Unemployment ticked up to 4% in May, when the US economy added 272,000 jobs. Scroll down for details. [CHART: Bureau of Labor Statistics]
MONDAY 6/10/24
Hostages Freed – Saturday’s triumph by Israeli soldiers and special operations police in rescuing four hostages of Hamas from Gaza serves as a microcosm of the whole eight months of war. Though reports of the number of Palestinians killed in the operation “varied wildly in confusion over the attack,” according to The New York Times, two Gaza health officials said the number was more than 200, while Israeli military spokesman and Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the number killed was “less than 100,” based on information he had seen.
The four rescued hostages were kidnapped from the October 7 Nova music festival by Palestinian militants, according to reports.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scored a victory in the hostage rescue coming after much criticism from Israeli moderates and liberals that he was stretching out the war to save his political career and has no plan for who will govern Gaza or how after the war finally does end.
By Sunday, Benny Ganz, a moderate and “key member” of the Israeli war cabinet quit the government over Netanyahu’s handling of the war. Palestinian officials said their civilian casualties from the rescue was up to at least 274 by late Sunday.
Meanwhile, the NYT says Hamas still holds “roughly” 120 Israeli hostages Netanyahu has urged Hanz on X-Twitter to withdraw his resignation, according to CNN.
“Benny, this is not the time to abandon the campaign,” Netanyahu wrote. “This is the time to join forces.”
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Trumpist Populism Hits EU Elections – Coming just after a visit with President Biden following the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, President Emmanuel Macron says he will dissolve French parliament and call snap legislative elections after his allies lost European Union parliamentary elections to Marine Le Pen’s populist National Rally party, The Guardian reports. RN won about 32% of the French vote, while Macron’s allies took 15% and the Socialist party garnered about 14%.
Populists also scored big wins in the EU elections for Germany, Austria and The Netherlands.
Up on the Hill – The Senate and the House of Representatives are in-session Tuesday through Friday.
--TL
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FRIDAY 6/7/24
May Jobs Stats --The US economy added 272,000 jobs in May for another strong month and another potential reason for the Federal Reserve to hold interest rates. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4% after 27 straight months under the 4.0 mark. The Labor Department noted job gains in health care, government, leisure and hospitality, and professional, scientific and technical services.
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Biden Apologizes to Zelenskyy – In a meeting that’s sure to raise hackles among the likes of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), President Biden apologized to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for delays in a $61-billion aid package in his country’s defense of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s invasion of his country.
“I apologize for the weeks of not knowing what was going to pass, in terms of funding, because we had trouble getting the bill that we had to pass, that had the money in it,” Biden told Zelenskyy.
“During World War II, the United States helped to save human lives, to save Europe,” Zelenskyy replied. “And we count on your continued support and standing with us, shoulder to shoulder. Thank you so much.”
(Per The New York Times.)
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No Pardon for Hunter – President Biden told ABC News’ David Muir he would not pardon his son, Hunter, if convicted in a Wilmington, Delaware federal court for failing to report drug addiction on a gun permit application. Interviewed from Normandy, France during the ceremony for the 80th anniversary of D-Day for ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir, Biden replied “yes,” when asked whether he would accept a guilty verdict for his son, and “yes” again when asked whether he would rule out a pardon.
Defense is expected to wrap up its list of witnesses in Hunter Biden’s trial on Monday.
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Infowere – Families of Sandy Hook school shooting victims who had been awarded a $1.5 billion judgment against Infowars host Alex Jones for his scurrilous claims they were “actors” in a “faked” tragedy voted unanimously in favor of liquidating the far-right talk show host’s assets in order to wrap up bankruptcy proceedings, according to Bloomberg Law. Families favored the liquidation over an alternative offered by Jones to allow him to reorganize by preserving part of his media empire and pay them “at least $5.5 million” per year over 10 years. He also had proposed additional creditor recoveries from the remains of Infowars’ parent company, portions of his income and of proceeds from his sale of various assets.
Of course, his rejected proposal also would have allowed him to keep his radio show.
--Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa