Four New Insights About the Coronavirus

Infection rates broke records across the United States over the holiday weekend, with many of the most severe surges in areas that reopened fastest. One thing that seems to have played a factor: transmission indoors, such as in restaurants and bars. We break down the risk, and look at what else scientists have learned about the coronavirus and how it spreads. Guest: Donald G. McNeil Jr., a science and health reporter for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Many scientists have been saying for months that the coronavirus lingers in the air indoors, infecting those nearby. But the World Health Organization has been slow to agree.Black and Latino residents of the United States are nearly twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as their white neighbors, according to new data that provides the most comprehensive look yet at coronavirus patients in America.

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‘Their Goal Is the End of America’

What President Trump’s divisive speech at Mount Rushmore reveals about his re-election campaign.Guest: Maggie Haberman, who covers the White House for The New York Times.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Missteps by a fractured campaign and a series of self-inflicted wounds added up to a very bad June for President Trump.In speeches at the White House and Mount Rushmore last weekend, the president promoted a version of the “American carnage” vision from his inaugural address.

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Counting the Infected

For months, the U.S. government has been quietly collecting information on hundreds of thousands of coronavirus cases across the country. Today, we tell the story of how The Times got hold of that data, and what it says about the nation’s outbreak.Plus: a conversation with three U.S. astronauts aboard the International Space Station.Guests: Robert Gebeloff, a reporter for The New York Times specializing in data analysis.Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley and Chris Cassidy, NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: The C.D.C. figures provide the fullest and most extensive look yet at the racial inequity of the coronavirus.A Times analysis published in late May found that Democrats were far more likely to live in counties that had been ravaged by the virus, while Republicans were more likely to live in counties that had been relatively unscathed.A team of New York Times journalists is also working to track every coronavirus case in the United States, and The Times has made its data open to the public.

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A Missed Warning About Silent Coronavirus Infections

At the end of January, long before the world understood that seemingly healthy people could spread the coronavirus, a doctor in Germany tried to sound the alarm. Today, we look at why that warning was unwelcome.Guests: Matt Apuzzo, an investigative reporter for The New York Times based in Brussels.Dr. Camilla Rothe, an infectious disease specialist at Munich University Hospital.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: At the end of March, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that as many as 25 percent of those infected by the coronavirus may not show symptoms.Some scientists have criticized the World Health Organization over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, saying its statements and advice sometimes lag behind research.

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The Fate of Trump's Financial Records

The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that President Trump cannot block the release of his financial records. Today, we hear the story behind the cases the justices heard — and the meaning of their decisions.Guests: David Enrich, the business investigations editor for The New York Times and Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: The Court cleared the way for prosecutors in New York to seek President Trump’s financial records — but stopped Congress from accessing the records by subpoena for now.Our chief White House correspondent writes that the Supreme Court affirmed the power of judicial independence by dismissing President Trump’s claims of immunity.

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The Sunday Read: 'The Decameron Project'

As the coronavirus pandemic swept the world, The New York Times Magazine asked 29 authors to write new short stories inspired by the moment — and by Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron,” which was written as a plague ravaged Florence in the 14th century. We’ve selected two for you to hear today.These stories were written by Tommy Orange and Edwidge Danticat. They were recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

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A Turning Point for Hong Kong

After protests convulsed Hong Kong for much of the last year, the city’s pro-democracy movement has been chilled by a new law that some say may change the semiautomonous territory forever. Today, we examine why China chose this moment to assert control, and what the new law means for the city’s future. Guest: Austin Ramzy, a reporter in Hong Kong for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: The new legislation grants Beijing broad powers to crack down on a variety of political crimes in Hong Kong and schools are being overhauled to teach loyalty to China.Here’s how the city’s residents are navigating its new reality.

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