Thursday, June 4th, 2020
North Korea issues warning that it would end a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement if South Korea fails to stop defectors and activists from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the demilitarized zone (DMZ). (DW).
Los Angeles officials announce an end to the county-wide curfew amid continuing protests. (Los Angeles Times)
The mass annual vigil commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests at Victoria Park, Hong Kong, is banned by the city police for the first time, citing concerns of local COVID-19 transmissions. Local commemorations are held across the city instead. (Hong Kong Free Press)
New unemployment claims shrink again, to 1.8 million in the past week Around 1.88 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits for the first time last week, according to numbers released Thursday by the Department of Labor. The number, in line with economists’ expectations, brings the total number of people who’ve filed new jobless claims to 42.6 million over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also continues a downward trend that could signify the worst of the coronavirus economic crash is over. At the unemployment boom’s peak in late March, 6.9 million people filed claims. Still, 21.5 million people filed continuing claims — claims filed for at least two weeks in a row — in a sign that some people aren’t getting their jobs back even as parts of the economy reopen. Source: NBC News
Ex-officer charged with 2nd-degree murder in Floyd’s death, 3 more charged Three former police officers were on Wednesday charged in connection with George Floyd’s death, and another’s charges have been stepped up. Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes, last week was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, but Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has now elevated the charges to second-degree murder. The three other officers who were are at the scene, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane, are being charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing the Floyd family, previously said he expected the other three officers to be arrested, calling them “just as guilty for the death of George Floyd as Officer Chauvin.” Source: Star Tribune
Obama: Protests offer ‘opportunity for people to be awakened’ to systemic racism Former President Barack Obama spoke on Wednesday to address the nation regarding the ongoing protests over police brutality that broke out following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Obama called the protests “an incredible opportunity for people to be awakened to some of [the] underlying trends” of systemic racism. He also specifically addressed young people of color, saying, “I want you to know that your lives matter. Your dreams matter.” Obama previously published a blog post calling the protests largely “peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring,” and has called on protesters to determine specific demands for criminal justice and police reform. Source: ABC News
Trump administration to block passenger flights from China The Trump administration is planning to block Chinese passenger carriers from flying into the United States, the Department of Transportation announced Wednesday, saying China is still “unable” to say when it will “allow U.S. carriers to reinstate scheduled passenger flights.” China has essentially stopped U.S. airlines from being able to resume service to the country in March, China’s regulators limited foreign carriers to one flight per week. The Transportation Department says China “effectively precludes U.S. carriers from reinstating scheduled passenger flights to China,” and says it will block flights “to restore a competitive balance.” The ban is reportedly set to go into effect on June 16, though the Transportation Department says that it could “revisit” the decision if China changes its policies. Source: Reuters
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