Smart news for busy people
Important | 1 | | “These are not acts of peaceful protest. These are acts of domestic terror.” So said President Donald Trump of the anti-racism protests gripping the nation as he threatened to mobilize “thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers” under the Insurrection Act, last invoked during the 1992 Rodney King riots. Yesterday federal officers sprayed tear gas and rubber bullets at peaceful protesters near the White House to let Trump pose for pictures outside a nearby church while holding a Bible. Rev. Gina Gerbasi said she and other clergy members helping the protesters were gassed and pushed off the grounds of St. John’s Episcopal Church to make way. | |
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| 2 | | As the owner of YaYa’s BBQ, David McAtee was known for giving away food to community members, including police. He was killed Monday when police and National Guard opened fire on curfew-breakers, and officials reportedly left his body on the street for 12 hours. Louisville Police Chief Steve Conrad has been fired amid calls for body camera footage of the incident — which officials now say doesn’t exist. Meanwhile, a website under the name of Breonna Taylor, a Black Kentucky woman who was killed in her home by police in March, was found to be directing users to donate to a police foundation. | |
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| 3 | | On Sunday, Italy’s top doctor claimed that COVID-19 — which has killed nearly 375,000 people worldwide and continues to ravage countries across the globe — had likely mutated to become less potent. But the World Health Organization and other officials say that’s not accurate, and better clinical results are likely due to the virus being transmitted less as the epidemic in Italy slows. Meanwhile, some want an investigation into pharma company Moderna, which made millions on stock transactions after claiming good results on a COVID-19 vaccine trial — which may have been overstated. For all OZY’s COVID-19 coverage, click here. | |
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| 4 | | The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s newest report predicts the economic fallout from coronavirus will erase $8 trillion in U.S. growth, and prosperity won’t get back to pre-virus levels until late 2029. Factories around the world are continuing to scale back on output and thus jobs, and while China has seen growth in manufacturing, it may already be stalling. Analysts predict economies around the world will start to perk up, but it will likely be a very gradual process. Still, stocks in Japan hit a three-month high today as investors hope for something other than the rock-bottom seen during COVID-19. | |
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| 5 | | Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden met with Black leaders yesterday, promising to create a police oversight board if elected. Citing its “zero-tolerance policy for racism,” hookup app Grindr says it will no longer allow users to filter matches by ethnicity. And a second, independent autopsy of George Floyd found his cause of death was homicide. Coronavirus update: Iran reported 3,000 new COVID-19 cases in one 24-hour period, stoking fears of a second wave. Speak up! Are you joining protests against police brutality in your city? Why or why not? Let us know by replying to this email — and we’ll feature the most interesting answer right here next week. |
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| Intriguing | 1 | | With the world at what feels like a tipping point, OZY — a company founded and directed by people of color — is figuring out what it means to be part of a massive societal reset. “As Dr. King said over 50 years ago … we cannot miss the moment and cannot look a broken system in the face and simply call for the tranquilizing drug of gradualism,” writes founder and Editor-in-Chief Carlos Watson. “America was and is a bold experiment. But she will not be OK on her own.” To chart its course, OZY wants to know what you think: Send your ideas straight to Carlos at carlosrwatson@ozy.com. | |
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| 2 | | Though they’re still working from home due to the pandemic, hundreds of Facebook employees protested with a virtual walkout yesterday, not signing in to work and publicly expressing dismay that founder Mark Zuckerberg chose to allow a post from President Trump saying, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Twitter, by contrast, hid Trump’s words behind a warning that he was glorifying violence. Zuckerberg has said he doesn’t want to be an “arbiter of truth” but he did respond to the walkout by planning an employee town hall and promising to donate $10 million to groups promoting racial justice. | |
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| 3 | | With just one known active case within its borders, New Zealand is on the verge of completely eliminating the coronavirus, and could drop rules banning mass gatherings and requiring physical distancing as soon as next week. That would make it the first country to banish the virus after a sizable outbreak. While Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to keep strict border controls in place, the first commercial flight from Los Angeles to Wellington touched down two days ago carrying a movie crew to resume filming an Avatar sequel — after a 14-day quarantine. | |
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| 4 | | Stop the music. Industry executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang called for a suspension of the music business today under the hashtag #theshowmustbepaused. Now legends like Mick Jagger and Billy Bragg, along with companies like ASCAP, Warner Music and Viacom, are all suspending business for a day in support of Black Lives Matter and the Black community. Spotify will insert an 8 minute and 46 second pause in some playlists, exactly the length of time Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck. Thomas and Agyemang have promised a further plan of action after Blackout Tuesday is over. | |
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| 5 | | Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather has been in touch with the family of the Minneapolis man whose death in police custody sparked a week of unrest, and according to Mayweather’s manager, the boxer will be paying for the funeral. While he’s never met George Floyd or his family, Mayweather’s paid for funerals before, notably of Genaro Hernandez, the boxer he defeated to claim his first world championship. Mayweather is also paying for services honoring Floyd in Minnesota and North Carolina, while the funeral itself is set for June 9 in Houston, Floyd’s hometown. | |
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| caught up? now vault ahead ... | To get more fresh stories and bold ideas in your inbox, check out The Daily Dose. | | The New + the Next While many industries are suffering, parents are still keeping children-focused companies alive. | READ NOW |
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