Trump rails at Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 against US president Donald Trump’s order to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals scheme. The so-called “dreamer” programme, created in 2012 by Barack Obama, protects illegal immigrants who arrived in the United States as children from deportation and allows them to obtain renewable two-year work permits. It is the second defeat in a week for Trump, following Monday’s LGBT ruling. He reacted by calling the decisions “horrible & politically charged” and he has vowed to draw up a new list of conservative judges. Reuters, CNN and Fox News have more. The BBC has a list of four reasons this has been a bad week for the president.
Facebook removes Trump ads
Facebook on Thursday removed ads by the Trump election campaign because they violated the social media giant’s policies on “organized hate”. The ads, which featured an upside-down red triangle--a symbol Nazis used to identify political prisoners--were calling for backing to get Antifa labelled a terrorist organisation. Similar ads that don’t feature the symbol remain active. Business Insider, CNBC, and TechCrunch report.
Bolton book tops Amazon list
Despite poor reviews--and not just from US president Donald Trump--former national security adviser John Bolton’s memoir “The Room Where It Happened” has leapt to the top of Amazon’s US charts. The book is not out until 23 June. Another Trump-bashing book, written by the president’s niece Mary and subtitled “How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man”, occupied the no.2 spot ahead of its release on 28 July. Forbes and The Guardian have more.
UK backtracks on tracing app
Tests on a tracing app in the UK have shown that it only recognised 4% of Apple phones and 75% of Google Android devices, leading the government to abandon the project and opt for an alternative designed by the two US tech giants. The Guardian, the FT, and the BBC all report.
Antibodies may only last a few months, report suggests
A new study published in Nature Medicine on Thursday indicates that coronavirus antibodies may last only two to three months after a person becomes infected with Covid-19. But, as CNBC reports, the study was small and scientists are still learning about key aspects of the virus.
Blood type and genes link to covid-19 risk
Meanwhile, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday shows that blood type and other genetic factors may be linked with severity of coronavirus infection. People with type A blood are particularly at risk and could develop worse symptoms. Reuters has more.
Germany imposes local lockdowns
Fresh hotspot outbreaks of coronavirus in Germany have resulted in localised lockdowns in an area of North Rhein Westphalia, the city of Göttingen and the Neukölln district of Berlin. Deutsche Welle has a report on the Neukölln case.
American Airlines bans passenger over mask
A passenger who was kicked off an American Airlines flight from New York to Dallas on Wednesday for refusing to wear a mask has now been banned by the airline while its mask policy is still in place. CNN reports.
Luxembourg: Guardian shuts down plant
Glass manufacturing specialist Guardian has confirmed to economy minister Franz Fayot that it will shutter its Dudelange facility, RTL reports. The plant, which employs 200 of Guardian’s 700 staff in Luxembourg, is old and requires the sort of investment the company is unwilling to make in times of uncertain demand. More in Delano’s noon briefing.
Luxembourg: “Smile Again” commerce campaign
Minister for small- and medium-size enterprises Lex Delles on Thursday unveiled details of a new campaign to boost Luxembourg’s local retail, artisan and restaurant sectors. The “Smile Again” advertising campaign is aimed at encouraging people to buy local. More in Delano’s noon briefing.
Luxembourg: latest covid-19 stats
The ministry of health announced on Thursday evening that 6 of the 8,430 people tested for covid-19 in the previous 24 hours had tested positive. There have been no covid-19 deaths since 23 May. The RT_eff reproduction rate remained steady at 0.86.
Vera Lynn and Jean Kennedy Smith pass away
Britain is mourning one of its 20th century icons with the news that Dame Vera Lynn has died at the age of 103. The Guardian and the BBC have tributes. And in the US, Jean Kennedy Smith, the last sibling of John F. Kennedy and a former US ambassador to Ireland, has died at the age of 92. The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times have obituaries.
It’s Juneteenth
Today marks the anniversary of the June 19, 1865 declaration in Texas that all slaves were to be free. The date is celebrated in the state as an official holiday, now called Juneteenth. The BBC has a short film and The Washington Post has a great background piece.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts