Feds to Drop Flynn Case | Record Job Losses Feared

Smart news for busy people www.ozy.com [presidential daily brief]( *Podcast available from 8 am et Friday, May 08, 2020 Sponsored by Important 1 1 [Feds Drop Case Against Trump Adviser]( President Donald Trump previously said he was thinking of pardoning former adviser [Michael Flynn](, fired in 2017 for lying to the FBI, but now he won’t have to. Instead, the Justice Department has moved to drop the charges — despite Flynn having already pleaded guilty. It’s a highly unusual move and one that’s led to outcry from law enforcement and politicians. Trump called the officials prosecuting Flynn “human scum” and described their actions as “treason,” while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the Justice Department’s move a “cover up.” The motion still needs to be approved by a judge. SOURCES: [FT (sub)]( / [Washington Post]( 2 2 [April Job Losses Expected to Break Records]( A U.S. jobs report expected today will likely depict levels of unemployment not seen since the 1940s. The jobless rate is thought to have surged to at least 16 percent last month, shattering the previous post-World War II record of 10.8 percent set in 1982. About 33.5 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the [coronavirus crisis]( began, and the losses in April alone wiped out all the job gains made over 113 months of steady growth since 2010. And those numbers are an undercount: They don’t include gig economy workers. The bounce back is expected to take years. SOURCES: [WSJ (sub)]( / [Reuters]( 3 3 [Father and Son Charged With Jogger's Murder]( Though former police officer Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34, shot and killed unarmed Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia, in February, no charges were initially filed. The pair said they thought Arbery resembled a burglary suspect. But video footage [of the shooting]( emerged over the weekend, leading to public outrage, and now the two have been arrested and charged with murder. The Arbery family’s attorney is also calling for the arrest of the neighbor who filmed the incident — it was released by someone else — saying he’s an accessory to the killing. SOURCES: [BBC]( / [NYT]( / [USA Today]( 4 4 [UN Chief Warns of 'Tsunami of Hatred']( United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on political leaders to fight not just the coronavirus, but the wave of xenophobia and hate he says it’s unleashed. The virus, he notes, has been used as an excuse to vilify marginalized communities around the world: Migrants, refugees, Asians, Muslims, Jews — even the elderly most at risk and health care workers who are saving lives. “I ask everyone, everywhere, to stand up against hate,” he said. The global death toll from COVID-19 is now nearing 270,000. Read OZY’s coverage of [virus-era prejudice]( against Asians. SOURCES: [AP]( / [Al Jazeera]( 5 5 [Also Important...]( An alleged plot to kidnap Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and fly him to the U.S. has ended with [American soldiers being jailed](. Former political aide Tara Reade, who’s accused Joe Biden of sexual assault, says he should [drop out]( of the presidential race. And as Thailand eases lockdown restrictions, [cat cafes are reopening]( and providing contact-starved feline fans with much-needed cuddles. Coronavirus update: In an effort to map the coronavirus and spot emerging outbreaks early, the How We Feel app is soliciting information from people like you. You can [donate your data here](. Try this: Feeling presidential after a week of briefings? Prove it with [the PDB Quiz](. Listen Up! Professor Braswell’s tip number one: always cite your sources! OZY’s new [Flashback podcast]( dives into the story of Timothy McVeigh, who was inspired by a particular book to commit atrocious crimes. [Subscribe now]( to Flashback wherever you listen to podcasts. 6 [Sponsored by Bright Cellars]( [6 Wine Tasting at Your Doorstep]( There’s wine delivery … and then there’s Bright Cellars. Delivered on time to your door, Bright Cellars brings you more than bottles. Bright Cellars brings you a tasting experience, starting with a seven-question quiz to tap into your personal wine preferences. The Qs — how do you take your tea — lead you to your best match. Plus, there’s an on-call concierge to answer any questions you may have. Because in a world of uncertainty, delivery to your door and a delicious pour every time is everything. And now, Bright Cellars is offering OZY readers [$50 off their first order!]( SOURCES: [Bright Cellars]( Don't keep OZY as your little secret. Click below to share this email with a friend. [Share]( Intriguing 1 [1 Trump Valet Tests Positive for COVID-19]( One of President Trump’s five personal servants — he has two in the Oval Office and three in his residence — has tested positive for the coronavirus, raising concerns about who else may have been infected. Trump said Thursday that both he and Vice President Mike Pence continue to test negative for the disease. The White House claims to maintain strict social distancing and safety practices such as temperature checks, though the president refuses to wear a mask. Pence says all staff in contact with the president will now be [tested daily](. SOURCES: [Politico]( / [CNN]( 2 [2 Coronavirus Brings Back Barter System in Fiji]( Tourism accounts for a third of Fiji’s economy, and with borders closed and the travel industry wiped out by COVID-19, around 5 percent of residents have lost their jobs. Enter the barter system: With money tight, about 1 in 9 Fijians have joined a massive Facebook group aimed at getting people what they need. Locals hope they can buoy each other financially in a region that’s largely been spared the disease — only seven deaths have been reported across the Pacific Islands — but is still facing the economic fallout of the pandemic. On OZY: Islanders fight climate change with [traditional practices](. SOURCES: [The Guardian]( 3 [3 Incan Tech Could Stem Peru's Water Crisis]( Talk about liquid assets. Lima is the world’s second-biggest city located in a desert (after Cairo) and demand for drinking water is expected to outstrip supply by 2030 unless something is done, [OZY reports](. That something might include amunas, an ancient Incan system of stone ditches that capture water and direct it into prepared storage holes, allowing Peruvians to preserve and distribute the little rainfall they get. While the amunas aren’t up to supplying a megacity, some authorities believe that if combined with modern technology they could be a game changer. SOURCES: [OZY]( 4 [4 'National Treasure' Takes to the Small Screen]( History is repeating itself. Not only is the goofy American history-themed franchise getting a third film installment, but producer Jerry Bruckheimer has leaked that the giddily patriotic adventure films are also being made into a TV series for Disney+ — though one that may ditch star Nicolas Cage for a “much younger cast.” The small-screen version is reportedly further into the development process than the film, with a pilot script completed and a plan in place for the season. Check out OZY’s trove of [little known stories]( from U.S. history. SOURCES: [Collider]( 5 [5 Favre Promises Restitution for Welfare Scam]( He’s calling a reverse play. Former Packers superstar Brett Favre has agreed to repay $1.1 million he received for speeches he never made as part of a massive welfare embezzlement scandal in Mississippi. While nearly a fifth of the state’s residents live in poverty, an audit of its Human Services Department uncovered $94 million in questionable spending, including payments to Favre. It’s not clear how the [retired QB’s]( speeches would have alleviated poverty, but it doesn’t matter since he never showed up to make them. Favre has reportedly paid back half a million of the dodgy fees and will pay the rest in installments. SOURCES: [ESPN]( / [Yahoo Sports]( 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 [How Grad Schools Woo Students Amid the Pandemic]( A growing number of grad schools are waiving the need for standardized test scores this year as they look to attract students despite lockdowns. 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