| Greetings, QuickTake readers! In this edition: The Covid-19 pandemic is still getting worse—except in New Zealand, New York City is back on the street, and why the Amazon is in for another record burn.  Defunding the police, decoded Protesters and political leaders across the U.S. are increasingly pushing to "defund the police" amid the historic wave of rallies against racial injustice that are still happening two weeks after the death of George Floyd. Supporters of the movement say it's not about gutting police departments but rather addressing the systemic problems within them—and redirecting funds to community-oriented programs. State and local governments spent $115 billion on policing in 2017, researchers say. "Why can't we look at how it is, that we reorganize our priorities, so people don't have to be in the streets during a national pandemic?" Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza said over the weekend. And some local leaders appear to agree: - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city would move funding from the NYPD to youth initiatives and social services.
- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti vowed to cut as much as $150 million from a planned increase in the police department's budget.
- Nine out of 12 members on the Minneapolis City Council said they support disbanding the police and will "dramatically rethink the approach to public safety and emergency response."
President Trump insisted Monday the U.S. "won't be dismantling our police," saying "99% of officers are great people," but he'll consider ways to revamp police tactics. Joe Biden also voiced opposition to the slogan. Congressional Democrats unveiled a sweeping police-reform bill that would revise a federal police misconduct statute to make it easier to prosecute "reckless" officers. It would also trim "qualified immunity" protections to enable damage claims against police in lawsuits. Just before introducing the legislation, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and other top Democrats knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol in honor of George Floyd. $ignificant figures 136,000. That many Covid-19 cases were reported Sunday, "the most in a single day so far," WHO officials said, warning the pandemic is worsening globally, with most new cases occurring in the Americas and South Asia. $1.25 million. A judge raised bail to that much for Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree murder in Floyd's death. He did not enter a plea in his first court appearance. 100 million. The coronavirus pandemic could push up to that many people into poverty worldwide, according to the World Bank, which now projects the global economy will shrink by 5.2%, up from 3%, this year. Highly quotable "New York is back." What Gov. Andrew Cuomo said after riding the subway to Midtown Manhattan Monday, as NYC emerged from lockdown, with a first phase to restart construction and allow more retailers to open. "Head-start on our economic recovery." New Zealand is ending social distancing after the country eliminated Covid-19, PM Jacinda Ardern said, praising residents for "uniting in unprecedented ways to crush the virus." "Completely cut off all contact." North Korea will shut down a liaison office and other communication with South Korea by noon Tuesday, state media said, because the South had "connived" to carry out "hostile acts." This is not normal Record burn. An area 11 times the size of New York City could be incinerated in the Amazon Rainforest during this year's fire season that could be the most destructive yet due to a rise in illegal deforestation.  The future is now Mobility robot. Haneda Airport in Tokyo is giving travelers a ride on an autonomous wheelchair that uses cameras and sensors to help passengers maintain social distance from security to the boarding gate.  What's good Jackpot. A treasure chest filled with $1 million worth of gold and jewels and hidden in the Rocky Mountains a decade ago has finally been found, said the art collector who devised the hunt, using clues hidden in a poem.  Now that you're caught up... Tell your friends to sign up to receive our newsletter five days a week. Follow QuickTake on Twitter , YouTube , Instagram and Facebook . BTW: We want to know: What have you been up to during the Covid-19 lockdown? Share your photos and videos, wherever you are. Submit here. Thanks for reading!
-Andrew Mach | 
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