1. Trump takes on China...and Biden

At a Rose Garden press conference yesterday afternoon, ostensibly held to focus on sanctions against China, President Trump rambled on for more than an hour, attacking former Vice President Joe Biden on everything from climate-change policy to healthcare. The substantive portion of the presser occurred within the first 10 minutes, when Trump announced that he had signed into law a bipartisan sanctions bill to punish Chinese officials over Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong. It's the latest in a series of U.S. actions against China, and others are taking a stand as well. —The Wall Street Journal

• — Hong Kong. A younger, more defiant generation of pro-democracy Hongkongers has secured the most votes in unofficial primary elections held last weekend, setting the stage for a battle with pro-China politicians for control of the city's 70-seat legislature on Sept. 6. —Reuters
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• — Japan. In its annual white paper on its defense policy, published yesterday, Japan accuses China of "disinformation" about the coronavirus. It also expresses "deep concern" about Beijing's claims in the South China Sea and the disputed Senkaku Islands, echoing concerns voiced by the U.S. earlier this week. —Euronews
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• — United Kingdom. The U.S. is celebrating the UK's reversal on allowing Chinese telecom giant Huawei into its 5G network, after months of diplomatic pressure on the British government. Buying Huawei equipment will be banned in the UK at the end of the year, and all existing gear must be ripped out by the end of 2027. —The Hill

2. Burns: Reinventing US foreign policy

"The U.S. can...shape the environment into which China rises, taking advantage of the web of allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific—from Japan and South Korea to a rising India—who worry about China's ascendance. That will require working with them—and engaging Chinese leadership directly—to bound rivalry with Beijing, define the terms for coexistence, prevent competition from becoming a collision, and preserve space for cooperation on global challenges." —The Atlantic

Ed. Note: William Burns is the President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former deputy secretary of state.

3. Do you trust POTUS with your data?

That's the question health officials across the country are asking themselves, as hospitals have been told to redirect their coronavirus-related data to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, rather than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some independent groups have raised concerns that the change could make it harder for the public to find reliable statistics on caseload, ICU capacity, and bed utilization. Others fear that's the whole point. —Bloomberg

• — Mask up, people! If everyone in the U.S. wore a face mask, the coronavirus pandemic could be "under control" within four to eight weeks, according to CDC Director Robert Redfield, pointing to research that shows that the positivity rate of confirmed cases decreases in populations with masking. "The time is now. We really need to embrace masking," he said. —Axios
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• — And now for some good news. Facing eight federal lawsuits and opposition from hundreds of universities, the Trump Administration has rescinded a rule that would have required international students to transfer or leave the country if their schools held classes entirely online because of the coronavirus pandemic. —Associated Press
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• — Here's some more good news. A COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Cambridge, Mass.-based biotech company Moderna, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, spurred immune responses in healthy subjects who received it, according to the first published data about the small, early-stage clinical trial. —The Boston Globe

4. Barry: Let’s get it right this time 

"Had we done [our pandemic response] right the first time, we'd be operating at near 100% now, schools would be preparing for a nearly normal school year, football teams would be preparing to practice—and tens of thousands of Americans would not have died. This is our second chance. We won't get a third." —The New York Times

Ed. Note: John Barry is the author of "The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History."

5. Stoking the racial divide

In a CBS News interview yesterday, President Trump doubled down on some of his more polarizing views regarding race in the U.S. When asked why Black people are still dying at the hands of law enforcement officers, he responded, "What a terrible question to ask. So are white people. More white people, by the way." (On a percentage basis, this is incorrect.) On whether the Confederate flag should be "taken down" in public places, Trump said, "I know people that like the Confederate flag, and they're not thinking about slavery." He added, "It's freedom of speech." —Reuters

• — Stuck in the '60s? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called allegations that racial minorities are contending with voter suppression "nonsense," and defended the current role of police in society, signaling limits to how far Republicans will go in response to demands for change. "[T]here are still problems, but it is dramatically better in almost every measurable way since it was in the 1960s," he said. —The Wall Street Journal
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• — Protesters partially blinded. At protests that erupted nationwide on May 30—in the aftermath of George Floyd's death while in police custody—eight people lost vision in one eye after being struck by what are known as "less lethal" munitions, shot by law enforcement officers. —The Washington Post

6. Cooper: The bigger issues at stake

"Why did [Amy] Cooper so easily tap into that toxic racial bias in the heat of the moment when she was looking for a leg up in our confrontation? Why is it surprising to no one that the police might come charging to her aid with special vengeance on hearing that an African American was involved? And most important of all, how do we fix policing so that scenarios such as this are replaced by a criminal justice system that is truly just and equitable to black people?" —The Washington Post

Ed. Note: Christian Cooper is a New York City resident whose encounter with a fellow New Yorker, Amy Cooper, went viral in May. He has declined to aid the investigation of the incident by the Manhattan district attorney.

7. US congressman charged with voter fraud

Republican Rep. Steve Watkins was charged yesterday with three felonies and a misdemeanor related to an investigation into whether he illegally voted in a 2019 municipal election. The freshman congressman from Topeka, Kan., has denied the allegations.

• — Watkins used a Topeka UPS store as his registration address for the election and allegedly voted in the wrong city council district. Watkins was living with his parents at the time but used the UPS address to obscure that fact.
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• — Jake LaTurner, Watkins' GOP opponent in the state's upcoming primary, called the charges "a key issue," as voters in the 2nd District choose a nominee to face the likely Democratic challenger, Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla. —The Kansas City Star

8. Election takeaways in AL, ME, TX

The most high-profile defeat in yesterday's primary and runoff elections was that of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who lost his Senate GOP primary in Alabama to former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville. Tuberville, who was endorsed by President Trump, will face incumbent Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in November.

• — Maine. Another highly anticipated November Senate race will take place in Maine. Republican Sen. Susan Collins will defend her seat against Democrat Sara Gideon, the state's House speaker, who defeated two more progressive candidates in yesterday's primary.
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• — Texas. Dr. Ronny Jackson, Trump's former chief physician and one-time nominee for Veterans Affairs secretary, defeated Josh Winegarner in the Republican runoff for the U.S. House seat in the state's 13th District. Trump had backed Jackson, while outgoing Rep. Mac Thornberry backed Winegarner. —CNN

9. NR Ed Board: President, heal thyself

"As for Trump, one reason that his ratings are so low on the handling of COVID-19 is that he has been unwilling, with exceptions at times, to frankly acknowledge the seriousness of the virus. Warring with Anthony Fauci over the scientist’s sincere judgments about our policy failures and the continued threat of the virus is just another way of avoiding the matter at hand—namely the resurgence in cases that puts at risk the partial reopenings in much of the country." —National Review

MORE: Trump adviser knocks Fauci: Wrong about 'everything' —The Hill

10. An American Story: A happy reunion

Mary Daniel of Jacksonville, Fla., had not seen her husband, Steve, who has early-onset Alzheimer's disease, in 114 days, after the state barred visitors from care centers due to the pandemic. So, she came up with an idea to see her husband of 24 years.

• — Mary reached out to the care center staff to inquire about a potential job, just for the opportunity to see Steve in person again. A few weeks passed, and they hired Mary as a dishwasher.

• — Mary said that she takes COVID-19 very seriously. "The last thing I want is to be reckless and bring it in there," she said. "I've been tested three times. I'm not going places I don’t need to go. If I have to go to the grocery store, I’m social distancing."
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• — When the couple finally reunited in person, Mary said that Steve became teary-eyed and even said her name, a sign that he recognized his wife. —TODAY

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