark the first time NASA attempts to fly a helicopter on Mars, the first time the space agency will have microphones on the rover to record sound on the red planet and the first to have zoom capability on its camera. |
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Another grim milestone in the fight against coronavirus |
| The U.S. surged past 150,000 COVID-19 fatalities Wednesday as states battle a resurgence of the virus with differing attitudes about how to stop the spread. The bleak milestone, reported by Johns Hopkins, comes on the heels of the U.S. hitting 4 million confirmed infections July 23. And there is not much relief in sight. The three most populous states – California, Texas and Florida – were among several that set seven-day records for virus deaths this week. Others set records for new cases. Tennessee and Arkansas set records for both. |
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GDP: We'll see Thursday just how bad the economy was in Q2 📉 |
| The unprecedented collapse that the U.S. economy suffered in the second quarter will be laid bare Thursday, with a report projected to show a record 35% annualized drop in gross domestic product . As states shut down restaurants, stores, factories and other businesses to contain the spread of the coronavirus, nearly every corner of the economy was hammered, analysts say. Gross domestic product, or GDP, represents all goods and services produced in the country. The economy's partial backslide is expected to be underscored by Thursday's report on last week's initial jobless claims, which is projected to rise by about 15,000 to 1.43 million. |
More news everyone is talking about |
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NBA fans rejoice! Basketball is back 🏀 |
| After a four-month hiatus, the NBA will restart its season Thursday at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, without any fans, one of many safety precautions the league has taken to resume operations during the coronavirus pandemic. TNT will showcase a doubleheader with the New Orleans Pelicans playing the Utah Jazz (6:30 p.m. ET) followed by the Los Angeles Lakers facing the Clippers (9 p.m. ET). The NBA has installed 17-foot video boards that will feature 320 "virtual fans" and display a player's profile after a made shot. The arena also has an in-house DJ that plays music frequently throughout the game and during timeouts. Every TNT and ESPN telecast will feature up to 31 cameras, including ones that are placed courtside and below the rim. The networks will amplify their microphones to pick up sneaker squeaks, ball bounces and on-court trash talk and strategy. |
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Fact or fiction? ✅ |
| Seeing misinformation on social media? Let us fact check that for you. See the latest work from our fact checking team in our newest newsletter, Checking the Facts. |
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GLAAD Media Awards go virtual 🏆 |
| After being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the GLAAD awards are back on schedule Thursday for an online ceremony. The annual awards highlight artists and creators for their contributions to increasing LGBTQ+ representation in Hollywood. This year, pop star Taylor Swift and Pose producer Janet Mock will be honored for their work to support the LGBTQ+ community. The media advocacy organization also announced a star-studded lineup ahead of Thursday's show, with comedians Fortune Feimster and Gina Yashere hosting the gala. Other special guests include Dolly Parton, the cast of FX's "Pose," Dwayne Wade, Gabrielle Union, Gigi Gorgeous, Lilly Singh and Demi Lovato. |
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In better news: 2020 has been tough, here's 100 good things that happened 😊 |
| We are only halfway through 2020 and it's the worst — beloved celebrities have died, we are in the grips of a worldwide pandemic and we are living in a country upended by a fight for racial equality. It really does not feel like a moment to see the glass as half full or make lemonade out of lemons. But, we are going to try. From small acts of kindness to new albums that got us dancing, here are 100 good things that happened in 2020 so far , compiled by USA TODAY's Life staff. Maybe this list will help. |
 | | There are some good things that happened in 2020, like the woman who celebrated COVID-19 recovery with a beer or the new line of crayons from Crayola in a range of skin tones. We found 100 positive stories. | | Photo illustration | |
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