1. Harris, Biden Go on Offensive in Campaign Opener

Socially distanced and speaking to an empty high school gymnasium, former foes for the presidency Joe Biden and Kamala Harris had nothing but warm words for each other in their first appearance together as running mates for the White House. President Donald Trump didn’t fare so well, with Harris saying “we have a president who cares more about himself than the people who elected him.” A poll released Wednesday found that 90 percent of Democrats approve of Harris as a VP pick, and Biden said the campaign raised $26 million after she was announced on Tuesday.

Sources: Reuters, Washington Post

2. Russian Vaccine to Roll Out Within Weeks

You only get one shot at public trust. Despite widespread skepticism over Vladimir Putin’s claim that his country has developed a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine, Russia’s now announced that medics will be inoculated within two weeks. Not everyone is unbelieving: The Philippines says it’ll launch clinical trials for the preventative injections this fall and Russia’s already arranged to mass produce it in Brazil. Meanwhile, anti-vaxxers on U.S. social media are also spreading conspiracy theories about other vaccines, and a May poll found that one-third of Americans say they won’t get the shot even when and if it becomes available. 

Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters, CNN

3. As NZ Struggles With Virus, Possible Election Delays

One of the world’s big COVID-19 success stories, New Zealand announced a three-day lockdown of Auckland after discovering a new cluster of cases — most linked to a single family. The source of infection is still mysterious, but officials say the virus may have been imported in refrigerated freight, and that one infected person traveled to another town while symptomatic. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern delayed the dissolution of parliament, the traditional kickoff to campaigning ahead of elections, until Monday — though Sept. 19 voting remains scheduled for the moment. 

Sources: BBC, France24, Reuters

4. Trade Wars Speed Economic Shift in China

The red flags will obscure the ink. China has long been economically focused on exports and foreign partnerships, but between U.S. trade tensions and the global recession, President Xi Jinping has debuted a new strategy focused on the domestic market as the country’s engine for growth. Though the specifics are still vague, that’ll likely include encouraging Chinese consumers to buy from Chinese companies currently dependent upon foreign sales. COVID-19 in particular has hit China’s manufacturing sector as other countries attempt to move such industry closer to home. More details of the plan are expected at an October meeting of top Communist party officials. 

Source: WSJ (sub)

5. Also Important ...

A Georgia school district has already shut down its high school after 1,100 staff and students had to go into quarantine. In college football, the Big 12, Southeastern and Atlantic Coast conferences say they plan on playing in the fall. And essential grocery workers say their morale has plunged as the pandemic has dragged on.

Today on The Carlos Watson Show: Meet Beyoncé's mom! Tina Knowles-Lawson (aka “The Queen Maker”) joins Carlos to discuss the making of Queen Bey, her thoughts on intentional motherhood and her long-lasting fight for social justice. Her episode premieres today at 1 p.m. Eastern, so be sure to subscribe to OZY Media now to be notified when it's live — and remember, new subscribers will be entered for a chance to win an invitation to a Zoom taping with a celebrity guest!

Sip It Good: While we’re spilling the tea, drink yours from our trendy OZY-essential mug. Perfect for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or any hot beverage. Start your mornings right with a little OZY love.

6. 'The Carlos Watson Show’ in the Wild

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1. Uber, Lyft Threaten to Pause Operations in California

Do you want them to turn this car around? Earlier this week, a California judge granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the ride-hailing app giants from classifying their drivers as contractors and denying them benefits. Both companies have said they’ll appeal, but Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi now says plan B is pausing the company’s operations in the state, while Lyft says it may also suspend California operations. Both encouraged voters to approve ballot Proposition 22 in November, exempting their drivers from getting the benefits and protections of employees. 

Sources: The Hill, CNBC, Ars Technica

2. Mystery Seed Plant Squashed by Authorities

Last month, thousands of Americans reported receiving unsolicited packets of seeds, some postmarked from China. Government officials warned that the seeds shouldn’t be planted and should instead be turned over to investigators, but one man in Boonesville, Arkansas let his grow for two months and said it looked similar to a squash. The plant, now “prepped for incineration” just in case, was apparently a common Asian melon. U.S. and Chinese authorities are working together to investigate the strange shipments, which may be a simple scam involving a variety of different, harmless seeds.

Sources: News.com.au, WSJ (sub)

3. Amid Pandemic, Voters Clamor for Drug Price Curbs

More than 70 percent of voters polled in the battleground states of North Carolina, Iowa, Maine and Arizona said they’d prefer to vote for someone who supports making COVID-19 vaccines and treatments free, while big majorities also said they’d prefer a candidate who’d reform the prescription drug system, thus limiting prices. With vaccine human trials underway, some are concerned that test subject populations tend not to be diverse. Inclusion of racial minorities is particularly important, since they’ve been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Meanwhile, Cats composer Andrew Lloyd Webber says he’s part of an experimental vaccine trial, hoping the shot can save live theater.

Sources: Vox, Healthline, Deadline

4. Internet Trump Impersonator to Get Netflix Special

That’s how to success. Comedian Sarah Cooper went viral earlier this year with her lip sync videos of President Trump’s speeches — with titles like “How to Medical” — which have been seen by millions across TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms. Now the 42-year-old author of How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings is headed to the small screen with a Netflix special directed by Russian Doll star Natasha Lyonne. The show, a collection of vignettes about politics, race and society, is expected to premiere this fall. 

Sources: TechCrunch, The Verge

5. How South African Cricket Could Benefit From Brexit

It’s a bit of a sticky wicket. An obscure EU court decision known as the Kolpak ruling has allowed top-paying British cricket teams to recruit South Africa’s best players, draining the country’s athletic talent. Britain is the EU’s cricket powerhouse, so it’s taken full advantage of a 2003 legal victory by Slovak handballer Maros Kolpak. But once Brexit’s trade implications kick in at the end of 2020, there will likely be much stricter limits on overseas hires, OZY reports, which could mean South Africa’s best talents have a chance to shine on behalf of their native land. 

Source: OZY