Global: Total confirmed cases: ~15,595,000; deaths: ~636,000

U.S.: Total confirmed cases: ~4,074,000; deaths: ~145,000

Source: Johns Hopkins University

1/ The CDC published new guidance recommending that schools reopen in the fall – two weeks after Trump criticized its earlier recommendations on school reopenings as “very tough and expensive.� The new guidelines start with an unsigned statement on “the importance of reopening America’s schools this fall,� and repeatedly describe children as low risk for being infected by or transmitting the coronavirus. A recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, however, concludes that “There is insufficient evidence with which to determine how easily children and youth contract the virus and how contagious they are once they do.� Nevertheless, the CDC claimed that “the best available evidence indicates that COVID-19 poses relatively low risks to school-aged children,� and that “reopening schools creates opportunity to invest in the education, well-being, and future of one of America’s greatest assets — our children.� Earlier this month, an internal CDC document warned that fully reopening schools would be the “highest risk� for the spread of coronavirus. Dr. Anthony Fauci said the country should try “as best as we possibly can� to keep children in school, but “it depends on where you are� and reopenings should depend on the level of virus transmission in individual communities. (New York Times / CNN / Washington Post)

2/ Trump canceled the in-person portion of the Republican National Convention as the coronavirus continues to spread across the U.S. The event was supposed to be held in Jacksonville, FL next month after North Carolina officials said they wanted the party to take health precautions. Trump, however, abruptly announced at a press conference last night that “the timing for this event is not right, just not right with what’s happened recently.� He cited the “flare-up� of coronavirus cases in Florida and said “I have to protect the American people.� Trump has repeatedly downplayed and denied the dangers of large gatherings over the last few months and accused Democrats of “purposely� keeping their states closed for political advan...