New Protests From Coast To Coast; Surprising Increase In U.S. Jobs; Confederate Statues Start To Come Down

Plus, Hulu’s ‘Ramy’ is a fresh take on family and faith. by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson [Floyd's remains are taken to the memorial service Thursday in Minneapolis.]( Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images Here's what we're following today. Tens of thousands took to the streets across the U.S. on Thursday for mostly peaceful protests against systemic racism and police brutality. The demonstrations were triggered by the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, but many black Americans say they are also [marching to express their anger and fatigue]( over the recent killings of [Ahmaud Arbery]( and [Breonna Taylor]( among others. The same themes were echoed during Thursday’s emotional [memorial service for Floyd]( in Minneapolis. While eulogizing Floyd, the Rev. Al Sharpton announced he is planning a march in August in Washington, D.C., demanding equality in policing. Two Buffalo, N.Y., police officers were suspended without pay Thursday night after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protestor to the ground. The man was [hospitalized with a head injury](. The U.S economy rebounded with surprising strength last month as businesses began to reopen from the coronavirus lockdown. Employers added 2.5 million jobs in May, as the unemployment rate fell to 13.3%. That's still extremely high by historical standards, but [much better than forecasters were expecting](. It reflects an improvement over April's jobless rate of 14.7%. Virginia will remove a statue honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the city of Richmond "as soon as possible," Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. For many, [the statue is a symbol of racism]( and the vestiges of Jim Crow in the South. An influential study of the drug hydroxychloroquine has been retracted by three of its authors. Last month, a paper in the The Lancet [claimed that the drug was of no benefit]( in the treatment of COVID-19 and actually increased a patient's risk of dying. The publication of the study prompted the World Health Organization to halt its own study of hydroxychloroquine. The WHO has now resumed the trial. The former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the latest to condemn President Trump’s desire to use the military to quell U.S. civil unrest as “dangerous” and “troubling.” Ret. Gen. Martin Dempsey said Thursday that the U.S. military should be reserved for “[conflict in external wars]( His comments come after former defense secretary Ret. Gen. James Mattis harshly criticized Trump for using federal law enforcement officers, saying it revealed a lack of mature leadership. Almost exactly four years after Russian operatives hacked into the email accounts of prominent Democrats, Google has confirmed that foreign adversaries are still at it. Hackers backed by China and Iran sent phishing emails attempting to [steal the email credentials of campaign staffers]( for both major political parties. Facebook has begun labeling content produced by media outlets it says are under government control. Pages and posts from at least 18 outlets, including Russia Today, China's People's Daily and Iran's Press TV, [now carry notices to users]( that they are "state-controlled media." --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listen [Albert Sykes fielded questions from his son, Aiden, at StoryCorps in Jackson, Miss.]( StoryCorps On StoryCorps, Aiden Sykes, then 9, asked his father, Albert, some of the heavy questions on his mind, including why they attend civil rights demonstrations together. Albert said he worries about bringing up his black son in a society where the odds are stacked against him simply because of his race. "My dream is for you to live out your dreams," Albert said. ([Listen here]( Evangelical Christians have been traditionally focused on their personal relationship with Jesus. But some are now seeing a need to expand their attention to the issue of racial justice. ([Listen here]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [Ramy Youssef and Mahershala Ali star in the second season of Ramy on Hulu.]( Hulu - Ramy Youssef’s Hulu show, the half-hour comedy-drama Ramy, is [a smart, fresh take]( on a young man navigating family and his Muslim faith. - Shirley, a new film directed by Josephine Decker, starring a superb Elisabeth Moss as writer Shirley Jackson, isn't [a biopic in any straightforward sense]( it freely mixes fact and fiction. - New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees issued [a new apology]( on Thursday over his comments about players kneeling in the NFL. Brees told ESPN that he stands with other players in the fight for racial equality and justice, but also with the military. - Many artists at NPR’s Tiny Desk concerts have communicated songs of protest and hope as well as cries of grief and rage. Here are [five essential performances]( that expressed societal woes. — Suzette Lohmeyer contributed to this report. --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow [The New Normal]( on Instagram! What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [dailynewsletter@npr.org](mailto:dailynewsletter@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](