Category: News Daypop

On Tuesday, a federal judge ruled that rideshare drivers must receive state unemployment benefits within 45 days. A group of drivers and an advocacy group called the New York Taxi Workers Alliance sued Gov. Andrew Cuomo in late May, arguing that Uber and Lyft drivers were entitled to benefits and that the state was stalling in paying them.

Ridesharing companies have long maintained that the drivers are independent contractors and therefore aren’t entitled to unemployment benefits. The matter was complicated by COVID-19 relief funding directed toward contractors.

In the ruling for the drivers, U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall wrote: “Defendants have no cognizable interest in failing to pay benefits to (For Hire Vehicles) claimants when due. Defendants’ only argument advanced on this point is that [in] the current economic climate, it would be imprudent to dedicate resources to providing preliminary relief requested by Plaintiffs. To the contrary, it is precisely because of the current economic climate that such immediate relief is demanded.”

Judge orders New York to pay unemployment benefits to Uber, Lyft drivers

Via www.upi.com

A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that the New York Department of Labor must pay backlogged…

07/28/2020 8:26 PM

 

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is warning Americans not to plant unsolicited packages of seeds that appear to be arriving from China. States have also told residents not to put the seeds in the ground, after they arrived in the mailboxes of people who did not order them. Officials said the seeds could grow invasive species that threaten crops or livestock.

On Tuesday, the USDA said it was collecting the seeds and would test them to determine if they were a concern to agriculture or the environment, and was working with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection to investigate the packages. The packages “appear to be coming from China,” according to the USDA.

U.S. states, including Washington and Alabama, labeled the shipments as “agricultural smuggling.” Photos distributed by state agriculture departments show seeds of different sizes, shapes and colors in white or yellow envelopes and some packages were labeled as jewelry and may have contained Chinese writing.

USDA Warns Against Opening Or Planting Seeds Sent From China

Via www.msn.com

People across the country have reported receiving packages of seeds in the mail. Packaging…

07/28/2020 3:43 PM

 

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A woman was killed in an apparent shark attack off the coast of Maine on Monday, which authorities say is a rare occurrence that has only been recorded once before in the state by an unprovoked shark.

Maine Marine Patrol said a witness saw the woman swimming off the shore of Bailey Island when she was injured in what appeared to be a shark attack. Two kayakers helped the person get to shore, and an ambulance provided further assistance, but she was pronounced dead at the scene, Marine Patrol said. The name of the woman was not released.

There has only been one recorded unprovoked shark attack in Maine. The state Marine Patrol is urging swimmers and boaters to use caution near Bailey Island and to avoid swimming near schooling fish or seals.

Shark appears to kill woman in rare attack in Maine, authorities say

Via www.nbcnews.com

Maine has recorded only one shark attack since 1837, researchers say.

07/27/2020 10:44 PM

 

On Monday, Senate Republicans unveiled their $1 trillion economic relief plan that would provide a second round of $1,200 coronavirus stimulus payments to many American adults and slash enhanced federal unemployment payments from $600 a week to $200.

The release of the plan marked the start of negotiations that will involve House Democrats, who passed their own, more generous relief bill in the House in May that includes $1,200 checks and an extension of the $600 unemployment benefit. The Republican plan provides a new round of stimulus checks to many adults and $500 per dependent, regardless of age. The full amount would go to people with taxable annual incomes of up to $75,000. It would be gradually phased out for people with taxable income up to $99,000; those above that income level would be ineligible for payments.

On the $600 federal unemployment benefits that many laid-off workers have been relying for months, Republicans would cut the subsidy to $200 a week through September. After that, Republicans want states to be ready to set up a system in which the federal subsidy would not exceed 70% of the laid-off worker’s previous salary, with a cap of $500 a week. 

The GOP plan also includes $100 billion for schools to either reopen or adapt to online instruction; a sequel to the popular Paycheck Protection Program targeting more vulnerable small businesses; and new tax incentives to encourage employers to bring employees back to work. 

U.S. Republicans unveil coronavirus plan, slash emergency unemployment benefit

Via uk.reuters.com

Senate Republicans on Monday proposed a $1 trillion coronavirus aid package hammered out with…

07/27/2020 8:12 PM

 

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Hurricane Douglas approached Hawaii on Sunday packing torrential rains and damaging winds just east of the islands in the central Pacific. 

Forecasters urged residents to be prepared for the worst as Douglas was expected to make landfall or pass close to the main Hawaiian islands from Maui to Kauai. 

In its latest update, the hurricane center said Douglas had maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour (140 km per hour), moving west-northwest at 16 mph (26 kph) about 55 miles (90 km) east of Kahului.  “We encourage everyone to hunker down, to be prepared for hurricane force winds. We prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” Governor David Ige said during a news conference.

Hurricanes and tropical storms are rare for Hawaii; only five hurricanes and tropical storms have caused major damage on the islands since 1950, according to researchers at the University of Hawaii.

Hurricane Douglas nears Hawaii as “pretty nasty” Category 1 storm

Via www.cbsnews.com

Forecasters said the Category 1 hurricane would pass close to Oahu and potentially even make a…

07/26/2020 9:15 PM

 

Florida surpassed New York in total COVID-19 cases after reporting more than 9,000 new cases on Sunday. The Florida Department of Health on Sunday reported 9,344 new cases for a total of 423,855, surpassing New York’s total of 411,736. Florida also reported 77 new deaths of Florida residents for a total of 5,854. The state record was 173 last Thursday.

More than one-third of the cases reported in Florida have been among people between the ages of 15 and 34, with outbreaks in jails, farms and nursing homes, the health department reported. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state health experts say the virus is once again beginning to hit a plateau in Florida, and that spikes in newly-confirmed infections correlate with large increases in statewide testing.

Florida surpasses New York in total coronavirus cases, adds 9,300 Sunday

Via www.msn.com

Florida surpassed New York over the weekend as the state with the second-most coronavirus cases…

07/26/2020 5:19 PM

 

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On Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act with a vote of 86-14.  The $740 billion bill setting policy for the Pentagon that President Donald Trump has threatened to veto over a provision removing Confederate names from military bases.

The House of Representatives also passed its version of the NDAA earlier this week with far more than the two-thirds supermajority needed to override a veto. The House bill also included a provision to change the names of military facilities named after generals who fought on the pro-slavery side during the Civil War 155 years ago. Tributes to the Confederacy, and slave owners – like base names and statues – have come under increasing scrutiny amid widespread protests over racial injustice sparked by police killings of Black Americans.

Now, congressional negotiators will meet behind closed doors to negotiate a final, compromise NDAA, reconciling differences between the two. That compromise must pass both chambers before it can be sent for Trump’s signature or veto.

Senate Passes $740 Billion Defense Policy Bill with Troop Pay Raise

Via news.yahoo.com

U.S. troops are all but guaranteed a 3% pay raise next year under legislation that passed the…

07/23/2020 10:00 PM

 

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of the Jacksonville, Fla., component of the Republican National Convention. Trump said that the portions of the rally planned to take place in Florida would be replaced with online events citing surging COVID-19 numbers in the state.

Trump said, “The timing for this event is not right, with what’s happened recently, the flare-up in Florida, to have a big convention … it’s not the right time.” The president added that he would still give a convention speech “in a different form” and portions of the event set to take place in the original host site in North Carolina, including nominations, would continue. “We’ll be starting in North Carolina for the Monday as has always been planned, we were never taking that off, that’s remaining as it is, the delegates are going to get together,” Trump said.

The event was scheduled to run in Jacksonville from Aug. 25 to Aug. 27 and officials had in recent weeks announced measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 including requiring masks and limiting attendance.

 Florida reported 10,200 new cases Wednesday for a total of 389,900 since the pandemic started.

        

Trump cancels Florida portion of RNC as coronavirus cases surge: ‘Not the right time’

Via abcnews.go.com

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Republican National Convention events in…

07/23/2020 7:33 PM

 

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The United States said on Wednesday it had given China 72 hours to close China’s consulate in Houston “to protect American intellectual property and Americans’ private information.” The decision marked an escalation of tensions between the world’s two biggest economies amid fresh accusations of Chinese espionage in the United States.

In response, Chinese state media said in editorials published on Thursday that the move was a “political provocation” and called on Washington to “immediately revoke” the decision. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying wrote on Twitter that China would “surely react with firm countermeasures.” The official English-language newspaper China Daily described the move as “a new gambit in the U.S. administration’s bid to paint China as a malevolent actor on the world stage, and thus make it an outlaw to the international community.”

In a statement released on Thursday morning, the Chinese embassy in Washington accused the United States of “groundless fabrications” about the actions of China’s diplomatic missions and urged it to “immediately revoke this erroneous decision.”  The embassy posted separately on its official Twitter account, “It’s time to step on the brakes and return to the right direction!”

China threatens retaliation after Houston consulate ordered to shut down

Via news.yahoo.com

Trump administration orders Chinese consulate to close; Benjamin Hall has the details. Our goal…

07/22/2020 7:01 PM

 

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On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced his plan to send federal agents to cities including Chicago and Albuquerque, in order to crack down on violent crime.

Trump, joined at a White House event by Attorney General William Barr, unveiled an expansion of the “Operation Legend” program to more cities in a further effort by federal officials to tackle violence. “Today I’m announcing a surge of federal law enforcement into American communities plagued by violent crime,” said Trump, adding, “This bloodshed must end; this bloodshed will end.”

The program involves deploying federal law enforcement agents to assist local police in combating what the Justice Department has described as a “surge” of violent crime. Operation Legend involves federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and other agencies partnering with local law enforcement.

Trump deploys more federal agents to cities in effort to crack down on violence

Via www.cbsnews.com

President Trump on Wednesday announced he would deploy federal agents to some U.S. cities, part…

07/22/2020 9:08 PM

 

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