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Stranger Than Fiction
A brief daily note of things you might find interesting or useful
You can support the newsletter that you’re reading right now using PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, or purchase a subscription on Substack.Don’t forget to join us in the Stranger Slack for access to source documents and a running feed of news throughout the day. (this link was broken for awhile and has now been fixed)TOP NEWS
Russia Registers World’s First Covid-19 Vaccine Despite Safety Concerns “Russia registered the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine, President Vladimir Putin said, marking a milestone in the fight against the novel coronavirus but amid rising safety concerns in the West over the country’s accelerated clinical evaluations.”
Michigan, New York received most benefits per worker under program that expired July 31, Wall Street Journal analysis shows “The federal government spent nearly $250 billion on extra $600-a-week unemployment benefits from early April to the end of July, the Labor Department said, as millions of workers were laid off because of the coronavirus pandemic.”
Employers Cast Wary Eye on Trump Payroll-Tax Deferral “Employers considering President Trump’s plan to allow deferred payment of payroll taxes face a series of costs, uncertainties and headaches.”
Biden Weighs VP Pick After Search Committee Wraps Up “Joe Biden’s allies have been told to expect an announcement midweek revealing his choice of running mate, according to a person familiar with the process, and multiple people said his search committee has finished its work.”
Lebanon Faces Fresh Uncertainty After Government Resigns “Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his cabinet resigned under pressure from protests that have sought to overturn the country’s political leadership following last week’s blast that devastated much of central Beirut.”
WHAT I’M READING + WATCHING + LISTENING TO
🎧 LISTEN: A 'Powder Keg' in BeirutNazih Osseiran explains the nearly seven years of neglect that led to the explosion in Beirut, which has pushed Lebanon to the brink.
Interactive narrative about the experience of working as a journalist of color.
THE COMMENT
“President Trump’s payroll tax deferral is supposed to reduce taxes and make employees cheaper to hire. It may do precisely the opposite, which Trump would know if he had real tax experts or economists advising him instead of just people who play them on TV. For months, Trump has obsessed, inexplicably, over a payroll tax cut. Democratic lawmakers haven't been interested, nor have their Republican counterparts, for good reason: It's expensive and would do little to stimulate the economy right now. A payroll tax cut offers cold comfort to the millions of Americans who are unemployed and therefore not on payrolls.” - Catherine Rampell
THE STRANGEST
THE AV ROOM