- BusinessYahoo News 360
Is the $600 unemployment bonus helping or hurting?
In late March, Congress passed the largest stimulus package in American history in an effort to offset the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the most important elements of the massive $2 trillion bill was a provision that boosted unemployment insurance benefits for those who lost work because of stay-at-home orders designed to limit the spread of the virus. Nearly 39 million Americans have filed for unemployment in the past nine weeks.
- BusinessYahoo News
Trump, for some reason, compares coronavirus death toll (over 98,000) to that of swine flu (under 20,000)
On a day when the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus pandemic neared 100,000, President Trump sought to direct the nation's attention back to the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic as a way to smear the reputation of his Democratic rival Joe Biden, who was vice president at the time. Joe Biden's handling of the H1N1 Swine Flu was a complete and total disaster. In the early weeks of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., Trump repeatedly sought to show that he was doing a good job dealing with the pandemic compared with how Biden and then-President Barack Obama had responded to the H1N1 pandemic.
- WorldNBC News
Hundreds arrested in Hong Kong as tensions over proposed security law boil over
Riot police flooded central Hong Kong as people of all ages took to the streets to protest the territory's legislators preparing to debate another bill, one that would make it illegal to insult or abuse the Chinese national anthem. Pro-democracy protesters and politicians say the bill, which carries penalties of up to three years in jail and fines of up to $50,000 Hong Kong dollars ($6,450), is yet another sign of increasing interference from Beijing. Hong Kong Police said they have arrested more than 300 people on a number of charges, including possession of weapons and illegal assembly in the city center, Mong Kok, the Causeway Bay area and Wan Chai area.
- U.S.The Daily Beast
‘Burn It Down. Let Them Pay’: Chaos Erupts in Minneapolis as Man Shot Amid Protest
MINNEAPOLIS—Flames and black smoke poured into the sky over Minneapolis late Wednesday as the second day of protests over the death of George Floyd took a violent turn, with a local business near police headquarters set ablaze and at least one person fatally shot in the area. Minneapolis Police spokesman John Elder confirmed the shooting shortly before midnight local time, but he did not say if it was connected to the protests, according to the Star Tribune. The shooting came amid reports of widespread looting and a major fire at an AutoZone near the police headquarters.
- WorldAssociated Press
Anti-Semitic crime rises in Germany, most from far right
Anti-Semitic crimes in Germany last year reached their highest level since the country started keeping statistics, amid an overall strong increase in right-extremist criminality that is a cause for “great concern,” Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Wednesday. Overall, politically-motivated crimes were up 14.2% in 2019 over the previous year, which is the second highest level since authorities began tracking such crimes in 2001, Seehofer told reporters in Berlin. Crimes by the extreme left rose the most, increasing 23.7% to 9,849, but the majority of politically motivated crimes were from the extreme right, with 22,342 cases and an increase of 9.4%.
WorldYahoo News VideoHuawei CFO Meng to find out if a U.S extradition case against her will proceed
A top executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei is scheduled to learn Wednesday if a U.S extradition case against her can proceed. Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei's founder, at Vancouver's airport in late 2018. The U.S. wants her extradited to face fraud charges.
- BusinessPopular Mechanics
Levi’s Is Taking 50% off These Best-Selling Jeans Right Now
It's a great time to stock up on the classic 501s. From Popular Mechanics
- WorldBBC
Pakistani villager urges India to return 'spy' pigeon
A Pakistani villager has urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to return his pigeon, currently being held in India on charges of spying. The Pakistani villager, who claims the arrested pigeon is his, says the code is actually his mobile phone number. Pakistan's Dawn newspaper has identified the man as Habibullah and reports that he owns a dozen pigeons.
- WorldBusiness Insider
A Eurowings plane with just 2 passengers on board was forced to turn around after learning its destination airport was closed due to coronavirus
A Eurowings flight from Düsseldorf, Germany, to Sardinia, Italy, was forced to turn around at the last minute because the destination airport was closed due to coronavirus lockdowns in Italy. The plane made it all the way to Sardinian airspace on Saturday when they were told that the airport was closed to commercial traffic. An aviation blog theorized that the mistake was made because the airport was ordered to reopen earlier this month, but that decision was immediately overruled by the local government.
- WorldThe Telegraph
Gang of 26 arrested for allegedly smuggling people from Vietnam to Europe in investigation prompted by Essex lorry deaths
A gang of 26 suspected people smugglers have been arrested in France and Belgium in an investigation prompted by the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants found in the back of a lorry in Essex last year. In Belgium, 11 Vietnamese and two Moroccans were held, while in France, authorities said the suspects were “mostly Vietnamese and French”. The suspects are allegedly part of an organised crime group that smuggles refugees from Asia, particularly from Vietnam, and that likely has transported up to several dozen people every day for several months, Europol said in a statement.
- PoliticsThe Week
It only took two hours for Trump's administration to contradict his threat to shut down Twitter
President Trump took to his favorite social media platform to attack social media platforms on Wednesday morning, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certainly didn't do anything to help his boss' case. Shortly after Trump claimed on Twitter he would "strongly regulate" or "close down" social media platforms that are allegedly silencing "conservative voices," Pompeo sent out a tweet saying the U.S. "will not tolerate" government-imposed censorship or shutdowns. Pompeo's tweet isn't in response to Trump, exactly — it references the Freedom Online Coalition, a partnership of 31 governments seeking to improve Internet freedom.
- WorldReuters
EU urges China to respect Hong Kong autonomy
China must respect Hong Kong's autonomy, the European Union said on Tuesday, amid controversy over Chinese plans to adopt a national security law for the city. "We attach great importance to the preservation of Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy in line with the Basic Law and international commitments," European Council President Charles Michel, who represents European governments, said. Speaking after a video conference with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, he said Europe and Japan "share the same ideas" on China.
- WorldMilitary.com
Russian Jets Blocked US Plane in Unsafe Maneuvers Over Mediterranean, Navy Says
A pair of Russian planes restricted a Navy pilot from safely maneuvering over international waters for more than an hour, service officials said on Tuesday. Two Russian Su-35 aircraft on Tuesday simultaneously flew close to each wing of a Navy P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, according to Navy news release describing the incident. It was the third time in two months that Russian aircraft have intercepted Navy aircraft in the Sixth Fleet of operations, the release states.
- WorldAssociated Press
US priest who founded Knights of Columbus to be beatified
The founder of the Knights of Columbus, the influential U.S.-based lay Catholic organization, is moving a step closer to possible sainthood. Pope Francis has approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of the Rev. Michael McGivney, a Connecticut priest who died at age 38 of pneumonia in 1890 during a pandemic similar to the current coronavirus outbreak. The Vatican said Wednesday that Francis had signed off on the miracle required.
- ScienceUSA TODAY
How to watch the SpaceX Crew Dragon launch of NASA astronauts
Bad weather postponed a SpaceX rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday that was set to make history. Teams were expected to liftoff from pad 39A at 4:33 p.m. EST on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule.
- U.S.INSIDER
A new 'parking lot Karen' is going viral on TikTok for physically blocking someone's car from an open parking spot
The TikTok video shows a woman blocking a car from taking an open parking spot. A viral video from TikTok user @savsoares shows a woman physically blocking a car from moving in a parking lot while directing another car to take an open parking spot. The video has amassed over 4 million likes and 18 million views in the four days since it was posted, with both @savsoares and people in the comments calling the woman a "Karen."
- WorldBBC
Walkers found after 19 days in the New Zealand wilderness
Two missing walkers have been found in the New Zealand wilderness, 19 days after they set off. Jessica O'Connor and Dion Reynolds, both 23, began walking in the Kahurangi National Park on 9 May, and expected to be gone for six or seven days. The Kahurangi, in the north-west of the South Island, is New Zealand's second biggest national park.
- U.S.Business Insider
Monterey County DA to investigate if Biden accuser Tara Reade gave 'false testimony under oath' about expert witness credentials
The Monterey County District Attorney's Office announced that it will investigate if Tara Reade misrepresented her educational credentials after she served as an expert witness in court cases for a decade, Politico reported. Several California defense lawyers said they would be reviewing cases where Reade, then known as Alexandra McCabe, testified as an expert witness amid the concern that she "misrepresented her educational credentials in court." Reade claimed she had earned her bachelor's degree from Antioch University in Seattle under a "protected program."
- U.S.The Daily Beast
UConn Student Wanted in Murderous Rampage Nabbed in Maryland
The University of Connecticut student suspected of killing two people during a bloody crime spree has been captured in Maryland after a five-day, multistate manhunt. Police announced late Wednesday that Peter Manfredonia, 23, was taken into custody at a truck stop in Hagerstown without any injury to him or law enforcement. Manfredonia allegedly hacked woodworker Ted Demers to death and severely injured an elderly man in Willington, Connecticut, on Friday.
- PoliticsNBC News
As Trump rails against mail-in voting, his campaign tries to make it easier for Pennsylvania supporters
As President Donald Trump attacks the legitimacy of elections with increased mail-in voting, his campaign is trying to make it easier for supporters in Pennsylvania to request mail-in ballots for next week's primary there. Through its website, the Trump campaign is providing Pennsylvania supporters with an easy access link to help them request ballots for next week's election. By clicking the link, supporters are prompted to enter their personal information which the website then uses to create a form that voters can send to their local election officials.
- WorldArchitectural Digest
This Neo-Futuristic Home Found Its Inspiration in the British Countryside
Located in the rolling hills of southeast England, the design was meant to mimic the beer-brewing structures that once dotted the landscape Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
- WorldTime
'It's a Sad Result.' Mixed Feelings in Hong Kong Over U.S. Announcement on City's Autonomy
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that Hong Kong was no longer sufficiently autonomous from mainland China, following Beijing's announcement that it plans to implement a national security law for the territory. It bypasses Hong Kong's own legislature, which has not met its obligation to pass such a law since the territory was retroceded to China in 1997 after 156 years as a British colony. “No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground,” Pompeo said in a statement.
- WorldReuters
Putin says worst-case coronavirus scenario in Moscow averted as lockdown unwinds
President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow, the epicentre of Russia's coronavirus outbreak, had succeeded in preventing what he called worst-case scenarios as the city announced it would ease tough lockdown measures within days. Speaking to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, an ally, by video conference, Putin said it was obvious the situation in the city of 12.7 million people had stabilised thanks to steps taken by the authorities. It was now time for Moscow to provide medical help to regions where the coronavirus remained rampant, said Putin, something Sobyanin said would be organised immediately.
- WorldThe Telegraph
British mercenaries 'involved in botched operation' backing rebel leader in Libya, according to secret UN report
Six British citizens including two former Royal Marine commandos have been accused of taking part in a botched mercenary mission to Libya to fight on behalf of renegade general Khalifa Haftar. The five men and one woman are named in a confidential report by the United Nations panel of experts on Libya into a botched mission that ended with the mercenaries making a remarkable sea-borne escape after falling out with their hosts. The men, including former Royal Marines Sean Callaghan Louw and Andrew Scott Ritchie, were among around 20 mercenaries who travelled to Benghazi in eastern Libya in June 2019 in a contract organised by a UAE based company called Opus, according to the report seen by the Daily Telegraph.
- WorldAssociated Press
Brazil police search Bolsonaro allies in fake news probe
Brazil's Federal Police on Wednesday executed more than two dozen searches and seizure warrants in six states as part of an investigation into a network that allegedly spread defamatory fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices. The judicial orders targeted allies and supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro, and the president's son Carlos Bolsonaro criticized the operations on his official Twitter account, calling the investigation “unconstitutional, political and ideological. A lawmaker closely allied with Bolsonaro, Carla Zambelli, also denounced the searches.
