Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Thursday, July 2, 2020:
HAPPY 244TH, AMERICA: This 4th of July holiday will be unlike any other, with many local fireworks displays, parades and events either shelved or moving online. D.C. canceled its parade but will keep the big fireworks show and flyovers on the Mall. Macy’s -- which just reported a $4 billion quarterly loss -- will continue its surprise mini-fireworks shows tonight and tomorrow, culminating with a finale on Saturday night. President Trump travels to Mt. Rushmore tomorrow to watch a fireworks show that is being put on for the first time since the Parks Service banned them in 2010 over environmental concerns. WEEKEND FORECAST
COVID-19: STATES BACKTRACK: With the country now topping 50,000 daily cases for the first time, more states and cities are moving to reverse or slow their reopenings -- particularly when it comes to indoor gatherings. Indoor dining will not be allowed when NYC moves into Phase 3 next week; California is closing dine-in restaurants and bars in most of the state, including hard-hit L.A.; and Michigan has ordered most indoor bars closed. Demand for testing in the Sun Belt is so high that lines at some sites stretch for miles. WASH POST
AUTONOMOUS ZONES: Seattle police moved in and cleared the autonomous zone known as CHOP after the city’s mayor issued an executive order telling people they must vacate the area that had been occupied for three weeks.The decision to bring in the police followed a series of shootings in the area, including one that left a 16-year-old boy dead. In NYC, protesters have been clashing with police outside City Hall in an area being called the ‘City Hall Autonomous Zone.’ KING
NEW ERA IN HONG KONG: Police in Hong Kong began enforcing a controversial new security law almost immediately after it went into effect, firing tear gas and water cannons and arresting more than 300 protesters on the first day. In response to the draconian law, the UK says it will honor its promise of a path to citizenship for Hong Kong residents holding BNO (British National Overseas) passports. BBC
AIRLINE CRISIS: This would normally be one of the busiest travel times of the year for the airline industry. Instead, the major U.S. carriers continue to try and figure out how to keep themselves afloat amid dried-up demand. United is actually tripling flights in August, noting that customers are “slowly returning” to the skies. American has reopened middle seats for booking, drawing criticism from Dr. Fauci himself. Alaska Airlines is issuing “yellow cards” to passengers who refuse to wear masks. POINTS GUY
FACEBOOK AD BOYCOTT IN EFFECT: On the first day of the #StopHateforProfit ad boycott, Facebook published an open letter arguing that the platform “does not profit from hate” and pointed to a study that suggests it actually removes hate speech faster than YouTube or Twitter. Nevertheless, the boycott has grown to more than 500 brands and is being promoted from the likes of celebrities, politicians, and even Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. CNN
'MAD MEN' BLACKFACE: Bucking a trend of shows that are pulling episodes from streaming services because of racially insensitive content, AMC’s Mad Men will keep up an episode that prominently features a character in blackface. There will be a disclaimer at the beginning of the episode when the series begins streaming on Amazon’s IMDb TV later this month, explaining that the scene shows how commonplace racism was in the time period depicted. Other shows, including Scrubs, 30 Rock and Community, have removed scenes that include blackface. LA TIMES
FOX STAR FIRED, ANOTHER ON FIRE: Fox News has fired Ed Henry, one of the network’s most prominent on-air reporters, over sexual misconduct allegations from a former employee that allegedly took place “years ago.” Henry’s book publisher has also cancelled his upcoming memoir. Meanwhile, another Fox star, Tucker Carlson, just booked the highest ratings in not just the network’s history, but in the entire history of cable news. AP
BEAVIS IS BACK: Comedy Central is reviving MTV’s Beavis and Butthead for “a whole new Gen Z world.” The show’s original creator, Mike Judge, is coming back to helm the reboot. There’s a two-season order and plans for spinoffs and specials. THR
LEFTOVERS: DINING AL FRESCO: Residents of Prague celebrated the end of the city’s coronavirus lockdown with a huge public dinner party at a 1,600-foot table spanning the Czech capital’s famous Charles Bridge. The Czech Republic was one of the first countries in Europe to tell people to wear masks, and has fared better than many of its neighbors. SEE PICS
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