Wednesday, June 3rd, 2020
Protesters Defy Curfews, Controversial Congressman Defeated & ‘Tiger King’ Rival Gets Zoo
All the news you need in 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by www.Blinkist.com/news
Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want reading about the latest happenings…
8th Day of Protests
Nationwide protests show no signs of slowing down. Last night, thousands of protesters defied curfews in cities like Los Angeles and New York City. Many law enforcement officers just decided not to enforce the curfews, letting people rally and march well into the morning. Elsewhere, protesters were arrested and sprayed with tear gas. During the day, thousands of people protested peacefully with very few issues reported.
Protesters Defy Curfews: AP, Axios, WSJ
Daytime Protests Mostly Peaceful: USA Today, CNN, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Reuters
DC Controversial Enforcement
It turns out it was Attorney General William Barr who ordered authorities to use tear gas and flash grenades to clear peaceful protests near the White House Monday. That decision drew backlash from some lawmakers in both parties. Still, President Trump says he’s backed by a “silent majority.” He thanked himself on Twitter for curbing D.C. protests and said “great job done by all. Overwhelming force. Domination.”
Read More: NBC News, USA Today, AP, Tweet
Shootings at Protests
A few police officers were attacked yesterday. A retired police captain was shot and killed by apparent looters in a St. Louis suburb. So far, there are no suspects. In Las Vegas, an on-duty police officer was shot and is now in critical condition. That shooter was arrested. Meanwhile, police shot and killed a business owner in Louisville, Kentucky. Officers say the man opened fire first, so it was self-defense.
Read More: AP, FOX News, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Las Vegas Sun, CBS News, AP, NBC News, USA Today, NPR
Law Enforcement Investigations
In Atlanta, six police officers are facing criminal charges related to a violent confrontation with two college students. Meanwhile, the Minneapolis Police Department is facing a new civil rights investigation following the death of George Floyd. The state will look into police policies, procedures, and practices from the past 10 years.
Six Atlanta Officers Charged: AJC, ABC News, CNN
MN Civil Rights Investigation: AP, Axios, CBS News
Preventing COVID-19 Research
The largest review yet of studies from around the world confirms what the CDC has been telling us for months: physical distance and face coverings are incredibly effective in slowing the spread of the virus. Researchers say eye protection, like face shields and goggles, can also add substantial protection. The review was funded by the World Health Organization.
Read More: Reuters, CNN, The Lancet
CBO: Future for U.S. Economy
The Congressional Budget Office released a new report saying the coronavirus pandemic will keep affecting the U.S. economy for the next decade through things like consumer spending and investments. It says, after adjusting for inflation, COVID-19 will ultimately cost the country nearly $8 trillion by 2030.
Read More: CBS News, CNN
Primary Election Results
In Iowa, U.S. Rep. Steve King lost his Republican primary. He’s been in the U.S. House for the last nine terms, but he’s faced controversy in recent years because of some racist statements. Meanwhile, former Vice President Biden got the news he was waiting for: he won the primaries in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Rhode Island. When all the ballots are counted, he should have enough delegates to officially become the Democratic nominee for president.
Confusion at Primaries: Reuters, NY Times, CBS News
Rep. Steve King Loses Primary: NY Times, CNN, FOX News
Trump Moving RNC
President Trump made an announcement about the Republican National Convention. He said it will no longer be held in Charlotte, North Carolina. Trump blames the state’s Democratic leader, Gov. Roy Cooper, who told the RNC to plan for a scaled-down event due to coronavirus. However, the president wants to fill an arena. As of this morning, the RNC hasn’t announced a different plan.
Read More: NBC News, AP, Axios, Tweet, Response
2020 Census Status
At least 60% of households have reportedly filled out the 2020 census. Anyone who hasn’t completed one yet is still being asked to fill it out by phone, mail, or online. If it’s not done by August, census workers will start going door-to-door to get responses. The census only happens once every 10 years. The results can impact how much representation each state gets in Congress and where the federal government allocates tax dollars.
Read More: WSJ, 2020Census.gov
Antiracist Books Selling Out
Anti-racist books are selling quickly on Amazon right now. All but one of the site’s five bestsellers is related to race. The book White Fragility sits in the top spot, though it's temporarily out of stock. There’s also a children’s book in the top five called We’re Different, We’re the Same. It’s not just on Amazon either. Small bookstores have reportedly said they’re struggling to keep up with orders.
Read More: TIME, Slate, Amazon
“Blackout Tuesday” Trending
You may have noticed black boxes on social media feeds yesterday. They were posted as part of a digital protest. It started in the music industry and became a widespread online trend. There were some complaints though about people using the #blacklivesmatter hashtag. Some activists said the black boxes were drowning out the actions of protesters under that searchable feed.
Read More: NY Times, CNN, CBS News
Facebook Adds Bulk Deleting
Facebook is making it easier for you to delete your old posts. It launched a new tool called “Manage Activity.” It lets you search your timeline by a specific time frame or name. Then, you can delete or archive things one-by-one or in bulk. The new feature is available now for some people and will roll out to more users in the coming weeks.
Read More: The Verge, TechCrunch, Facebook
Carole Baskin to Control Tiger King Zoo
There’s a new twist in the “Tiger King” saga. A judge is reportedly giving Carole Baskin control of the Oklahoma zoo once owned by Joe Exotic. He’s the exotic animal owner who was featured in the popular Netflix docuseries Tiger King. He’s now in prison, convicted of the murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin. In Baskin’s latest legal victory, she was awarded control of the 16 acres of land from the G.W. Zoo.
Read More: USA Today, CNN, Forbes
Work Wednesday: Best Places to Work in 2020
Glassdoor released the winners of this year’s “Employee’s Choice Awards.” The first place went to HubSpot. It’s the fastest-growing software company in the U.S. It offers things like unlimited paid time off and remote working. Employees also say it has a good culture and excellent leadership. Second place went to the global management consulting firm Bain & Company. DocuSign came in third.
Read More: Fox News, Glassdoor