Good morning. It's Tuesday, July 21, and data from vaccine trials have us crossing our fingers. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Early Vaccine Success 

A slew of data released yesterday showed promising signs of success for a trio of coronavirus vaccine candidates in their initial phases of study. 

The first, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, was shown to prompt an immune response that lasted at least two months. The study was performed with a group of 1,000 patients, with a larger study currently underway with tens of thousands enrolled. AstraZeneca has said, pending results, it could deliver emergency doses by year's end.  

The second, produced by Pfizer and BioNTech, also prompted an immune response in an early-stage study involving 60 healthy volunteers. The group is set to begin testing with 30,000 people this month. 

The third candidate—already approved for limited use by China—is a joint effort between CanSino and the Chinese military. New data showed the vaccine prompts an immune response but is less effective in patients 55 and older, a key target demographic for vaccination.  

All three demonstrated a dual immune response, producing both virus-neutralizing antibodies and T-cells, which can facilitate antibody production as well as directly kill the virus. See an explanation of both here.

More than 150 potential vaccines are in different stages of development around the world, with nearly two dozen already being tested in humans. Four are in late-stage trials. You can track the status of the most promising candidates here and here.

Separately, the White House is expected to restart daily televised coronavirus briefings, beginning today. The US has reported 3.83 million total cases as of this morning, with 140,909 deaths; see a moving three-day average here.

Phase Four Stimulus

Negotiations over the next round of coronavirus stimulus funding began in earnest yesterday, as Senate GOP leaders met with President Trump to haggle over initial details. The Republican-led bill is expected to clock in at more than $1T, with provisions shielding businesses from coronavirus-related lawsuits and another round of direct payments, with a lower income limit around $40K. President Trump has also pushed to cut payroll taxes.

A $600-per-week boost to unemployment benefits is set to expire this week, which Republicans are likely to reduce or eliminate, saying it lowers incentives to return to work. There are some data to back the claim—a University of Chicago study found two-thirds of workers would receive benefits exceeding what they made when employed. 

House Democrats have already passed a $3T package (details here); the Senate bill is expected to be introduced this week.

UK Suspends Hong Kong Extradition

The United Kingdom suspended yesterday its long-standing extradition treaty with Hong Kong, citing a newly passed national security bill that critics say allows the Chinese government broad authority to crack down on dissidents.

Under the previous agreement, if someone from the UK was suspected of a crime in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong government would turn that person over and vice versa. The arrangement could allow China—acting via Hong Kong—to formally request the UK turn over those suspected of violations under the new legislation. Critics have argued the law is vaguely worded and carries overly harsh penalties, with language relating to subversion and endangering national security, potentially including social media posts critical of Beijing. 

The move is the latest in quickly escalating tensions between China and the West. For a historical perspective, check out this timeline.

Correction: In yesterday's digest, we incorrectly said Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito passed away ahead of the 2016 election. It was in fact Antonin Scalia—Alito is alive and well. 

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Highly anticipated Christopher Nolan sci-fi thriller “Tenet” delayed for a third time on uncertainty over worldwide theater reopenings (More) | Netflix commits nearly $200M, its most ever for a single film, for “The Gray Man” starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans (More)

> Ballon d’Or, the award given annually to the best male and female soccer players in the world, canceled for first time in its 64-year history due to the coronavirus (More)

> Rapper Logic signs exclusive seven-figure deal with Twitch; is the video game streaming platform’s first partnership with a musician (More)

Science & Technology

> Study finds magnetic anomaly in the South Atlantic has been a recurring phenomenon for at least 11 million years; implies its weakening does not foreshadow an impending reversal of Earth's magnetic poles (More)

> SpaceX sets record for launch turnaround time, successfully using the same rocket twice within 51 days (More)

> Self-driving startup Aurora to begin testing its fleet in Texas; company is led by Chris Urmson, the former lead for Google's self-driving unit, who has been called the "Henry Ford" of autonomous vehicles (More)

Business & Markets

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> Tens of thousands of service industry workers in 160 cities protest racial and economic inequality in nationwide strike (More)

> Nasdaq up 2.5% to a record high as many big tech stocks see large daily gains (More)

> Chevron to acquire energy producer Noble Energy for $5B as reduced energy demand leads to attractive valuations (More)

A credit card that packs up to $1,148 of value? Secure the highest cash back rate on the market that we've come across—with no annual fee to boot (More) #Ad

Politics & World Affairs

> Self-described "anti-feminist" lawyer found dead of apparent suicide, suspected of killing the son and injuring the husband of US District Judge Esther Salas; suspect appeared before Salas in 2015 (More)

> Protests in Portland, Oregon, enter 54th night, with focus shifting to the presence of federal (nonmilitary) forces in the city (More) | "Wall of moms" shield protestors (More) | President Trump considering deploying federal officers to a number of US cities to quell unrest (More)

> State Sen. Nikema Williams, chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, tapped to replace the late Rep. John Lewis (D, GA-5); the heavily Democratic 5th District covers the bulk of the Atlanta metro area (More)

IN-DEPTH

The Last Giraffes on Earth

Atlantic | Ed Yong. Their lovable and familiar nature obscures the fact that global giraffe populations have dropped 30% since 1990, with total numbers just a quarter of the African elephant. But the main threat isn't poaching for international black markets—it's hungry villagers. (Read, $$)

USS University

No Mercy/No Malice | Scott Galloway. For thousands of colleges, untenable financial positions entering the pandemic have left them with only two options: bring back students or close their doors. Here's what will determine who survives, thrives, or dies. (Read)

THE WORLD'S MOST COMFORTABLE SHORTS

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ETCETERA

The costs of reopening a restaurant during a pandemic.

A look inside the world of real-life wedding crashers.

Watch the Italian Coast Guard rescue a trapped sperm whale.

Ranking the world's 50 most innovative companies.

Welcome to Freedom Cove, an island for two built from recycled materials.

This ancient Greek shipwreck is now an underwater museum.

Flying ants are taking over England.

Mark Zuckerberg wears about as much sunscreen as you'd expect. 

Clickbait: Get ready for 3D-printed chicken nuggets.

Historybook: Author Ernest Hemingway born (1899); Actor and comedian Robin Williams born (1951); HBD soccer great Brandi Chastain (1968); Jay Silverheels becomes first Native American to have star on Hollywood Walk of Fame (1979) NASA’s Space Shuttle program ends (2011).

"There’s no shame in failing. The only shame is not giving things your best shot."

- Robin Williams

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