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June 1, 2020

First Line News Articles for Monday, June 1 2020

Top Stories

US demands Russia release ex-Marine accused of spying after emergency surgery

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanded that Russia release former Marine Paul Whelan, who is being held on espionage charges, after he underwent emergency surgery.

Minnesota attorney general to take over prosecutions in George Floyd’s death

Governor transfers investigation after Minneapolis legislators said they lacked confidence in local prosecutors.

Trump Announces U.S. ‘Terminating’ Relationship with World Health Organization

President Trump announced Friday that the U.S. is “terminating” its relationship with the World Health Organization over its failure to enact reforms in response to the administration’s criticisms of its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Governments increase National Guard presence as protests continue Sunday

State and local governments throughout the United States increased National Guard presence on Sunday in response to ongoing protests sparked by the police-involved killing of George Floyd.

LDS News

Women leaders recall visiting the Sacred Grove with President Nelson. Read what they learned

In preparation for the 200th anniversary of the First Vision, President Russell M. Nelson retraced the steps of the Prophet Joseph Smith into the Sacred Grove and delivered a bold proclamation to the world declaring the ongoing Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ.

‘Helping Hands’ volunteers from 6 states offer help after Michigan flooding

After being told for 10 weeks to “stay home and stay safe,” at least 10,000 Michigan residents were told on May 19 to instead “get out and stay safe.”

Layton Utah Temple: See the video and images from last week’s small groundbreaking ceremony

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released video and images on Saturday of a small groundbreaking ceremony held for the Layton Utah Temple last week.

Former Miner Jack Skidmore is foregoing college athletics for a higher purpose to serve his LDS mission in England

Jack Skidmore, a former two-sport athlete at Park City, will be serving his two-year LDS mission in Leeds, England before returning and playing football at BYU as a preferred walk-on in Jan. of 2023.

A new Garden City chapel built to accommodate the thousands of vacationers to Bear Lake

The emerald blue cool waters of Bear Lake have called to thousands of visitors over generations to come and enjoy the water, space and northern mountains that cross into Idaho.

National

Judge Blocks Missouri Health Dept. from Shuttering State’s Only Remaining Planned Parenthood

A state judge on Friday declared that Missouri’s sole remaining Planned Parenthood clinic will be allowed to remain open, ruling that the health department was in error not to renew the license of the St. Louis clinic.

‘Total and Complete Victory’: Illinois Governor Withdraws Worship Restrictions

The governor of Illinois has withdrawn restrictions on religious services amid the coronavirus pandemic following lawsuits from the Thomas More Society.

Buildings around White House board up, protect valuables amid possibility of more protest vandalism

Businesses, a church and other establishments around the White House are boarding up their windows and securing their valuables amid fears that another night of protests and vandalism could erupt on Sunday night.

Trump says US to designate antifa as a terrorist organization after George Floyd protests

President Trump indicated that the United States would soon be designating antifa as a terrorist organization after protests over the death of George Floyd turned into violent riots.

DNI Ratcliffe Declassifies Transcripts of Flynn-Kislyak Conversations

Transcripts of conversations between former Trump advisor Michael Flynn and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak were declassified on Friday, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe announced.

Democrats to interview ousted State Department watchdog

Members of three House and Senate committees will interview former State Department Inspector General Steve Linick on Wednesday as part of an investigation by House Democrats into his abrupt firing by President Donald Trump.

Trump taken to underground bunker during White House protests: reports

President Trump was moved to the White House’s underground bunker Friday evening as protesters clashed with police and Secret Service agents outside, according to multiple reports.

Washington, DC, issues Sunday night curfew as protests resume

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) on Sunday evening announced she was imposing a citywide curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday as the city braced for a third consecutive night of protests over the death of George Floyd.

Many states scrambling to update hurricane plans for virus

Officials across the U.S. South are scrambling to adjust their hurricane plans around the coronavirus pandemic

World

Indian states rush to identify high-risk zones to remain in lockdown

Indian states on Sunday began identifying high-risk zones where coronavirus lockdowns should continue while the rest of country gears up to reopen in June despite a record rise in COVID-19 cases, officials said.

Russia says coronavirus infections pass 400,000

Russia on Sunday reported 9,268 new cases of the novel coronavirus, raising the national tally to 405,843.

Pompeo: China is bent on Western ‘destruction’

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared the Chinese Communist Party’s recent actions show that its officials are actively seeking to harm the U.S. and its Western allies, but expressed optimism that the Trump administration and Europe are up to the task of countering them.

Iranian fuel reaches Venezuelan stations as prices set to rise

Fuel shipped from Iran began arriving at Venezuela’s gasoline stations on Saturday, just hours before President Nicolas Maduro announced higher prices at the pump that are set to end more than two decades of almost-free gasoline.

Spanish PM Sanchez to extend lockdown a final time to June 21

Spain’s prime minister said on Sunday the country needed 15 more days of lockdown until June 21 “to finish with the pandemic once and for all”, and he would ask parliament to approve a final two-week extension to the stay home rule.

Greece will reopen to tourists from 29 countries beginning June 15, will conduct random testing

Greece will begin lifting its coronavirus lockdown for business and travel ahead of the peak summer tourism season, officials announced Friday.

Trump postpones the G-7 summit and seeks to add countries to the invitation list

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would postpone a Group of Seven summit he had hoped to hold next month until September or later and expand the list of invitees to include Australia, Russia, South Korea and India.

India expels Pakistan embassy officials for alleged spying

Two officials at Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi were being expelled for “espionage activities”, India’s foreign ministry said late Sunday, allegations its nuclear-armed rival called “baseless”.

IS claims Afghan bus attack; civilians killed in new clashes

The Islamic State group has taken responsibility for a deadly roadside bombing in the Afghan capital of Kabul

Business

Retailers already hit by coronavirus board up as U.S. protests rage

Target Corp and Walmart said on Sunday they shuttered stores across the United States as retailers already reeling from closures because of the coronavirus pandemic shut outlets amid protests that included looting in many U.S. cities.

Infected workers, parts shortages slow auto factory restarts

The U.S. auto industry’s coronavirus comeback plan was pretty simple: restart factories gradually and push out trucks and other vehicles for waiting buyers in states left largely untouched by the virus outbreak.

Costco’s free samples will be back by June, but they may not be the same after the coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic has effectively put a halt to a quintessential Costco experience: snagging free food samples.

House bill gives small businesses more time to use PPP loans and lets them spend less on payroll

A bill that passed yesterday in the House of Representatives has some sought-after changes to a forgivable loan program for small-business owners.

Science

Astronauts enter space station on historic SpaceX mission

Two NASA astronauts safely boarded the International Space Station on Sunday, capping a successful flight of SpaceX’s historic Crew Dragon Demo 2 mission.

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