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Coronavirus unemployment: Bartenders, dental assistants top list of Washington’s hardest-hit jobs


About 14,800 initial unemployment claims by bartenders were filed from March 8 through April 25, which closely matches the number of people estimated to work as bartenders in Washington in the second quarter of 2020.




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Chargers top pick Herbert focusing on playbook at minicamp


COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert should have been walking onto a Los Angeles Chargers practice field Friday for the first time. But with the coronavirus pandemic shutting down NFL facilities, he is finding other ways to work with future teammates. Herbert, who was selected with the sixth overall pick in last month’s draft, […]




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AOC’s John Coates: Tokyo could be the greatest Olympics ever


SYDNEY (AP) — Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates has predicted that next year’s coronavirus-delayed Tokyo Games “may ultimately be amongst the great games ever, if not the greatest.” The Sydney-born Coates, who oversees planning for the Tokyo Olympics for the International Olympic Committee, told the AOC’s annual general meeting on Saturday that he would […]




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Hamilton gets empty feeling thinking about F1 without fans


PARIS (AP) — Driving around Formula One tracks without fans cheering at Silverstone and Monza would literally feel “very empty” for world champion Lewis Hamilton. The first 10 races this season have been postponed or canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic, with the iconic Monaco Grand Prix scrapped for the first time in 66 years. F1 […]




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Many businesses may follow Amazon in stretching out work-from-home policies, crimping downtown recovery


Business and government insiders say other companies and organizations are contemplating similarly extended time frames as they consider the new realities of the workplace in the COVID-19 era.




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Democrats Challenge Trump’s Pick to Oversee Pandemic Funds


(Bloomberg) — Senate Democrats challenged a vow of “fairness and impartiality” by Brian Miller, President Donald Trump’s nominee to oversee trillions of dollars being spent in the effort to rescue the economy from the coronavirus pandemic. “President Trump has shown outright hostility to anyone who has tried to hold him accountable to the American people,” […]




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Coronavirus Economy daily chart: Health sectors register most first-time unemployment claims


This series of charts provides weekly data on how the Seattle-area economy is doing during the coronavirus crisis.




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33 million have sought US unemployment aid since virus hit


WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 3.2 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the business shutdowns caused by the viral outbreak deepened the worst U.S. economic catastrophe in decades. Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close […]




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Washington adds just over 100,000 unemployment claims, but layoffs might be peaking


For the week ending May 2, the state received 109,167 initial claims for unemployment insurance, down almost 22% from the prior week, according to U.S. Labor Department figures released Thursday morning.




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U.S. unemployment rate soars to 14.7%, worst since Depression era


The staggering losses are more than double what the nation experienced during the 2007-09 crisis, which used to be described as the harshest economic situation most people ever confronted.




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Coronavirus unemployment: Bartenders, dental assistants top list of Washington’s hardest-hit jobs


About 14,800 initial unemployment claims by bartenders were filed from March 8 through April 25, which closely matches the number of people estimated to work as bartenders in Washington in the second quarter of 2020.




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Fraudsters are faking Washington unemployment claims amid coronavirus joblessness surge


As Washington grapples with a tsunami of legitimate unemployment claims — more than 100,000 last week — the state also is seeing a rise in attempts by fraudsters to siphon off a portion of the benefits.




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Trump Announces a $19 Billion Bailout for Ailing Farmers


(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump announced a $19 billion bailout package for farmers hurt financially by the coronavirus crisis. The aid plan includes $16 billion in direct payments to farmers to boost their incomes, along with $3 billion in government purchases of meat, dairy products and other foods, the president said Friday at a White […]




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Trump declares meat supply ‘critical,’ aiming to reopen plants


While companies have been drawing on stockpiles of meat in cold storage, they have warned that supplies to supermarkets could soon dwindle as plants remain closed amid illnesses. Pressure has been mounting on the Trump administration to take action.




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As 49ers and Cardinals impress in NFL draft, Seahawks’ road to NFC West title gets tougher


It wasn't going to be easy for the Seahawks. The NFC West was already considered the toughest in the NFL in terms of balance and strength. And Thursday's NFL first round made winning a division title just a little more difficult for Seattle.




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NFC West roundup from Day 2 of the draft: Cardinals and Rams improve, while 49ers watch from the sidelines


Here's a look at how Day 2 of the NFL draft shook out for the rest of the NFC West.




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Mariners announce ticket-refund process for games impacted by coronavirus shutdown


Single-game ticket buyers will get a refund while season-ticket holders will get credit.




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WIAA readjusts, sets May 4 as deadline for spring championships


Even if school returns after May 4, the WIAA may allow some competition.




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With schools closed because of coronavirus pandemic, WIAA cancels spring state championships


The WIAA said it is still waiting for clarification before proceeding.




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‘The whole game’s changed’: College recruiting another aspect of sports impacted by coronavirus pandemic


Getting a college scholarship can be tough in a world with no sports and social distancing.




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Three-star 2021 Eatonville H-back Caden Jumper commits to UW Huskies


Three-star Eatonville High School standout Caden Jumper gave UW its second 2021 verbal commit in as many days on Thursday.




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Seahawks’ emphasis on grit during NFL draft could come with a risk during coronavirus pandemic


At a time when the sporting world is throwing its faith into analytics, the Seahawks are an anachronism. While certainly mindful of the sabermetrics, to borrow a baseball term, they pay as much heed to the intangibles.




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Olympians look to help young athletes during shutdown


CHICAGO (AP) — When Jesse Smith looks out at his Zoom audience, he knows exactly what the crowd is going through. The captain of the U.S. men’s water polo team is adjusting his training, too. He also misses playing alongside his friends. One way Smith is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic is through virtual speaking […]




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Big East thinking if campuses aren’t open sports is a no go


The presidents of the 11 members of the Big East Conference are leaning toward not allowing sports to be played at schools this season unless their campuses are open. Commissioner Val Ackerman disclosed the thinking of the presidents on Friday in a wide-ranging virtual interview with members of the media about the fallout on the […]




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AP Exclusive: 70% of US Olympic sports applied for PPP funds


DENVER (AP) — At least 70 percent of U.S. Olympic sports organizations have applied for government funds during the coronavirus pandemic, a stark financial reality that underscores the frailties within the world’s most dominant Olympic sports system. The Associated Press surveyed 44 of the country’s national governing bodies (NGBs) — the organizations charged with operating […]




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Big East thinking if campuses aren’t open sports is a no go


The presidents of the 11 members of the Big East Conference are leaning toward not allowing sports to be played at schools this season unless their campuses are open. Commissioner Val Ackerman disclosed the thinking of the presidents on Friday in a wide-ranging virtual interview with members of the media about the fallout on the […]




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Turning to New Hampshire, Democratic Rivals Jostle for Advantage


The candidates put their own spin on the Iowa uncertainty -- and quickly moved on to the next battleground.



  • Nation & World
  • Nation & World Politics

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On Trump’s to-do list: Take back the suburbs. Court black voters. Expand the electoral map. Win.


WASHINGTON — Buoyed by his impeachment acquittal and the muddled Democratic primary race, President Donald Trump and his campaign are turning to address his reelection bid’s greatest weaknesses with an aggressive, well-funded but uncertain effort to win back suburban voters turned off by his policies and behavior. His campaign is aiming to regain these voters […]



  • Nation
  • Nation & World
  • Nation & World Politics

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‘Try getting it yourselves,’ Trump tells governors seeking ventilators in coronavirus outbreak


“Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,” the president told governors in a conference call. The suggestion surprised some governors, who are increasingly looking to the federal government for help.




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Biden vs. Trump: The general election is here, and transformed


The actual activities of the presidential campaign remain largely on hold, frozen by the coronavirus outbreak that has brought most other aspects of the country’s public life to a standstill. For the foreseeable future, the pandemic has overtaken all other issues in the campaign and may well turn the election into a one-issue debate.



  • Nation
  • Nation & World
  • Nation & World Politics

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Imperial Oil Slips To Loss In Q1, Revenues Decline - Quick Facts

Imperial Oil Ltd. (IMO, IMO.TO) on Friday reported a net loss for the first quarter on lower revenues, noting that its results were impacted by COVID-19 and depressed March crude prices. The loss per share for the quarter was wider than analysts' estimates and revenues too missed their expectations.




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News Brief: Unemployment Data, Michael Flynn Case, Georgia Shooting

The Labor Department is expected to report a very bad jobless report. The Justice Department drops a case against an ex-Trump adviser. And, an update on the death of an unarmed black man in Georgia.




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DOJ Will Drop Case Against Ex-Trump Adviser Michael Flynn

After months of wrangling following the Russia probe, prosecutors will not go ahead with the case against Michael Flynn based on the former national security adviser's false statements to the FBI.




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Top U.S. General On COVID-19, Reorienting For Great Power Competition

Steve Inskeep talks to Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the coronavirus threat within the ranks of the military, and guarding against a power competition with China.




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Economists Break Down U.S. Unemployment Numbers

What do the latest unemployment rates mean for the U.S. economy? NPR's Noel King speaks with Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute and Claudia Goldin of Harvard University.




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The Biden Campaign Is Trying To Reach Voters Virtually

President Trump and Vice President Pence have made official visits to battleground states this week, while the Biden campaign tries new ways to reach voters in key states virtually.




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Entertainer Roy Horn (Siegfried & Roy) overleden in Las Vegas

In een ziekenhuis in Las Vegas is de Duitse dompteur en illusionist Roy Horn overleden aan de gevolgen van het coronavirus. Hij was 75 jaar.

Horn werd wereldberoemd met de extravagante leeuwen- en tijgershows die hij jarenlang met partner Siegfried Fischbacher maakte. Aan het succes van Siegfried & Roy kwam abrupt een einde toen Horn in 2003 tijdens een optreden werd aangevallen door een van zijn dieren. Hij raakte zwaargewond en worstelde sindsdien met zijn gezondheid. Vorige week werd een coronabesmetting bij hem vastgesteld.

"De wereld is een van de grote goochelaars kwijtgeraakt en ik mijn beste vriend", reageert Siegfried Fischbacher op het overlijden van Horn. "Vanaf het moment dat we elkaar troffen, wist ik dat Roy en ik de wereld zouden veranderen. Er is geen Siegfried zonder Roy en geen Roy zonder Siegfried."

In 1999 kregen Siegfried & Roy een ster op de Hollywood Walk of Fame:

Als kind was Horn al gefascineerd door exotische dieren en had een jachtluipaard als huisdier. Deze Chico nam hij ook mee toen hij ging werken op een cruiseschip, eind jaren 50. Het was daar dat hij Fischbacher ontmoette, die naast zijn werk op het schip ook kleine goocheltrucs deed om de gasten te vermaken. Roy ging hem daarbij helpen en zo ontstond 's wereld bekendste illusionistenduo.

Na optredens overal ter wereld kwamen Horn en Fischbacher in 1967 met hun goochelshow in Las Vegas terecht. De Siegfried & Roy Show waarmee ze uiteindelijk in het hotelcasino The Mirage stonden, was bij aanvang in 1990 met een productiebudget van 30 miljoen dollar verreweg de grootste en duurste show in de gokstad.

Illusionist Hans Klok reageert geschrokken op het overlijden van de beroemde dompteur en illusionist. Hij had pas eerder deze week gehoord dat Roy met corona in het ziekenhuis lag, maar had erop gerekend dat hij er weer bovenop zou komen. "Hij had immers ook een aanval van een tijger overleefd", zei Klok in het NOS Radio 1 Journaal.

Voor de Nederlandse illusionist golden Siegfried & Roy als "hele grote voorbeelden". Hij kende Siegfried en Roy al tientallen jaren heel goed en voelde zich ook altijd erg gesteund door het Duitse duo. "Ze hebben ongelooflijk veel betekend voor de magic-wereld", aldus Klok.

Na de onaangekondigde show met de cheetah op het cruiseschip werden Siegfried & Roy ontslagen. "De kapitein van het schip was er niet zo erg blij mee", aldus Klok. Ze werden daarna gevraagd voor het Rode Kruis gala in Monte Carlo.

Prins Rainier en prinses Gracia (de voormalige filmster Grace Kelly) zaten vooraan. Grace Kelly droeg een bontjas "en dat ruikt een dier natuurlijk. Dus Siegfried & Roy laten die cheetah verschijnen en die maakt een sprong en vliegt bovenop Grace Kelly. Dat was wereldnieuws."

In de jaren 60 vertrokken Siegfried & Roy naar Las Vegas "en kregen hier te horen 'magic is not gonna work in this city' en de rest is history", zegt Klok. Twintig jaar lang waren ze de best betaalde artiesten in Las Vegas. "Zij, Elvis Presley en Frank Sinatra zijn de mensen die Las Vegas in de afgelopen decennia hebben opgebouwd tot wat het nu is."




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Mogelijk drugsafval gedumpt midden in woonwijk Arnhem

In een woonwijk in Arnhem zijn vanochtend ten minste veertig vaten met chemisch afval aangetroffen. De politie vermoedt dat het gaat om drugsafval van een illegaal laboratorium.

Vaten met drugsafval worden vaker gedumpt, vooral in Brabant en Limburg, maar ook in Gelderland. Meestal gebeurt dat buiten de bebouwde kom. Maar nu lagen de vaten aan de Randweg in Arnhem, midden in een groene woonwijk ten zuiden van de Rijn.

"Dat het zo midden in een woonwijk ligt, zien we vaker. Daar maken wij ons wel zorgen over", zegt politiewoordvoerder Marèl van Steenbergen bij Omroep Gelderland.

De vaten zijn inmiddels geruimd door een gespecialiseerd bedrijf.

Derde vondst in korte tijd

Het is het derde incident met drugsafval deze week in Arnhem-Zuid en het nabijgelegen Elst. In de nacht van woensdag op donderdag werden vaten met chemisch afval gevonden in het buitengebied bij Elst.

Donderdagochtend trof de politie op de Drielsedijk een aantal tonnen en jerrycans aan. De politie onderzoekt of er een verband is tussen de drie dumpingen, meldt dagblad De Gelderlander.




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Stock Alert: Mesoblast Shares Jump 67% In Premarket

Shares of Mesoblast Ltd. (MESO) are soaring over 67% in pre-market today, after the company announced 83% survival in ventilator-dependent COVID-19 patients with moderate/severe acute respiratory distress syndrome or ARDS treated during the period March-April 2020 with two intravenous infusions of Mesoblast's allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell product candidate remestemcel-L within the first five days.




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Stock Alert: Enzo Biochem Shares Jump 28% In Early Trading

Shares of Enzo Biochem Inc. (ENZ) are rising over 28% in pre-market today, after the company announced its Comprehensive COVID-19 Program incorporating its molecular diagnostic virus screening products, detection for immunity through IgG/IgM serological ELISA products, detection of inflammation on Enzo's ELISA platform, and a promising proprietary drug candidate (SK1-I).




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Facebook To Reportedly Allow Employees To Work From Home Till Year End

Facebook Inc. will allow most of its employees to continue to work from home through the end of this year, according to a report by CNBC. The social media giant will reportedly begin to open most of its offices on Monday, July 6, and is in the process of identifying which employees can report to the office. Employees who can do their work remotely will be allowed to continue to do so.




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Stock Alert: SG Blocks Jumps 34% On Distribution Deal For COVID-19 Rapid Tests

Shares of SG Blocks, Inc. (SGBX), a fabricator of container-based structures, are surging almost 34 percent or $1.47 in Tuesday's morning trade at $5.80. The stock has traded in a range of $1.16 to $35.00 in the past 52 weeks.




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Lyft Q1 Revenues Beat Wall Street View; Shares Jump 17%

Shares of Lyft Inc. (LYFT) jumped 17% on extended session Wednesday after the ride-hailing company's first-quarter revenues trumped Wall Street estimates despite negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic, as active riders and revenues per riders increased.




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Stock Alert: Twilio Jumps 35% On Results, Outlook

Shares of cloud communications platform as a service company Twilio Inc. (TWLO) are surging more than 35% Thursday on the back of upbeat first-quarter results and the outlook, better than analysts' view. The stock touched a new high of $169.68, currently at $165.99.





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News Brief: Unemployment Data, Michael Flynn Case, Georgia Shooting

The Labor Department is expected to report a very bad jobless report. The Justice Department drops a case against an ex-Trump adviser. And, an update on the death of an unarmed black man in Georgia.




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One For The History Books: 14.7% Unemployment, 20.5 Million Jobs Wiped Away

U.S. employers shed a record number of jobs in April, as the unemployment rate climbed to the highest since the Great Depression. The coronavirus crisis has locked down much of the economy.




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Economists Break Down U.S. Unemployment Numbers

What do the latest unemployment rates mean for the U.S. economy? NPR's Noel King speaks with Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute and Claudia Goldin of Harvard University.




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Google Says Most Of Its Employees Will Likely Work Remotely Through End of Year

The tech giant announces it is extending its previous work-from-home plans for most of its staff and will begin reopening offices this summer.




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U.K. Airlines, Airports Fear 'Devastating Impact' Of Possible Quarantine Rules

Trade groups expect the British government to roll out new coronavirus travel restrictions on Sunday, including a quarantine for out-of-country arrivals. And they're already pushing back publicly.