Protests over George Floyd's death and a crackdown in Hong Kong

Thursday, May 28

A portrait of George Floyd hangs on a street light pole as police officers stand guard at the Third Police Precinct during a face off with a group of protesters on May 27, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The station has become the site of an ongoing protest after the police killing of George Floyd. Four Minneapolis police officers have been fired after a video taken by a bystander was posted on social media showing Floyd's neck being pinned to the ground by an officer as he repeatedly said, "I cant breathe". Floyd was later pronounced dead while in police custody after being transported to Hennepin County Medical Center.

Thursday's Daily Briefing: George Floyd. 100,000 deaths. Hong Kong.

Violent protests erupt over George Floyd's death, 100,000 Americans die of coronavirus, a crackdown in Hong Kong and more things to know Thursday.

It's Thursday, Daily Briefing readers. A lot of news happened yesterday, so let's take a minute to catch up:

•	A historic SpaceX rocket launch was postponed due to bad weather. The launch was set to be the first time a private company sent humans into orbit
•	The U.S. reached another grim COVID-19 milestone: In a little more than 100 days, coronavirus claimed the lives of 100,000 Americans
•	The death of George Floyd sparked protests across the country on Wednesday night

It's N'dea and today may be another heavy news day as the jobless toll mounts and protests erupt in Hong Kong over new legislation in China. But there is some good squirrel-related news at the end of this newsletter.

Let's dive in.

Violent protests erupt across the country over George Floyd's death

The death of George Floyd continued to ripple across the U.S. as calls became louder for the arrest of the white police officer who knelt on his neck for several minutes in a "horrifying" video. On Wednesday, protests in Minneapolis devolved into chaos as reports of fires came from around the city and videos of looters inside of stores quickly spread on social media. Police spokesman John Elder told USA TODAY that the department was investigating a homicide near the area where a reporter from the Star Tribune tweeted that a looter had been shot and killed by a pawn shop owner. One person was in custody early Thursday, according to the Star Tribune, but police wouldn't confirm if the victim was a looter.

•	George Floyd's death another wound for Minneapolis' black community: 'Why can't I just be black in the state of Minnesota?'
•	Opinion: Video of George Floyd pinned by Minneapolis cops is shocking but not surprising
•	Minneapolis mayor wants officer charged; all 4 cops in George Floyd's death ID'd; GoFundMe page raises $123K: What we know

Coronavirus pandemic fallout: Grim jobless toll mounts

The Labor Department will report the latest weekly jobless numbers Thursday as the economic toll from the coronavirus pandemic ticks on. Economists estimate between 2.1 million and 2.4 million Americans filed initial applications for unemployment insurance last week. At the high end, that would match the number who filed claims the week before, but it's down from the record 6.9 million who sought assistance in late March. Still, if the latest tally matches that forecast, it will mean roughly 41 million Americans have applied for unemployment in just 10 weeks, a staggering number that reflects a jobless rate that is the highest since the Great Depression.

•	Barbershops go underground: Bootleg barbershops, salons thrive
•	Bankruptcy cases, store closings pile up as coronavirus wreaks havoc for J.C. Penney, Hertz, others

Here is the latest news on COVID-19:

•	Coronavirus live updates: Tom Hanks donates plasma; gym owners want you back
•	Coronavirus questions: 10 things we still urgently want to know about COVID-19 in the next 100 days
•	Keep your distance: How to stay safe from coronavirus at the pool and at the beach
•	'This report is ... a joke': House Democrats blast CDC over racial disparity data amid coronavirus outbreak
•	Apple Watch, Fitbit as first line of defense? Tests expand on whether wearables could predict coronavirus
•	As churches reopen, Supreme Court faces balancing act between physical and spiritual health
•	Don't throw away these Visa debit cards: They have stimulus cash
•	'Going to see massive cuts': Without more coronavirus relief, schools slash budgets, prep layoffs
•	Will restaurants feel like hospital cafeterias in the future? Chefs struggle to bring dining out back
•	The stakes have never been higher as America reopens. What can a post-coronavirus world look like?

China approves legislation for Hong Kong, jeopardizing city's autonomy

China's parliament approved sweeping new national security legislation for Hong Kong on Thursday in a move that jeopardizes the city's autonomy, has sparked pro-democracy protests and drawn fierce criticism from the United States. The legislation adopted by the National People's Congress comes less than 24 hours after the Trump administration said that it no longer considers the former British colony to be autonomous from mainland China. The move bans sedition, secession and also allows China's state security agencies to operate in the city. Critics have warned the law could spell the end of Hong Kong as an international financial hub.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to reopen

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will reopen to guests Thursday, a day after bad weather postponed the historic SpaceX rocket launch. The visitor complex, which closed March 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic , will have reduced admission, attendance limits and a limited number of attractions available. During the visitor complex's reopening phase, it will encourage advance daily admission purchases while requiring face coverings and temperature screenings for employees and guests. It is unclear whether the complex will provide launch-viewing opportunities — a regular attraction for visitors — upon its reopening.

Here's what else people are talking about

•	Soldier stopped active shooter, saved 'countless lives' by striking him with car, police say
•	UConn student Peter Manfredonia, wanted for 2 killings, caught in Maryland after six-day manhunt
•	'Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich': Accusers finally get their say in new Netflix docuseries
•	Breonna Taylor shooting: What to know about the FBI, Louisville police investigations
•	John Krasinski explains why he sold 'Some Good News' series to CBS after backlash from fans
•	'World's largest outdoor rodeo' canceled for the first time in 124 years
•	Eminem reveals dream collab while celebrating 20th anniversary of 'The Marshall Mathers LP'
•	'We lost a giant of a man': Elton John honors playwright, AIDS activist Larry Kramer

NASCAR at Charlotte: Delay gives drivers chance to refocus

Rain washed out Wednesday's scheduled running of the Alsco Uniforms 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, forcing it to be rescheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. ET (on FS1). The delay gives drivers a bit of a break for NASCAR teams during a grueling return to racing. The rainout also forced the postponement of Saturday's Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, which now runs on Monday night. NASCAR's first wave of races in its comeback totaled seven national events over 11 days.

•	NASCAR's updated race schedule includes trips to Talladega, Bristol

In better news: Who needs sports when you've got the Squirrel Games

YouTuber and budding quarantine bird enthusiast Mark Rober created an ingenious eight-part "American Ninja Warrior"-style obstacle course to stop squirrels from breaking into his bird feeder. And lucky for us he filmed his efforts in a now-viral video.

The squirrel aerobatic proficiency on display proved to Rober, a former NASA and Apple engineer, that these common tree-scaling rodents can fly in uncommon ways.

Four local squirrels learned to master each challenge — including a "squirrel friendly" Bridge of Instability tightrope, a maze, "Wipeout"-style pitchfork tumblers, a Slinky bridge, a tourist trap photo opportunity for the squirrels and "Ninja Warrior" quad steps.

Each could nail it in less than 40 seconds and enjoy the walnuts (and the bird feeder).

YouTube star Mark Rober's quarantine bird watching was pleasantly hijacked by acrobatic squirrels. His "Building the Perfect Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder" video turns into an ode to athletic critters.

Mark Rober YouTube